Torn (6 page)

Once the scotch was delivered, I motioned for Mike to continue with a flick of my wrist. “Anyway, as I was saying…she’s pregnant. When I asked her who the guy was, she refused to tell me, no matter how many times I demanded. Fuck!” he yelled, his teeth working furiously over his bottom lip.

Mike had been taking care of Sierra since she was ten years old, him being eight years her senior. Their parents had died in a tragic fire, and he’d assumed responsibility for her immediately. He watched out for her, made sure she graduated high school and went to college. If she ever ran into any financial problems, he was right there to help fix them. He was more of a father to Sierra than a big brother, and in taking on that role, he also tried to keep her away from guys. Guys like him. He’d chased away many a boyfriend, always causing screaming matches, followed by weeks of silence on her end. But he didn’t care. In his eyes, he was only trying to protect her.

Well, I guess someone stuck around long enough to cause a whole new world of problems. Probably more so for Mike than for Sierra.

“How is she? Is she happy about it? Is she upset? Is the guy a good guy, willing to stick around and do the right thing, or was he simply a one-night stand?” I knew my last question pissed him off, the flare of his nostrils and the clench of his jaw proving so.

Grinding his teeth, he seethed, “She’s goddamn happy about it. Said the fucker is a good guy and they’re in love. I told her she better tell me who he is or I threatened to camp out at her apartment.” Drowning his rage in the amber liquid, he asked, “Wanna know what she did?” He didn’t even let me answer before he spouted, “She kicked me out of her place. Can you believe that shit? She fucking kicked me right out.” Swallowing the rest of his drink, he slammed the glass down, much like I’d done earlier, except his reason was much more serious than mine for doing so.

“She knows you’re going to beat the shit out of the poor guy. It’s why she didn’t tell you his name.”

“‘Poor guy’? Did you just say that to me? Eli, he knocked up my baby sister. He deserves to get the shit beat outta him.” His face bunched up in anger, his fingers fiddling with the empty glass in front of him.

“Listen, I totally understand where you’re coming from, man. I do. But the only thing you’re going to do is push her further away from you if you keep acting like this. Is that what you want?” Silence filled the air between us. “Do you?” I repeated.

“No!” he yelled, his frustration and fury pouring from him in waves.

“Then I think you know what you should do.” He glanced up at me as if I’d spoken a foreign language. Cocking his brow in confusion, I explained myself. “You have to go to her and apologize, let her know you’re sorry and that you’ll be there for her in any way she needs you to be.”

He scoffed and shook his head. “Not gonna happen.”

“Then you can kiss your relationship with your sister goodbye.” I was blunt and to the point, because I knew Sierra. She was as stubborn as he was, and if he didn’t take the first step, they wouldn’t end up talking until his nephew or niece was old enough to intervene.

“Fuck!” His lip curled in disgust, but I knew he was contemplating my advice. “I’m still gonna fuck him up once I find out who he is.”

I chuckled. “I know you will. But don’t mess him up too badly. He might be your brother-in-law someday.”

“Very funny, asshole.” Thankfully, a smile appeared on his face, relieving some of the tension which had held him hostage.
      

I decided, since he was relaxing a little, to let him in on a secret. “I thought you got someone pregnant.” I laughed at his expression.

“Are you out of your mind?” he asked in disbelief. “No way am I having kids.” He shook his head, repeating, “No fucking way.”

“Well, then. There’s your silver lining to this whole situation.”

We clinked glasses and he responded with, “I guess so.”

****

After an hour and countless drinks later, we were both on our way to feeling really good. We could handle our liquor, had enough experience in doing so with many a long night under both of our belts. We were shootin’ the shit, talking about work and family when someone caught my attention. Off to the left of us, I saw a woman standing near the bar. I immediately knew who she was, even though I was seeing double.

“Shit,” I mumbled. Fidgeting in my seat drew Mike’s attention. This was the last thing I wanted to deal with, but it looked like I didn’t have a choice in the matter.

He turned his head in her direction and let out a low whistle. “Some hot chick is eye-fucking you, man. But since you don’t want to be bothered, I’ll take one for the team.”

“Don’t you think you have enough people on your goddamn team?” I stammered, aggression lacing my tone.

“Yo, what the hell is wrong with you?” he asked, confusion contorting his expression.

“Nothing. Sorry. Listen, remember I told you I had sex two nights ago?”

“Yeah,” he answered, leaning forward so he didn’t miss a word spewing forth from my lips.

“Well…Beth, the woman standing over there, is that woman.”

“Oh, and you don’t want a repeat, right? Is that it?” He smiled as if he just answered the world’s most important question.

“No, you ass. I’ve been sleeping with her for almost three months now, and I have to end it.”

Twirling his empty glass around on the table, he stared at me and shook his head. “What’s with that stupid three-month rule of yours?”

“What’s with your ‘one and done’ rule?” I threw back at him.

“Touché.”

I’d won that argument. “I’m ending it because she’s falling for me. She wants more and…I can’t give more.”

“You don’t want to give more. There’s a big difference. Ever since she left, you’ve shut down from everyone, the fairer sex being punished for the sins of one woman.” He was trying to make light of the situation, but my gut churned at the mere mention of her.

The only way I knew how to react, to hide my hurt, was to lash out. “Listen, maybe you should psychoanalyze yourself before you try that shit on me. You have plenty of your own issues, pushing people away so you don’t get too close.” I was a little more than pissed off, even though I knew he spoke the truth.

“Calm down, Eli. I was simply stating the obvious.” Glancing to the side, he said, “Besides, your woman is walking this way.”

Taking a few deep breaths, I managed to calm myself enough to appear unaffected, the image I showed most of the world. Only my family and close friends sometimes saw the cracks in my illusion.

I knew the instant she arrived; I could feel her eyes watching me before I turned my head in her direction. Seconds of tension filled the air before Mike cleared his throat, rising from his seat and extending his hand in greeting.

What is wrong with me? I’m never this rude.

Knocking me from my oblivious state, I rose as well and offered her a seat. Her face lit up and I knew immediately we would be having the talk the very next time I saw her, ruling out doing it right then because I was on my way to being drunk. She deserved better than that.

Her hand found mine and she gave me a slight squeeze. “How are you, Eli?” The question seemed simple enough, but I knew it was loaded, the look in her eyes telling me everything I didn’t want to know.

“I’m well, Beth. And you? What are you doing here?” My tone was more curt than I’d originally intended, and I knew as much when I saw her flinch. Looking across the table, I saw the disapproving look on my friend’s face.

“A few friends wanted to come out for a drink and after a lot of nagging, I finally gave in.” Leaning closer, she confessed, “And I’m so glad I did.”

I had to shut this down before anything escalated. I was more than tipsy, and she was, as well. I hadn’t noticed it when she’d initially arrived at our table. Knowing I was in a bind, Mike spoke up and tried to save me.

“Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, Beth, but we have to be going now. We have an early meeting in the morning and as you can tell, we’ve both had quite a bit to drink. And he,” he said, pointing at me, “definitely needs his beauty rest.”

When Beth turned her attention to me, I saw him wink. Smooth bastard. “Do you really have to go? I thought you could meet some of my friends, then we could go back to my place.” I knew Mike wasn’t going to save me again, so I had to man up and leave before I embarrassed both of us.

“No can do. Mike’s right, we have a big meeting in the morning and I have to be well-rested. Another night, perhaps.” Her face had fallen but she tried to smile anyway. She failed. Her lip trembled, and I knew it was my cue to leave. Alcohol and big crowds were a dangerous mix.

I rose from my seat and helped her to her feet. Placing my hand on the small of her back, I ushered her toward where she’d come from, looking behind me to see if my friend was following us. He wasn’t. He was sandwiched between our waitress and the woman who’d been sitting on his lap when I’d first arrived.

Once I’d dropped off Beth near her friends, I quickly made my way outside. Knowing full well I was too intoxicated to drive home, I hopped in one of the many cabs the hotel always had on reserve.

The whole way home, I was thinking of ways to get back at Mike for pulling some of his slick shit earlier, as well as reminding myself to thank him for my escape plan.

KALISTA

“T
here you are,” my mom sang, bouncing into the kitchen as if it was the best day of her life. Reaching for a mug, she filled it to the brim with the coffee I’d just brewed, inhaling its aroma before taking a careful sip.

It was still early in the morning, but I couldn’t sleep for shit the night before. Being back in my hometown was messing with me. Big time. Every time I left the house, I feared I was going to run into Eli.

And I wouldn’t be able to handle that at all.

Over the years, I’d asked my mom about him, wanting to know how his life had turned out. The day she told me she read an article about him being the youngest partner in his law firm was the day some of my guilt for leaving had dissipated. There was no way he would be that successful had I stuck around with my little surprise.

I loved him so much back then I was willing to sacrifice my own happiness. I still felt that way about him, but seeing him would tear my heart in two. Thankfully, I had someone in my life who drew the majority of my attention, often comforting me during the nights I would lose myself to my memories.

“Honey?” she called to me, throwing me out of my trance-like state.

“Sorry, Mom. I guess I’m not fully awake yet.” I tried to smile, but it was weak. There were so many things wracking my poor brain, I didn’t know which one to give attention to first. So I decided to turn the focus back on my mom. Looking radiant as usual, especially so early in the freaking morning, I asked, “Where are you off to at this ungodly hour?” She was dressed in black yoga pants and a fitted pink sweatshirt, sneakers adorning her tiny feet. Taking in her entire form, my question seemed kind of silly. “When did you start walking?”

“Actually, I jog. It’s good for the soul.”

“Yeah? And does this soul have a name?” I smiled while I poured myself another cup of hot joe. I knew damn well her new workout routine was due to a man.

Not even trying to lie, she blurted, “Kevin. And before you grill me, he’s a really nice guy who I’ve been seeing for about a month now.”

“And where did you meet this Kevin?” Justine Ellington was extremely attractive so I knew men flirted with her wherever she went, but that didn’t excuse flitting from man to man my entire life. I believe her longest relationship lasted a year, ending when she found out he was married. Another one. How she didn’t find those things out ahead of time, I would never know. But it’s her life to live.

“At the grocery store. Can you believe we were reaching for the same pineapple?” A small smile found its way onto her face, remembering the incident. My mother, ladies and gentleman. The hopeless romantic. Or glutton for punishment. I wasn’t quite sure.

“Just be careful, Mom. I would hate for you to get hurt. Again.” I had to throw in my two cents, even if she hadn’t asked for it.

“Enough about me, honey. What are your plans today?” Throwing her shapely leg up onto the edge of the counter, she leaned forward, stretching her muscles for her upcoming run.

“I’m going to visit some schools and inquire about enrollment. Then I’m going to start looking for a job.” I started biting my lip in trepidation, the day’s errands already making me nervous. I couldn’t explain it, but I just had an uneasy feeling. Knowing I was being ridiculous, I took a few deep breaths to calm my suddenly erratic heart.

My mom walked toward me and placed her hand on mine. “Kalista, I know that look. You think I haven’t paid you much attention, but I know my own daughter. Calm down. The chances of you running into him are slim to none. He doesn’t live around here anymore. Granted, he doesn’t live all that far away, but you shouldn’t have to deal with any of that. Not until you’re ready, at least.” She gave me a small wink, and before I could even respond, she walked out the front door.