He was true to his word and was back in no time. I felt stupid for getting upset. A funny scene happened in the movie. I laughed, pretending I hadn't heard him return. Adam flopped on the other end of the couch and studied me. I had no choice but to look at him.

"So...are we fighting?"

I sighed, hung my head and fiddled with my fingers. "No. I don't want to fight."

"Good." He flipped a Drumstick at me. "I hope you like chocolate."

I opened the ice cream, took a lick, and then focused back on the TV. Anxiety gnawed in my chest. The night was ruined as far as I was concerned. I was in love with him, but I always felt cheated and insecure. It wasn't how I wanted to feel.

My mother always said true love wasn't easy, but it shouldn't be painful. I was in pain, and I knew it. The back of my nose tingled. I went to the toilet, put the lid down, and sat to get my emotions under control. I decided I should go home. Surely, he must have known I was upset. We hadn't said anything for half an hour, and the movie wasn't so intense that you couldn't speak a little.

When I had flushed the toilet in pretence I'd gone, I opened the door. Adam stood with his hands on either side of the frame. "Let's talk."

I bit my lip and whispered, "Maybe I should go home."

He cocked his head. "You don't want to talk?"

"Men don't like talking, Adam, and I don't like being unhappy."

"There are things I can't talk about." He exhaled. "I told you that, but I don't want you to be unhappy, so we'll talk. That's the best I can do."

Adam took me by the hand and led me back into the lounge room. He clicked on the light and sat me on the couch. The TV was already off. He sat on one of the single chairs and leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, holding his hands together. "What's upsetting you?"

I swallowed and thought, okay, this is it, clear the air. If we break up, we break up. I took a breath because I had a lot to say. "Every time your phone rings, you tell me you have to go. It makes me feel insecure, like maybe you're married or have a girlfriend. I never know when you'll turn up, so I'm always up and down, not knowing if I'll ever see you again. You haven't even asked for my phone number or offered to give me yours, and you live in Footscray. The Spotswood stop is after Footscray, so why were you catching the train past your suburb from Flinders Street?"

Adam took a big breath and then let it out. He rubbed his hands over his face, then looked across at me. "I can't talk about why my phone rings or why I leave when it does. I'm sorry it upsets you, but it has no bearing on us. There is no wife, no other woman, as you can see." He opened his palms to the room and then dropped them in his lap. "I can't tell you when I'm going to turn up because, like I've said, I honestly don't know. I have one phone, the one that rings. I can't use it to call you, and I can't have you ringing me on it. I live here because I live here. I thought you understood why I was on the train." He tilted his head in question. "Do I make you unhappy when we're together?"

"No," I whispered.

"Then why are you unhappy?"

"I'm not unhappy. I'm unsure and insecure."

Adam sighed again and ran his hand up the back of his head. He held my gaze as he said, "Jasmine, I told you I loved you this morning. I've never told another woman I loved her. I understand, but I don't know what else I can do. What else can I say except that I'm doing the best I can."

My heart bled because he looked so hurt. I went to him, climbed on his lap, and snuggled against him. "Will it always be like this?"

Adam swept his hand over my face, kissed my forehead, and whispered, "I hope not."

"I'm sorry I feel the way I do," I murmured. "I want to be with you, and when you leave me, I miss you so much." I sat so I could see his face. "Maybe I shouldn't be telling you this because it's always gotten me in trouble when I've opened up about my emotions. Maybe you'll use it against me, but you said you loved me, and I said I loved you, so I'm putting it out there. Love shouldn't be painful when it's right. I can't help feeling insecure because there is nothing definite about this relationship. I'm supposed to accept it on your terms."

He smiled and touched my face again. "You're right. It shouldn't be painful. But sometimes things get in the way that make it painful. If love can survive those things, don't you think it will be a better love, a stronger love?"

I shrugged. "I guess."

"I'm asking you to be strong." Adam put his palm on my cheek. "I'm asking you to put up with a little bit of pain. Just for a while."

Tears flooded my eyes. Through blurred vision, I saw Adam smile. "Hey." He stroked my cheek with his thumb. "You promised me you wouldn't cry anymore."

"It's because I'm a girl," I gasped.

He laughed and touched my eye so the tear spilt onto my cheek. "You are such a sooky girl. How about I buy you some more ice cream? Will that fix things?"

I snuggled against him. "No. I want you to stay with me and tell the person on the phone to fuck off."

Adam laughed. "I do, but they keep ringing."

I laughed because I had heard him tell them to fuck off. I curled up some more. Adam ran his hand up the back of my leg. I put my arm around his neck and sucked his ear lobe into my mouth. "I'll try to be a good girl," I sighed.

He whispered, "Do you want to play good girl, bad boy with me?"

I giggled and said, "Will it make me happy?"

"If you're the same girl I was with this morning, then I'm pretty sure it will." He spun me around to face him, smiled and threaded his fingers under the elastic of my knickers. He felt how ready I was and gasped, "Oh yeah...I'm positive you'll like this game."

Did they work through this little glitch?

Is Jasmine overreacting?

I'm not sure if she got any real answers.

Photo copyright - How to have a difficult conversation.