“I’ll say something to her.” He says, rubbing his forehead in frustration.
“Yeah, and what about next time because lately there always seems to be a next time.”
“I know, you’re right. This has happened with every single one of my relationships. They’ve all ended because of her.”
“I’m going in the bathroom to clean up. Then I’m going to bed and I’m going to get up early and go home. Since you drove me here I hope you will understand and drive me home. I don’t think I can face your mother in the morning for a variety of reasons.”
“I’m sorry babe. I understand, and of course I will drive you home.”
“Don’t apologize. You didn’t tell her she could come in here whenever she wanted without knocking first did you? Especially knowing you had a girl in here?”
“No, I never said such a thing.” He gives me a coy smile. “I’ll try to sort it all out.”
AT 8 AM WE HEARD MARCIE’S alarm clock going off in her bedroom. We got up, changed our clothes and quietly tiptoed out of the bedroom. We picked up our shoes off the floor by the door and snuck out like a couple of teenagers. We were actually giggling going down the stairs to go out to the parking lot.
“Dunkin Donuts?” He asks me a wink.
“Absolutely. Coffee makes everything better.”
“Talk back and I’ll slap you again.”
July 6, 2002
I’VE BEEN DYING TO TALK TO Lily about all of the crap going on with Marcie. She’s gotten tidbits of information from shortened phone calls or emails but it’s easier to tell the whole story in person. We decided to grab a pizza somewhere local to talk.
When we walk in we notice a few people ahead of us waiting to be seated. We’re not in a rush so we grab a menu from the counter to decide what we want before we are seated. After a couple of minutes Lily nudges me in the side and whispers in my ear, “Tess is here.”
I immediately fuel with anger and want to find her and punch her for what she did to me and Jameson. Lily grabs my wrist and tells me to relax then whispers in my ear again, “Not here, not now. She’s with her little sister.”
I calm down and take a few breaths and whisper back “Okay. Just make sure we are not seated near her.” I already know my blood is going to be boiling talking to Lily about Marcie and now to add Tess’s presence to this, has me all sorts of distressed.
After a few more minutes, we are seated and nowhere in view of Tess and her sister. Once we sit down and place our orders Lily looks at me with a very serious face and says, “Spill it.”
I smile, take a deep breath and let it all out. I didn’t let her get a word in edgewise. Even when the waitress stopped to drop off drinks and food I kept talking. I couldn’t stop. Everything from the bath mat, to the toothpaste, the comment about Jameson and I not inviting her out with us, and the icing on the cake of course walking in on us having sex. My fiancé is an only child with a grown ass mother who refuses to cut the umbilical cord to her son. She has no friends, she hasn’t had a boyfriend since the 80’s, and it appears she despises me now for some reason. Mostly because she thinks I’m taking her son away from her.
“You would think with multiple siblings it would be different. In Bevan’s family, if one sibling fucks up his mom is after all of them, and somehow I get roped in to it too. If baby sister gets hurt big brothers have to take care of it. If I give baby sister bad advice in their eyes, I’m the devil. It’s almost like there is no winning.” Lily tells me.
“At least you have the siblings there to have your back. Jameson is an only child. I’ve seen looks and I’ve heard comments here and there at family functions from Marcie’s sisters, nieces and nephews but I’m not close with them enough yet to take those conversations further. I’m hoping that the closer we get to the wedding, the more time I’ll spend with them and feel more comfortable to have talks about Marcie, see if I can figure her out.”
“Hillary, have you ever thought about what if things with Marcie only get worse? Can you live like that for the rest of your life? Do you love Jameson that much to possibly have that constant bullshit in your life? How will she be when you guys decide to have kids? What if you guys buy a house and she buys one on the same damn street? You know she’s fucking crazy enough to do that. I wish I could tell you it’s a fluke thing but I’ve been around long enough. She’s always been cool and easy going until you guys got engaged. Then you started talking about a house and she’s only gotten worse.”