Weekend Update

The high drama and excitement of getting there now behind us, we settle into the regular groove of Girls Weekends.  Updates on job searches, kids, friends who are not with us, men, cocktails.

In telling Priscilla all the details of the blossoming excitement I have over Craig, I am feeling pretty good about things. Somehow saying the details out loud make them meaningful.

And then she asks to be brought up to speed on the Scott aftermath.

She is horrified that we have been texting, though she understands the desire to reach a place of peace with the whole thing, as opposed to smouldering anger for the rest of my life. She seeks reassurance from me that I am not "in over my head" and not about to fall for some game Scott is very likely to be playing. She asks how I feel. 

How do I feel?  What do I feel?  I feel fine. I feel nothing in particular. I have reached a place of perfect pitch indifference.

Kate chimes in with her impressions of our phone call on the way (bringing up the sore subject of our outrageously long and circuitous commute...)  Priscilla seems a little troubled by the fact that there was a phone call at all.

He was sending us off with a "Have a great time, dear. Don't worry about me and the kids, just enjoy yourself!" call????  Isn't that a little too involved in my life???

Possibly, but then I confess the truly troubling part.

The frequency and timing of the texts. Early in the morning when he's first awake. Good night texts. Good luck on your interview texts. More texts than I get from Kate or Charlotte or my kids or anyone else whose friendship I put ahead of the line of Scott's in the pecking order. They are texts that I would send to someone I am having a relationship with. 

Not good.

We let the subject drop while we buzz around DC finding cute bars and fun crowds and checking out the locations of places we want to make sure we go to the next night. I am already feeling like a weekend is not long enough and one of the job seekers among us needs to get a job here so we can visit.

Later in the night...much later, as the last fun bar has sent its last standing barmaid over to our table with what will be our last prickly pear margaritas, Priscilla's brain returns to the subject of Scott.

She takes both of my hands in both of her hands and moves in close to my face to talk to me, looking directly into my now bloodshot eyes. It is a sobering moment, if not a sober discussion.

She says, in the gravest of tones, "Listen to me. You have a pretty good thing brewing with Craig. It could turn out to be something very good.  But NO MAN is going to tolerate you getting texts from Scott at all hours of the day and night. His ghost is nothing more than a threat to any man who knows what you had together and wants a relationship with you. If you want to get your life off the ground, you have to stop texting with Scott. No contact at all."

I can tell she expects an argument. A justification. An excuse.

I don't have one. In fact I completely agree. "You are absolutely right. On all counts. There is no room for that. It is inappropriate and unfair to any man I hope to share my life with. I have responded to my last text from Scott."  We clink glasses.

And with these words, I know I am going to have to tell him. Tell him something. Tell him that he can not stand in the wings and stage whisper into my new life.

But for now, I have to do nothing. Do nothing but enjoy Girls Weekend with the girls who know my heart better than any man.