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On top of that, I thrived in Paris. I’ve moved up substantially in Beckham Securities. I’m coming home to a promotion and I’m preparing to train some of the new hires. I left home as a way to escape my life but somewhere along the way, it actually became my life.
I had the majority of my things shipped home, so I easily make it through the airport toward my sister who I see bouncing up and down next to her car with a sign that says, Welcome Home! You’re never allowed to leave me for this long again. She pulls me in for a hug and squeezes me tightly before letting me go with a smile.
“I’m so happy you’re back,” she says with a watery smile, and I nod.
“I am too.”
“You should also be happy that I talked Mom out of a huge welcome home party for you.”
“Bless you.” I sigh as I slide into the passenger seat and she pulls out of the pick-up lane. “I know we talk all the time, but I feel like I have so much to tell you.”
“Since we talked last night?”
“I know…it’s just…you’re here! And thank you for coming home in time for the shower.”
“Of course. I’m your maid of honor.” I haven’t done most of the basic maid of honor duties while I was in Paris, but I at least want to be here for the party this weekend.
I’m exhausted and a little bit jetlagged, so Autumn doesn’t ask me too many questions but just as we are turning onto our street, she asks me the one I know she’s been dying to ask.
“So, how is tomorrow going to be? Seeing him and all?”
“I don’t know.”
I stayed up practically half the night last night, my nerves and anxiety disallowing me from sleeping soundly over the thought of our first interaction. Would it be awkward? Uncomfortable? Tense? Sexually tense?
“Are you going to call him?”
Part of me wants to break the ice but maybe he thinks there’s nothing to talk about. Maybe he’s moved on.
Am I being immature for not contacting him?
Why hasn’t he reached out to me?
“Do you think I should?”
“I think a simple call to see where you two stand wouldn’t hurt. You don’t want to run into him tomorrow in mixed company and neither of you know how to act,” she says as she pulls up to our parents’ house.
“What if he has a girlfriend?”
She raises an eyebrow. “You were doing a lot more while he had a wife; I don’t think you calling him after two years will be a problem.”
“No, I know. Just…what if he has a girlfriend?”
Her lips form a straight line, realizing what I’m saying. That I may not be ready to be thrust back into a situation where Chris Holt isn’t available for me. She reaches for my hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze. “Then he has a girlfriend.”
I’m staring at my phone later that night, trying to decide if I should call him. He must know I’m back in town and he hasn’t reached out to me either. I’ve already unpacked most of my things and my closet is practically overflowing with stuff I bought while I was there. I reorganized my closet twice as a way to distract myself from obsessing over my first interaction with Chris and I have come to the realization that I need more space.
It might be time to start thinking about my own place.
I grab my phone and hover my thumb over his contact before pressing the button to call him. I’m used to Chris picking up on the first ring so when it rings more than once, I’m already convincing myself that he doesn’t want to talk to me. His generic greeting comes through the phone and I know I only have a few seconds to decide if I’m going to leave a message before the beep comes through the line. My mouth opens but no words come out and I shake my head as I end the call cursing myself knowing that now he’ll have a missed call and a voicemail from me.
I wish I’d just sent him a text instead.
I barely sleep that night, my eyes refusing to close at the thought of what the next day will bring. He hasn’t called or texted me back and I’m already picturing all of the potential awkward conversations we could have tomorrow. Around three in the morning, I manage to drift off to sleep with the potential interaction of him telling me his new live-in girlfriend didn’t appreciate my nine o’clock phone call playing on a loop in my mind.
12:00 p.m. One on One Touchbase (1 hour)
Marissa Collins, Dana Ashcroft-Human Resources
