Page 97 of Wild Abandon

“Hi.” And then there’s an awkward pause. “Crystal?”

“You knew it was me. Yes, of course you did. You have my number.”

“Same number I tried to get you to change when you moved to Michigan. Good thing you didn’t,” he jokes. Then, it’s followed by silence. A silence that’s broken by a baby’s cry in the background.

“I was calling to wish you congratulations. On your daughter. Addison, right? I’m still friends with your aunt on Facebook.”

“Addison. And, yes, she is a little diva.” He laughs, and then his coos can be heard through the phone, calming his daughter down. “I saw you moved to California. Good for you.”

“Gotta love Facebook. Yeah, I moved in with Naomi and her family.”

“Tell her I said hello. Jeremy, too. I assume they’re still together. Did they have any more kids?”

“No. Just Scarlet, and she’s amazing. She’s eight and like a little Doctor Ruth. She gives the best advice sometimes. It’s scary.”

“How are you?”

“I’m good. You? Married, baby. Sounds like you have a great life.”

“I do.”

“I’m happy for you.”

“Crystal, hang on a second.” He puts the phone down, and I can hear him talking to someone in the background.

“Hold Addison for a moment. I’m on the phone with Crystal,” he says to someone else.

“Crystal, Crystal?” the other voice says.

“Yes. Just one minute.” Then, coming back on the phone, he says, “You still there?”

“Yes, I’m here.” I wave in the air and then put my hand down, realizing he can’t see me.

“I’m glad you called because I have to say something to you.” He pauses a beat. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For not following you when you left. I was your husband, and I should have tried to make it work. I made you leave your home, your friends, everything you knew, and I never gave you anything in return. And, when you left, I should have at least tried to get you back. But I didn’t.”

“Steven, that’s not why I called—”

“Jenny, my wife, made me realize what a husband should be. What a man should be. I wasn’t one for you. And I’m sorry about that.”

“You didn’t owe me anything. You were a great husband. I’m the one who was wrong. I didn’t even try to fit into your life. I fought it every step of the way. Looking back, I know you tried to make me happy, and I did nothing to reciprocate. You just weren’t for me. And I wasn’t for you.”

“And that leaves me to say the one thing I’ve wanted to say to you. Thank you. Thank you for ending something that wasn’t right. If you’d stayed, we probably would have stayed in the same circle of discontent. That’s not the life we deserve. I didn’t understand it until I met Jenny, and I swear to you, when I held Addison for the first time, I knew I was in the exact place I was meant to be. With the people I was meant to be with. I never would have been with them, and I wouldn’t be the husband I am if it wasn’t for you.”

“You’re a good man, Steven. I’m happy you’re happy. I mean that.”

“I’m really glad you called.” He chuckles lightly. “Stay in touch? It’s good to hear your voice.”

“I will,” I say even though we know this is the last time we’ll ever talk to each other again. It’s the closure we both needed.

“And, Crystal,” he adds just before I'm about to hang up, “I'm not really such a ducker, am I?”

I let out a small laugh. “No, Steven, you're not.”

I hang up and then take a breath of relief. A chapter of my life is closed, no longer lingering on the present.