Chapter 246:
Weight of Words
Megan’s Perspective
Megan sat in her spacious living room. The soft hum of the air conditioning purred a soothing background against which whirled her mind. She gazed at the manuscript that lay before her on the coffee table, pages of Chris’s writing interspersed with her own notes and annotations. It had been months of hard work, emotional turmoil.
This should have been a celebration of her career and personal journey, but certainly the events of the last few weeks had placed something of a pall over the creation of this book. The tension with Chris, the unresolved situation with Miles-both combined to weigh heavily on her mind. She needed to concentrate, and all of that other crap swirling in her head made that impossible.
The doorbell snapped her out of her reverie. She looked at her watch; it was already almost noon, and in fifteen minutes, she was due to meet Chris. She got up, took a deep breath, and began walking toward the door.
Chris stood there, etched on his face, quite determined but at the same time concerned. “Hey, Megan,” he greeted when she opened the door, entering. “Ready to talk?
“Yeah, come on in,” Megan said, trying to inject a confidence she didn’t feel into her voice. She gestured for him to precede her into the living room, then indicated the coffee table. “I’ve been going over the manuscript. There’s a lot to discuss.”
Chris nodded and took a seat on the couch. He thumbed through the sprawled papers before bringing his eyes back onto Megan, his face serious. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what we have talked about last time. The weight of the words, how they bang into us. It’s not just about writing; it’s everything we are going through.”
Megan flopped down opposite him. “I know what you mean. The book has to be about my journey, but with all that other stuff going on, how am I supposed to focus? Miles, the media-it’s all bugging me.”
Chris’s eyes were riveting as he bent toward her. “We need to get it out in the open, Megan. Not just for the book, but for us. What happened with Miles and the fall-out from it-it’s affecting our work, our relationship.”.
Her gaze fell to her hands as the weight of his words really sunk in. “I’ve been trying to compartmentalize everything, to keep it separate. It’s like trying to hold water in a sieve. It just keeps slipping through.”
Chris’s voice came back, softer this time. “We can’t keep pushing it aside. We need to face these issues head-on, or they’re going to keep dragging us down.”.
Nodding, her voice was barely above a whisper. “I’m scared of what’s going to happen if we do. What if things get worse? What if we can’t put right what’s broken?”
Chris extended his hand and placed it reassuringly on her knee. “Facing up to the problems may be tough, but sticking our heads in the sand sure won’t solve them. We have to be honest with each other, and with ourselves.”.
The doorbell rang once more, and Megan’s heart sank. She glanced at Chris. “That must be Miles. I asked him to come by too. He wants to talk and try to make things right.”
Chris furrowed his brow. “Are you sure that is a good idea?”
Megan took a deep breath, her resolve hardening. “We need to talk about everything, not just the book. We have to confront it all if we’re going to move forward.
She walked to the door and let it open to find Miles standing there, a mix of anxiety and determination on his face. “Hey, Megan,” he said, stepping inside. “Thanks for agreeing to meet.”
“Come on in,” Megan replied, leading him into the living room. She pointed at him to take a seat next to Chris on the couch, who was seated.
Miles pulled out a chair and took a seat at the table, darting his eyes between Megan and Chris. “Things have been a bit strained lately. Wanted to come by and apologize properly, explain why I bolted.”
Chris looked at Miles closely, his face wary. “We’re listening, Miles. But we need to hear the truth, no more excuses.
Miles nodded and took a deep breath. “I understand. I was overwhelmed by everything that was happening: my own issues, pressure, and the guilt of leaving Megan to handle things on her own. I should have been there, and I am truly sorry.”.
The eyes of Megan welled up in pain and hope. “It’s not about being sorry, Miles. It is about comprehension of how the act has affected me and the willingness to make things right.”.
Miles’ eyes fell further down to his hands as his voice trembled slightly. “I know. I have been working on me, trying to figure out a way to make things right. I realize now that I can’t change anything, but at least I want to show my willingness to do the work.”.
Chris leaned forward, firm but fair in his tone. “Words are important, but what speaks volumes are the actions. If you are really serious about making things right, then you need to follow up with those promises.”
Miles nodded with all the earnestness he had. “I know. I’ll do whatever it takes. I want to support Megan and help out where I can with the book.”
Megan finally looked over at Chris, then across to Miles. “We clearly have to set some ground rules and really clarify expectations. I just can’t continue to carry the bulk of all these problems alone.”
Chris nodded in unison and turned toward Miles. “Well, let’s begin by talking about how you can help. More specifically, what are you going to do now toward contributing to Megan and this project?
Miles sucked in a deep breath. “I’ll start by saying I’ll be there, and I’ll be reliable. Maybe I could help you with your book, do some research or writing, or at least serve as a sounding board. I want to prove that I’m serious about our rebuilding our trust.”
Nodding thoughtfully, Megan replied, “That sounds like a start. Actions speak louder than words. What I need to see is you actually trying to make things right.”
Chris locked his eyes on hers, his filled with compassion and a strong will. “We’re in this together. If we’re going to move forward, we have to work through these issues together.”.
Megan took a deep breath, and her shoulders relaxed a fraction. “Okay. Let’s make a plan. We set clear goals for the book and how we’re going to deal with each other. We will be open about communication when problems come up.”
Miles nodded with a good deal of enthusiasm. “I’m on. I want to be part of making things better.”
Chris put out his hand, placing it reassuringly on Megan’s. “We’ll get through it. It won’t be easy, but we will make a go of it together.”
Megan squeezed Chris’ hand in her eye, brimming with appreciation. “Thank you, both of you. I appreciate your willingness to work through this.