I wish I could fly.
Henry says this regularly and it's about as chilling as you would imagine. A child's unintentional dream interrupted by the weight of reality. That weight crushes my heart on a daily basis. Henry puts on his costume cape and will run around the house making airplane sounds for the rest of the afternoon.
Caleb thinks life would be easier for me if I would just consent to send them off to boarding school. Even a Waldorf school, he professes, as if I'm considering his suggestion. I'm not, for the record, and I won't. In the event that I can't make their decisions for them, PJ is in charge, and PJ isn't any more likely to ship them off than anyone else. I think Caleb would like a clear line of sight, frankly. He's growing tired of lurking in the shrubbery again.
Case in point, and for the future, a point that might change PJ's powers under the law, sadly enough:
Between arguing over whether or not Caleb even has a say over where the kids go to school, he let it slip that he was responsible for PJ's latest hook-up.
Remember that scene in The Devil's Advocate where Al Pacino is telling Keanu Reeves he can have anything his heart desires?
I imagine it went exactly like that. And PJ's had a rough go with online dating services and friends of friends and I bet he just said what the hell and jumped for the brass ring that the devil was holding. See, that's what Caleb does. He gives you whatever you want and then some.
Then he takes ownership of your soul.
By using PJ's vulnerabilities now he proves that he still has power I can only dream of, and he gets a new inroad into my life altogether. This is not cool.
It's cool with PJ at present. Who has been telling everyone within earshot that he's going to marry this girl. Yes, the one he met four days ago but only told me about on Wednesday night because he didn't know what to say, so he left out all the parts about meeting her through Satan. I'm sure he wouldn't have told me at all but he didn't have a choice. I had to drag it out of him one word at a time. I asked if I could meet her, and he refused.
His reason?
You've ruined too many potential relationships, princess. Let's just wait a little bit.
What the fuck, PJ.
He's the one who has ruined them by comparing everyone to me. I had nothing to do with it. Hell, I'm certainly no prize, so I highly doubt they weren't good enough for him. He wanted a clone. For a very long time.
But now his soul doesn't belong to him anymore and all the rules have changed.
I asked Caleb to call off the hooker or whatever she is. He told me I was brilliant but no. I told him if he messed with PJ's heart he should just go dig his own grave because I'm not going to let him ruin anything anymore. He asked if I would prefer that he shift his focus back to Ben. Then he said he thought Ben was happy to be out of focus while he medicates his pain away again. Then he smoothly changed the subject and reminded me he has recommendations on several schools that would be perfect for the kids. See what he does?
You've got them both, don't you?
The children? You don't know where they are?
No, PJ and Ben. You're pulling strings again, aren't you?
Bridget, I don't know how you see me, but I'm not as evil as you seem to want to label me.
Then stop.
Alright.
Just like that?
Of course not. Remember our arrangement? For my silence and Henry's emotional wellbeing?
Yes. I don't need your silence anymore, remember?
We'll just shift the terms slightly. Protect your friends. Your children..our children...were never in harm's way. They're children, after all.
I don't understand.
Sure you do. So don't make any plans for the weekend. And I'll be sure that PJ is let down easy. Wear the black dress. Don't cry until I've made you cry. I'll have the car pick you up.
I'll tell everyone.
Go ahead. They can't save you or they would have by now.
What about Ben?
Ben will reach a point where he is too far gone to care anymore. You should know him well enough by now. Remember, he's thrilled to share you. It eases his guilt in being away so much.
I think you underestimate Benjamin. And me, for that matter.
Is that so?
Stay away from them.
Done. Your wish is my command, princess.
Argh.
Bring some words with you. Good conversation is the perfect foreplay.
I still hate you.
No, you don't. See you tomorrow, princess.
