SUMMER: I buy T-shirts with mediocre singers on them, remember?
Does he remember? It’s the first reference I’ve made to that night. I really wish we were talking on the phone during this conversation and not over text when he doesn’t reply. I don’t know what he’s thinking. But honesty was Julia’s advice. So, I text him again.
SUMMER: I’m kidding. I just went through a divorce.
If I wondered what he thought of me before that text, I’m desperate now. Once people know that information, they put me in one of two camps: I didn’t try hard enough, or I should have never married him to begin with. Either way, both indicate failure in a relationship that meant a great deal to me, whether or not it was difficult to endure at times.
With parents who have been married several decades, I grew up believing in the sanctity of commitment. I may have rushed into a life with Brian, but I had no intention of abandoning our union when times felt hard. Something I believed we both had in common up until I was served papers.
EVERETT: I’m sorry to hear that. And I’m sorry about Caroline.
His apology is appreciated. I should have anticipated it would change the subject from our night at the concert. I hate that I want him to remember it as much as I do. Feel the electricity that’s only grown stronger for me since then. But he clearly doesn’t want to talk about it, and I can’t blame him when all this time he thought I was married.
SUMMER: The bossy lady with the authority complex? She melted under my smile.
EVERETT: I’m sure she did.
EVERETT: Thank you for today.
SUMMER: Anytime.
I stare at my phone screen for who knows how long after that before finally looking up. Julia has reclined her chair and twisted it toward me as if I’m the show.
“What?”
“You’re blushing,” she says.
I toss a throw pillow at her. She catches it before it flops in her face.
“Has he forgiven you?”
“I think so? He thanked me for helping him today, but—” I cringe. “If we’re keeping to the honesty trend, I told him you and I are in a polyamorous relationship.”
She tosses the pillow back at me. It knocks me square in the chest. “Summer!”
“What? He’s too uptight.” Didn’t used to be, I want to add, but I don’t tell her that part. I gave Julia vague details after I left him the night of the concert. I had to explain why I came back with a cowboy hat instead of a trucker one.
“I’m sure one flick of your wrist and he’ll be unraveling in the palm of your hand.”
“Jeez, Julia. He sounds like a yo-yo.”
“I just meant, you’re incredibly charming when you want to be. I’m sure he’s already discovered that about you.” She yawns and folds in the footrest of her recliner.
“We haven’t finished the episode yet!”
“I have an exam on Monday and a five o’clock alarm set for the morning to study for it,” she says.
“Fine. But we’re finishing this tomorrow.” I point a finger at her.
“Can’t wait to see what train wreck Stephen has for me then.”
I snort. “I’m gonna stay up for a while, but you can turn the light off.”
She winks. “Sure thing. Good night.”
“Good night,” I say.
I lie awake waiting—hoping—for another text from Rhett as I replay our conversation. As much as I should have told him about Henry sooner, I don’t regret it. My time spent with both him and Quinn might be the closest I ever come to feeling like a mom. For that reason alone, it was nice playing pretend for a while.
