profile and send you a rating survey about the company and
about me at the end. I’m not fishing for anything. We’re
required to send it.”
“I’m really sorry. For all of this. But that’s not…I just
have something to tell you. Something that I don’t want to do
over the phone or over email. I really don’t want to do it in
public either. It’s private.”
Adley’s voice softens, even though it wasn’t hard
before. She’s so much quieter now. “It’s alright. You don’t
have to explain yourself to me. I completely understand. Don’t
worry about me either. I do hope that we can keep in—”
“I have to. Please. If you’re not comfortable coming
here, I could meet you somewhere. A lounge or something.
Get a drink. But please.” I’m getting desperate now. I don’t
know how to make her understand.
The urgency in my voice obviously registers, and
Adley is a good person. She’s kind. Too kind. People probably
take advantage of her kindness, and that makes me furious,
half at myself, even though that’s not what I’m trying to do.
“Alright. Depending on where you live, I can leave
now and probably be there in an hour.”
Gratitude and guilt rise in me in equal measure. I feel
that this is something that I have to do. If I only tell one person
on the planet, then I want it to be Adley. I also feel bad about
dragging her out late on a Sunday night. Then I remember
something else. Adley can’t just leave. Adley has Tildy. She
can’t very well drag her with her. She might actually be in bed
already. How could I be so selfish? How could I get so
wrapped up in myself that I wouldn’t even think of it until
now?