Chapter 7: This Night (part 2)
Rhoda rushed off to Mary's bedroom and closed the door. "Rhoda!" Joe called out as he ran after her.
Mary dropped her arm from the door to her side. "What did you do?" she hissed. The door closed behind her as she slowly made her way to Natalie. "What are you even doing here in the first place?" Mary knew her cousin, and she knew Joe. This was obviously Natalie's fault. Deep down, she knew that Rhoda did have that right to be mad and that Joe was a little responsible, but still this was the girl who did what ever it took to steal the man that she happened to like for the time being. She had seen her do so to many of her friends. This was no exception.
Natalie shrugged. "I thought I would surprise you."
"Well it worked, I'm surprised," Mary said.
Natalie sighed. "I just saw a man who was suffering and I tried to help him. That's all. Really."
Mary was about ready to lose it. "That man was here to see his wife! He wanted to talk to her! How can you not comprehend that? He's not yours!"
Natalie sat down and crossed her arms. "Fine, I'm sorry. I wish there was something I could do now, but there isn't. All we could do is wait out the fight and then send them home."
"No. I think you're the one going home," Mary sternly stated.
"You're picking those losers over your own family?" Natalie asked.
"I'm picking my best friend who is more like a sister to me over the pathetic little spoiled brat before me," Mary said.
Natalie stood up and smiled. "Well, our little Mary's not such a push over anymore."
"Just get out!" Mary demanded.
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Joe opened the door and walked in to see Rhoda sitting on the edge of the bed. Her back turned towards the door. "I need to explain."
Rhoda quickly turned. Tears stained her reddened, puffy face. "Explain what Joe? Huh? Explain how it felt kissing her? Is that it? Or maybe you wanna tell me why you prefer her over me?"
"Will you stop for a moment?" Joe asked starting to get irritated.
Rhoda stood up. "Okay. All right, that's fair. I'll stop talking, making comments. I'll stop asking questions," her eyes were watering again as she struggled to keep her voice steady. "You know, trying to figure out why you're doing this to me."
"I didn't mean to kiss her," Joe assured her.
"Forget about the damn kiss!" Rhoda snapped. "All right? I don't even care about it anymore." She turned her back to him and walked to the other side of the room.
"Then what the hell are you going on about?" Joe asked. There was no answer from her. "It could be so much easier if you would just tell me…"
Rhoda quickly turned and cut him off. "How blind are you Joe?" she yelled. "It doesn't take a fucking brain surgeon to see what's wrong with this picture! You leave me and give me an answer that says basically nothing but that its my fault! You come all the way out here and end up with another girl! You tell me how I should be reacting!"
"I don't know! All right? I'll admit it!" Joe said.
"Maybe you should go," Rhoda said.
Joe just nodded. "Yeah," he said in defeat. "I love you," he said and then left the room.
Rhoda just sat down on the bed, "I love you to," she said through her tears.
Joe walked out and saw Mary standing. "I'm so sorry," was the first thing that came out of her mouth.
Joe briefly stopped. "I know," he said and then continued to the door. "This really isn't your fault though," he said as he grabbed his suitcase.
Mary was close behind him. "I'll talk to her tonight. I know Natalie pretty well and I know that it was her fault."
Joe sighed. "Look, I don't know if we can keep doing this. Maybe I should just leave so that we don't end up completely hating each other."
"No. Just, just give me a chance to talk to her. Okay? Call tomorrow at eight."
"Fine. But I only took four days off of work, so after that I have to leave no matter what happens."
Mary just nodded. "See ya," she said opening the door for him.
"I'll call," Joe reassured before he left.
As Mary watched him leave, the apartment fell under and uncomforting silence. After she closed the door, she walked back to her room and saw Rhoda sitting on the edge of the bed. No more tears, just a blank stare. "Rhoda?"
"I'm fine. Really." Her voice was steady. Everything that was going on, emotionally, mentally was all somehow just stopped. It didn't matter. What she felt now wouldn't do her any bit of good. It was pushed to the point where she had gone numb and didn't care anymore.
Mary leaned her back against the wall. "You know, you don't have to put up an act."
Rhoda just looked up to her. "What act? What could I possibly act out? That I'm married? That options done with. That I care? First I would need a reason to care, which right now there is none." As soon as those words crossed her lips, she stopped and quickly looked away.
"That's not true," Mary said. "You're not doing yourself any favors by hiding all of this."
"So what? You gonna tell me how I'm supposed to feel?"
"No!" Mary said standing back up. "I just know that you're lying to me! And even worse, you're lying to yourself."
"Maybe I am, why does it matter? Aren't I entitled to one night of thinking that maybe I don't need him?" Rhoda shrugged. "I don't know, maybe a few hours of thinking hey! Guess what Rhoda! You're single again, but its alright. You didn't lose much, just someone you loved, you'll move on. And hey! Guess what? In five years you're kid will be asking you why everyone else has a daddy and they don't. And you know what I'll tell them? Mommy was too difficult and forced him out of our lives honey!"
Mary just stared down at her. "Kid?"
Rhoda just looked up and sighed.
There are things I have done
There's a place I have gone
There's a beast and I let it run
Now its running that way
There are things I regret
But you cant forgive
You cant forget
There's a gift that you sent
You sent in that way
So take this night
And wrap it around me like a sheet
I know I'm not forgiven
But I need a place to sleep
So take this night
And lay me down on the street
I know I'm not forgiven
But I hope that I'll be given some peace
There's a game that I played
There are rules that I had to break
There's mistakes that I made
But I made them my way
~ This Night by Black Lab