Speaking to You, While You're Speaking to Me, and Wondering About All the Things That Might Have Been

A: Hello.

B: Hello.

A: You…what are you doing here?

B: Visiting.

A: Huh.

B: My dad…he’s…

A: Oh. Oh, right. I heard. I’m sorry.

B:…yea.

A: How’s he doing?

B: Not great. It…it could be any day now.

A: I knew he was sick. But I…I didn’t put the pieces together. I mean. I should have, but-

B: Do you want to get a coffee?

A: Now?

B: Yea.

A: I should pay for these first.

B: Right. Of course. Me too. But after?

A: Um. Sure.

B: Great. That’s…Good. Ok. I’ll meet you outside.

A: Ok.

B: You look good.

A: So do you.

B: This coffee is as horrible as I remember.

A: The worst.

B: But I love Cathy.

A: She’s the best.

B: I can’t believe she’s still alive.

A: I feel like she’s going to outlive all of us.

B: You got married.

A: …I did.

B: Tony?

A: Yes.

B: I always liked Tony.

A: No, you didn’t.

B: Yes, I did!

A: You really didn’t. But it’s fine.

B: I knew he had a thing for you.

A: Right. And you thought he was stupid.

B: No, I didn’t.

A: ‘Tony Nesbit is an idiot who thinks that Billie Holiday was a man and that the earth is flat.’

B: I never said that.

A: You did. Right after Tony asked me out. Before you had the guts to.

B:…That’s right.

A: See?

B: Him asking you out is what gave me the push to.

A: I know.

B:…So. How is he? Tony, I mean.

A: Good. Fine.

B: That’s good.

A:...I heard you got married.

B: Who’d you hear that from?

A: You still talk to Brad Trenton who talks to everybody.

B: Hah. Right.

A: Do you do that on purpose?

B: What?

A: Talk to Brad because you know he talks to everybody.

B:…I talk to Brad because we’ve been best friends since we were six.

A: Right. Sorry…so, who is she?

B: She’s…Her name is-

A: Don’t.

B: Don’t?

A: Don’t.

B:…Ok.

A: Just…she’s nice?

B:…She’s not.

A: She’s not nice?

B: No. She’s…she’s not nice, but she’s loyal to the people she loves. And she loves hard. It…it’s overwhelming sometimes. If she loves you.

A: …How’d you meet?

B:…You want to know?

A: I do.

B: Work.

A: Work?

B: We met through work. At a conference. They split us into groups. You know, those tedious team building exercises. And…we hit it off. She was impressed with me. And I…

A: And so were you.

B: And so was I.

A: That’s nice…Kids?

B:…No. You do, though.

A: Brad told you.

B:...Yes.

A: Yes.

B: Two?

A: Yes.

B: Why’d you ask me if I have kids if you talk to Brad?

A: …After you got married, I told him to stop telling me things.

B: Oh.

A: You still ask about me though, it seems.

B:…how are your parents?

A: Good. They’re both doing well.

B: That’s nice. Really nice.

A: It is. They love…

B: What?

A: They love having grandchildren.

B: I’m sure. I’m happy for them. For you.

A: You are?

B: Of course I am.

A:…Is your dad at home?

B: He is now. He was at-

A: I know.

B: Of course, you know. But yes, he’s home now. I’m just…waiting.

A: I’m so sorry.

B: I know. Me too.

B: He said you’ve been visiting him.

A: Who?

B: My dad. He said you visited him when he was at the facility. He said you came often.

A:…I didn’t…I hadn’t realized he knew who I was.

B: He doesn’t know who anyone is often. But, sometimes he does. And he told me. He said that even before. Even before he was at the facility that you’d visit him at the house.

A: He was so alone. He also said he wouldn’t tell you. The liar.

B: Brad visited him every weekend too. And he’s my father, so of course he told me. What’d you expect?

A: Well, Brad is-

B: I’m just saying thank you.

A:…

B: Thank you for visiting him.

A: …Of course. I love your dad.

B: I know. Thank you.

A: Sure.

B:…You knew I was coming, didn’t you?

A:…I did.

B: At the store, you seemed so surprised.

A: I knew you were coming. I just didn’t know when.

B: Do you…Are you-

A: It’s nice to see you.

B: I’m glad. I wasn’t sure…Cathy is looking at us.

A: Are you surprised?

B: No. She’s just so obvious about it.

A: Well, yea. She’s 100.

B: She’s not 100.

A: Practically. Regardless, she has no sense of subtlety.

B: Never has. Is she going to tell Tony?

A: …

B: Sorry. That was unnecessary. It was meant to be funny.

A: Even if she did, there’s nothing to tell. We’re talking.

B: Right. Of course.

A: But, speaking of Tony, I should get going.

B: Now?

A: I left him with the kids and-

B: You’re not leaving because of my stupid mouth, right?

A:…What else is there for us to say?

B: There is so much I want to say, but-

A: Don’t.

B: Don’t?

A: Is there a point?

B: Yes. I still-

A: Nothing about our lives is ever going to change. We’ve made our choices. We’ve seen each other and that’s enough.

B: Is it?

A: It should be.

B: And if it isn’t?

A: What do you want?

B: I-

A: You don’t want me.

B: You’re so sure?

A: You would have stayed.

B: Maybe I made a mistake.

A: You don’t believe that.

B: I don’t?

A: Look at you. Look at how you’re dressed. How you move.

B: That’s not-

A: But it is. I have vomit on all of my clothes. My hands are constantly sticky from touching furniture caked in goo and food and…judging by your face alone, you have no interest in that.

B:…you love Tony?

A: I wouldn’t have married him if I didn’t. And you love your…

B: Wife?

A: Yes.

B: …Yes.

A: Tony’s a good man. And he’s not an idiot.

B: I know.

A: He knows Billie Holiday was a woman.

B: And that the earth is round?

A: You jerk.

B: Kidding…And my wife treats me well even if she isn’t nice.

A: Well. Good…I really do have to get going.

B: Yea.

A: I loved seeing you.

B: Yea?

A: Yea.

B: Maybe while I’m here we can have dinner?

A: …No.

B: …Right. Ok. Well.

A: Take care of yourself.

B: I do keep in touch with Brad because I know he’ll tell you things. Or rather, he did.

A: I couldn't hear it anymore. I had to move on.

B: I know. But I still talk to him because I want to know about you.

A: I know…you should stop.

B: I know I should.

A:…I’ll see you.

B: Yea. See you.