We enter the restaurant and are led to a table with about fifteen other people.

“I thought it was just us celebrating.”  I pull on his arm before we get to the table.

“It will be.  Later baby.”  He brings us to the table and everyone starts clapping for him.  “Thank you everyone.”  He pulls my chair out for me and I smile widely at everyone.

He takes the seat between some red head and me.  I don’t recognize everyone; this must be the people he hangs out with when I don’t come.  “Everyone, this is Maddy.”  He puts his arm around me kissing my temple and three women give me dirty looks.

I wave my hand saying hello to everyone.

That is about the last of attention I get from Trent for the rest of the night.  He is Mr. Comedian entertaining the table like he is being paid.  The girls are fawning over him and the guys are high fiving him.  No wonder he loves this crowd they kiss his ass.  They laugh at every joke he tells even when it’s about them.  None of them make fun of him.  They compliment him every chance they get.  Telling him how awesome he is and what a great game he played and how Chicago is so lucky to have him and how New York is stupid for trading him.

The scary part is Trent enjoys every part of it.  His laugh isn’t even genuine, it’s some transformed mixture of sounds I have never heard from him.  This is the new Trent and I can’t stand this obnoxious self-centered man.

During dessert is when I finally lose it.  The red head next to Trent, I think her name is Cammi.  She keeps touching his arm every time she laughs at one of his stupid jokes saying “Oh Tre”.  I swear I have seen her hand touch his leg more than once under the table and he never removes it.

I am thankful when the check comes but of course it is handed to Trent.  No one at the table offers up any money.  Wasn’t this a congratulatory dinner for him?  These people are mooches, they don’t care about him.

Walking out to the foyer of the restaurant the red head comes up to Trent placing her arm through his.  “Tre, let’s go clubbing…to celebrate.”  She looks over at me rolling her eyes before snuggling up to him.

Trent looks over at me and I shake my head no.

“Sorry Cam, not tonight.”  He says to her shortening her name.  What is with this crowd?

“Oh come on Tre, you never pass up clubbing.”  She whines and a brunette comes up on the other side pushing between Trent and me.

I wonder if this scene would be different if I wasn’t here.

“I am sure Madeline” the brunette looks at me “right?”  She asks confirming it’s my name.  “Can make it home by herself.  You can even give her the limo and we can take cabs.”

I swear if Trent goes along with this I will strangle him right here in front of all his ‘fans’.

Trent looks at me like he is trying to figure out if I will be ok with it but then says “No, No.  Maddy and I are going home.  Have a great evening ladies, gentlemen.”  He goes to walk away but both ladies kiss him on the cheek and everyone whines to him when we leave.    Sorry mooches, I guess you have to buy your own drinks tonight.

The limo is already waiting for us when we exit the restaurant.  I don’t wait for Trent to finish shaking a few people’s hands before I jump in the limo.  You would swear he is a rock star the way he acts.    By the time Trent joins me I am fuming but I don’t want to start a fight in front of the driver so I wait until we get home.

I am quiet the whole way home and surprisingly Trent is as well.  Both of us stare out separate windows.  He opens the limo door before the driver can get there.  I walk by thanking the driver and greeting our doorman with a smile.

“Good evening Ms. Jennings, Mr. Basso.”  He says as we walk quietly to the elevators.

“Benny.”  Trent nods at him.

We are silent up the elevator, down the hallway and through the front door.  Once the door shuts I retreat into our bedroom slamming the door behind me.

“What the hell Maddy?  Are you going to tell me why you are so pissed off?”  Trent opens the door, standing in the doorway.

“What do you think?  Are you sleeping with just Cammi or both of them?  I ask.

“Are you crazy?  No, I’m not sleeping with them.”  He starts loosening his tie walking into the closet.

“Whatever.  You didn’t seem to mind her hand on your thigh.”  I spat while taking off my shoes.

“Gimme a break, what was I supposed to do?”

“Tell her to stop, simply remove it and place it back in her lap, take your pick Tre.”  I sneer Cammi’s nickname for him.

“Why don’t we talk about what this is really about?”

“What do you think this is about?”  I stand with my back to him and he unzips my dress.

“You don’t want to leave New York.”

“I don’t but that isn’t why I’m mad.  Are those the people you go out with when I don’t go?”

“Yeah some of them.”  He shrugs his shoulders.

“They’re moochers Trent.  They are using you for your money and connections.”  I strip out of the dress placing it on the bed, grabbing my pajamas from the drawer.  “You are different with them and I don’t like it.”

“What do you expect?  You never want to go out, all you want to do is lie around this apartment or hang out with Ian.  I needed to find friends and I like my group.  I have fun with them, remember what fun was Maddy?”  He is now in black slacks with a button down shirt and I notice he has changed to go back out.

“Are you going back out?”  I ask pulling my long hair in a ponytail.

“Yep.”  He says.

“Trent we need to talk about this.  You are just going to leave?”

“Yes, I don’t want to fight.  I have worked my ass off to get where I am and tonight I want to enjoy this.  I deserve it.”

“Don’t you want to work this out Trent?”  I ask knowing the answer already.  this is the way Trent says goodbye, he doesn’t.  He ignores it until it goes away.  He has done it to me my whole life.

“Jesus Maddy, what do you want from me?  I pay for this apartment, I buy the food, and I get you nice things.  All I get in return is grief from you.  It’s always something else I should be doing.”  He starts walking down the hallway.

“Trent.”  I call out but all I hear is the door slam shut.  “Good-bye.”  I say to myself.  I few tears fall from my face but there are no sobs or screaming out.  I can still breathe fine as I walk down the hallway to pack my suitcase.

A half hour later I have two suitcases packed.  I leave the black dress hanging on my side of the closet with the shoes under it. The necklace now lays on his nightstand.  I didn’t leave a note, he knows why I left and I am quite certain he won’t come looking for me.  The pictures of us stay in place on the dresser and walls and he can keep all the items I decorated our apartment with.  I want nothing from this place or Trent.

Ian is at the door now to help me out.   He is taking me in until I can find my own place.  I don’t cry as I lock the door and slide the key under for Trent to find when he comes home tonight.  I give Benny a hug good-bye at the elevator and he doesn’t ask me why I’m leaving.  Ian hails a cab down and I take one last look at my place with Trent, not one tear falls from my eyes as I climb into the cab.

Ian cradles me in his arms but still no tears.  I am sad for what we have become but I should have left a long time before now.

A month later I am walking past a newspaper stand on my way to work.  My boss has actually given me more responsibility lately and I live with Ian.  It turns out his roommate wanted out but didn’t want to leave him in a lurch.  A newspaper reads, Soccer dream gone, he’s Chicago’s now.  There is a picture of Trent with Cammi by his side kissing his cheek crying.   I never heard from him after I left.  His mom tried to call me a few times but I never answered.  I am embarrassed that we failed, embarrassed that I killed her grandchild.