Tony Scott - Along Came COVID - Love and Loss in the 2020 Pandemic

“I’m so sorry,” Faith whispered. With romance and appetites quashed, they took their food to go.

Eight thirty came in a flash. With Josh on the barstool at the kitchen counter, Faith answered the door. Brian barged in with a hand truck. He rolled the drawer-less desk on its end and wriggled the hand truck under it. “Are you going to help?”

Josh jumped down off the barstool.

“No. It’s your desk,” Faith said. “Help yourself.”

Josh slinked back up on his perch, assumed his carrion-eating raptor posture and clawed to contain a cantankerous grin.

Brian made several trips to the truck, taking decorations, his desk, one of the living room chairs, the dining room set, and a dresser. When he returned with the hand truck, short of breath and sweaty, he demanded, “Get your stuff off the bookshelf so I can move it!”

“No,” Faith snapped. “We had that discussion. I bought it. I keep it. This is your last trip here. Be sure you have everything that’s yours. Whatever you leave tonight is mine.”

“You’re such a pain!” With that, he turned and exited. Faith slammed the door behind him.

“Don’t let the door hit you,” she said, too late for him to hear.

Josh was bursting to ask, “Did you say he signed?”

“Yes. Then I sent it to Marla to check over and file.”

“You were assertive tonight, I was impressed. I like that in you.”

“I hate it. I always feel like I’m a bully, or bossy, or a nag.”

“I haven’t seen that at all,” he said.

“You were going to help him!”

“I’m sorry. It was a reflex,” he said. “I don’t have the pent-up frustration and resentment you have for him. I thought the quicker he’s out of here, the better. But I sure enjoyed watching him struggle.”

“I’m glad this is coming to an end,” she said. “It has been a nightmare. He has become such an obstinate twit.”

“I have not known him long, and only at work. From that I would say obstinate is mild. I wonder if there is pressure at work. I know Ann can’t stand him, and poor Haley dreads him. Maybe someone has talked to Emily.”

“Do you really think so?” she said. “I hope I had nothing to do with that. I hope you are wrong about something else going on in his life. I wouldn’t want to have made that happen.”

“Wait. You didn’t. The nastiness between Ann and him is all his doing. Haley is all his doing. You didn’t do any of that. He made his bed, so he needs to sleep in it. Like I said, he needs to pick up the pieces and get his life together. Only he can do that.”

She made a lamentous face. “Haley was making fun of him at the charting station a few days ago when I walked up, and then she shut up. I told her it was hilarious and to keep going. You should hear her repeat some of the things he has said to Ann. It’s not nice to make fun of someone behind their back, but I didn’t tell her about any of the things she recounted. She must have found them out all on her own. By that I mean Brian did it for himself. I enjoyed it.”

“That’s what I mean,” Josh said. “It’s his doing. He needs to make his life happen. I saw him come out of the little conference room a few days ago with Haley and Ann. Haley’s face was beet red, and, of course, you would never be able to tell if Ann’s face was red.”

Faith walked over and kissed him. For Josh, it was an earth-shattering, mind-boggling moment. A miracle had happened. He grabbed her, pulling her close. She made the romantic instant intense.

She walked around the living room tidying up, adjusting some of the scant furniture to cover up the obvious absence of Brian’s desk, a chair, and a lamp. She performed her landing on the couch with legs under her, a smooth, practiced movement.

“Your dining room looks lonely,” Josh said.

“And the only things in the bedroom are the bed and a nightstand.”

“It’s all you need. It’s comfy. You still have your couch.”

He found the bag with the take-out food, used the microwave to rejuvenate it, and put it on plates. “I’m starving,” he said.

They sat on the couch in silence, eating, mostly in silence. Near the end of the food, she said, “I love you.”

“What?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.” They kissed again.

She walked him out to his car, hand in hand, where she got in the passenger seat, confusing him. Did she want to go somewhere?

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to move,” she said. “I can no longer afford this place. Brian stopped paying and the rental company found a new tenant. I have to be out by the thirty-first. I didn’t get a single phone call from the University’s residential services listing. Haley doesn’t want me.”

“No. She wants Ricky. Is there any way I can help? It’s only two weeks away.” A question was straining to jump off his tongue.

“I don’t think so. I’m tired.” She looked at him, then leaned over and kissed him.

He held her by her shoulder and pressed into her. She put her hand on his cheek.

They gently parted. She sniffed. “What’s the tear about?” he whispered.

“Happy, sad, tired, and I had two liters of beer.”

“OK.” He lost the restraining battle with his tongue, “Move in with me.”

She leaned away just a bit, opened her eyes wide, and tilted her head.

“You don’t have to. Just an idea. I think you are cool, and I want you in my life. I’ve loved you for a long time.” He reached over and pulled the rose from its parking place in the vent near the passenger door. “Here. Peace.”

Another tear.

“I know it’s fast,” he said. “For me it’s not fast because I thought you were beautiful when I met you at orientation and I’ve been watching and waiting ever since. I was brokenhearted when I found out you were married, then the divorce seemed like a miracle. For you, I know it’s like a first kiss tonight and move in tomorrow. But you don’t have to accept. Just think about it.”

“I know you have been working on it. I don’t know why I didn’t see it. You’ve been a good friend, you’re a compassionate doctor, and enjoyable company.” She wiped mascara. “I want to move in with you. I’m just really nervous.”

“Think about it. Take your time.”

She whispered, “I don’t have much time.” She leaned over and kissed him again. They slowly parted, and Josh blurted, “Oh, god, there’s Haley!”

Faith’s head snapped around to look out the passenger window in the direction that Josh was looking. No Haley.

“You’re mean!” she yelled, punching him in the arm. “See you tomorrow,” she said and slipped out the door.

“What’s up Josh,” Ricky answered. “Another two liters of beer?”

“Well, yeah. But I just wanted to run something by you. Do you think Faith is abused?”

“I have wondered that, but I don’t know her well enough. Considering who she is married to, I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“I don’t think she’s married to him anymore. My sister Marla gave her papers for a non-contested divorce which he signed, and she sent back for Marla to file.”

“Is that true?”

“Yeah. I called Marla the night we were at Padilla’s, you know, when Haley asked about a divorce. How did she know, anyway?”

Ricky snickered. “I think it was a good guess. I don’t know how else she would know about something that hadn’t even been seriously contemplated before that.”

“Anyway, she keeps worrying about whether she is the reason she is getting a divorce and worries that ‘dragging’ him to Albuquerque is the problem. That sounds like a battered spouse to me.”

“Did you ask her?” Ricky asked. “I would ask her.”

“I asked her if he ever hit her, and she said no. But I am thinking the abuse is more psychological.” Josh took a deep breath and waited for Ricky who didn’t say anything. “When I got her the divorce papers, she was startled, and I think she thought I expected her to divorce him. It’s not that I didn’t want to, but I told her they empowered her and that it was up to her what happened next and when. She seemed surprised. I think Brian is controlling.”