11.3.09

as if

No one had told Oliver. Well, Bex hadn't.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He knew nothing about this dinner with her mother. Today. Not next week or a month from now. But today.

"Well, its no big deal." Bex shrugged as if she could snap her fingers and the table would be set and a three course meal would be waiting.

"Yes, it is," They were home from work and Oliver hadn't had the best day. Suddenly, nonresident membership fees had gone up to forty bucks, yet, over-dues for DVDs and videos were now ten cents instead of a dollar a day. It was easy to do the math, only, it was a pain in the ass to waive most of the dollar off the damage. He was stressed. Now dinner with her mother along with Chris and Max.

"You know I'll have to make it." After all he did all the cooking. Didn't he? He went to the freezer and looked through cuts of meat. Best he could do with was perhaps a stir-fry of some sort.

"Well-" She sighed as if she might go and crawl in bed just to wait for a miracle to happen. The weather wasn't quite spring either. Flurries about. Bone chilling weather, in fact.

"It just would have been nice if you'd told me. I could have perhaps - done something." He sighed, doing his best not to get snappy.

"You don't have to be so angry!" She looked at him then as if this was no way to talk to her.

"Angry?" That cracked him up. "Bex, this is your mother, we are talking about. The Martha Stewart of all mothers. Couldn't we just go out?"

"I don't want to go out." She looked at him dead serious then.

"What? You might break something?" It was true they had not gone out to eat since she'd broken her legs.

"Max and Chris are bringing the baby." Bex's eyes lit. "I don't think they'd appreciate having to take her out on a chance of being sick. That's all."

"You're sure?" He gave her a solemn look back. "What do you want me to do?" Suddenly, he felt bitter. What had she done to make things so final and her way or no way? He felt ambushed, perhaps. Taken for granted. Even.

He hated feeling this way but it was eating at him slowly. What had he done to deserve this? Was this something he had accepted long before they were man and wife? It clinched at his throat. A scowl hinged on every word that came to him.

"You know, something." She gave him a shrug as if she couldn't be bothered by such petty things.

"OH GREAT!" He was in a huff now as he slammed the frozen meat into the sink and turned hot water on the frozen package.

"What is your problem?" She shot back.

Oliver was seething, but he decided to say nothing. It was best. Nothing. Just go on and try not to say it. He'd bite his tongue if he had too.

"I was thinking, this would be a good time for Max to come out of the closet and everything." Bex seemed rather proud of herself that she'd decided this.

"What?" Oliver squinted. "You can't do that, Bex."

"Why not? The better we get this out in the open it'll be like normal with my Mom, again."

"You can't make him do that, you know. If he doesn't want to, he shouldn't."

"Isn't it obvious?" Bex sighed.

"You just have to accept it for what it is. All right? And move on?" He was getting ready to attack the steak. He'd cut up the half frozen meat into slivers and make fajitas. It was the best he could do on such a short notice. No way was he tackling bread pudding tonight.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

ha i like the last paragraph:)

ellie said...

Could Oliver be changing?

Natalie said...

Eeek, I'm sorry about missing so many posts again... I just haven't been on the computer much lately. But enough with excuses, I'm all caught up now!

Aw, poor Oliver. I feel bad that he has to do all the cooking and everything, especially after such a stressful day. Bex should cut him a little slack, this is pretty much the first time he's complained about something that I can remember... I can't wait to see how the dinner goes!

Anonymous said...

It isn't easy living with a pregnant woman.

Anonymous said...

Oliver is right. She can't go pushing Max around.