Pick Up: A Story Fragment

.:Pick Up:.
A Story Fragment by Marcelle Fabie

”Martin? It's Geneva. I just wanted to thank you for helping me and Paul get back together. He's coming back to the country tomorrow.

”That's great. I'm happy for you.”

”I don't understand why you haven't been calling me or SMSing me or contacting me at all ever since we last chatted, though. Are you avoiding me or something?”

”Of course I've been avoiding you.”

”What's wrong? Was it something I said?”

”You never even realized for one moment that maybe, just maybe, I was always waiting for the chance to love you. You never even realized that all these years of being your best friend has made me just...”

”I wish I knew what to say, Martin, but I sincerely appreciate your being there for me all the time. I just can't help but feel weird that you haven't been that way lately. I guess I was a bit guilty of taking you for granted.”

”That's irrelevant. I love you, Geneva. I just wish you knew it. But Paul was a friend of mine, too. And I knew you were happy with him.”

”I don't know anyone else who would go out on a limb for me the way you would all the time. I know you make it a point to make me happy every time you're with me. Whoever said that 'nice guys finish last' definitely never knew about you.”

”So why is it that I'm always the one who's miserable in the end?”

”Martin, I hope I'll see you soon. We really need to talk, because I really have no idea what's wrong with you. You've been keeping to yourself too much. Don't you trust me enough to open up to me?”

”I just don't want to rain on your parade, Geneva. I realize I can't ever make you feel the way I feel about you.”

”Well, I just hope you get this message, Martin. I was hoping you'd pick up. Don't forget that I care. Call me back, okay?”

And with that, the answering machine clicked and fell silent, leaving behind a lonely figure sitting hopelessly beside the phone.