Happily Ever After_ - Benison Anne O'Reilly [70]
It was a cold, rainy Thursday in late July. I was blow-drying my hair, getting ready for work, when Tony called from the airport. He was just about to board a domestic flight to Queensland when he remembered to call. He and Mark had organised a few days sailing together in The Whitsundays. It was a men only affair - wives and children not invited.
‘Hi,’ I answered, panting a bit after running for the phone, wondering who’d be calling so early in the morning.
‘It’s me. I forgot to ring to tell you my car wouldn’t start this morning. I was in a hurry so I took yours. I think it’s just the battery. You’ll have to call road service.’
‘What?’
‘I have your car. You’ll have to call road service.’
‘I heard what you said - I’m just in disbelief that you didn’t think to ask me. For a start it’s a company car and you shouldn’t be even taking it.’
‘They’ll never find out.’
‘You don’t know that. Surely you could have called a taxi instead. There would have been plenty around at that time of the morning. I have a really important meeting this morning, you know. Now if I have to call road service I’m going to be late. And why the hell didn’t you think to ring me before now?’
‘I didn’t want to wake you at first and then I just got talking to Mark and forgot.’ I could hear the antagonism in his voice now.
‘Yeah, you forget about me all the time these days, don’t you? I told you I have to drop Isabel’s stuff at Mum’s this morning before I go to work. And we have a visitor from head office who I’m meant to be showing around. Well I only hope that I don’t get the sack about this, but of course my job isn’t important like yours.’
‘Yeah, I do think my job is more important and I think most people would agree. I really don’t know why I bother these days.’
‘I didn’t notice that you did.’
‘Urgh. What can I say? Sorry.’
‘No, not good enough.’
‘Did you realise that your default position is bitch these days?’
‘Well that’s probably because yours has been selfish shit for the last five years.’
‘Look my flight’s boarding. I said sorry - I don’t know what else I’m expected to do. I’ll call you when I get there.’
‘Don’t bother,’ I said and hung up.
Great - I had made a vow early in our relationship not to ever let Tony get on board a flight whilst I was still fighting with him, and now I’d broken that for the second time in as many months. Qantas has an enviable safety record but knowing my luck...
I got the phone book out and called road service. Thanks to the bad weather they were flat out and it would be at least a ninety minute wait before they could get anyone out to me. I couldn’t wait that long - double great.
I quickly woke Issy and called a taxi. Once again the rain was a problem. They promised me a taxi within the hour. Oh God…
The taxi arrived after forty-five minutes. I was having kittens by this time but couldn’t avoid the trip via Mum’s. She was looking after Issy that night so I could attend a farewell dinner for John, one of the sales managers. The worst thing was when I tried to ring the office to explain why I was late I discovered my mobile battery was flat. This was such bad timing and I felt my eyes prick with tears.
I was almost an hour late for my meeting when I finally arrived at work, face like a thundercloud. Alex looked up at me when I slunk in the back door and whispered my apologies.
At morning tea he managed to pull me aside and ask me what happened.
‘I’m so sorry. I feel so embarrassed. Tony took my car ’cause his had a flat battery and I couldn’t get a taxi and my phone was flat.’
‘Don’t worry about it.’
‘No seriously, I…’
‘I said don’t worry about it. It’s fine - truly.’
‘Oh thank you…’ and then I couldn’t help a few more tears. I hated