Learning How to Bend

January 18

I was terribly nervous things would escalate once the tabloids found out Thaddeus was off the market.  Strangely enough, nothing about my routine changed.  No one tried to interview me about him, about how long we had been dating, about whether we had slept together, about whether I could be pregnant—which was a definite no, if anyone ever asked.  I think it was partly because Thaddeus had probably scared all the photographers and reporters away from me.  There were a couple stories, but everything was mostly tame.  The most...eruptive conversation had been with Katherine the next day after Thaddeus had left me at my apartment.

"You did what!?"

"I kissed him in front of everyone."

"Including that...twat Antonia?" I could tell Kat wanted to use a stronger word but resisted.

"Oh, definitely so.  Thaddeus made sure she saw," I said.

"It's about damn time."

I smiled.

"If only you could've seen what I saw in his eyes before the gala.  You need to keep that man.  Joe hasn't looked at me like that since our wedding day."

"I'm planning on keeping him." I laughed into the phone's microphone.

"He loves you, there's no doubt about that.  But he was also practically undressing you with his eyes, and—"

"Kat.  Stop." I blushed.

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with it.  You deserve to be looked at in that manner.  And not in a creepy way or anything like that, because that'd be gross."

"Kat."

"Girl, if the tabloids ever get a photo of him looking at you like that, they're going think he's already put a baby in your belly."

"KAT."

"I wish Joe looked at me like that.  Maybe we could start on a sibling for Elizabeth."

"Do you have no filter?"

"We're both adults here." Kat laughed.

"I'd rather not know about the sex life of a man who is basically my brother."

"So we can talk about yours, then?"

"No."

"Oh, come on, everyone's going to be talking about it soon anyway."

"Let me spell it out for you. N-O. N-E-V-E-R."

"Fine." Kat sighed dramatically. "I'm really proud of you, though, in all seriousness.  I know none of that was easy for you to do."

"No, it wasn't, but...it was for the best." I shook my head. "I didn't want to hear about any rumors of Thaddeus dating anyone, even knowing the rumors wouldn't be true."

"Are you sure you're the same person from a year and a half ago?"

"I'm definitely not the same," I said.

I heard something crash in the background.

"Is Joey breaking things?"

"He's trying to make dinner," Kat said.

"With real food?  And real utensils?"

"Yes."

"Bless you heart." I shook my head. "And your taste buds.  And your stomach."

Kat gave me a laugh, but it did not sound like a positive one.  It sounded like she was resigned to her future state of indigestion.  After a few more minutes, we ended the call when Joe asked Katherine how he was supposed to know when vegetables were properly sautéed.