Two Out of Three....

After Duane had left I was once again alone in the big loft.  I was not in the mood to start packing just yet so I just decided to lay low.  Joel and I spent the evening texting each other and trying to imagine what our life will be like when I move there.

Tuesday I awoke and I sighed to myself and decided to move some of the bins into my room and start packing.  I had to go through things one by one and decide whether or not I was going to store it or pack it.  I started into my closet, which still held my summer stuff, and started to fold and put it into the bins.  I started to get nostalgic when I was going through my clothes.   And a lot of memories came flooding back.  I held up a tank top that has John Bender (The Breakfast Club) hoisting his fist in the air on it and I was brought back to when Monroe and I had first sat down and watched the movie. Of course it was well after it was out of the theatres as Monroe and I would’ve been 4 or 5 at the time of its release.  I smiled to myself and put it back in to the closet, I was going to wear that tomorrow when Monroe came home.  I knew I didn’t have the time to sit and reminisce so I just kept packing.

I had made my way through most of my closet leaving a few items out to wear over the next two weeks; I grabbed a marker and wrote ‘Summer Clothes’ on the 3 bins.  I grabbed two bins and moved towards the dressers.  I opened the first drawer which had a bunch of sweaters in it; I went through them and piled them on my bed.  I had a pile that I was sure I wouldn’t need as they were thick and heavy, definitely not California weather; the rest had dress pants and other fall weather clothes.  I knew my winter gear was in storage, so there was no rush to go there and sort it out.  I put the lid on the second bin and labelled it ‘Sweaters and Fall Clothes’.  The other bin I labelled ‘Storage’.  I knew I could call Duane to come move it to storage, but I would wait until later in the week to do that.  I sighed when I looked and saw the bins piling up in the bedroom.  I hadn’t even tackled my shoe and bag collection yet.....

I was busying myself going through the second dresser and packing away t-shirts and socks, etc.  I reached into the drawer and found a little box. I knew I hadn’t put it there and my ring and other jewellery from Craig was in Monroe’s safe; which in turn reminded me I had to get that from him when he came home.  There was a note wrapped around the box, so I figured I would start there...

Dear Isabella,

I slid this into the boxes of stuff your friends and brother came to retrieve from our home.  I know you never want to hear from me again, but I can’t let you go without a fight.  I will always love you and that will never change.  I fucked up and I know it, but maybe one day soon you can find it in your heart to forgive me and maybe love me as much as I love you.

Xo C

I didn’t know whether or not I wanted to open it, it had been a long time since our last encounter and I really had not seen him at all since.  I left it on the dresser with the note and kept packing up the last of the dresser.  I could care less what he had ‘snuck’ into my boxes.  Reality was, he did fuck up and there was nothing he could do now to fix it.  I had decided that I had done enough for the first day.  I didn’t want to pack every single thing away just yet.  But I had decided that I wanted to stay in and just be by myself.  So I ordered in some Chinese food and turned on Netflix.  I knew the word would get out, but I was not going to answer any more questions.  I knew the true interrogation was about 12 hours away from arriving.

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I awoke Wednesday morning and put on some jean skirt and my Bender tank top.  I tied my hair up in a messy bun and puttered around the loft.  I wasn’t sure what time Monroe was coming in, he wouldn’t give me his flight plan, and I guess he was afraid I would disappear before he got there.  I decided to run down to the little deli market and get some stuff to put together a platter for us to snack on.  On my way back I got a few bottles of our favourite wine to go with everything.

I was upstairs putting together the platter and had the wine chilling in the fridge when I heard the elevator start to come up.  I set the platter up on the island and grabbed 2 glasses for the wine.  I took a deep breath and got ready for the inquisition.

M: “Isabella? Are you home?” he called from the doorway

Me: “Nope she ran away to California before you got here...”

M: “Ha-ha very funny!”

I pulled the cork out of the wine as Monroe moved around to the kitchen.  He smiled at me and I smiled back.  I realized I would really miss this, him coming back home and us crashing together.  He put his bag against the wall and came over and hugged me hard, and I hugged him back.

M: “I am sorry that I flipped out.  Daphne called me in a tizzy, I was busy working and stressed out and I took it out on you.  But you have to fill me in on what is going on with you and Mr. Man.  I really hope you are making this decision for you and not for him.”

Me: “Monroe I need to move away from all of this.  I am doing it for me, I am finally happy with Joel and yes it is a crazy move, but how will I know unless I try?  Please don’t try and persuade me otherwise, I really need to live and learn.”  I said as I poured us some wine. 

Monroe just nodded in silence as he moved around the island and popped a piece of cheese in his mouth.  I watched him carefully, knowing at any minute he would pounce and try and keep me here.  I sipped my wine and sat down on a bar stool.  I took a piece of cheese and popped it into my mouth as I watched him pace around the room.  I was seriously waiting for him to go bat shit crazy on me.....

M: “Ok baby girl if this is what you need then I will support you 100%.  I will work on Daphne, she will come around eventually.  So when do you leave?”

I was in utter shock.  Did he just really give me his blessing?  And so easily?! I responded quickly before he could change his mind....

Me: “2 weeks.  But I need your help.  Joel will be back next week sometime to get me, and I want to plan a nice dinner for everyone to come to so I can tell them the news and we can say bon voyage.   And since you have panache for planning......” I batted my eyelashes at him with a big smile....

M: “I am going to send you off with a bang....” he winked.