Will and I arrived at the restaurant just after 6:30 PM. We had wanted to
try this Italian restaurant since they opened nearly six months ago; we had
both been so busy we hadn't had many opportunities to get together for
dinner over the last few months. We were seated right away and Will
ordered us a bottle of wine. My hands were shaking as I grasped my glass
of wine, and Will noticed immediately that I was nervous about something.
He averted his eyes when I caught him staring at my hands. Will seemed
uncomfortable I thought as I watched him nervously look around the
restaurant; he was avoiding making eye contact with me.
"Will, what's going on with us?" The last time I saw you this awkward and uncomfortable around me was when I was trying to get you in bed. What's happened between us?"
"Grace, I'm sorry, I guess I'm having a hard time dealing with all the changes in our relationship. I feel like there's something very wrong going on with you, but I'm not sure what right I have to ask you about it. We used to be able to ask each other anything, but lately you've been shutting me out. I know we've shared a very intimate friendship in the past, maybe too intimate, but you've been distant and closed off for the last month or so, and I get the feeling you're avoiding being around me. I understand that things would naturally have to change when you got married, but god I feel like we've lost that special connection we've always shared."
"Will, I have been shutting you out, but not for the reasons you think. Look, I'm just going to say this, and I hope you'll think about what you're going to say before you say anything. Leo accepted an offer to return to Africa, except this time he's going for 18 months. Will, he accepted this offer without even discussing it with me. He wanted me to close my business and move with him to Africa. Can you imagine me living in Africa Will? I told him I wouldn't go and now he wants a divorce. Things have been very strained between us since he's returned home, and I think he accepted this offer as an easy way out of our marriage. Leo knows I would never move to Africa.
So go ahead Will, tell me I screwed up. I married a man I hardly knew, and now we're divorcing and we haven't even been married for a year. But Will, I loved him. That much I know."
Grace, why didn't tell me? God Grace, what's going on between us that would make you avoid telling me, because it's pretty obvious that you've gone out of your way to keep this from me? You confided in Karen about this, but you couldn't tell me."
"Will, I just didn't have the nerve to tell you right away. I know you didn't approve of me marrying Leo and I couldn't admit that I had screwed up another relationship. Especially after everything you said about my past relationships when you first found out I had been dating Leo. You made me feel like a complete failure and I couldn't give you the satisfaction of being right. It hurt too much Will, it hurt to know you have so little respect for me."
"Grace, I don't know what to say. I know I said some horrible things, but I had no idea you would still be hurt by what I said."
"Will, you know me better than anyone, what you say to me matters; it matters a lot. Look, I don't feel like eating, can we just get out of here?" I need to get some fresh air."
"Ok, I'll take care of the check, you go wait outside."
I practically ran as fast as I could out of the restaurant. I just wanted to go back to Karen's place and crawl into bed. Thank god tomorrow was Saturday; I could spend the entire day in bed if I felt like it.
"Ok, so where do you want to go?" Will asked as he exited the restaurant. "We can go back to my apartment, I'll make you something to eat and we can talk some more."
"Will, I really appreciate the offer, but I'm too tired. Would you mind walking me back to Karen's place? We can talk on the way."
"Grace, why are you staying with her? Karen is the last person you should be around right now."
"Will, I'll have you know that Karen has been extremely supportive over the last few days, she's been incredible and I couldn't have gotten through this without her. I wish you wouldn't be so hard on her, she's been a great friend."
"Well, maybe I'm just a little jealous that you went to her instead of me." Will admitted as we starting walking to Karen's place. "I just feel like we're losing touch with each other Grace, and I just can't stand to see that happen to us. Grace, I support whatever you chose to do with your life, I just hope you don't shut me out again." Will stopped walking and grasped both my hands in his. Grace, I'm going to take a backseat on this one and let you work this out on your own, but please know I'm here for you if you need anything." He gave me a tight hug and kissed me on the cheek.
We spent the remainder of our walk in almost complete silence. It wasn't an awkward silence though; it was a silence in which comfort is found only in the closest of friends. When we arrived at Karen's, Will gave me another hug and kiss and watched me until I was safely inside.
"Will, what's going on with us?" The last time I saw you this awkward and uncomfortable around me was when I was trying to get you in bed. What's happened between us?"
"Grace, I'm sorry, I guess I'm having a hard time dealing with all the changes in our relationship. I feel like there's something very wrong going on with you, but I'm not sure what right I have to ask you about it. We used to be able to ask each other anything, but lately you've been shutting me out. I know we've shared a very intimate friendship in the past, maybe too intimate, but you've been distant and closed off for the last month or so, and I get the feeling you're avoiding being around me. I understand that things would naturally have to change when you got married, but god I feel like we've lost that special connection we've always shared."
"Will, I have been shutting you out, but not for the reasons you think. Look, I'm just going to say this, and I hope you'll think about what you're going to say before you say anything. Leo accepted an offer to return to Africa, except this time he's going for 18 months. Will, he accepted this offer without even discussing it with me. He wanted me to close my business and move with him to Africa. Can you imagine me living in Africa Will? I told him I wouldn't go and now he wants a divorce. Things have been very strained between us since he's returned home, and I think he accepted this offer as an easy way out of our marriage. Leo knows I would never move to Africa.
So go ahead Will, tell me I screwed up. I married a man I hardly knew, and now we're divorcing and we haven't even been married for a year. But Will, I loved him. That much I know."
Grace, why didn't tell me? God Grace, what's going on between us that would make you avoid telling me, because it's pretty obvious that you've gone out of your way to keep this from me? You confided in Karen about this, but you couldn't tell me."
"Will, I just didn't have the nerve to tell you right away. I know you didn't approve of me marrying Leo and I couldn't admit that I had screwed up another relationship. Especially after everything you said about my past relationships when you first found out I had been dating Leo. You made me feel like a complete failure and I couldn't give you the satisfaction of being right. It hurt too much Will, it hurt to know you have so little respect for me."
"Grace, I don't know what to say. I know I said some horrible things, but I had no idea you would still be hurt by what I said."
"Will, you know me better than anyone, what you say to me matters; it matters a lot. Look, I don't feel like eating, can we just get out of here?" I need to get some fresh air."
"Ok, I'll take care of the check, you go wait outside."
I practically ran as fast as I could out of the restaurant. I just wanted to go back to Karen's place and crawl into bed. Thank god tomorrow was Saturday; I could spend the entire day in bed if I felt like it.
"Ok, so where do you want to go?" Will asked as he exited the restaurant. "We can go back to my apartment, I'll make you something to eat and we can talk some more."
"Will, I really appreciate the offer, but I'm too tired. Would you mind walking me back to Karen's place? We can talk on the way."
"Grace, why are you staying with her? Karen is the last person you should be around right now."
"Will, I'll have you know that Karen has been extremely supportive over the last few days, she's been incredible and I couldn't have gotten through this without her. I wish you wouldn't be so hard on her, she's been a great friend."
"Well, maybe I'm just a little jealous that you went to her instead of me." Will admitted as we starting walking to Karen's place. "I just feel like we're losing touch with each other Grace, and I just can't stand to see that happen to us. Grace, I support whatever you chose to do with your life, I just hope you don't shut me out again." Will stopped walking and grasped both my hands in his. Grace, I'm going to take a backseat on this one and let you work this out on your own, but please know I'm here for you if you need anything." He gave me a tight hug and kissed me on the cheek.
We spent the remainder of our walk in almost complete silence. It wasn't an awkward silence though; it was a silence in which comfort is found only in the closest of friends. When we arrived at Karen's, Will gave me another hug and kiss and watched me until I was safely inside.