The Devil's Bargain Ch. 09

I rented a truck, and Pete and Josh helped me move my bedroom and office furniture, plus most of my clothes. Moving is always a good time to get rid of things you don't really need, and I did that. But I was also planning to keep my house mostly furnished, so that I could rent it that way.

By October, I could start living at Mom's. That made for a number of changes.

Mom was much happier, having me around. She could ask me to do things without having to phone - or wait. She also admitted that she felt much safer, more secure, with me there. She'd been fairly lonely; only a few of her old friends were still driving, and able to come visit her. She enjoyed the company, and the conversation.

Freya moved into Mom's basement. She adapted very quickly. Mom's property backed onto a public park, and there was a ravine with a creek nearby. The dog and I found some new paths to explore. Lisa came on a few of those walks with us.

That was the biggest change. Lisa was no longer across the street. I wasn't about to sneak her in to Mom's house, so I let my mother-in-law know that Lisa would be staying over sometimes. As you might imagine, it wasn't a popular announcement.

- "Mom, I can still stay at my house, if you'd prefer. But the whole idea of the renovation was to let you live on the main floor, and for me to be here more often, in case you need me. If I'm going to stay here, you'll have to get used to my friends being here occasionally."

- "It's my house, Daniel."

- "I know that, Mom. I'm trying to be respectful."

- "By bringing strange women into the house your wife grew up in. I thought you were brought up better that."

I took a deep breath. Any mention of my upbringing, and by inference, my parents, was enough to set me on edge. Mom should have known better.

- "Alright." I said. I stood up. "I'll pack a bag and move back to my house. Would you like me to send you the number of a good lawn-care service? I can also get you a fairly reliable pool company to open your pool next year."

I didn't wait for an answer. I grabbed some clothes, put Freya's bed and her most important things in the car, and drove away.

You may not approve, but I'd learned something from being married to Mom's daughter. Long-term relationships are about power: either one of the partners holds the power, or neither does. In my marriage, I let Connie take control. I thought that I was trying to make her happy. We ended up doing what she wanted, her way. Maybe that was why she lost respect for me. I don't know.

But I wasn't going to make the same mistake with her mother.

I spent two weeks at home, sleeping on the couch. When Mom called, I answered the phone.

- "Is it an emergency?" I would ask.

- "You're being foolish." she said.

- "Do you need to go to the hospital? Is the basement flooded again?"

She would huff and hang up.

In the end, it was Lisa who played peacemaker. She went over to Mom's and had a 'chat' with her, over coffee. I don't know what was said (Lisa was surprisingly close-mouthed about this high-level summit), but Mom finally called.

- "You can come back, Daniel. I won't complain about your overnight guests... as long as you're not too loud, and you don't rub it in my face."

Too loud? Mom was getting deafer by the day, and still refused to wear her hearing aid. As for 'rub it in my face'... I don't know what that meant. Having sex in the kitchen? I hadn't expected an apology, but maybe it was close enough. I thanked Lisa.

- "She needs you, Dan. She's just too proud to admit it."

- "Too stubborn, too. Don't forget that."

- "That too."

I explained my theory about power struggles and control in marriages. Lisa nodded.

- "You're right." she said. "How do you feel about our relationship?"

- "Oh, love..." That was a difficult question, because we were into November. Lisa and I had less than two months before she left for Victoria. Two time zones away. A five hour flight. A mere forty-hour drive. I had to let her go, and I just wasn't ready...

My throat seized up, and my eyes began to fill with tears.

"You - you never... made me do anything... I didn't want to do. The opposite. You went... out of your way - to make me happy. I know you did."

- "So did you..."

A year and a half, with Lisa. It was easily the best relationship of my life - and it was almost over. There was no way that I could try to hang on to her.

- "You're still young..." I began.

- "So are you, Dan. You'll find someone who appreciates you, just as I did. You're a fantastic guy, with so much to offer. You'll make some lucky girl very happy, and I hope that she'll make you happy, too."

- "Leece..." How was she doing this? Those were almost the exact words that I had intended to say to her.

- "I'll stay in touch. I could never cut you off. But it's too far, and we'd be apart too long. Four, may five years? And who knows where I might end up after that? Better that you move on, and find someone. I'll see you - I hope - when I come back to visit my parents. And I'll think of you as one of the best friends I ever had."

What could I say to that? She was right - and more mature than I was.

Yes, we made love on my couch, that night. She stayed over at Mom's, without creating a new crisis. Lisa took me to a book reading, by an author she liked (who even goes to those things? Well, obviously, Lisa and me).

We had dinner with her parents, and then took them out for a sushi feast. We made love on the couch at my house (and the floor - several times). We went bowling with Josh and Pete, and also had them over for a barbecue.

I could have said a million things. Perhaps I should have. Lisa only cried once, in December. I hoped that she would talk to me, afterwards, but she wouldn't.

We made love three times, on New Year's Eve. She was the same Lisa I'd come to love: she pursued her own pleasure, while also making sure that the experience was wonderful for me.

And it was.

Then came the day when I accompanied George and Anna to the airport, to see their daughter off. We waved goodbye.

The day before, I'd had a short talk with Lisa. I invoked the broken heart clause, so that she wouldn't miss me, or suffer any heartbreak.

Why hadn't I thought to create a broken heart clause for myself?

*****