Everybody Cares, Everybody Understands

“Well, hello there,” I smiled as I crept up behind Rob.

“You scared me,” He said as he jumped a bit.

“What are you doing here?” I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. I had just arrived at the airport to pick up Meghan and Rob was also waiting for her.

“Oh, just seeing if there are any hot Jewish chicks looking for a tour guide while they are here in N-Y-C,” Rob popped the collar on his polo and winked at me.

“Are you waiting for Amy Winehouse?” I joked. “Do you think she’s going to be at this very terminal?” I quipped. “Though, I do recall telling you yesterday that I would be here picking up Meghan…So weird!” I shrugged.

“She’s gonna be pissed I’m here,” He laughed rocking back and forth on his heels.

“Amy Winehouse?” I laughed to ease his nerves a bit. “Why’d you come?” I leaned against him quickly and then slowly looked at him for an answer.

I knew why Rob was here waiting; he was in love with her, but why now? Why after all she’s done is cut him down and shut him out? After a while neither of them would give up any deep information about the situation. They both acted annoyed when anyone would ask them about the other. Meg really got annoyed and would rant on about how Rob was such a coward and just strung her along. Rob was always polite and just blamed himself for it all. I felt bad for Rob, he was just trying to do what he thought would in the end make Meghan happy and get her what she wanted. I guess he didn’t realize how much it would hurt both of them.

“I think it’s great. I mean the elephant in the room was starting to smell,” I teased him.

“Tell me about it. Stay with me though. At least I know there won’t be bloodshed with you around,” Rob had the biggest puppy dog eyes, he definitely worked them on me a few times; they were too hard to say “no” to..

“Did you use those on your parents growing up? Did they absolutely get annoyed by their inability to deny the power of your puppy dog eyes?” I goaded.

“Clearly, because I got everything I wanted, when I wanted it,” He scoffed with a smile.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to leave?” I asked cautiously.

“If you leave, who knows what’ll happen. I may just leave because of nerves too. If she won’t answer my calls, texts, e-mails or her door I have to corner her here.” I could practically hear his heart pounding out of his chest. He looked peaked.

I just nodded and we waited. Meg should be walking through the terminal any minute now. I was getting nervous for the meeting the longer I stood next to Rob. I wanted things to go well between them because as much as Meg tried to put up the front that she hated Rob, she needed him and loved him still. She was just still hurting and trying to pretend she was okay on her own, but she wasn’t. They were meant for each other. Who would have known they’d fall in love and so hard? They were unlikely at first, but really they were great compliments for one another.

“Is this some sort of ambush?” Meghan asked as she saw both Rob and me standing, waiting for her.

“No, not at all,” I spoke up. Meghan turned and went toward her baggage carousel. She was annoyed.

“Maybe you two should just handle this,” I screwed my face up feeling really uncomfortable with the present situation.

“I think I actually need you. Did you see that face?” He laughed and hooked his arm around my neck and pulled me with him.

I groaned as he pulled me away. I was looking for some time alone with Meghan after not seeing her for two weeks. I wanted to tell her about our first session and how things were really getting better. We were both making the effort to communicate and tell each other what we were thinking and what we meant to each other. It wasn’t fixed and I didn’t want it to be, that wouldn’t be real. We were facing our problems head on and I definitely felt like it was making us stronger.

“Unbelievable,” Meg mumbled as she tapped her one foot watching the luggage go around the carousel.

“Meg, relax,” I said under my breath as I stood next to her.

“Were you in on this?” She demanded.

“He was here before I was. Just be nice. He’s trying, okay?” I gave her a motherly look. She just rolled her eyes.

“Which one is yours?” Rob asked going closer to the belt.

“I have two big ones, but I’ll get it,” She feigned politeness as she went to another opening in the crowd at the carousel.

We waited for about fifteen minutes and Meg’s bags came out. She went to grab one of the big ones and Rob rushed to Meghan’s side to help her. She was not happy about it, but I could see that she was trying and she seemed to relax and gave him a small albeit forced smile. Rob grabbed her other bag and pulled it behind him and Meghan pulled the other one.

“I took a cab, did you drive?” Rob asked me.

“I didn’t drive either, I came right from work. Plus the parking rates are ridiculous!”

“Let’s go grab a cab then,” Meg said and we followed behind her to the street to get a cab.

Rob hailed one and loaded up the trunk with both of Meg’s bags. She got in on one side and forced me to sit in the middle, knowing Rob would want to sit with her.

“Rob, sit with us in the back,” I smiled as I saw him going to the passenger side. He got in next to me and told the driver where to go and we were off.

“How was it? Tell me everything!” I said breaking the silence.

“It was amazing. Everything went well. There were a couple snags, like not ordering any of our flowers for the after party, but I went to a few florists who helped us out, it was perfect!” She smiled. She always lit up when talking about work.

“That’s great. I’m glad you had a successful show,” Rob leaned forward to tell Meghan.

“Yeah, it was a lot of fun. You know me, thriving on chaos,” Meghan just stared out the window now instead of looking at Rob. I literally was caught in the middle.

“You know who I met that was totally amazing?”

“Who? I asked elbowing her a bit to remind her to be nice.

“I met Thom Yorke and the rest of Radiohead. He’s really cool. I mean his lazy eye was a bit distracting, but otherwise nice guy,” Meghan looked about both Rob and I. “Why are you here?” She asked suddenly.

“She gave it a good twenty minutes,” Rob laughed to me. I just nodded and tried to push myself as far back against the seat as possible. If could have put myself in the trunk, I would have done it. Of course it was the tail end of rush hour and we were stop and go for a bit.

“Sorry,” She said sincerely. “I was just curious.”

“Well, there is this big issue that we have yet to talk about since you’ve been back. You don’t answer e-mails, calls or even me showing up at your house. I figured this was the best way to ambush you to talk about it,” He said as politely as he could, but frustration was all over it.

“You want to talk about how you just let me leave? Broke it off and didn’t think twice about it all? That sounds riveting, doesn’t it? Maybe that’s why I didn’t want to discuss it?” Her words were so cutting and sarcastic was too tame of a word to describe her tone.

“Meghan,” He sighed and shook his head. “You know it was nothing like that. Do you think I’d do that?” He was infuriated by her claim.

“Well, all I really know is my fiancé,” She stressed hard the word fiancé. “Told me he wanted to go Chicago with me and thought it’d be a great idea for us, but then waited like a spineless loser to tell me, correction -- not tell me that they had reservations. Leaving me to go on my own, but that’s all I know,” She gritted her teeth together trying not to lose her cool. She was condescending, but didn’t raise her voice at him.

“Was I supposed to just tell you not to take the job? I wanted to compromise with you, but I didn’t want to stifle you either.”

“I thought we had made a compromise. I gave you ample time and said—I told you to be honest with me. If you didn’t want to leave New York we didn’t have to. I could have lived with that…I could have lived with that because I would have been with you,” She grew softer and as if she were going to break down soon.

“I wouldn’t have been able to live with that. I would have felt guilty,” Rob was still frustrated.

“It was only for two years, Rob. I was guaranteed a transfer to New York to manage my team in Chicago and help the team in New York. I could have just done New York…” She trailed.

Meg was facing Rob now and her hands were all over the place. I leaned my head back so that I wasn’t accidentally hit in the face.

“It’s not like you really gave me options, Meghan. You rented an office for my label before the ink was even dry on your promotion,” He rolled his eyes and laughed in disbelief as he threw himself back on the door.

“When I told you about the promotion and me going for it, you supported it. You wanted it if I got it, so I was trying to be nice! If you hadn't told me to go for it, I wouldn't have,” She yelled as she twisted back in her seat and stared straight ahead. She opened her mouth to say something else, but closed her mouth back tight with her lips barely visible from her tucking them under her teeth. She breathed in and out of her nose as if her head was about to explode.

“I did support you. That’s why I stayed behind and let you do your thing,” He sighed rubbing his face. Meghan didn’t respond or even look like she was going to attempt a response. She was stoic and stared straight ahead.

When we got to her apartment finally, Rob jumped out and grabbed her luggage out of the trunk and threw it on the sidewalk. Meg paid for the fair and I was sort of glued to my seat in sheer confusion and just feeling completely over my head. I finally skidded across the leather seat and shut the door behind me.

“Welcome home!” Meg said to no one in particular. She went and grabbed her bags, one handle in each hand and started to pull them along behind her.

Rob and I just stood on the sidewalk and gave each other a look.

“I’m really sorry about her,” I finally croaked and bit my bottom lip. Sometimes I felt responsible for my friends and their actions, like they were a reflection on me.

“That’s the most we’ve said in almost a year,” He laughed and we watched Meg struggle down the sidewalk.

“Maybe we should help her?” I laughed as I heard her huff.

Rob and I started to walk down the street after her. Meghan was on a mission and walking briskly.

“Oh fuck,” She muttered as she caught her heel on the sidewalk and fell forward on her hands.

Rob rushed to her side helping her up. He turned her hands over and inspected them, brushing some dirt and rocks off of them. I just watched them. The love and care Rob had for her. He was so gentle and attentive to her and Meghan was actually letting him help her without a fight.

“We should go clean this out,” He said kissing her one palm that had a deep scrap that was bleeding.

“New York streets are the cleanest of all streets,” She laughed nervously. There was a blush starting on her cheeks. She was cracking for a moment. I was a bit giddy at the sight of that.

“I’ll help you upstairs,” Rob said sweetly and took both of her suitcases in his hands.

“Thank you,” She smirked. “I have a nice little hole in my knee too,” She laughed looking down at her jeans.

“You should clean up that too,” I said noticing the blood coming from the scrap on her knee. “I’ll let you clean up, but tomorrow you must help me find a dress. I waited for you to come home to help me for tomorrow’s dinner,” I smoothed her hair and gave her a hug.

“Emily and I will be at your place bright and early,” She smiled holding me tight. “I’m sorry I’m not so nice,” She whispered. I just laughed.

I gave Rob a hug and started to walk back to my apartment. Meg only lived about 4 blocks from me and after everything that had transpired in the cab I needed to clear my head. I looked back to see Meg holding her front door for Rob and he smiled at her as he brought in her luggage. No relationship was perfect, nothing in life was ever perfect, but it didn’t mean the love between the people involved was any less or that imperfection mean things couldn’t work out. I had a renewed sense of confidence in my relationship because we weren’t perfect, but it didn’t mean we wouldn’t work or that our love wasn’t real. It was the realest thing I have ever known.