Finally, she noticed the blinking light on her answering machine, two messages. She pressed rewind and then play. She recognized Martin's voice, drunken and slurred. She heard him ask if she was alright after hearing Jack's news. The message was obviously from yesterday, after work. Samantha's heart went out to him again for his caring and compassion, but then the message got louder and he was yelling at her; accusing her of having a relationship with Jack. What did he think of her, that she had no common sense at all. She replayed her actions of yesterday, she had already known about Jack's divorce at the meeting, but Martin had just learned and must have figured she had just found out too. Had he seen her leaving with Jack to go to dinner? Maybe, and he probably jumped to conclusions. She hadn't wanted to involve him in her decision about a relationship with Jack and instead had let him assume that there was a relationship. She had told Martin that she thought she had loved Jack at one time. Poor Martin. She knew that she had gone too far talking to him about Jack. He tried to act neutral, but he cared for her, about her, and she shouldn't have taken advantage of that. But who was he to call and leave her a message like that, even if he was drunk. And why was he drunk, that's not like Martin to be drinking during the week. Was it because he thinks I'm dating Jack? She stopped thinking as the second message began to play.
It too was Martin this time from today just a few minutes ago, "Samantha, it's me, Martin, I um, I need to apologize for last night's message. I wanted to do it in person, but, um, you were busy, with Ja…, with someone else. I don't remember exactly what I said, but I know it couldn't have been nice. And I'm sorry for this morning on the phone, I shouldn't have questioned you. Please accept my apologies and get some sleep tonight. Remember, we'll be there for you tomorrow. 'Night." The message clicked off. She remembered this morning on the phone and understood a little bit of what he must have been thinking. She wanted to call him, to tell him it was okay or at least it would be, he didn't need to apologize. She pictured him beating himself up over leaving the message and about this morning. Was he drinking because he thought I was dating Jack? She picked up the phone to call him, but she didn't know what she'd say if she talked to him. She didn't want to tell him about Jack's declaration, he didn't deserve to be burdened with that.
With a heavy heart, Samantha put down the phone and retreated to her bedroom, determined to fall asleep, somehow.
TBC
