forty

“Shit,” Jeremy muttered as he leapt awkwardly off the couch and ran after her. He missed one of the stairs and for a brief moment I thought he was going to end up flat on his face. However, his balance kicked in and he stayed upright. With determination, if not grace, he launched himself up the remaining stairs. Seconds later we heard pounding on a door. “Julie!” Jeremy’s panicked voice bellowed. “Julie, honey, please open the door.” More pounding ensued. “Dammit, Julie, baby. I’m sorry, okay?” he said, his voice desperate. “I’m really sorry. Please don’t leave me, Julie. I love you! I need you. I screwed up. I get that. Please. I’ll do anything! Just open the damn door!”

Nigel and I looked at each other at the same time. “Baby?” I said.

“I love you?” Nigel said.

My eyes flickered to the stairs where the pounding had stopped. I glanced back at Nigel. “We were just repeating what Jeremy said, right?” I asked, my voice a whisper.

“What?” Nigel said, affecting confusion. “No. I just thought now seemed the perfect time to express my feelings.”

I laughed. “Okay, baby.”

There was a sudden commotion as Julie reappeared. Her hair was still wet, but at least she was wearing clothes. She stomped down the stairs with Jeremy in close pursuit. “Julie, please,” he whined. “Don’t leave me.”

“I’m out, Jeremy,” she said. “Out. I’ve had it with your drinking. I’ve done everything I could to save your sorry ass, but you just don’t get it. Figure it out yourself.”

Without a backwards glance, she pushed past him and stormed out into the foyer. Seconds later the front door opened and then slammed shut with a reverberating thud. Jeremy’s shoulders sagged at the sound.