Remind Me

“Come here for a minute?” He asked back.

“Are you clothed…?” I joked, walking back.

“Sadly for you, yes.” He was saying, as I walked in.

“Nice try.” I said back, smiling, as I walked past him and sat on his bed. “Now what did you want?”

“Will you go shopping with me?”

“THAT is your favor!?”

“Yes…” He looked at me confused.

“That is not even close to a favor. That is like a present for me.” I got really excited. “Some might say I am a shopaholic.”

Jeff started laughing.

Wow! I should not have said that. He is gonna think I am only in it for the money. That is like telling a guy, on the first date, that you have a kid. Great idea.

“So is that a yes?” He asked, when he caught his breath.

“YES. YES. YES. YES. YES.” I said, and he looked at me crazy again.

“I mean, I guess. If you want me to…”

“Let me just take a quick shower. I probably smell gross.” He said.

“Yeah you do.” I joked. “But we don’t even have time to go anywhere. It’s already 2:10. We have to meet your family in 20 minutes.”

“Oh… about that.” He said and I got nervous. “I made it up. They left so that we could have time together, alone.”

“What!? I wanted you all to spend time together!”

“I knew you were gonna be upset and say that, so that is why I made up the dinner thing.”

“Yeah, and you also made up the part about them saying that they liked me.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. They do like you. They don’t really know you, but they said that they could tell how much happier I am from just knowing you these 2 days.” He said. “They want me to be happy, so they want me to be with you.”

I smiled and he came and sat on the bed with me.

“None of them wanted to keep us apart, cause they know how hard my schedule is. “ He put his arm around my waist and his other hand on top of mine.

“I understand, but I want you to spend time with them. I’m glad you are happy with me… I’m really happy with you too. It actually kind of scares me that I am so happy after this short of a time. Things like this never happen for me.” I said pulling my hands away from his and I stood up.

“Please go out with them. I don’t want to be ‘the girlfriend who ruins the relationship with the family’.”

Jeff stood up and grabbed my hands, looking directly into my eyes. “I must say, I really like the sound of that.”

I tried to pull away, but he pulled me harder and closer. “The girlfriend part.” He began to slowly walk me back over to the bed.

“Listen to me. I know my family. We all want each other to be happy. This is not about not being with them, it’s about trying to make things work with you. If that means us not spending time together, then so be it. I will go out with them. I’ll have them pick me up here.”

“I don’t understand. Why can’t we just all go together? Why can’t I go out with your family? It was fine to go to practice with them and it was fine to lie about going to lunch, but it isn’t fine to actually go as a whole group? I just don’t get it, Jeff.”

Why was he doing this to me? This is exactly why I didn’t want to meet them to begin with. I knew it would have caused some kind of problem.

“I just don’t want to share you with all of them.” He tried to sweet talk his way out of it.

“I— I have to go.” I got up and walked back to the kitchen area. I took my keys off the counter and went to walk out the door.

“Please, just let me go. I will see you at the game.” I said to him.

He grabbed my hands and I started crying. “I’m sorry.” He said and kissed my forehead, before moving out of my way.