Consequences

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

For an update on the Child, we have to do some time traveling. I was supposed to see him before I left for the trip. I saw him over the weekend, and we'd talked about getting lunch during the week. He had class in town on Mondays, so I was assuming that's when we'd get together. The sun rose and set on Monday and I heard nothing from Child. Tuesday? Silence. Wednesday? Crickets. 

I woke up in the middle of the night on Wednesday, and was exceedingly frustrated. I sent him a text and he told me he missed me. He didn't have to work the next day, so I asked if he'd be willing to come in and have lunch with me. He agreed and asked when; I suggested a time and offered to go a restaurant closer to him. 

When I woke up the next morning I found that he hadn't answered my text. I packed lunch just in case and, when the proposed meeting time passed, I ate at my desk. I was a little disappointed, but not excessively surprised. I mean, it's easy to see he's not the most mature one out there. I really think he's just that used to getting his way. So my disappointment was overshadowed by my impatience for that childish shit. 

Well, I went about my trip and focused on having fun. I did think about Child every once in a while, but nothing too serious. Then, one evening, I got a text from Child. He said that he missed me. Unsure of what to say, I just replied, "Oh really?" He said that he'd been thinking a lot about the two of us and that he'd be lucky to be with me. 
I gave him the benefit of the doubt...if I was pseudo-dating someone and they went on a road trip with an ex, I would not be a happy camper. At the same time, though, I was a tad wary. But we talked a little bit. 

You've already heard the story of my disastrous journey home and how I was basically a zombie. The part I skipped was on Monday, when I was on my way to the training. I left work early for the drive (it was about 3 hours), and called Child to see if he wanted to hang out a bit when I went through his city. He first said yes, then told me he forgot he had an appointment to look at an apartment. I got crabby and pouty because I was overly tired and wanted to see him. (Man I'm dumb!) He called back shortly after and said the people he was supposed to meet weren't there, so we went out to eat. I should have just driven straight through to the hotel and slept; I was just tired and whiny. Plus, it just made the next two days in training an absolute hell. But that's beside the point.

We talked about getting together again, and I sent him a text one night telling him I missed him. So we decided I'd go in to see him that Saturday for a while. I had to go in to his city anyway, so it worked. He said he'd be up by noon, and I told him to text me when he got up and I'd start the drive. I waited and waited and didn't hear anything. I finally got a text at like 2, when he had to work at 4:30. I still stopped to see him, but I was thoroughly annoyed. (But also still tired and whiny.) 

I started to bring up his behavior. I told him how he had a habit of not following through with things he said he would do. How he really even didn't have a conversation with me when we weren't together, other than to tell me he wanted to see me. He said it'd get better, that we'd talk more and (since we both had the following Friday off) that I should come in on Thursday night and we could spend Thursday and all day Friday together. I asked if he meant it this time, and he said that it really would. 
He did text me that evening to chat a bit. 

Interruption: I was clearly becoming disenchanted with the Child and the way he was treating me. We all know this means it became open season for me. I went to the family party and there was a guy there that piqued my interest. I'd met him before, but something was more striking this time. And after the party, I went to see Jonathan, who was in town. Good God, why doesn't somebody slap me for continuing to see him?! It never ends well. But those two started to fill the cracks that were forming in the "relationship" between Child and I. 

After that day (Saturday) I didn't really hear anything from him. Finally, on Wednesday afternoon, I sent him a text and asked if I was still supposed to go see him the next day. Hours later, he told me he was considering going up to the northern part of the state. I.was.livid. Li-vid. He asked what I was doing for the extended weekend, and I told him I had planned on seeing him. He simply said "yeah" and, with that word, I was kind of done. 

On Sunday afternoon, he said hi and asked what I was doing; I was on my way to the beach. Next came the familiar "I miss u" and my single word reply: "Bull." Then it became the old back and forth: I want to see you, how can I make it up to you, I don't know what you want from me, etc. I asked why I should make the effort when he had no interest in seeing me when he had the chance, told him I wasn't sure how he could make it up since he'd broken my trust, and pointed out that I actually had spelled out quite clearly what I'd wanted from him. He asked what he could do, and I said he could start with actually talking to me, and keeping his word. 

Nothing has really changed. I'll hear from him every few days telling me I should come see him. The latest was this past Friday; he sent me a text just after midnight, saying I should make the hour drive to his apartment. I simply said, "It's too late."
So very late, in so very many ways.