That tells me something I should have known for a long time, and that new knowledge has me pulling the phone from my pocket and dialing the number.
“Hello?” Emma answers.
“Hey, Em,” I say. “Listen, there’s something I think we should talk about and as much as I’d like to do this in person, I’m not sure how practical that’s going to be right now.”
“Well, this doesn’t sound good,” she says.
“Danna’s not doing so well right now, and that made me realize that I’m really not in a position right now where I’m ready for a relationship,” I tell her.
“Well,” she says, “we’re just dating. If you need some space or some time, that’s fine. I don’t think that we need to call everything off completely, though. We’re still finding out where this goes.”
“I know,” I tell her, “and I’m really sorry, but I do think that’s going to be the best thing for both of us right now.”
“Well, I’m not going to sit here and argue with you about it,” she says. “If you want us to stop seeing each other outside of work, we’ll stop seeing each other outside of work. One thing, though.”
“What’s that?” I ask.
“Are you okay?” she asks. “Your voice is really shaky.”
“I’m fine,” I tell her, and even I notice the quiver in my tone this time around. “Have I really been talking like that this whole time?” I ask.
“Mostly after the phrase ‘Hey, Em,’” she answers.
“I’m just feeling totally overwhelmed right now and I need to be here for my sister. I’m kind of all she’s got right now, and I need to be able to work and still have time to take care of her when I need to.”
“I’m not arguing with you,” she says. “I’ve got a spotless record: I’ve never tried to keep someone in a relationship against their will. I’m asking if you’re okay because you don’t sound like you are.”
“I’m not,” I tell her.
Honesty every once in a while clears the palate, you know.
“Where are you?” she asks. “I’ll come and keep you company.”
“I don’t think that’s the best idea,” I tell her. “Why don’t we just talk tomorrow when we’re in the chair?”
“Because I don’t know if you’re going to be okay tomorrow when we’re in the chair and I do know that you’re not okay right now,” she says. “I’m not saying I want to come in there and get relationship juice all over you, but we can still be friends, right?”
“Yeah,” I answer.
“Well, don’t friends help each other out when one of them is having a hard time?” she asks.
“Well, yeah,” I answer.
“Then let me know where you are so I can come and help you through it,” she says.
Nobody’s said anything like that to me in a very long time, not with that level of altruism, anyway.
“Danna’s sleeping right now,” he says.
“Then just give me the name of the hospital and I’ll meet you wherever you want me to meet you,” she says.
“Why are you doing this?” I ask.
“What do you mean?” she returns.
“I kind of just broke up with you there and you still want to come down to the hospital because I’m having a rough time,” I tell her.
“Yeah,” she says, “so?”