For What It's Worth

Chapter 10

The last three hours had been the longest of my life, both to my chagrin and to my relief. On the one hand, I had just spent 180 minutes listening to a white-haired, tweed-wearing, Harvard-educated art snob drone on about the advantages of lacquer removal, and as much as I love my job, that was enough to make anyone want to pull their eyelashes out. My legs were cramped from sitting and thanks to the two cups of coffee I had needed to stay awake, I had to go like nobody’s business. Needless to say, I was happy when 4 o’clock rolled around and I was freed from my red-faced captor. On the flip side, it meant my work day was over and in turn, that meant going home to Brooks.

As I sat at my desk, tidying my papers from the day’s work, I tried to figure out what I wanted to say to him. The problem was, well, that I had no idea where to start. I wanted him to tell me he loved me and to sweep me up in his arms like some silly fairtale. I wanted him to say that Krista was a mistake, maybe even a replacement for something he thought he couldn’t have. But then I thought about Krista, and her little cardigan, and I couldn’t help but feel like I was going to be sick. She didn’t deserve to have something like this happen to her by any means. She’d probably have no idea what hit her when she found out, if she found out, and I could just picture her crying into a little monogrammed handkerchief while her friends tried to make her feel better by telling her what a slut I was. It was the very image that had been popping into my head all afternoon, and quite frankly, I’d had just about enough. If Krista wasn’t going to be the one to cry, then that meant that I would. It was up to Brooks.

I had been taking extra long to collect my things because in all honesty, I was afraid to go home. I felt my chest tighten as I thought about the look Brooks had given me that morning and before I knew it, I was hyperventilating like I’d just run a ten miles with wild dogs chasing after me. I grabbed my things as quickly as I could, and raced out of the building, stopping just long enough to dig my cell phone out of my bag before I got on the subway. I called the only person I thought could help.

“Thanks for calling Mikey G’s live fish bait. You pick em, we stick em! How can I help you?”

“Mike?”

“Oh hey Jules,” he said with a remarkable amount of relief in his voice.

“Screening your calls again Mikey?” I asked with a small chuckle. I knew he would cheer me up.

“Yeah, this chick’s psycho, hot, but crazy as batshit. I don’t even remember her name.”

“Nice Mike. Where did you meet her?”

“At Alessandro’s…or possibly that new club on Jones. I can’t really remember.”

“I see,” I said with a heavy sigh.

“So how’s my little adulteress?”

“Mike!” I replied as I choked back a fresh set of tears that appeared from nowhere. God, it was so much worse when someone else said it out loud.

“Jules, I’m just joking with ya. Don’t cry please?”

“Sorry, sorry. I know, I can’t cry my way out of this one,” I said with a half-hearted laugh.

“Well, actually, that’s not a bad idea. Brooks doesn’t like it when you get upset.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m just saying, pulling out the water works can’t make things worse.”

“So you’re saying is that things are bad enough that I should throw a temper tantrum until I get what I want?”

“Well what do you want?”

“Brooks,” I said quietly. “But what about Krista?”

“What about Krista Jules! Who said that you have to be the perfect, considerate, model citizen all the time. Why aren’t you allowed to have what you want?”

Silence. He had a point. When was the last time I got what I wanted? Oh yes, a few weeks ago when I was offered my dream job. Wait, that’s completely different though. I got the job because I’m good at what I do, Yes, that’s right. This is different. So, so different. There are actual feelings involved here. But why shouldn't i have what i want, what i've wanted all along. Maybe Mike was right, maybe it was my turn. If anything, he certainly gave me something to think about.

“Jules, you still there?”

“Sorry, yeah, I’m here…I was just thinking for a minute.” My train had come to a stop and I collected my belongings so that I could exit as quickly as possible. I hate the rush hour cattle run.

“So how did you find out anyways?” I asked, praying that it was not locker room gossip. Seriously, those guys were worse than a high school cheerleading squad.

“Well, Brooks wasn’t his normal self at practice this morning, so I beat it out of him with a hockey stick…and don’t worry, his perfect face went unscathed.”

“And?” I asked as I made my way down the platform and up the stairs to street level.

“And I hear you’re a good time!”

“Mike!” I replied sharper than I had intended. A gentleman at the crosswalk simply looked at me, probably wondering why I had turned a ridiculous shade of red.

“Again Jules, a joke. Do you really not know me babe? Though I have to admit, this was really not part of the Brooks and Julianna reunion plan…”

“I know, I’m just feeling a little sensitive right now. I feel like I broke one of the commandments of something.

“Well, technically, you did. Thou shall not covet thy best friend’s ass. Yes, I believe that’s the one.”

“Well, not quite, but in guy language, I suppose that makes sense. I gotta go Mikey. I’m almost home. Wish me luck?”

“Go get ‘em tiger…and Jules, just tell him the truth…you’ll be fine.”

I ended my chat with Mike, feeling the same as I had when I first called him. Uneasy. My phone beeped and I realized that I had missed three texts, all of them from Brooks. I was three houses away from our own, so I decided to close the phone, afraid of what he had to say. I didn’t want to get myself more worked up than I already was. Right? I made it half way up the driveway before I realized that Brooks was sitting on the front porch.

“I’ve been waiting all day for you,” he said with a broad smile on his face.

Thank goodness. I wasn’t in the mood to fight, and apparently, neither was Brooks. He took my bags in one hand, and my hand in the other, leading me inside where dinner was waiting. That was unexpected. Aren’t we supposed to have one of those lover’s quarrels or something? You know, the ones where we shout at each other, and cry a little and completely dance around the subject until one of us cracks? I feel like that’s how it’s supposed to go. Apparently not, but then Brooks never does anything by the book. Is he pretending that nothing happened? Because three times isn’t nothing, trust me.
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No clue where this story's going so suggestions are welcome. Hope you enjoyed the new chapter and please comment!!