Page 135 of Engulfing Emma

As if today weren’t bad enough, I have to add insult to injury by sitting in the front window, drinking a beer, hoping to catch a glimpse of Emma. If I’m being honest, drinkingseveralbeers. I figure I’m entitled. Today has been a shitty day by most standards.

Before Leo went to bed, he justhadto make me play with the donkey. He loves that stupid thing. It’s become his favorite toy. And damn it, every time I hear the audible burp or the “hee-haw,” it reminds me of her. I’d step on the cheap piece of plastic and grind it to bits if I didn’t think Leo would hate me for it.

“That’s a lonely sight,” Bonnie says, coming into the room and flipping on the light. “A man sitting in the dark, drinking a beer while spying on his ex.”

I take a drink. “Turn off the light, Bonnie, and let me wallow in my patheticness.”

“Patheticness? Is that even a word?”

“It is today.”

She turns off the light. “I’ll give you today,” she says. “But I’m not about to stand around and watch you self-destruct. There are plenty of other fish in the sea.”

“G’night, Bonnie,” I say, turning away from her.

“Goodnight, Brett.”

I look out the window again. Her room is dark. I wonder what she’s doing. Is she even thinking about me? How can someone just turn off their feelings like that?

My phone pings with a text.

Evie: Hey.

Me: Hey, yourself.

Evie: I saw that building on the news tonight. Mom and Grandma said you were there but you’re okay. I was just checking.

Me: They’re right. I’m okay.

Evie: Good. The fire looked bad. Mom’s been hiding in her room all day. She must have been really worried about you.

It dawns on me that maybe Emma hasn’t told Evie she tossed me to the curb.

Me: I’m sure she was. That’s perfectly normal. But everything is fine.

Evie: You’re not lying to me, are you? You really are okay? Are we still going to the benefit on Saturday?

Me: There isn’t a scratch on me. About the benefit, I’ll be there for sure, but you’ll have to ask your mom if she still plans on going.

Evie: Why wouldn’t she be going?

I don’t even know how to answer that. So I don’t.

Evie: Brett, why wouldn’t Mom be going? We’ve been planning this for weeks. We have a ton of flour and sugar in our kitchen.

Damn it, Emma.

Evie: Did something happen? What aren’t you telling me?

Me: I’m not sure this is a conversation you and I should be having.

Evie: OMG. She broke up with you, didn’t she?

Me: Today was very hard on her. She was feeling all kinds of emotions she hadn’t felt since your grandpa died.

Evie: How could she do that?

Me: I don’t know. Listen, if you want to talk, let’s talk about something else. Are you ready to go back to school next week?