Tami had called me out on
“David, people think they want to be popular. You’ll soon find out that popularity is overrated. I look back and laugh at how being popular was the end goal of almost everyone in high school, myself included.”
“That may be true, but that’s exactly how I make a big chunk of my living right now,” I reminded him.
“You’re missing the point. I’m talking about
That started a lengthy discussion that I somehow survived with my dignity intact. We had a frank conversation about how I used and abused being popular. Before I began to hate myself, Uncle John explained it was okay to have people like me and want to do stuff for me. I just had to understand where to draw the line. From that, I created a new life goal.
Be True to Who I Am
The way Uncle John explained it was that I knew deep down what was right and wrong, and I should consider each situation and bounce it off this goal. By doing or accepting something or whatever … how did I feel about myself if I did it? Was I okay with the consequences?
He pointed out that I might not be a small-town boy anymore. I’d made changes to my life, like security and advisors. I might even fly on private jets or sit in first class when I traveled. Uncle John just wanted me to always remember who I really was.
Personally, this was the stuff I hated to do. But my uncle was right. A good example was sending out that message for Magic’s party. I knew in my bones that there would be unintended consequences, like several thousand people showing up, but I did it anyway. Looking at it right now, that wasn’t the person I wanted to be.
We then spent time brainstorming about what I might do to help people in my inner circle achieve their goals. I told him what I’d done for Cindy, Scarlet, and Greg. He was a little amused by the Scarlet revelation but kept his comments to himself.
Afterward, I was mentally exhausted. As much as I hated these talks, they made me dig deep and examine myself. I hated to imagine what this would cost me if I were to go to therapy. All I knew was that my uncle had my best interests at heart and helped me discover my truths. I realized it sounded all new-age, but it was much better than him just telling me what I should do.
◊◊◊
Once I returned to my apartment, I noticed I had a text from Pam that said she wanted me to call her.
“How’s my favorite baby mama doing?” I asked when she answered.
“I’ve had better days.”
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“Devin served Cora divorce papers today.”
I bit back the response that jumped into my head. While it had taken longer than I predicted, everyone had seen this coming. I needed to bear in mind that Cora was Pam’s sister. When I considered how I would feel if Angie did that to Greg, it gave me a different perspective.
“I’m so sorry to hear that. Is there anything I can do to help?” I asked.
“She’s talking about coming here to stay until she gets on her feet,” Pam revealed.
The mere thought of her being in the same town with us made me feel like something was clawing at my guts, like a cat in a wet bag. Cora was the kind of trouble I didn’t need.
“You can’t be serious,” I said.
“Mom told her we only had a two-bedroom, and she would have to stay with me. That ended it, I hope.”
“I can’t see Cora sharing a room with you. I’d wager you’d end up on the couch.”
“Sadly, you’re probably right. Suddenly, I’m not so sorry for her,” Pam admitted.
“Devin won’t just put her out on the street. That’s not who he is,” I assured her.
“It depends on why he’s divorcing her,” Pam hedged.
“Did she say?” I asked.
“He finally had enough of her BS.”
“Cora said that?” I asked, shocked.
“No, but I can read between the lines. She was talking about redecorating his house, and Devin has been resisting.”
I remembered the gorgeous log home he lived in and couldn’t imagine it any different. If she’d decided to drywall over the exposed wood, it would have been a crime.
“I thought she’d decided to get pregnant,” I suddenly remembered.
Pam all but choked.
