I haven't seen Ezra since the game about a month ago, he'd been blowing up my phone but I made it clear I want nothing to do with him.
I'd tried building a friendship with him but I can't be friends with people who take me for granted.
I certainly didn't invite him to come and spend Thanksgiving with us and I almost ask who invited him but,
"Honey, I hope you don't mind that I invited Ezra."
This man is clearly wanting to drive me crazy.
Of course I mind.
Ezra has been nothing but a distraction throughout my life and I don't need that, not anymore at least. I need to rid myself of him and his toxic energy.
I know dad knows I'm not cool with him anymore because he hasn't come to visit in a while, also I act deaf whenever he starts asking about him.
So clearly he's trying to fish something by not only inviting him, but Cody too.
"Hi Cody,"
I decide to only acknowledge the other boy. He's usually quiet when he's irritated, I'd learned it was to keep his anger at bay, so as to not do something he'll regret.
He gives me a smile and then makes his way to have a seat next to me.
"You look good." He then whispers to me and now it's my turn to smile at him.
"Thank you for inviting me Ernest, it's really been tough with Grandma Michaels not around anymore." I hear Ezra say after having a seat next to dad and I ignore the slight break in my heart.
I don't doubt at all that it's been difficult without her.
But I'm still mad at him so,
"How've you been Cody?"
I decide to completely disregard Ezra still.
"I guess I've had better days."
He responds shyly and I decide not to pry. But I can't say the same for Liz because,
"What do you mean?"
Liz doesn't like Cody, so her tone doesn't at all surprise me.
"It's none of our business Liz!" I decide to say to her sternly after sensing his discomfort.
There's a very heavy tension surrounding the table that no one wants to address so we just continue mindlessly talking in hopes it'll disappear.
"The food is very lovely Mary."
I compliment the beautiful dark-skinned lady who's sitting on the other side of dad as we continue dining. Something big is going to be happening for her today and she needs to be in a good mood.
I don't think she thinks dad's going to propose. Not now nor ever.
In her head, dad has only really loved one woman and he'll never truly love another one again.
She's largely mistaken.
I can't wait to see the look on her face when dad pops the question. But until then,
"So Cody right? You're the guy who just couldn't commit to one person?"
Ezra's question catches all of us off guard.
Who even asks such a question?
It remains quiet for a while and so I almost say something so we recover from that moment but,
"You're the guy who was ashamed of her for years right?"
Cody doesn't do pettiness, he usually leaves people in their little stupid bubble, that is why I'm surprised by his response.
"I mean at least with me she still knew my heart belonged to her. You just dragged her around with no intention of loving her then just dropped her like she was some piece of garbage."
"Stop."
My voice is barely audible.
"Oh I'm sorry, weren't you the guy who kept claiming everyone BUT her?"
"Stop."
"At the end of the day, you were the guy she moved on to just to distract herself from what she felt for me."
"Oh is that what you think? - *chuckles* Bro, I'm the better guy he found after what you put her through."
"And yet, you just broke her further..."
"Stop!! I said stop!"
They conform so I continue,
"Whatever this is ..."
I let my finger travel between the two of them.
"This is neither the time nor the place!"
The disrespect is beyond me.
Everyone else is just staring at the whole scene unfold clearly afraid to say anything.
"Nobody speaks for me! I speak for me!"
They have the nerve to talk about me like either of them understand what they've put me through.
"None of you get to only now act like you care about my feelings."
I will not allow it!
"And just so we're clear. You were both equally horrible!"
I let a few seconds pass so I can catch a breath.
"I'm gonna go outside for a bit, when I come back I want the two of you gone!"
I finish and I don't miss the surprised looks on everyone's faces.
I know why.
For too long I was known as the sweet girl. The girl who took punches but never sent them back.
For as long as I can remember I was the girl everyone disregarded and never took seriously because I simply could not speak up for myself.
I let people play me like a fool for way too long.
But no more!
Today dad is supposed to be proposing to the love of his life but I doubt he'll now be able to because of my stupid exes.
It doesn't take me long to make my way out to my backyard to allow them their exit.
At this point, I never want to see them again.
Looking at them now, I wonder how I ever fell in love with such narcissistic jerks.
I let my mind wander for a while longer before,
"I know you said I should leave. I just... I wanted to apologize to you first. For everything that I've put you through.
Alex, you're amazing! And I wish I could've seen that sooner."
Cody has never been much of a talker. He doesn't at all express himself and that's how I know he means what he's saying. But,
"Cody I ..."
"Alex, I know that you'll never forgive me. But I wanted you to know that after Wendy broke up with me, you were all I could think about. Yes I'm messed up in a lot of ways but you're the one person who'd never have left me. I guess it's too late now but I need you to know how sorry I am. And if I could, I would take it all back."
I've heard that before, from too many people.
He can't take it back, no one can. That is why we need to always be mindful of our actions, and if we make mistakes, make sure that we own up to them.
I don't tell him all that though. I instead say to him,
"Cody, I don't hate you. I'll never be able to. You were such a big part of my life that my connection to you runs deeper than our little romance attempt."
I say to him honestly.
Yes he hurt me, a lot. But I'll never hate him. He's someone I'll always care for, no matter what.
"Just know that I'll care for you and I'll never stop."
I say to him with a smile.
"But Cody, you and I being back together is something that's simply not going to happen. I hope you can learn to accept that."
I finish now looking into his sad shiny eyes.
We embrace each other in a hug that takes me back to how things were before all the complications. We agree that we'll remain friends and he leaves shortly after.
I then return to the house where everyone has seemingly changed their mood back to a joyous one like the last few minutes didn't happen. I feel thankful.
And as we're all just laughing and reminiscing. I see dad take out the ring box from his pocket to get down on one knee and,
"Mary. I love you. Will you accept being stuck with me for the rest of your life?"