Crow has become a standard menu item for me.
This morning August found me down at my secret patch of lavender and mullein that lies a short walk through a field at the end of my neighborhood. I often stop there on the way back from taking the kids to school and wander a bit and bring home handfuls of the wild herbs that grow there that no one seems to notice.
I was gathering up a bouquet when he was suddenly there, sheepish. Probably following me. I'd never notice anyway.
Need any help, Bridget?
No, I'm good. You can return to supervising.
Why do you need to bust my balls so much?
Because I don't think your presence is required. By not going to therapy I didn't mean it was going to become an in-house thing instead.
For the record, I came to visit Jay.
What are you talking about?
I invited Jay to go two trips in the past year, both ones he would have jumped at in the past and he turned me down. So I had to come to him.
So you're saying I've ruined his adventurous spirit?
No, I'm saying I had to come and meet the one person who stopped him in his tracks, the one person he can't and won't live without.
Did you say that or did he?
I did. He told me he has everything he needs, all the adventure he'll ever want with you, and with the kids.
So you came to visit him and not to help with me?
I honestly had no idea what happened here until you told me the other day.
Not a clue?
Jay doesn't kiss and tell, Bridget.
Jacob asks for help when he's in over his head, August.
Less than you might think. He's doing well, he's a strong guy with a good head on his shoulders. Frankly I think you're doing well too and as long as you have better resources in place to deal with the harder parts, I don't expect you to run off and do anything drastic.
I don't plan to.
Why can't you tell Jay that?
I did and then sometimes I think I did ruin his life and maybe if he has a way out he won't get down.
He's follow you anywhere. I've never seen him this way. And I knew about you, years ago, I just dismissed it as one of those things. Like how when I see pictures of Christy Turlington I get wood.
Do I need to know this?
You need to understand the difference between Jay loving you and wishing for you for so long and him being only out for himself. He wants you to get better for you, for the kids, for your future, with him as a part of that. Otherwise he'd keep you crazy, in a box and let you out for sex. That's what most guys would do if they were all about themselves.
Nice.
It's the truth, Bridge. He may be obsessed with you but it's a good kind.
He's worried it might turn into something bad. I've had something bad.
I know. We talked a lot yesterday. It's a fear brought on by being exposed to that. Which doesn't mean he'll turn into that, but it's fresh. You both just lived through it, you moreso but it's in the forefront. It doesn't mean anything though.
So you're not going to analyze me and report back?
I'll only report back that you're as beautiful as he said you were and that you're not vulnerable to my charm.
Oh but I would have been without the suspicion. You're a lot like Jacob.
I'm going to tell you that's the highest compliment I have ever received in my life, Bridget.
You can't be serious.
Guys like us never get the girl.
Jacob did, eventually.
Right on, then maybe there's hope that someday I might find a princess of my own.
I hope she's not as much trouble for you as I was for Jacob.
Me neither.
Nice, August.
Please, the one thing he did tell me was that you were impossible.
Yeah, he says that a lot.
