“What is the appointment for? Are you sick? Did youfinallycatch an STD?”
Lincoln chuckles sheepishly on the other end of the line. “No.”
That’s it? He’s not going to expound on why?
Then he finally does.
“It’s just a full physical. Work is making everyone do one because of the stress levels over the past few months. They want bloodwork, vitals, the whole thing. They’re updating everyone’s medical clearance before the next phase of testing. I have to do it.”
I roll my eyes even though he can’t see me.
“So that’s why you’re callingme?”
He’s quiet for a second, and then softly:
“Yeah. And because… I always did this stuff with you. The last time I did it with you.”
My chest tightens. Not in a romantic way. In thewhy the fuck are you saying that to me way.
“I'm not your wife anymore, Link.”
“I know but… please.”
The way he’s begging makes me want to do it with him. “Ask Sarah to do it.”
“Gabby…”
“No, ask your bitch to do it. You have some nerve. I know you're paying me but it's kind of rich how I can do everything a housewife does even though yes you're paying me now for it… and yeah you're probably going to say you paid for it back then too by providing, which you did… but now we're not togetherand you're still getting some of those privileges while still out fucking someone else.”
“Do youwantme to fuck you?”
What the…
I want to say something snarky back, but I don’t know what to say.
“Sorry,badjoke. Sorry,” Lincoln says, killing the moment. Mercifully.
“Look, all I'm saying is if you can have a relationship with Sarah she should be able to go to these things with you.”
“I don'twanther to go with me.”
“Is that not an issue? You'resleepingwith her. She doesn'tcookfor you, I'mdoubtingshe cleans for you too, you don't trust her enough to take care of yourcat, but you can fuck her and do all the other stuff with her even though she's not there for you?
“You can tell her all of our private financial and personal issues and take her advice about your marriage which she helped you burn down in flames, but she can't go to the damn doctor with you for something that makes you afraid? Don't insult me any worse than you already have,” I say, hanging up the phone and feeling awful…
Because Iwantto go with him.
When is his appointment anyway?
I expect him to call back but he doesn’t.
I can’t even relax now. Getting up, I smile at the seagulls. “See you guys later. Thanks for sitting with me.”
As I get on my bike to ride down the length of the jetty back to the shore, the seagulls all flock and fly alongside me, something they clearly find fun, and I do too. It makes me feel like I’m flying with them.
Through my earbuds the old song Ravyn Lenae – Love Me Not plays, and I pump my pedals to the music. The seagulls follow me until the main street before they scatter back toward the shore.
Handsome is the only one that keeps following for a while until I get to the intersection toward the shuttle station. He waits on the awning of it until the big shuttle bus comes.
