Page 52 of Something Real with the Sea Monster
“Tegan, I’m so glad you called. How are you?”
“How am I? Well actually, I’m having a shitty day. Thanks for asking. I’m surprised you care, given how you ghosted me for weeks while Stacey actually wanted you.”
“Yeah, sorry about that. I thought I should give it a shot, you know? For the kids.”
“The kids?” My mouth drops open. “You have kids? And you never thought to mention that before now?”
“Yeah, I mean no. I dunno. I didn’t want to worry you with that. It’s not like it sounds.”
“Oh, so you just didn’t think they were important? Or maybe you thought I’m not important.”
Mark says something, but it’s broken up and distorted by terrible reception, and I don’t catch it.
“Which is it?”
“Sorry, Tegan, you’re breaking up.”
I hold my phone up and shout at him again. “Fuck you!”
“—orry. I can’t—”
With a growl, I throw the car door open and launch myself out into the rain, not caring that I’m soaked within moments; big fat drops plopping on my head and shoulders. This time I scream into the phone. “I said you’re such a dick. Were you just calling because you thought you’d get sympathy here?”
“—can’t hear you.”
I lift the phone away from my ear in frustration. Now I can’t even yell at Mark? “What the hell, universe?”
I’m so mad I don’t look carefully where I’m going. I spin, intending to storm back to my car to sulk until the rain clears, but I step right into a patch of mud. My foot slips out from under me, and I land on my ass with a splash and a squelch. My butt is soggy. My hair is plastered to my head, and my phone is lying somewhere in a puddle of water next to me. Not that it was any good to me anyway.
“Great. Just fucking great. Is there anything else?” I shout up at the sky.
Then something wraps about my middle, and I glance down to spot a glowing purple tentacle lift me and gently set me on my feet. “You looked like you could use a hand or, um, a tentacle.”
I brush his tentacle away and spin to see Jack standing there in the ruins of a good pair of jeans, his brown hair even darker with water and dripping into his eyes. He’s glowing so brightly in the dim light, I can’t believe I never even noticed before.
I don’t know if I want to throw myself into his arms or throw mud in his face or both. “What the hell are you doing here?” I snap.
“I thought that should be pretty obvious. Fishing you out of puddles.”
I glare at him. “Well I never asked you to.”
He shrugs. “You don’t have to.”
There’s a pause. I’d like to shout at him, but my teeth are chattering and every moment I stand here looking at him my anger is leaching out along with all my warmth. “I mean it,” I say, but it comes out all soft and pathetic. “What are you doing?”
“Seeing if there’s anything I can do that might one day make up for what I did? I know I was a dick. I’m sorry. If it makes you feel better, I’ll sit here in the mud with you, but I’d rather takeyou somewhere we can find a long hot shower and something to eat.”
I fold my arms across my chest. “I’m still mad at you.”
“Fair.”
I glance down at my phone in the puddle and then at my useless car. Then I sigh. “But I could use some help, so I’m going to take you up on that, but just know I’m still mad, and I’m gonna be mad for a long time.”
“Noted. You’re allowed to be mad for as long as you need, but I’ll be here when you’re ready to talk to me about it.”
“You’re a stubborn prick, aren’t you?”
He nods. “So my brothers tell me. I like to think I’m just persistent.”
