The Novel Wants to Talk About Our Relationship

Novel: Hey, Andy. Are we alright? I feel like maybe you're trying to break up with me. Do you even still like me?

Me: Oh, Novel! I'm so, so sorry I've been neglecting you. I still love you. I'm just drowning in stress from other parts of my life.

Novel: So you haven't been avoiding me? You've just been busy?

Me: Yeah. I hate that I made you feel like you're not important to me. You are super important. It's just there were painters all over the place, then an entire two-car garage full of random stuff was delivered. I don't even want most of it. But I have to open every box, because they all have a few items I want to keep in them.

Novel: That sounds tiring.

Me: It really is. We didn't get to downsize much when things went into storage, because the very same week my moving schedule had me start rehoming things back in 2020 was the week everything shut down. I didn't want to throw away perfectly good things just because I didn't have room for them going forward. But most of what we really need to own, we took to Cle Elum and so it isn't in these boxes.

Novel: You should have separated what you wanted to keep and what was only going to storage because of the pandemic...

Me: Retrospect and all that jazz. I could have put the stuff in need of rehoming in a storage unit I had access to even, then rehomed it as soon as things reopened. Next time I have to downsize during a pandemic, I'll do that. But let's hope I'm never in that situation again.

Novel: And while we're at it, can we hope to spend more time together soon?

Me: Yes! I have been taking a lot of notes on the next few chapters, so most of the scenes should go pretty quickly when I get a chance to work on them. And I am more than halfway through emptying the boxes, so can probably slow down a little soon. Of course, I have company coming next week... But the week after that, I think I can get back to paying you almost full attention.

Novel: I'll look forward to it. Try not to run yourself down so much you get sick and have to spend even more time not being with me?

Me: I'll certainly try.