Chapter 15: Attempted reconciliation

I finally catch Michael at home the next morning. Drax said he will wait in a nearby café for an hour in case there is a problem. Michael’s reaction to me is still frosty, and my hope of an early reconciliation is quickly shattered. He doesn’t offer an apology for disappearing off with all my stuff, leaving me destitute. Had Drax not helped me, I don’t know what I would have done.

I could simply move back in. After all, the flat is my home as well, and I’ve an equal right to be here. But we only have one bed, and Michael is still being infuriating. I’m not sure I’m ready to sleep next to someone who won’t offer an apology for abandoning me like he did yesterday.

“Don’t you care what happened to me after you stormed off?” I ask.

“Of course I do. I didn’t know all your stuff was in the back of the car. I assumed that you had gone to your parents house when I discovered that you weren’t here. I tried ringing your phone but there was no answer.”

“My parents are overseas at the moment, remember? Besides, I did come home, but you weren’t here. Without my key I couldn’t get in. I couldn’t be sure whether you would return, and sleeping in the corridor didn’t appeal. Where were you anyway?”

“I drove around for a while before going to the Westend Bar and Grill. Stacy was there and we ended up talking for a few hours.”

Although I don’t think Michael planned on meeting Stacy, I can’t help feeling a sudden sense of betrayal. He and I have a major relationship problem, and Michael spends the time we could have used resolving our issues, talking with his ex-girlfriend.

“So, what do you propose we do now?” I ask.

“I think we both need a bit of space for a few days,” replies Michael. “At least until after the follow-up interview with the PCT consultant. Do you have anywhere to stay?”

I notice that Michael doesn’t offer to move out for a while, but I guess that has always been a feature of our relationship. Perhaps we have lived in a one-sided relationship all along without realising it.

“David said I could crash on his couch for a while,” I reply, too annoyed to make an issue of Michael’s presumption. “Let me pack a few things and I’ll go.”

Michael doesn’t even ask me who David is? Would he have shown more interest had I called David by his nickname, Drax. I don’t get time to pursue the issue before a new problem arises. I go into our bedroom only to discover the bed is unmade. That isn’t unusual when I’m not around to make it. However, what is odd is that both pillows have the indents of people’s heads.

“Did Stacy stay here last night?” I ask, hoping my suspicions are wrong.

“Um ... yeah. I had a bit too much to drink. Stacy helped me get home.”

“A bit more than that, I think. Did you fuck her?”

“If I say no, you wouldn’t believe me,” replies Michael. “And you know she and I have had sex together before.”

“Answer my damn question, Michael. Did you, or did you not, have sex with Stacy in our bed last night?”

“Yes. Okay, we had sex. Is that a problem? You and I failed the PCT. We are incompatible.”

“You ass! Weren’t you capable of waiting until after the follow-up interview before writing us off as a couple? I told you I had reservations about the test’s accuracy. I came here wanting us to work our way through this, but your cock clearly has other ideas.”

“My parents will cut me out of their will if I get married to someone without us first passing the PCT. They don’t want the family wealth squandered by messy divorces. Don’t you see that I have no choice.”