Wild Horses in the City

Him

I say goodbye to the boys first and separately. I’ll talk to the wife on the way out, last. Just in case. Try to not let the boys see. She has a thing tonight, what it is I forgot. What I do remember is that she won’t be able to take me to the airport so I hailed an Uber. My phone told me it would be here in five minutes. Which was shorter than I had anticipated.

“Can I talk to you for a sec?” She asked me as I was putting on my coat.

“Gotta be quick the car will be here soon.” I said, that wasn’t a lie.

“Why do you always seem to be in such a rush to leave these things?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean.”

“I honestly don’t.” I said, that wasn’t a lie, I had my coat on and I sat down on the stool. I started to put on my shoes.

“Like you want to be over there instead of being here, being at home.”

“I love spending time at home.” I said, that was partly true. Not entirely true, but mostly true. Getting the boys to do their homework and stop horsing around in the backyard sure does not help or add to the tranquility. Neither does she though, always wanting to talk about our feelings. Talking and complaining does not help either, but does bringing that up right now help the situation? That was not something she wants to hear.

“I love spending time at home.” I said again, as if I was responding to my own thoughts. Attempting to convince myself it’s something I wanted.

“Why did you say that twice?” She inquired, genuinely confused.

“I’m…” I did not know what I should say. “I’m just a little frazzled before the trip. Have something I have to complete on the plane.”

She crossed her arms and leaned up against the wall as if she was a vagrant. Then she said what she said with such forcefulness she seemed to resembled an integrator.

“Is she going to be there?” My wife asked.

I took a sigh, “No.” I answered. That was a lie.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, very.” Again most certainly a lie.

“I’m sorry for bringing that up.” She said as my phone dinged. The car was here thank god.

“Don’t worry about it.” I said as I stood up. I put my hands on her shoulders and kissed her. “I love you. I’ll be back on Sunday.”

“I thought the conference ended on Friday?” She was right.

“Yes but I got some client meetings on Saturday and flights back were cheaper on Sunday.”

“That’s too bad.” She said.

“I know.” I said, “I love our Saturdays.”

“Next Saturday?”

“Of course.” I smiled and kissed her again, I opened the front door and began to walk out.

“I love you.”

There

Him: Do you come to these types of things often?

Her: Does that line work for you often?

Him: Still quick on your feet.

Her: It’s good to see you again too.

Him: What’s that?

Her:  A manhattan.

Him: Would I like it?

Her: No.

Him: I’ll have an old fashion please.

Her: Of course.

Him: What?

Her: Somethings never change.

Him: C’mon I like it.

Her: I know you like it. It’s predictable, you like it sweet.

Him: I’m a connoisseur of sweet little things.

Her: You’d get in trouble if the wrong person heard that.

Him: That’s too bad, I suppose that means the era of Don Draper is over?

Her: Sadly yes. Marketings been taken over by software data nerds.

Him: Does that make the two of us a dying breed?

[She pauses to think about it]

Her: Are there any wild horses anymore in this domesticated world?

Him: Hmmm. That I don’t know.

Her: Oh please put your phone down. Don’t Google it.

Him: Why? I shouldn’t give them the satisfaction?

Her: Aren’t you used to living in ambiguity?

Him: Getting there.

[He paused]

Him: Did you get divorced?

Her: Wow, cut right to it didn’t you. Is foreplay and flirting over now?

Him: You admire directness, don’t lie to yourself.

Her: You’re right I hate pussy footing around.

Him: You’d get in trouble if you said that to the wrong person.

Her: Are you trying to show how good of a listener you are to me?

Him: Never knew you admired my listening skills. You going to have another?

Her: No I’m not staying.

Him: Not staying?

Her: No not staying.

Him: It’ll be fun, we both hate these things.

Her: Oh god.

Him: What’s that supposed to mean?

Her: It means you’re right, I’ll stay.

Him: She’ll have another.

Her: Cheers.

Him: Cheers.

[They cheers]

Him: So?

Her: No not divorced. You?

Him: No not divorced too.

Her: That’s too bad.

Him: Bad for me, you, or the both of us?

Her: Guess I’ll have to leave that ambiguous.

Him: How’s work?

Her: You don’t want to talk about work.

Him: You know me well.

Her: How are the boys?

Him: They’re good, full of energy. They kick my ass daily. How’s your girl?

Her: She’s great. I gotta take some pictures for her.

Him: She likes Atlanta?

Her: Apparently one of these hotels we’re in was used in The Hunger Games.

Him: Ah still a Katniss fan.

Her: Always. Will probably never stop.

Him: I can’t wait till you proudly show me pictures of her doing archery.

Her: Oh god help me I can’t imagine… Thank-you.

Him: What’s in a manhattan anyway?

Her: Whiskey, vermouth, bitters. Picked it up in my NYU days. What did you drink back in your young college days?

Him: Nothing that sophisticated.

Her: No way, you mean to tell me that you weren’t always like this. You grew into your sophistication?

Him: Grew seems… Seems like such a positive term.

Her: Would forced be better?

Him: That’s good but I won’t confirm, I’d rather leave it ambiguous.

Her: I missed you.

Him: I missed you too.

Her

The plane ride was horrid, and delayed. I hate that, I like putting my daughter to bed. The days of reading stories before going to bed were quickly coming to an end, never to return. I wanted to take advantage of as many of them as I could. Alas a snow storm in Atlanta of all things, basically an act of god, prevented that. Unless he didn’t put her to bed. He’s often neglectful like that. The Uber drops me off and I walk inside.

I carried my bag up to the bedroom and put the suitcase in the closet and took off my jacket. He wasn’t in the bedroom. Taking off my heels felt fantastic. I pulled out the last of the  cigarettes that was in my jacket pocket. Better flush those, so I did. He didn’t know I still smoked them on occasion. I don’t know if he’d care, but I didn’t want to risk it. I went downstairs and he was down in the basement like I thought, playing video games.

“Is she in bed?” I asked. He paused the game.

“Ya. I don’t think she’s asleep.”

“How was the end of the week?”

“Shit.” He sipped his drink.

“Why? What happened?”

“Those girls, they’re growing up too fast, it’s like they’re sixteen already.”

“Like what?”

“Girls gossip I can’t follow it. It’s all this social media shit, we should throw those phones away, they shouldn’t even have them in school.”

“I’ll talk to her.”

I went upstairs and gently knocked on the door. No answer, I peeked it open a smidge to see her in bed wiping away tears.

“Can I come in?” I asked.

“Sure.” She said, so I did.

“I heard some things happened.” I said, then I listened. I listened to the woos of a young pre-teen girl. I could relate, the emotion was not only visible but palpable. I felt for her, school years are a shit time for everyone.

I gave her a hug. Kissed her. Told her I loved her. Told her it would be okay. Told her she would be able to get through it. And then I gave her some advice. Then I thought it would be wise to change the subject.

I gave her a gift that I always pick up on my trips, she has a collection of these things. What they are is a secret between just her and I. Our own little private thing. They decorate almost every inch of her room.

I showed her the picture of the hotel. She proceeded to tell me where in the hunger games it was. It was late, I was exhausted and she should be asleep but I didn’t care. Because we kept talking and I could see my little girl smile.

“Did you enjoy your trip?” She asked me.

“It was okay.” I said, that was a lie. “I missed you a lot, so now I’m happy to be home.” That was the truth.

“Did you do anything fun?” My daughter asked.

“No, it was all boring work stuff.” That was a lie.

“Well that’s too bad, that makes me sad.”

“Why does that make you sad?” I asked, putting my hand by her face.

“Because all I want is for the people I love to be happy.” She answered.

I smiled.

“I am happy darling.”