Perspective

“Do you at least talk to her?”

I didn't understand the question as such. I required a better idea of what answer was expected of me. “No we just sit in silence all night, night after night.” I gestured to fully communicate my sarcasm.

Angela rolled her eyes at me. “Fine. Do you discuss things, like emotions and interests and plans, not just sit there and do things together? Do you share yourself with her?”

This was something I hadn't considered before. “I dunno. I think so.” I shrugged my shoulders. “Ask her.”

“If she tells me no, what good does that do you?”

I was all confused at this point.”You'd come and yell at me? I dunno, why?”

“Because jokes aside, I like you Patrick,” she informed. “Sarah Jean seems nice. I don't want you to screw this up like you did with Heather.”

I hadn't thought myself capable of a greater degree of confusion but apparently I'd been wrong. “Huh wha?” I intelligently responded. “I know it was awhile ago now but she cheated on me, remember?”

“That made it all her fault?” Angela demanded.

“Seems a simple enough equation to me,” I answered. I ticked events off on my fingers. “Cheated on me, didn't seem to care what I thought about it, broke up with me. Yup, seems like she took charge of that situation.”

Angela just looked at me. “So. Why did she break up with you?”

This became frustrating. “I don't know! To sleep with... him I suppose, because I wouldn't.”

“Why not?”

“Because that's how I was raised. Silly to others maybe and why my head is wired that way may not make sense to anyone else but that's how my brain works.”

Angela nodded. “And Heather knew that?”

“Of course,” I declared. “It was an early discussion point in high school. We agreed on it.”

“Did you ever discuss it again?”

I paused to consider this. “I dunno. It's been awhile. I don't remember every conversation I've ever had. I know it seems like it sometimes but I dunno.”

“Can I tell you why I asked?”

“Please do!” I encouraged.

“I always thought you two were half a step away from breaking up,” Angela informed. “I didn't think either of you wanted to be without the other or had interests in someone else but that you were missing something that threatened your relationship.”

“Really?” I asked. When she nodded, I added “See because I always thought she and I had gotten to a rather comfortable level in our relationship. That's a lot of the reason why it... hurt me as badly as it did.”

“You were comfortable,” she agreed.”That was the nice thing about being around you two at the time but I think that was also your downfall.” I gave her a 'huh?' look that was her trigger to continue. “I think you two got too comfortable. You stopped communicating to each other so when there were things you needed to talk about, you'd forgotten how. Or maybe you just assumed the other would know. Or that you should know. Or that there was no point in discussing certain things because they had been settled.”

I fidgeted with the beer bottle before me. This was not unreasonable. “Hmm.” I considered this for another moment, realizing this would take some thought. “So you're saying it was like we were talking but not really talking.”

“I think so,” she responded. “From my perspective anyway.” I glanced back to her and saw her smiling at me. “I haven't seen 'thinking' Patrick for a long time.”

“I think all the time,” I protested playfully.

“But I haven't seen you do it,” she noted.

I conceded the point. “Ah, very true.” I looked at my beer and then back at her. “Thanks.”

She beamed at me. “You are very welcome. Now, don't screw it up!”

“Yes 'em.”