Forget it

January 2003

My resolve lasted little more than a few minutes, and against my better judgement, I called her back.

‘Why did your sister cut me off?’
‘She was trying to give me back the phone, but she pressed the button by mistake. She says she is sorry’
‘So why not call me back’
‘I tried, honey, but couldn’t get connection. Your phone must be switched off’
‘No babe’
‘Honey, why don’t you call later? Sister doesn’t like to have dinner interrupted. It doesn’t matter what time, I will wait up’
‘You know I can’t do that. I needed to talk to you now’
‘Honey, I want to talk to you too, but sister will be unhappy’
‘Well it was important. I needed to discuss my trip. Let’s just forget it shall we? I’ll speak to you tomorrow. Bye’
‘Honey?………..’
‘Bye’
‘Bye honey’

I switched off my phone.

The afternoon wasn’t much fun. I didn’t enjoy the pantomime, the actors were old and the jokes were older. And during the meal, I found it difficult to concentrate on any conversation, I was completely preoccupied. I’d behaved badly, I knew that, and I couldn’t think how I could turn the situation around. And I didn’t know Maggie well enough to be sure that I would be given the chance.

It was 9pm before I got home that evening. There was nothing more I could do. I just had to wait until the morning. Should I call her, or wait to see if she would call me?

Just before going to bed, I switched on my phone. I had two voicemails. Both of which were from Maggie. The first said:

‘Honey, I can’t sleep. I miss you. I want to talk to you. Did you mean that you don’t want to see me for Chinese New Year? So unhappy to hear you say that’

The next simply said:

‘Honey, I love you’