555. REMEMBER TO FORGET

It is Saturday; Mom leaves tomorrow so I am already starting to miss her. It’s weird. I get used to living alone, then I adjust to having someone around, then I have to get used to being alone again and it’s hard. Really hard.

So I am focused on having a light and pleasant time with Mom today. Nothing is going to annoy me. Nothing is going to upset me.

Mom comes out the bathroom and sits down at the desk chair. “I have to do my make-up, but you take your shower first,” she says. “Okay,” I reply and get off the bed where I was lying, watching Law and Order. I walk past the desk and the phone rings. I recognize the number, but kinda don’t. I pick up, realize I totally know who it is and panic. I had to forget his number only to remember enough so I would not to answer it, but it is too late I am saying hello, cringing, waiting to hear his voice.

“Hey,” Town and Country says. OMG. What in the hell? “Ah, hi,” I say and hope he doesn’t say something raunchy or sex-like with my mother sitting two feet away. And what does he want? And who the hell is HE to call ME? After three months? After yelling at me? “Are you okay?” he asks. “We’ve never talked on the phone before,” I reply to stall my shock. This is not a lie; all of our communication has been text or email or live in person. “And my mother is here,” I say. “Oh,” he says and his tone immediately changes. “What’s up?” I ask. What? Did I just ask him that? Why do I even care? I don’t. “I wanted to say sorry,” he replies. Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? “Oh, okay, thanks,” I say. “Well, bye then,” he replies. “Bye,” I say, hang-up and run into the bathroom.

I am shaking inside and outside. What a weird call? What is he doing calling me again? I thought it was over the last night when he behaved like a little toddler jerky faced man. Why doesn't he go away? I take a long shower and come out of the bathroom, a whoosh of steam follows me. I walk by the desk; Mom is reclining on the bed watching the telly. My phone is blinking quickly, alerting me to a text. I pick it up, presuming it is Meera with information about Rohit’s birthday party tonight that Mom and I are attending. Wrong.

Town and Country: I just wanted to say sorry.

I am sorry too. Sorry that I met him. Sorry that I fell for him. Sorry that I can’t shake him. Sorry that I didn’t remember to forget his phone number. I should have blocked his number. But I never thought he’d call back. And I NEVER thought he'd ever say he was sorry for anything.