The Only Son by Brian R. O'Rourke

Author:Brian R. O'Rourke [O'Rourke, Brian R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Inkubator Books
Published: 2023-10-28T16:00:00+00:00

35

DWAYNE

The Frazier Commons is an old apartment complex. Eighty years ago, when it was first built, it was probably nice, designed for young married couples just getting started out, or retired widows looking to downsize. But the complex hasn’t been nice in a long time.

For the last twenty-five years, it’s been a cheap, poorly-maintained place. Loud music blasts from the window of a third-floor apartment, and there are some suspicious-looking characters sitting in cars or standing around in the parking lot. The last time I set foot in this building, it was a hot, sticky day just like this and I was here to pick up Bridget.

She was heartbroken at the time. In the days before Russ had gone away to college, he had told her he wanted to be able to see other people. Before this, he had promised her they would continue to be exclusive, as they had been senior year of high school, while he went away to school and while she stayed home and started working in the hopes she could attend community college at some point.

When Bridget shared the news with me, I acted surprised but in truth had already suspected Russ would demote their relationship. He had been to the university early for freshmen orientation and could not stop talking about all the other women he had met there, and the wild redhead he’d hooked up with one night. As much as he loved Bridget, he felt like he’d be missing out on college if he were tied down to a girl from high school he’d see only a few times each semester.

I waited a full week to ask Bridget out, and even then I didn’t make it clear I was asking to go as more than friends, not wanting to press too hard. I knew if I called too early she’d reject the idea out of hand, still hurting from their sort-of-breakup and suffering from the delusion she could change Russ’s mind. I knew better. Russ always had a wandering eye and had, on more than one occasion, mentioned all the women he’d meet at school while Bridget “wasn’t around.” But I also knew if I waited too long to call Bridget, somebody else would swing in quickly and scoop her up. There were always two or three guys, myself included, just waiting to ask her out.

So I gave her a week. She’d still be hurting and vulnerable, but I figured seven days was enough time for her to start thinking about dating other people.

I was wrong.

We spent the whole time at the diner talking about Russ. In one breath she’d complain about what a jerk he was. In the next, Bridget would ask for my advice on winning him back. She was even thinking about finding a job near his college, moving three hours away and finding a cheap apartment up there and working herself to death just to be near him. After dinner, we went to the movies. I knew I

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