And the band played on...

I was always amazed when my heart was broken (my father's death, breaking up with a girlfriend) how the world didn't stop and mourn with me, it just moved on.
       It was my birthday on Wednesday and no I am not suggesting the world should stop and morn. I decided that I was just going to go with the flow and have a happy birthday. There is a lot of crap going on at my job as they continue to break up my job. I just let it flow. I did get a little testie around five when Nastia and I were supposed to go bowling in our league and she was a little slow getting ready. This is where the day/night started to change. It's okay that it did, remember the world doesn't stop. During our trip, Nastia is driving, she casually remarks that she is breaking up with David.
They have been apart for most of the last year and they decided to take a break. When I say they, I mean David. So even though they are on a break, for possibly the first time Nastia is saying she is breaking up with him. She goes on to say that she doesn't feel connected to him and long distance relationships are tough. I guess in the twenty-first century, even with facetime and instant communications it's no easier.
      At the bowling alley, our team is tied for fifth place after being as low as ninth place and winning the league last year on the last two weeks of play. We had been on a hot streak until last week winning 17 of 20 points. Last week we lost all five points so this week was important. We start the game and when Nastia spends time between bowling on her phone, I don't sit with her. We win the first game. Nastia has recently been bowling pretty good. Five years ago she was a 68 average bowler. Now this year she has been regularly bowling over 120 and her high game is a 168, pretty good.
   
After bowling, we won three point of five, she tells me she texted David that they should break up. I said that was the cowards way and she needs to talk to him. She tries or texts him, I don't remember and her phone dies, dead battery.
We head to dinner at the Outback. I order a tall Sam Adams, the girls order soda and tea, Teri water. Teri, Elena and I order steaks, Nastia fish. While we wait for dinner we eat a bloomin onion and the girls start to fill up on bread. Teri goes to stop them and I tell her no. Even though it is a pet peeve of mine, I'm back in the live and let live mode. Shortly after Teri and Elena arrive, they are coming from therapy, Teri like all mother's notices something is off with Nastia and asks her what when she gets no answer, she looks at me and before I can start Nastia tells Teri she has broken up with David. Over the next few minutes Teri tells me to hung Nastia after something I said (sorry, sometimes I forget what words can do.) It was something about David, not nasty, but she cries and I didn't realize it. Eventually Teri and Nastia go to the bathroom and Elena and I are left at the table.
      The table starts to become a happy place again when Elena starts to make her sister laugh. It reminds

me of when they were younger and this was what they were like. Elena was the entertainment, Nastia the audience. Sounds like a defence mechanism for the two of them. The table stays happy, I drink more beer, we finish dinner and as we leave, Elena wants me to go with her mother, so she can talk to Nastia alone. Teri would rather I went with them to the dark, empty parking lot. So I walk a good couple of dozen paces behind the two of them as Elena whispers in Nastia's ear. After that we walk together to the car. In the car Nastia shows Elena and myself something I promised not to tell anyone about. Call me and I'll whisper to you what it is. Some jokes are passed around as it was too. I then tell them what it really is used for. I don't think they believed me.
   At home Nastia is laying in our bed when Elena comes in to say good night. Nastia wants her to give her a hug good night. Elena, adverse to most things like that, except from Teri and I refuses. Teri gets pissed when she refuses again. Nastia starts to cry and Teri goes off to talk to Elena, telling her some not so nice things.
     The next day Elena goes out and buys her sister a teddy bear almost as big as her, some candy and flowers. Sometimes that kid can break your heart, both ways. 




















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