I hung up the phone.
Near quitting time, Liam texted again.
“Dave and the guys want to get together
tonight. Want to come?”
I thought I misread.
Liam would hang out with his friends, but he
never took me.
“What would you do there? It’s just a bunch
of auvs. You can’t drink that much.”
I wanted to be part of his life, so I begged
him to let me come.
Liam brought me, but he didn’t pay any
attention to me.
I didn’t know any of his friends.
Liam didn’t introduce me, so no one talked to
- me.
I waited there for a couple hours.
Now he was asking me. I didn’t want to go.
“I’m having dinner with some people from
work.”
Liam called. “Who are you eating with?”
く
I didn’t want to say. “People from my project.
You don’t know them.”
“Are they all women?”
Chloe had just started, and Liam had a
celebration for her.
I called him and asked him when he was
coming home.
He got irritated and said it depended.
I heard a woman call him, so I asked who he
was with.
He told me that I was smothering him.
“I’m an adult. Stop trying to control me.”
<
“Why do you always send so many texts?”
When he hung up, I heard him tell someone, “It’s just spam, don’t worry about it.”
Now he was asking the same thing.
“Some are guys, some are girls. I have to go.
They’re waiting.”
Liam went quiet. “Don’t drink too much. I’ll
pick you up.”
“Okay,” I said.
7
My coworkers were celebrating my
promotion. I was leaving them, so it was also
a farewell party.
I was sad, and I drank too much.
I went outside to get some air.
I looked up and saw someone.
I’d forgotten that Liam’s friend owned this
bar.
Liam was happy to see me.
“Hey! Are you looking for me?”
Before I could answer, someone from work
asked for me.
“We have the cake!”
Liam was watching me.
Г
I nodded at him.
“Who was that?”
“Someone I know.”
I was getting a divorce, so it didn’t matter.
As I opened the door, I looked back.
Liam was still staring at me, looking sad.
He probably wanted me to introduce him.
I went to Liam’s office to drop off some
papers.
I thought Liam would introduce me to
everyone.
He acted like I wasn’t there.
A manager asked, “Who’s this?”
Liam said, “This is my wife, Claire.”
Chloe smiled. “Hi, I’m his assistant, Chloe.”
She looked at Liam.
“He’s too focused on work.”
I argued with Liam when I got home.
I snapped back to reality and started having
fun.
I was leaving when Liam’s party was still
going on.
