The Intern Affair Read Online Free

This morning’s iceberg had only thawed off a few inches.
    “Well, I think I need a drink before we talk. Beaujolais ?” Ghali asked.
    “Yes please, that’d be wonderful.”
    Ghali got up and went to the bar to order their drinks. Talya had noticed that he hadn’t ordered anything yet.
    He must have come in shortly before I did.
    He came back in a few minutes and sat down in a chair across from her, setting the glasses in front of them on the coffee table.
    “So, Talya, what have you to say? Why are we sitting here?” He asked the questions as if he addressed a patient during his hospital rounds. It sounded like, “How are we doing this morning?”
    “Well, I think we should talk about your silence. While I was away, you didn’t even pick-up the phone once. I was wondering why . ”
    “I think you know the answer to that, Talya.” He put an arm across the back of his chair.
    “Frankly, Ghali , I don’t. Yes, I left rather suddenly and yes, it was a surprise for you. It was for me, too. What did you want me to do?”
    “Maybe you could have told me in another way than in the way you did?”
    “And what way was that?”
    “It’s not so much what you said, or where you announced your departure, it’s your offhand attitude about it that stayed with me.”
    “What offhand attitude ? What are you talking about? Is it the fact that I was pleased to be given such a responsibility? Or is it because I didn’t ask your permission before I accepted my assignment?”
    “No, Talya. You had absolutely no consideration for my feelings. That’s the offhand attitude I’m talking about. You were pleased—thrilled actually—to leave me and go off on your own. You didn’t give a second thought as to what I would be feeling. You just flaunted your glorious assignment in my face and left.”
    “I’m sorry for that, but I will not be sorry for leaving or accepting an assignment.”
    “I was happy for you as well, but I couldn’t get over the fact that you literally got up and left. And you didn’t even ask me to drive you to the airport.”
    “Would you have come at five o’clock in the morning?”
    “That’s exactly what I mean, Talya! You didn’t bother asking me if I would or not.”
    The heat from the fireplace was warming up more than their bodies. Their conversation was starting to simmer toward the boiling point.
    “I can understand your resentment of my attitude but that still doesn’t explain why you didn’t return my calls.”
    “Because, each of your messages was self congratulating, and none were asking how I felt. So I thought why bother? She’s doing exactly what she wants and that’s that.”
    “You know, you’re absolutely right! I was doing exactly what I wanted to do. As for not caring about your feelings, you’re wrong. I’ve never shown you how much I cared, and maybe that was the wrong thing to do. Now however, we’re right here. I’m back and I have something to tell you.”
    “Here it comes!” He was sneering. “You’re going away again aren’t you? And you’re applauding your successes.” He was looking at Talya reprovingly, yet his eyes pleaded for understanding. “You’ve been a wonderful friend while you were here, but when the adventure swept you off your feet, I didn’t know you anymore. All these messages, even the letters, I could not bring myself to respond to any of them. I was hurt.”
    “Again, I’m sorry.” How many times would I have to say it before he would come off the subject? “Believe me I had no intention of hurting you. Quite to the contrary, at first I would have liked you to be there. I also needed to hear your voice or read something from you.”
    “Well then, why didn’t you say the words? Like “ Ghali , I need you,” or something like that?”
    “I don’t know why. All I know is that things got very complicated and since you didn’t seem interested and I needed someone to talk to, at least. I—”
    “You found someone else,