We Need to Talk

I was having a productive morning before the knock on the door came. I’d gotten up early, taken Sasha for a run, showered, and took stock of our groceries to make a list for later. Molly had spent the night at Calvin’s and wasn’t home yet. When I heard someone knock on the door, I had a feeling of dread come crashing over me.

I took a deep breath when I opened the door. It was Adam.

“Well, we better get this over with.” I mumbled under my breath and stood to the side of the door to let him in.

He stood awkwardly next to my couch.

“So.” I said putting my hands in my pockets and walking over to him.

“So…” He let out a deep breath and put his hands in his pockets, “I think we need to talk.”

“Yeah, we do.”

We sat down on the couch and faced each other.

“Let’s just get this over with.”

Adam looked at me blankly.

“Faith, what are you talking about?”

“Look, you don’t have to let me down easy, okay? I can take it.”

“Take what?”

“Adam, I know you don’t love me anymore and I get that so just break up with me, now, okay?” I stood up and winced at how much angrier I sounded than I felt.

“I’m not breaking up with you.” He said out of exasperation. He stood up and looked at me with confusion.

“You said you needed some space! I haven’t heard from you in five days!”

“Because I was mad at you not because I stopped loving you!”

I looked at him in astonishment.

“Jesus, Faith, we had a fight. That doesn’t mean I don’t love you anymore. Why would you even think that?”

I opened my mouth to explain but closed it again and looked at him sadly. He gave up on waiting for my answer and rubbed his eyes.

“I’m going to turn it down.” He said tiredly.

“You are?” I squeaked.

“I don’t want to do anything that you aren’t completely comfortable with so I’m going to tell them ‘no’.” He looked down at his shoes and stuck his hands in his pockets.

“But your career-”

“Will have other opportunities.” He looked up into my eyes.

“Adam, I…I don’t know what to say.”

“You were right. I don’t want a book out there about what we went through without your consent.”

I searched Adam’s eyes and could tell how hard this was for him and suddenly felt like the absolute worst person in the world.

“No.” I said, “Adam you should take the offer. I don’t want to be the person that stands in your way over this. You should take it.”

He shook his head.

“You’re not okay with it, Faith, it’s not just my story, it’s yours and-”

I took a step toward him and gently placed my hand on his chest. He stopped talking and I looked up into his eyes.

“I will be fine.” I said, “This is a huge opportunity for you and I want you to take it.”

“Really?” He asked.

I nodded and then slid my hand up to his neck and pulled him in for a kiss.

“Just…please don’t ask me to read it, okay?” I said when we pulled away.

He nodded and put his forehead against mine. We were both quiet for a moment.

“So…this is actually happening?” He asked.

I nodded and gave him a hug. When we pulled away we sat on the couch and I held his hand.

“I owe you an apology. It wasn’t right for me to demand you not to write it. I was caught off guard and I reacted poorly. And I’m sorry for not thinking about your feelings alongside mine. It was selfish and I’m sorry that I am such an idiot.”

“You’re not an idiot.” He said.

Adam smiled and pulled me into a kiss and I pushed him down so he was laying on my couch with me on top of him.

“Our first really big fight.” I said laying on his chest.

“I know. Think of all the make-up sex we’re going to have.” He joked.

I pinched his side and he laughed.

“We should get started on that right now.”

“Yeah?” I smiled.

He nodded and I kissed him and we basically made out on my couch for twenty minutes. Molly came back home halfway through and started teasing us.

“I see you two have made up.” She said walking in the door, “When’s the wedding?”

I threw a pillow at her and continued kissing him.

“Geez, you can’t even state the obvious anymore.” She said sauntering off into her room and laughing.