my old flame

Chapter 20

Will

I felt like a grounded toddler. This sucked. I probably acted like one too. I couldn't talk to Trixie without supervision and that prick Lyster whatever kept checking on me like I needed extra help. This was frustrating and degrading. I couldn't wait until this assignment was over even though it meant getting closer to being without her completely.

If I texted Trixie, she wouldn't respond. If she did, she would say shit like. "We need to focus on work." Even though I didn't text her while we were at work.

By Thursday, I was done with it all. Mr. Lockhart kept coming in and checking on us. He especially took great care of Trixie. He always rubbed her back or patted her shoulders almost every time he came in. She didn't seem to think anything of it. Lysander, I noticed, did. And if he saw it, I knew I wasn't imagining it. It made me feel a little bit better but at the same time, it didn't. Mr. Lockhart was hitting on my woman...on Trixie...on Beatrice. She wasn't my woman. She wasn't my Trixie. I knew she would never see me as long term but damn. I thought I'd be more to her than this. The realization that I wasn't that important to her stung a little more than I thought it would. I didn't care if my wife rejected me but with Trixie, the exclusion hurt deep. Shit, I loved her.

I was already in the office when Trixie came back from her lunch that day. We didn't eat together anymore. I missed our lunches together. Even when half the office came. No. Her husband brought her lunch and they sat and ate together. I guess he was making an effort. I noticed Lysander watching her as she walked into the office. HA! If I was a grounded toddler, he was a puppy who just pissed on the couch. He looked worse off than I did. Pathetic! I was glad to see him looking so miserable. Trixie, on the other hand, did not. She looked beautiful and radiant. Her dress swayed as she walked toward her desk. She was in her own little world. She must have had a good lunch with her husband. Lucky prick. He finally saw what he had.

At nine that night I packed up. I usually left before she did. I didn't see the need to stay. If I did, Lysander would walk her down, and her husband picked her up, so I was never alone with her. I just needed to talk to her. Just once.

I checked out with Lysander and went down to my car. Instead of driving off I sat there for a while. I had nowhere better to go. The nightlife was no place for an old fart like me. But maybe I should have gone out and tried to get laid. I'm sure my wife was getting it from Kevin, so I no longer felt guilty about my possible infidelity.

I couldn't stand my wife yelling at me every moment I was home so I told her I would get a hotel room and stay close to the office. Instead of verifying my story she just kept yelling at me that I was lying and cheating on her. And because she was yelling, the baby was crying more. Maybe she did it so I would leave, and she and Kevin could hang out. Fucking Kevin.

HA! Take my wife! Please!

I wondered how long I could live in a hotel room.

I checked some emails on my phone and went through my texts. I hadn't deleted mine and Trixie's conversations. I didn't have to anymore.

Just as I was getting ready to start my car, I saw him pull up. I could see him from where I parked. He was probably texting her that he was there. He smiled. How did he pull it off? She hated him. Just last week she hated him. And then on Friday they went on that date, and she stopped texting me. What did he do to get her back? Watching him sit there waiting for Trixie made me so mad. I should be the one taking her home. Or maybe even taking her back to my hotel. Then my wife would have a valid reason for bitching at me.

I watched Trixie come out of the building. She pushed Lysander back in. He grabbed her hand, and she smacked him and pushed him again. Slightly playful and slightly annoyed. My guess is: Lysander said he wanted to meet Arven, and she said no.