Sabrina

The next couple weeks followed in a blur of tears, sleep, and pints of Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food. Once again, I was holed up in my house, but this time I had only myself to blame for that fact.

Before Dan and Lexi left for home, the three of us sat down and had a long talk. Mostly Dan and I explained the situation to Lexi, but Dan’s words left no doubt in my mind about the state of our relationship. I couldn’t ignore the irony that he’s the one who wanted into this relationship, and I’m the one who fought it with all my strength…now I’m the one wishing he was here.

I was throwing a one-woman pity party when my ringing cell interrupted the festivities. I had let Kevin’s two previous calls go to voice mail. If I did the same for this one, he’d probably call the police.

“Hello,” I said.

“What are you doing at your apartment?” Kevin asked.

“Uh, I live here.” I loaded my spoon again and shoved it in my mouth.

“I just called Dan looking for you.”

“Why’d you call him?”

“Because, when you didn’t answer my calls, I’d hoped you two worked things out.”

“Well, obviously we didn’t.” My words were forced out through a mouthful of ice cream.

“Sabrina,” Kevin sighed, “put down the Phish Food and call the man.”

I looked at the half-empty pint in my hand. My brother knows me way too well.

“That sounds wonderful, Kev, but he’s not speaking to me.” I punctuated my words with a heaping spoonful of ice cream. Granted, Kevin couldn’t see my defiant gesture, but it made me feel better just the same.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

For the next fifteen minutes, I detailed the events that led to the demise of my relationship with Dan. Aside from an occasional “uh huh” or “right,” Kevin remained silent. When I finished my sad tale, I waited for him to comment, yet he didn’t.

“So?” I prodded.

“So what?” he said.

“What do you think?”

“You really want to know?”

I blew out frustrated breath. “Would I have asked if I didn’t?”

“Okay, but remember you asked,” Kevin pointed out. “I think the ball is in your court. I think you need to go win him back the same way he did you. You need to convince him that you love and trust him,” he said, putting a distinct emphasis on trust.

“I don’t know how to do that,” I said.

“I’d say begging would be a good start,” he said around a chuckle. “Seriously Sabrina, you have to be willing to eat a little crow. Maybe a lot of crow.”

“I could eat five courses of crow, but how do I convince him that I trust him?”

“Dan’s a pretty smart guy. I’m sure he’ll be able to figure it out.”

“I don’t know.”

“Look, if you want to sit there drowning in Ben & Jerry’s for the rest of your life, that’s your business.” My eyes slid to the nearly empty pint and I flushed. “But I love you and want you to be happy, and I know Dan makes you happy.”

“I’m not denying it,” I said.

“Then go after him.” Kevin paused for, what I’m sure was, dramatic effect. “Call me when you get things straightened out.”

That said, he hung up.

Kevin’s words flowed through my head all night long. I knew he was right, but still thought he was oversimplifying things. I can’t imagine Dan falling at my feet just because I show up pledging my undying love and trust. After all, look at the hard time I gave him when he did it to me. The fact that Lexi is involved just complicates things.

I tossed and turned searching for a solution in my sleep-deprived, sugar-saturated brain. Somewhere around dawn, I made up my mind and finally fell into a sound, untroubled sleep.