On Sleepless Roads, the Sleepless Go

Just because he was my lying, cheating, dirt-bag of an ex-husband, didn’t mean that there still wasn’t some deep-rooted psychological attachment to him that caused me to still have some kind of feelings towards him.
“We need to talk.”

“A phone call wouldn’t suffice?”

“This is serious, Julie. Get Marin to run the shop for a while so we can go talk.”

“Marin can barely keep herself on her two feet and you want me to leave her in charge?” I looked at him like he had two heads. He rolled his green eyes and sighed impatiently. I shook my head and called Marin up front.

“If it smells like John Wayne Gacy’s basement in here when you get back, just know it’s your fault.” She grumbled as I got my coat and purse.

+

The walk down to the nearest park was silent and filled with tension. Whatever he had to tell me wouldn’t be good. In fact, nothing good has ever come out of his mouth.

Only a few people seemed to be out on such a chilly day, Max and I being two of them. I stopped him on the path, impatience setting in.

“Alright, what’s wrong?” I snapped. He ran a hand through his groomed hair and gave a stressed sigh.

“The company’s expanding.” I furrowed my eyebrows.

“And?”

“And it’s in California.”

“Okay, what does that-“

“I’m relocating to California.” He cut me off mid-sentence. I just stared at him, mouth still open from getting cut off.

“You’re what?” I blinked.

“I know this is-“

“You can’t move 2,000 miles away to California, Max!” I yelled at him. He looked taken back.

“And why the hell not? I’m looking to expand my father’s business and California is the perfect place. I don’t have anything that’s tying me to Chicago anyway.” He sneered at me.

“Really? Is your son suddenly dead to you now? You are such a dead-beat prick of a father that you wouldn’t give two shits about what this is going to do to Sasha! Believe it or not, he still loves you even after all the times you’ve let him down. You are so un-fucking-believable, Max.”

“Dead-beat? A fucking dead-beat? I give my son everything he needs! He’s never gone without!”

“He’s five, Max! He doesn’t need your money. He needs his father to love him! You can’t buy everyone off, Max. It doesn’t work that way.” It was times like these that I was thankful for the cold, leaving the park empty so I could save myself from this embarrassment.

“That’s what this is about? You think I don’t love my son?”

“You could have fooled me.” His eyes hardened.

“And what the hell’s that supposed to mean?”

“You know exactly what it means, Max.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “When was the last time you’ve spent time with him? I can tell you that it’s only happened once since we’ve split up. He is your son. I don’t want him to grow up to resent you for never being there! I may not like you, but I’ll be damned if my son is denied his father.”

“I don’t know what you want me to do.” His voice fell soft, defeated.

“For once in your life, put your son before your goddamn job.”

+

“He what?!” Marin shouted with a mouthful of peanut butter. The industrial sized jar sat on top of a decorating table.

“That’s not for you to eat,” I grabbed the spoon from her almost double-dipping hand and snatched the five pound jar as well. She gave me the stink eye as I put the spoon in the sink and capped the jar.

“I still have a hangover and you’re denying me food? What kind of a sadistic bitch are you?”

“The kind that’s teaching you a lesson,” I tapped her on the head playfully. “Come on,” I untied my apron and grabbed my belongings. “Let’s take a lunch break; my treat.” Marin grinned and sluggishly got up.