He Starts to Sputter

So I relieve him a little.

“Hey. It’s okay. I get it.

I just wish you would

have told me yourself.

I really felt like an idiot

for not noticing. Walking

around with my eyes

shut, as Pops used to say.”

I’m sorry, Ariel. Truly I am.

That’s what I wanted to talk

about after the game today.

It blew me away how hard

she and I hit it off. I mean,

we have so little in common,

and . . . Are you mad at me?

“For what? Not like either

of us made any promises

to each other. I’ll admit I

was a little hurt at first,

mostly because it felt like

you were sneaking around.

I never hid Monica from you.”

Did you ever tell her you

and I had sex? Point-blank,

he calls me out. Deservedly.

“No. But I plan to. Tonight.

It’s the right time for honesty.”