Phone Calls

I didn’t know what to do, I wanted to go with Josh to his parents’ house for dinner but I didn’t want to cancel on Jordan. Since I left the school, that’s all that has been on my mind and I wasn’t getting any closer to a solution. So I did want I do every time I need help with an important decision, I called Mary.

On the third ring Zach answered the phone, “Hey sis what’s up?”

“I need to talk to Mary,” I told him. I wasn’t in the mood to talk to him, I was still a little upset that he didn’t bring Hank home the other night.

“Sorry sis, she’s out for the day. Can I help you with something?”

“Nope,” I said quickly. “Bye.” I heard him call out my name as I went to hang up the phone. “What?” I asked after I brought the receiver back to my ear.

“Why are you mad at me?”

“You know damn well,” I snapped at him.

He scoffed, “Well you damn well better get over it. You knew that was going to happen when you called me, I’ve told you many times before that I would haul someone in if they’ve been driving drunk. You should understand that one.”

“I called you because you are my brother, not because you’re a cop Zach.”

“But Anna, I am a cop. I can’t change that anymore than you can change being my little sister and a pain in the ass. Now tell me what you wanted Mary for.”

I rolled my eyes and sighed. “I needed to talk to her about something.”

“Well maybe I can help. I do know stuff you know.”

“I don’t know Zach,” I started to play with the cushion on the couch. How much could I tell him, how much should I tell him?

“Unless it’s about girl stuff, then you better wait for Mary, I can’t deal with girl stuff.” He almost sounded horrified.

I laughed, “It’s not girl stuff. Not exactly anyway, it’s got to do with boys.”

Zach breathed a sigh of relief. “Now guy stuff I can help with. I am a guy you know?” He joked before continuing. “Unless it’s about sex, and then the answer is no, never!”

“Zach! Come on be serious.” I shook my head. “Besides, I would never come to you for advice regarding sex any way. Mary is so much more realistic when it comes to the disappointments involved with that.”

“Hey! I’ll have you know my wife has no complaints in that department. She’s always satisfied.”

I groaned, “Why did I even say anything? I should know the difference by now.”

“Yes, you should.” Zach chuckled, “Now what is your boy issue?”

I told him everything that’s been going on, from the other night when Jordan found out he’s a father to this afternoon with Josh telling me to cancel my plans with Jordan. “But I don’t want to cancel with Jordan and I don’t want to disappoint Josh either. What am I going to do?”

“Doesn’t Jordan work until 6?”

“Yes, he does. But tonight, he’s hoping to see Jenna before she goes to sleep at 7. So he won’t be home until after 7.”

Zach was quiet for a moment. “You know it’s very easy to do both things. If dinner at the parents’ house is at 5 and Jordan isn’t home until after 7, you could easily go to dinner with Josh and then leave to spend time with Jordan. Of course, you’ll have to make sure his parents know you have a previous engagement so they don’t think you are rude leaving before the evening is over.”

I sighed, “I know I could do that but what if Heather doesn’t let Jordan see Jenna and he comes home before 7? I’ve already pushed him aside so many times to spend time with Josh; I don’t want to do that again.”

“You already told Josh that you weren’t going to his parents’ house?”

“Yes, I guess I did.”

“Well then I wouldn’t worry about it. Spend the evening with Jordan and catch up with Josh some other night.”

“But I don’t want him to be upset with me, he wasn’t happy when I told him no earlier.”

Zach sighed, “Anna listen to me. If Josh gets that upset over you having a life, then you need to evaluate your relationship with him. He doesn’t own you or have dibs on your time, you are in a relationship but there should be lots of space to be yourself. It’s the only way relationships work sis. If I demanded that Mary was by my side all the time, we wouldn’t be as happy as we are today. And she wouldn’t be out spending my hard earned money on a day at the spa.”

“That’s where she is?” I was jealous.

He laughed, “Yes, she was getting a little stressed so I told her to take the day for herself; she decided to go to the spa.”

“I guess that’s why she sticks around.”

“Yeah there’s that and the fact that she’s crazy about me.”

I shook my head, “Like you aren’t crazy about her.”

“Sis,” Zach’s voice was serious. “I’m head over heels in love with that woman, she’s everything to me.”

We spoke for a while longer; Zach wanted to know more about Jenna. When we finally hung up I noticed it was 4, I picked up the phone again and dialed Josh’s cell.

“Hey Josh,” I said when he answered.

“Hello Beautiful, how are you doing?” He sounded normal, he didn’t seem upset with me and that was a good thing.

“I’m good; I was just talking to Zach.”

“Oh? And how is Zach?”

“In love with his wife,” I chuckled. “So the same as always I guess.”

Josh laughed, “Yes that sounds about right for him.” I hesitated for a moment and then I asked him what he was doing. “I’m just leaving the school to head over to my parents’ house.”

“Oh, did you call your mom and tell her I wasn’t coming?”

“Yes, I did.” He chuckled, “She got mad at me.”

“What? Why?” That wasn’t what I wanted to hear, I didn’t want his mom to think I wasn’t in this relationship with Josh.

“I told her about your visit at lunch, about how I didn’t tell you about dinner and suggesting you cancel your plans,” he hesitated before continuing. “Mom started to ream me out for being insensitive and asked ‘since when do you own Anna?’ And then she ranted for a couple minutes about you needing your space and how that doesn’t mean that you don’t care about me. Then she calmed down a little and scolded me for not telling you about dinner earlier, ‘you can not assume that she will be free for when ever you call Joshua’.”

I bit my lip to keep from laughing, “I’m sorry she wasn’t happy with you.”

“Honey don’t be. I needed that lecture.”

“You did?” I was surprised to say the least that he said that.

“Yes, I need someone to tell me when I’m out of line. And who better than my own mother?”

I laughed, “So you aren’t upset with me?”

“Not at all, I’m glad that you are spending some time with Jordan. He really needs a friend right now. Have fun with him and I’ll call you tomorrow to see if you’d like to do something with me.”

I was smiling when I got off the phone with him; I was glad that things worked out this time. Hopefully the next time we can fix the problems ourselves, I thought.