Answer: It’s Over

“I don’t understand,” Mike Ahern said.  “You think we should take a break.  Why?”

Perhaps Riley Franklin shouldn’t have brought this up after they had sex.  It had been a rather perfect Monday night.  Out of five trivia teams, theirs had come in third.  Oh, joy, oh, rapture, compared to usual fourth or last. But when did she see Mike except after trivia and sex or dinner and sex?  No, it was better discussed in her own townhouse. Which was much neater than his side of an old duplex, the other side owned by his aunt.  Correction: His nosy aunt.

“I just—“  Okay, maybe she should just be truthful?  “Look, Mike, there are too many stories out there about relationships like ours that end when someone, usually the man, finds someone they want to marry.  I don’t want to hang around and see that happen.  To me.”

He considered that.  “So you want to talk marriage.”  It was a statement, not a question.

“No.  I don’t want to talk marriage.  You have your career, I have my career, the timing’s not right for either of us.  And you know damn well, if we were going to talk marriage, it would have happened before now.  We just fell into this relationship and it’s been very pleasant—and convenient for both of us.  But—  Where’s it going?”

And why were they lying naked side by side while having this discussion?  Propping himself up on his elbow, Mike said, “I don’t understand.  If it’s not about marriage, what is it about?”  She said nothing.  “Should I just dress and go?”

“Probably.”  It was said weakly, but—

He waited.  Riley said nothing more.  So he got up and dressed.  “What about trivia?” he asked.

She had pulled the sheet over her.  “It was fun, but, well—it was fun.”

“I can drop out.”

“No!” she said emphatically.  “They’re your friends.”

“But you love it.”

“Yes, but—“

“So at least come and join the enemy.  It’ll add spice to the evening, give everyone something to talk about.  Plus, when you see me across the crowded room, you might change your mind?”

“You’re a great guy, Mike.”

“The ultimate kiss-off,” he said glumly.  Then he left the bedroom, clumped down the stairs and out her front door.  It locked automatically, but she’d still have to go downstairs for the bolt.

She had done the right thing, she thought to herself.  Or at least the wise thing.  When she considered it further, couples don’t live in a vacuum.  Even Eden had met this Steve guy’s parents.  Mike never invited her to any family thing, she never met his parents, the relatives she usually met were at outside gatherings.  She hoped she could still be friend with Mary Ahern, Mike’s sister.  Mary knew Riley was seeing Mike but never said much about it.  So now she wasn’t seeing Mike, and maybe Mary wouldn’t say much about that either.

Riley felt the best thing she could do now was cry.  Unfortunately, she wasn’t the crying type.  Anger was more her style, but there was no-one to focus her anger on, except maybe herself.

For the next two weeks Riley solely concentrated on work; and, while work was busy and in some ways exciting, there was a slice missing from her life.  Was it Mike or trivia?  Or sex?  Then Tuesday night rolled around.  The monthly council meeting she attended, and there was Mary Ahern, who waved her over.  “Haven’t seen you in a while,” Mary whispered.

“Fallout on the east side.”

“As ever.  Drinks after?”

“Sure.”

But would there ever be an after? Why does every single person on the council feel they have to speak and re-speak. Not to mention a riled-up public.  But finally—over!  Released, both women headed for Bumpkin, the closest pub, where they could get a beer and a sandwich and utter a few sighs of relief.  It was all business talk for a while—until Mary brought up the inevitable.  In that she heard Riley was no longer seeing Mike.  It was left to Riley to explain her reasoning and for Mary to nod in understanding.

“Mike’s a strange one,” Mary admitted.  “He came in the middle of the parcel of children so really never spoke much.  Didn’t have the chance most likely. Also he was never boisterous like my other brothers, didn’t want to play sports at St Xavier’s, which is the be-all and end-all of the rest of the guys’ existence.  He was on the math team.  Boy, did he catch a lot of teasing for that.  I honestly think that Ma brought home the wrong baby.  My sister and I tease her about it. Not in front of my father, of course.

“I don’t know if being in a large family put Mike off having a family of his own.  Dad always said about him ‘Still waters run deep,’ to which we’d reply ‘and germ-filled.’”  Mary laughed. “Of course, Ma’s on to Mike about getting married.  He misses more family get-togethers than he makes.” Mary shook her head. “Weird.  But I get your reasoning well enough.  Too bad about trivia though.  You should go back and join another team.”

“It would feel odd,” Riley confessed.

“All work and no play?”

Mary had a point.  But did Riley dare show her face again? Well, she had done nothing wrong except end a relationship, and that last place team might be able to make use of her.  She’d see.  She’d think about it.  But not tonight.