12
“Miss, why are you crying?”
The jewelry store employee is waving a necklace in front of me, looking somewhat at a loss.
Kevin walks over to me, reaching out to wipe my tears.
“If – if you don’t like this one we can look at others.”
He turns to order the employee.
“Don’t you have anything else?”
༡
12:37 PM
< I shake my head, taking a step back to distance myself from him. Even now, Kevin still fails to consider my needs. He’s treating me like a little toy to coax and trick. “Kevin, can you please listen to me?” “You know, when we graduated college I would have married you without hesitation even though you were dirt poor. Now even if you pile all your money in front of me, what use is it? We can’t go back. It’s really over between us.” Kevin stares at me blankly, his mouth opening as if to say something. Tommy starts crying. I walk to the door, then turn back to look at the bewildered employee. I take out what little cash I have in my purse. “I’m so sorry for troubling you.” As I reach the door, the employee calls out to me again. She stuffs the money back in my hand and gives me a pack of tissues. “Here, wipe your tears.” Kevin chases after me, Tommy on his heels. “Haley, I understand now. I understand everything.” “Give me one more chance.” His phone rings. He looks at the caller ID and hangs up. This happens several times. I watch him. “Just answer it.” He hangs up again, his expression unchanged as he looks at me. “Wrong number.” But I’ve already recognized that number. It belongs to the young girl who was kissing him in the car that day. During the months Kevin gave me the cold shoulder, that number called me more than once. The girl said to me: “Sis, Kevin keeps saying your name when he’s with me. I feel so hurt. Please forgive him, okay?” Who’s really bullying who here? How come everyone seems to be suffering? Who’s actually happy in all this? I look at Kevin. He’s learned to lie without batting an eye. One lie hurts three people at once. Me now, the him from the past, and that girl who truly loves him. E < I hear myself say: “Just answer it. It’s Jasmine. I recognize the number.”