Page 58 of Blakely and Liam

The opposite of closure

(Blakely)

I had been lying in the bed, thinking about all I had to do and staring at my phone, when Liam’s photo appeared on my screen and then disappeared.

I dialed his number. “Hi, did you call me?”

“I was thinkin’ on it, but then I decided no’ tae.” His voice was deep, thoughtful, and quiet.

“Oh.”

“Ye got tae LA all right?”

“I did, now I’m in bed.”

“How come ye sleepin’ Woodshee? Only bairns sleep this early.”

“I’m not actually sleeping, because I can’t, but jet-lag and drama have kicked my ass, so I’m in bed staring at the ceiling of my friend Jess’s guest room. Why did you call?”

“I think ye called me.”

“Ha, I guess technically I did but you definitely called first, why?”

“I daena ken...” His voice trailed off.

“How are you?”

“I’m okay.”

I said, “Are you? I don’t believe you.”

“How come ye arna takin’ me for m’word, Woodshee?”

It was so comforting talking to him, that I curled up on my side in the pillows and bedding, the phone pressed to my ear. “Because we left it that it was complicated, Liam, too complicated, and then we said goodbye.”

“Aye, but if ye remember we dinna actually say goodbye, we left it all hangin’ so I knew I had tae call ye tae say goodbye or else ye would nae hae closure.”

“Oh, good, this is to give me closure.”

“Aye, also, if ye remember, though we said twas too complicated, ye put yer photo in m’phone and now tis as if I hae a fae trapped inside there. She is workin’ a magic on me, causin’ me tae check m’phone, tellin’ me ye needed me, and so I had tae call tae make sure ye were okay.”

I reached for a tissue and clutched it in my hand. “I don’t know if I am. I mean... he’s living in our house and so I have to tell him to move out, and I can’t go into our offices because he’s there, and tomorrow I have an appointment with a very high-priced lawyer, and I kinda can’t stop crying.” I blew my nose. “I’m sorry. You don’t need to hear about this.”

He said, “See the fae was right, Woodshee, twas necessary for me tae call, and ye daena need tae apologize.”

“I was doing fine. I was handling it, maybe I was working on anger fumes, but now I’m just so sad that it’s all fallen apart.”

“Ye miss him, Woodshee?”

“No, but I miss the life we built. I feel lost without it.”

We went quiet for a moment, while I dabbed my eyes and tried to get my crying under control. I asked, “What’s going on with you, is Em still there?”

“She’s staying at the fancy inn down the road and flies home at the end of the week. In the meantime she is goin’ tae make me miserable because I told her I dinna want tae be with her.”

“Ouch, that sucks. Where are you now?”

“I’m in m’truck, behind the pub.”

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