“I should go,” Giselle stutters.
“No, wait,” I reach for her but she shakes her head.
“Josh, I need to be by myself again.”
She leaves too, and I stand there like an idiot. Dad and Giselle leaving me here.
Dad saw us together. What the hell does that mean for me now?
I march down to his office and go through the door that’s already open.
He’s standing by his window, fuming.
He whirls around to face me with rage, more rage than I’ve ever seen in him.
“What the hell do you expect me to say to you Joshua?” Dad balks. “I asked you to do one thing, and that was to stay away from her. That was the main thing. When Riley told me you’d been seeing her, I couldn’t believe it.”
“Dad—”
“What are you seriously going to deny it? Tell me he’s wrong? I saw you kissing her and it didn’t look like a kiss that just happened. You’re involved with her, possibly the whole time.”
“Yes,” I confess. “I was. But it’s not what you think. It’s not what any of you think.”
“Joshua, women are like toys to you and I’m so disappointed in you for the way you are. It’s shameful sometimes to think of you as my son, and I’m supposed to let you represent my company when you can’t even keep your dick in your pants?”
The truth is all coming out tonight.
I’ve just realized something, though. I’ve had enough. I’ve had enough of it.
It looks like I may have lost it all, I may as well shed the remnants of what’s left.
“No, you shouldn’t. You shouldn’t have me represent your company. I shouldn’t work for you at all.”
His lips part, and shock suffuses his features.
He looked shocked, but I don’t know what gets me more. That or the fact that he doesn’t stop me when I leave.
I stayed awake last night.
Couldn’t sleep at all. I went straight home and first I sat in the study just looking through the window trying to figure out what I’m supposed to do.
I then ventured into the tv room, switched on the tv and watched classic films marathon that was going on. I saw three of the films Giselle likes. Casablanca, Some Like it hot and fucking hell, I brought the morning in with Gone with The Wind. It was the only film I watched in color. The rest was in black and white.
She loves them all, and I watched them trying to feel close to her, yet I’m so far away in my mind.
I feel like shit by the time morning truly breaks and I’m sitting in the kitchen eating Cheetos instead of heading for a shower to get ready for work.
Jobless and girlfriend less.
Jobless for sure, that’s what I am after I quit. I’m sure to have the girlfriend part I would have had to have the girlfriend in the first place.
The doorbell rings and I don’t answer it. Juliana has a key and I’m not expecting her today.
Matt doesn’t know what shit happened to me so I doubt it’s him and I especially doubt that it’s Giselle. She wouldn’t come here by herself.
So whoever it is can fuck off.
I don’t want to see anyone today.