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“No, you have to spill the tea to get dessert,” she returned, her eyes sparkling. “Let’s go sit on the couch.”
“That’s fair,” I said, accepting a slice of cinnamon-scented bread that was tender and sweet. “It’s good. Better than what I have to tell you about.”
“It’s very good. I don’t expect you to compete with it.”
“That’s reassuring,” I said. “It’s a long story. If you decide you don’t want to hear it all, you can stop me.”
“I asked what was wrong. I want to know what you’re worried about.”
“Okay then,” I said, taking a drink of water before I began.
She turned toward me, one knee bent in front of her on the couch, looked me in the eye, and gave me her full attention.
“A few months ago, I broke up with a woman I’d been seeing. We were together about a month, nothing long-term, nothing serious. She met my brothers once, and I met her friends for drinks before a concert. We didn’t see each other every night or move in together. She had us Instagram official, but that was important to her.” I took another deep breath like I was diving into deep water.
“When did you break up?”
“December.”
“December as in last year? That’s not a few months. That’s like ten months. Anyway, sorry I interrupted.”
“It’s okay. Olivia was dramatic and jealous, making everything become an argument. I broke things off, but she didn’t take it well. For a few weeks, she would show up at my apartment and I wouldn’t let her in, or she’d be at the grocery store, Starbucks, or outside my office building. I ran into her constantly, and every time she had insisted it was a coincidence, but really it was that she was so in love with me that we had to give it another try. The more she showed up, the more angry it made me, because to a reasonable person, if I broke up with you because you’re dramatic and make such a fuss, then making a bigger fuss isn’t going to make me want you back.”
“Obviously. She wouldn’t let it go,” Madison said. “What did you do?”
“I told her to back off, that I’m sorry I hurt her. That I wished things were different, but we couldn’t be together. She was a great person and deserved someone better, that kind of thing.”
“You lied,” she said flatly.
“What?”
“You don’t wish things were different, do you? Did you really think she was great and deserved better or did you just want to make her go away without feeling like you were the bad guy?”
“Both, I guess. I tried ignoring her, refusing to see or speak to her. Then she started sending me stuff, teddy bears, chocolates, flowers, presents.”
“Presents?”
“Silk boxers, stuff like that.”
“Oh, so sexualized personal items.”
“And the selfies. She sent me so many nudes. I only opened the first two and got the idea what she was trying to do. I delete them as soon as I get them. It makes me cringe when my text alert goes off because I’m thinking it could be another one.”
“She’s terrorized you all this time?”
“I wouldn’t call it that.”
“I would.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Think about it. If I came to you and said the same thing. My ex from last year kept coming to my door and in my shop and sent me crotchless panties and unwanted dick pics, what would you say to me?”
“That’s different,” I said stubbornly.
“How? Because she isn’t going to be able to jump out at you in a parking garage and overpower you? If she had a weapon she could, Noah. This is serious. Every bit as serious as if the roles were reversed and it were a man stalking me. What do your brothers say?”
“I took Leo’s advice early on. I called her boss and told him that she was harassing me and wouldn’t leave me alone. That I didn’t want to get police involved and damage her reputation and that of the design firm where she worked.”
