Surprise - Part 5

Taking over from Deedee Lane is K.K. Weil

Gregory dropped his arms from Justine immediately, but it was already too late. Rachel had already taken two steps backwards. Her excited beagles started dancing around her, tangling her in their leashes. She started mumbling something. He couldn’t tell if she was talking to the dogs or to herself as she attempted to detangle herself, but either way, she wasn’t looking at him and seemed more embarrassed and frazzled by the second. Meanwhile, Justine was glaring at him expectantly.

“Well,” she said. “Should we sit?”

Gregory took one last look at Rachel, hoping she’d glance up at him and make eye contact. But she didn’t. She just kept retreating, fussing with the leashes. Gregory sighed. He motioned to his table, already littered with money.

Justine sat with the authority of a woman who owned the cafe. “Why don’t you look happier to see me?”

Gregory realized his expression must be replicating what he felt inside. Disappointment, irritation, confusion. Not one positive response came from seeing the woman he once thought he might share his life with. “I’m surprised. Don’t I have a right to be after the way we left things?” He watched Rachel’s frame grow smaller as she disappeared down the block, clumsily tripping over her dogs. He laughed to himself.

“Surprised, yes. But I’d also hoped you would be a little more enthusiastic about my arrival.”

He tore his attention away from Rachel, back to the woman in front of him. “I didn’t know.”

“Right. Yes. I think we established that.” She flagged over Mabel with a flick of her wrist, making Gregory uncomfortable. How had the way she treated wait staff not bothered him before? Or had it, and he just overlooked it, as he’d come to realize he did with so many things Justine had done? Mabel approached, giving Gregory a curious smirk. He realized Mabel probably thought this was the woman he’d been waiting for. He wanted to clear the air before Justine opened her mouth, so Mabel didn’t think this rude woman was the person he chose to spend time with. Not anymore, anyway. Not he way he was now.

“Large soy latte with sugar,” she said, barely looking at Mabel. No please. No thank you. Not even a Can i please have…

Gregory cringed. “Sorry,” he said to Mabel, but Justine thought he was speaking to her.

“I know, darling. We both have things to be sorry for, I suppose. But why don’t we just call it water under the bridge? We can let it all go and start over. I’m even willing to accept this charity phase of yours while you go through it, as long as you agree to do it in New York. See? We can each make some compromises and we can go back to the way things used to be. Taking our morning runs in the park. Eating at our favorite Thai restaurant. Doesn’t that sound nice?”

Those things did sound nice. They were just a couple of the things he’d enjoyed about his life in NY. He’d come to realize it was those things that probably kept him in that relationship as long as he’d stayed.

“Phase? This isn’t a phase, Justine. This is what I want now. I want to help people. I want to make a difference. Nothing has changed from six months ago. We’ve already been through this. Why are you here?”

She sipped the coffee she received from Mabel without a thanks. “Well, one thing has changed. I was talking to my friend Mandy and she mentioned how people need to work through things when they’re having personal crises or whatever and how when you love someone, you have to make sacrifices and stand by them. So here I am. I will stand by you through this.”

Gregory couldn’t contain his scathing laugh. “You think me wanting to help people is some kind of early mid-life crisis?”

Justine scoffed. “Look at what you gave up, darling. What else would you call it?”

“And you think you’re a martyr for tolerating me wanting to help people?”

“Please, Gregory.” She took another long sip. “Don’t be dramatic and make me out to be the bad guy for wanting the life we’d already decided upon. I’m here, extending the olive branch, telling you I’ve done some soul searching myself and I’ve realized you are more important to me than whatever phase you’re going through. Meet me halfway, won’t you?”

With every words Justine spoke, Gregory felt the clock ticking, and the likelihood of Rachel understanding his explanation growing smaller and smaller. He’d heard Justine out, listened to her ridiculous reason for coming to Chicago. Nothing had changed. She was still the same person she’d always been. Too bad for her, Gregory wasn’t.

He stood. “You know what? I have to go. I’ve got to get on with my meaningless life of trying to do something for people who have less than I do. And I think you should get back to yours as well.” He leaned over and gave her an obligatory kiss on the cheek. “I wish you well, Justine. Really, I do.”

She sat with her mouth hanging agape. “What are you doing? We’re not finished talking. Where are you going?”

“I just realized I have to make what might be the most important phone call of my life.” He turned and left the cafe without looking back.

Once he turned the corner and could no longer see the cafe or Justine, he pulled his cell out of his pocket. He called up Rachel’s number, with a shaky hand. Did those ten minutes he spent with Justine screw up his chances with Rachel? Would she understand why he’d let her walk away, why he felt like he had to hear what Justine had come to say, and that it just confirmed what he already knew? Would she even give him the chance to explain?

He hit dial. He waited while her phone rang once, twice…

Okay readers, what will happen next?

1 - Rachel doesn’t answer and her phone goes to voicemail.

2 - Rachel answers, Gregory explains, but Rachel doesn’t want to risk getting hurt by someone obviously on the rebound.

3 - Rachel answers, Gregory explains, and Rachel decides to give him another chance.