“So stop eating them.” Blues’ eyes sparkle with amusement. The bitch is enjoying this.
“I can’t. They’re too good. You know expensive chocolate is my kryptonite.” I sigh heavily.
“I do. But more importantly, so does he. These Peony are gorgeous. Your house smells amazing, and from what I can see, not only is Skull sorry, he was paying close attention to everything you’ve said to him.”
“Does that outweigh what he did?” I pop the lid off the gold box and grab a crème Brule truffle. “It’s sickening that I recognize these. One look and I can tell you the flavor. He’s evil. His plan is to make me so fat, no one else will want me. I swear to you I’ve gained five pounds this week alone!”
“Then you should hear him out, so he’ll stop,” Blue says.
“Are you on his side or mine?”
“Both. I think you’re good for each other. Yes, he fucked up. But it’s not the same as it would be for any man in the ordinary world. He honestly didn’t know any better. I’m not taking up for him. I’m asking you to make an exception for stupidity. These men live in an alternate reality. The things you think of as common knowledge aren’t for them. Especially, Skull. He’s never had anything that remotely resembles steady or exclusive. It’s why I was so excited when you two hit it off, and started doing your own thing. You need a strong man, and he needs a sassy woman who won’t put up with his shit, but still has a soft touch.”
“He needs a kick in his junk and a lesson on respect.”
“So give it to him. Then take him back,” Blue says.
“Are you a spy sent in to infiltrate me, Blue?” I ask around the heavenly bite of the layered chocolate treat.
“No, but I can tell you’re not happy.”
Maybe not, but my pride is intact. “Can one put a limitation on recovering from a breakup?”
“No, but I don’t think this is over.”
I sigh. “I’m trying to turn this soap opera into a season finale.”
“He won’t stop. You get that, right?”
I shrug. A part of me likes seeing him step out of his comfort zone. Perhaps now he can feel strange, uncertain and inadequate. Then we’ll be on even ground.
“I think a part of you is loving this,” she accuses as she raises an eyebrow.
“Not enjoying it...” I pause. “I want my knight to slay the dragon before he comes back into the castle.”
“Did you just refer to your Vag as a castle?”
“Oh, my God. No. I meant my good graces, a relationship, my arms. Anything but my Va jay jay, Blue. Pay attention.”
She smiles. “You’re on a roll today, huh?”
“I’m sorry. I’m in a bitchy mood. You’d think all of this would make me happy, right? It doesn’t. I’m angry at him for not being here with me.”
“You can’t be when you won’t let him.”
“I’m pissed that he messed us up in the first place. You know me. I’m a free spirit. I was the one who didn’t do commitment. Then he came along, and I started to see us being a long term thing. He gets me, and for the most part, I get him. It’s a rare thing when you can link with another being on that level. It’s also scary as hell. After the disaster zone my parents made of my family, forever after was a bullshit idea made by Disney to sell money. Skull did the impossible. He made me reconsider. I thought, maybe I was wrong. I opened myself up. He repaid me by throwing everything I offered him in my face. I felt like less than nothing when I saw that photo, Blue. What can he do that’s going to fix that?”
“There’s no one thing he can do that will fix things. Only time and actions can accomplish that. I think these grand gestures are an excellent start. You want him to prove his worth? He’s trying. He’s also showing you patience he doesn’t normally have. How long that will last, I can’t say.”
“Am I over reacting?” I whisper. Doubt rushes in weakening my resolve to stand firm.
“You’re entitled to feel however you need to. You did nothing wrong, and I think making him work for it is a good thing. As long as you know what your end game is.”
I bite my bottom lip. “How can we work this out without me looking pathetic?”
“Honey, who do you think is watching? Each one of us has so many skeletons in our closet we don’t have time to worry about someone else’s dirt. Any minute now, ours could come popping up out of the mud like they did in the unfinished pool in Poltergeist.”
I giggle. “Really? You’re ridiculous. You know that?”