Sabrina

The hot water pounded on my neck, draining some of the tension that had collected there. I leaned against the tile and enjoyed the sensation.

I turned the water off and squeezed the excess moisture from my hair. After wrapping myself in my tattered blue robe, I grabbed a bottle of raspberry scented lotion from the vanity and headed to the bed. As I moisturized my still-damp skin, I thought about Dan. You always hear about professional athletes and the women who make themselves readily available to them, but until you see it first hand, it’s hard to believe. The wives talked about it so matter-of-factly, it’s obviously part of their everyday lives.

The problem is, I don’t know if I can live like that. That thought was echoing through my head when I heard a soft knock on the door. “It’s open.”

Dan entered, looking freshly showered himself.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

I shrugged.

“Honey, I swear I’ve never hooked up with women like that, and I certainly wouldn’t now.”

“I believe you, it’s just…” I gestured vaguely, hoping my hands could say what I didn’t want to.

“What?”

“I hate the fact that women like that even exist,” I said.

He shrugged. “It’s just the way it is.” I snorted. “I’m not saying it’s right, but it’s a fact of life.”

“It’s not a fact of my life,” I mumbled. But Dan heard.

“It is if you’re with me.”

I looked directly into at him. “What if I can’t deal with it?” My eyes filled with tears and his image blurred in front of me.

He blinked several times and straightened. “I guess that’s something you have to decide.” After squeezing my hand, he stood and left the room.

I burst into tears after the door shut. The waterworks lasted for nearly an hour and when I was all cried out, I felt drained, but my mind was clear. If I can’t deal with all this, I have to decide now. It wouldn’t be fair to either one of us, not to mention Lexi, if I can’t. I need some space to figure things out.

I stood and got dressed, then packed a bag. After scribbling notes for both Dan and Lexi, I crept down the stairs and left.

Dan

I knew she was gone even before I entered her empty room. I felt her absence as if it was a physical thing.

I found a note lying on her pillow.

Dan,

I’m so sorry. I’m just a little freaked out and need time to think. Please tell Lexi I’ll be in touch. I don’t want her to think I’m abandoning the two of you. I do love you both, so much.

Sabrina

I crumbled the note and threw it against the wall.

I can’t believe this. She just left for no reason. No fucking reason at all.

Part of me wants to choke the wives for telling their groupie tales. But I can’t blame

them. If Sabrina can’t handle those women being in my presence, how will she deal if things ever get intense? I can control my actions, but I can’t stop people from saying things about me. And sometimes those women make up stories to get attention. Nothing has ever gotten out of hand for me that way, but some of the other guys have had things written or said about them that weren’t true. How would Sabrina react if a nasty story showed up online?

Better this happen now rather than later, I guess.

Now I can just hope there is a later for us.

I left her room and headed toward the kitchen, where Jeff was pouring himself a cup of coffee.

“Want some?” I shook my head and sat at the counter. “What’s wrong? You look like you just ate shit.”

“Sabrina’s gone.”

“What do you mean gone?”

“I mean gone, as in, not here.”

“Fuck,” he said. “What happened?”

“Jack brought some women to the party last night and it freaked her out. The stories the wives had to tell didn’t do much to help the situation.” I dragged my hands through my hair and held the back of my neck. “She said she has to think.”

Before Jeff could reply, Lexi bounded into the kitchen. She looked around the kitchen and said, “Do you know where Sabrina is? I was gonna ask her to do my hair.”

I looked at Jeff, who cringed.

“Honey, come here.” I picked Lexi up and perched her on my knee. “Things have happened kind of fast here, and Sabrina needed some time to think.” She scrunched her nose. “So she went back to her place for a little while.”

“She left?” Tears filled here eyes as her bottom lip quivered. “Again?”

She jumped off my lap and ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs. I heard her bedroom door slam, then silence.

“That went well.”

As much as I love her, at this moment I hate Sabrina for hurting us like this.