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Sunday, May 07, 2006

Esme & John, Part 2 of 2

That night, Esme and Yolanda went out. Esme couldn’t really enjoy herself. She felt awkward and out of place. Here she was, tied to a boyfriend, and yet almost completely unattached at the heart. The feelings she had for him were complex, at best. It was difficult, and she felt the weight of it all pressing down on her. But Yolanda was busy flirting with every guy that caught her eye.

One particularly cute guy had seen them trying to take a picture of themselves with Yolanda’s phone and volunteered to take the picture instead. It opened the door, and soon Yolanda had given him her phone number and the unspoken promise of a good time. Esme did her best to appear politely interested in what he had to say, when she wasn’t. If the earth had opened up and swallowed that particular Don Juan in front of their eyes, she would have been only slightly more interested.

She pictured it momentarily. “Oh,” she would say to Yolanda, looking into a deep yawning pit that had opened before them. “There goes your latest! I wonder how far he had to fall, or if he’s still falling. I haven’t heard a crunch yet! Funny how muffled his screams got, huh?” She spent the time counting the large pores on his nose.

At the end of the night when Esme could finally persuade Yolanda to tear herself away, they got in the car to drive home. “Give me your phone,” demanded Esme. “I want to see the pictures we took!” Yolanda handed it over. “Wow, these turned out great,” Esme said, suddenly enthusiastic.

Her mind raced: Who could she share them with? “I know, let’s send them to John! I’d better call him first to see if his phone gets pictures.” It was midnight on a Friday, but Esme was sure John would still be awake. He was.

“Are you OK?” was the first thing he asked, panic in his voice.

Esme was startled. “Yeah, I’m OK,” she said. Yolanda glanced over. Esme put her hand over the mouthpiece and whispered “He asked if I was OK! I can’t believe that he was so worried!” A warm feeling began to curl about her heart which she tried to shrug away. Neither one of them needed complications. “I didn’t wake you, did I?”

“No, I was out with some friends,” he said. “You sure you’re OK?”

“Yup, just fine,” said Esme awkwardly. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you like that.”

“No problem, hon. Sorry. I guess I overreacted,” said John heavily.

“No, no, it’s very sweet of you! I really, really appreciate your being worried about me. I, er… I was just calling to see if your phone gets pictures. I was going to send a couple over that we just took,” Esme replied.

“Sure!” John answered, heartily. “Send em over!” In a few minutes he called back. “Wow, those are great, you look hot,” he said. Esme knew it. She was a tiny bit vain, and she had looked especially nice that night. They talked a little more about his evening out and the friends he was with, and then he asked to speak with Yolanda.

“Hey there,” Yolanda said, taking the phone. She began giggling. “I know, I’m with you. I don’t know what she sees in him,” she said, dramatically flipping her hair back as if he were there in person. “Yeah, you and me both,” she continued, shooting an arch sideways glance at Esme. “I’ve been trying to get her to ditch him for years!”

“Uh, that’s enough, you two,” groaned Esme. “Leave me outta this conversation.” Yolanda ignored her and kept chatting. She suggested they all meet for breakfast somewhere. John sounded enthusiastic about it, from the direction the conversation was taking. After a while, Esme wrestled the phone out of her hands.

“John, I can’t. You know I have to be home. He’ll wonder where I am if I’m not home soon,” she said.

“Why do you care so much about what he thinks?” asked John, exasperated.

“Well, maybe after six years I’m in a rut!” she snapped.

“I have eggs, I have bacon, I have a couch for Yolanda and you can snuggle with me,” John said. “I’ll take you home in the morning.”

“What? No way! You know I couldn’t do that,” Esme answered. John was slurring slightly and sounded a little drunk. She chalked it up to that.

“OK, baby,” he said. “Whatever you want. Maybe I’ll catch ya tomorrow?”

“Sure,” said Esme, glaring at Yolanda. “Sounds good!” Yolanda giggled and stuck her tongue out. Esme made a face at her.

John and Esme said their goodnights and hung up. But just as they pulled up to Esme’s home, the phone rang again. “It’s John!” said Esme, surprised, as she answered the phone. “Hey hon, whatcha need?”

This time John sounded completely sober. “I’m going to take a chance and go out on a limb, here,” he said. “Leave him, come to me. You can choose between a worthless leech, or a guy who works hard and cares about you. Come over, right now. Come home to me.”

Esme swallowed. “Oh John,” she said, reluctantly. “I can’t. I just can’t. Not tonight.”

“OK,” said John softly. “I understand.” And that was the end of it.

Esme walked up the driveway. Under the starlight, everything had a surreal look. The trees rustled their black leaves in the slight breeze. It all seemed to be quietly awaiting a change of mind.

“I’ll put off any decisions until tomorrow. Maybe next week,” rationalized Esme. “I wonder if he’ll remember what he said tonight.” She was worried he would. Then she worried he wouldn’t.

She stepped onto the unlit porch, unlocked the door, and walked in.

c. 2006

19 comments:

Michael K. Althouse said...

This is what happens when I wake up with and can't go back to sleep. In the middle of the night in California. And it's not in Florida. I get to be first on Saurs post.

So, I like the story. Sad, but not so uncommon I'll bet. Anyone you know, or just fiction? Nevermind, I ask too much! ;-')

~Mike

High Power Rocketry said...

Worried he would, worried he wouldnt.

: )

I love it.

Miss Cellania said...

Doesn't matter if he remembers saying that tomorrow... she will 'splain it to him. Unless she's an idiot.

Saur♥Kraut said...

Miss C, ah... but would they work well together? Remember, they both are "fixers".

Alex, ;o) Good!

Mike A, Glad you came here during your insomnia! As for stories, mine vary greatly. Some are written from first person, some from a male protagonist... and each has something of me in them. And that's all I'll say. ;o)

Saur♥Kraut said...

Reverberate, I am a complex person and a complicated writer. My stories often reflect my own discoveries in life. This one is supposed to leave you with hope, but also reflect the very real conflicts we deal with at times. I wondered how many people would assume it was going to have a happy ending... but, as you point out, it still might!

Anonymous said...

Esme is a wise woman. She understands "first things first."

Good luck to Esme. :o)

Lila said...

Can't wait to read on...

mikster said...

I have a feeling this could be many a woman...I've always wondered why some stick with a guy who isn't right for them. Not saying the guy they would get next is any better....but it seems like many are afraid to find out.

michelle said...

Both fixers!? What kind of an excuse is that?

Saur♥Kraut said...

Michelle, well, some people want challenges in their love life. They want to find a problem and fix it in someone else. It's usually because they're trying to reproduce the deficiencies in their own childhood, but sometimes it's because they merely like a challenge. ;o)

Mike, very true. And you're right; they don't always move on to something better. It's the fear of "out of the frying pan, into the fire" that stops them.

AP3, that's it, for now. Why, how would you end it?

Kathleen, ;o) You got my email?

Dave said...

Saur,

Oh my goodness I read/skimmed the whole thing.

If the moral of the story was “a man will pretend to care if there is a possibility of sex” I should get an “A”. I hope I’m right because I did miserably on this type of stuff in school.

People do fall in love for weird reasons. I can’t resist a great laugh.

Saur♥Kraut said...

Mr. Gator, *LOL* I could be evasive and say that it's up to your interpretation but that's too coy. I think what you mentioned definately comes into play, of course. Isn't it sex that makes the world go 'round? Or is it love? Or is it the combo platter? Not many people really know the answer to that one.

Ellen said...

Once again, I read with rapt attention, but never saw the ending coming. I'm rather glad you stopped it there, because it forces the reader to come to their own conclusions.

Bravo.... you are GOOD at this whole writing adventure!

Deb said...

No--that's the whole point--no ending just 'yet'. Things aren't THAT easy, and things aren't easy as just dropping everything you've known for the past six years to risk it for a 'feeling'.

I'm so feelin' this story. I've been there...

Thanks Saur!

Kristie said...

I enjoy stories that leave you wondering. I waited to comment on the story, b/c when my initial reaction is always the one that wants closure to the story. And i get all bothered about wanting to know. But once those feelings settle, i actually enjoy not knowing. Depending on my moood that day, the story could have either a happy or a sad ending. Wonderfully written. That is something i totally cannot do: write a short story. Poetry- yes, stories- no way.

Saur♥Kraut said...

KristieD, thank you! Most of my stories are much darker, which is odd for a positive person. It's my way of putting my demons on paper, so to speak. I can't share many of them, because I'm hoping to publish by the end of the year.

Deb, I had a feeling you would understand, from what I know of you. You have experienced the complexities of relationships.

Ellen, thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!!!

Anonymous said...

Beautifully done as usual. Its a gift honed through extreme effort to get to the level you are now.

Saur♥Kraut said...

Kathleen, thank you very, very much. You're right; years of blood, sweat and tears.

Eddo said...

I finally paused long enough to read the entire story in one sitting. Very interesting story... she totally should have went to John's house and left the other dude. I always seem to be a "John" - and I did this once, told the girl I loved her - my best friend, someone who I am still crazy about - she said, "That is so sweet, I had no idea, but I don't reciprocate those feelings." So far no one has compared to her, and even though I know you shouldn't compare the new girls to the old, who really does that? We all compare.