Trixie
I haven’t heard from Chris in a week. I send him texts, telling him I love him, but he never texts me back. Since I have nothing that needed to be done today, instead of wallowing at home alone, I decided to get some grocery shopping done. That’s when I spot Lilly up ahead.
We have had a weird relationship, mainly because my idiotic cousin Kayla was screwing her husband and ended up getting knocked up. It caused a huge family issue when my parents and my aunt and uncle found out I was hanging out with Lilly. They blamed her and Vincent for a long time for Kayla’s death. Now, though, everything is normal. Hell, my aunt and uncle love Lilly and even treat her daughter as their grandchild as well.
“Hey, Trixie,” Lilly says, smiling at me. She always looks so damn stunning every time I see her. Her long, curly brown hair is perfectly styled, and she always looks like she’s comfortable in just her Tee shirt and jeans. Every once in a while, I spot her wearing a pretty dress, but that’s usually only for nights out, when I see her, Eden, and Moira having a girls’ night.
“Hey, Lilly, how are you?”
“Tired, I just dropped the girls off to school and figured I should get some things done,” she says.
I smile, hoping it’s genuine, since I don’t have much reason to smile for real these days.
“Okay.” Her eyes narrow at me. “What gives?”
“What gives?” I repeat.
“Yeah, what gives? You’ve never shopped during the weekdays unless you tag-a-long with Chris. You spend that time blogging and stuff. You only go grocery shopping on weekends, first thing in the morning ‘cause you hate being around people.”
Hearing Chris’s name causes me to wince.
“What did he do?” Lilly demands, suddenly angry.
I burst out crying, telling her everything I know.
“He didn’t give you a reason? Just said he wanted out?” she asks in shock.
I nod.
“What a dick. Because of him, you lost Avalynn and Kristi as friends. You wanted your time with him. You put up with his shitty ass family and this is how he repays you?” She looks ready to blow. “I’m telling the guys. I swear to god, I’m going to kick his ass.”
Avalynn and Kristi were my best friends in High School, but once I hooked up with Chris, the friendship sort of fell apart. They always wanted to go out and have fun, but I was at home with Chris, spending every minute I had with him. After a while of trying, we lost contact. Avalynn moved away and last I heard, is married to Cameron James, the CEO of some huge company in Edmonton. And Kristi, according to her Facebook page, is dating Vinny’s brother Bryce, and they just had their first child.
“Lilly, don’t. Please. I just want to give this time. Maybe he’ll talk to me when he’s ready,” I say, sounding hopeful.
She stares at me a moment, her jaw clenching. “Fine, but I’m still telling Eden and Moira.” Those girls are all nuts. I can only imagine what they’ll do to Chris once they find out. Also, I know that they won’t keep their mouths shut. Once they know what’s going on, every single person in town is going to know.
I sigh and smile sadly at her. “I’m gonna finish up okay, I’ll talk with you later?”
“Yeah, sweetie. Oh, before you go, my sister, Cori, and her sister, Melissa, are coming up this weekend. They’re bringing their kids, you should come too.”
I nod with a smile and I walk off. Part of me really wanted to say no to hanging out tonight, thinking about how if my daughter lived, I’d be taking her there too.
I get home and get things put away. I debate on what I should make for supper tonight and end up deciding on Kraft Dinner. Normally, I’d make meat and a good side, but with Chris not around, there’s no point to that. I only ate that way because it’s what he wanted.
The house phone rings and I grab it. “Hello?” I answer without checking the caller ID.
“I heard Chris left you.” Fucking Nina, Chris’s mother. Of course, she’d call to gloat.
“I don’t have the energy to deal with you right now. You also have zero reason to call me. You want to talk about something? Call your son, not me.” I hang up without letting her reply.
Fuck her.
I see my mom pull into my driveway as if she was being chased by the police. Shit, she must have found out. I know I should have told her last week, right after Chris left, but I didn’t want her to be upset with me.
She always said that if we ever split up she would take Chris’ side. I know she was joking, but at this point, I’m not too sure about anything.
Sure enough, mom comes walking in, fuming. “That son of a mother fucking bitch!” she roars.
I look at her, eyes wide. My mom never swears.
“Mom,” I start.
“Why? Why did he leave?” she demands.
“I don’t know, Mom. He woke up and said he didn’t know if he wanted this anymore and said he wanted to separate.”
“Why didn’t you call me? Text me? Something to let me know,” Mom asks, upset.
“I didn’t want to disappoint you. Didn’t want you to blame me,” I finally tell her, sounding like a child.
“Trixie, how could you think I would feel that way? I love you—you’re my daughter.” She gives me a hug, then pulls away, walking to my kitchen pantry and takes out the bag of potatoes and starts peeling. Looks like I’m having company and a bigger meal for supper tonight than I thought. “You just wait until I see Chris. I’m going to give him a piece of my mind.”
I sigh and look in my fridge, grab a package of steak, but pause just before I go out to start the BBQ. “Mom, why are we trying to turn the stove and BBQ on so early? It’s only three forty-five.”
Mom laughs. “You know I eat when I get ranting and raving and I didn’t think of the time. Oh well, we’ll just have an early supper. You have any Veggies to make with this stuff?”
“Yeah, there are a few things in the fridge crisper,” I tell her.
“Your dad is going to be upset. He was really close with Chris, almost more than I was.”
“I know, I just hope he takes the news like you did and doesn’t try to blame me for his leaving.”
“Pfft, he won’t, trust me. You have always been a daddy’s girl, so he’ll probably kick Chris’ ass when he sees him. Oh, and by the way, I know you, I know you hate drama, but I know that Nina and Will have called to harass you already, gloating about Chris leaving you. So, I’ll be placing that phone call the minute I get my ass home.”
I groan, great. Lovely. I’ll probably get another phone call tonight or tomorrow from Nina after mom rips her a new asshole.
Preston
I couldn’t help but overhear Lilly and Trixie talking, but they weren’t exactly speaking quietly. Has my chance finally come? I’ve loved Trixie for years, but I’m not the type a guy that moves in on someone else’s woman. I always thought that Trixie and Chris had a good marriage, despite the loss they went through years ago.
I know exactly why their marriage is falling apart right now, Chris fucked up. I only know because I saw Lacey out and about, pushing a stroller. She didn’t hesitate to brag about Chris being the father of her child. And judging by the age of the kid, she was conceived right after Trixie lost her baby.
Trixie doesn’t know yet, which pisses me off. That jackass husband of hers better tell her soon, before someone else does. If Trixie is the woman I think she is, though, she won’t forgive him for this.
And if she doesn’t forgive him, I’ll finally have a chance to make Trixie mine.