I overhear the tale end of the conversation she and Bel have as they get ready for bed, even though I didn’t intend to.
“I mean.. yes. It was a great kiss,” Isla’s words slur together. “A hell of a kiss. But it isn’t fair for him to do that to me just so no one else could.”
“Ummm… have you considered… the other option?” my drunk girl asks.
“What other option?”
“That he just… wanted to. Plain and simple.”
A moment’s silence, then Isla responds, in a tone that brokersnoargument, “No.”
“Oooookay,” Bel sings, “I’m fucking beat. I love you. I’m sorry he’s such an ass, I’m going to bed.” She opens the bathroom door to exit and head to bed.
“Love you,” Isla says to her retreating form, finishing her nightly woman ritual and heading into her bedroom.
When we tell her goodbye the following day, she’s still fuming. And I hope against hope that she doesn’t have to see Eamon’s face for a very long time.
Monsters
Bel
Saying goodbye to Isla after the week and a half she spent in Vegas had been nearly impossible.
We didn’t make plans to see each other again any time soon, and I worry she took it even harder than I did. For the longest time, after Charlie found Mike, she and I only had each other. Sure, she had her flings, but now she wants nothing to do with even that. She’s just… alone.
And especially after that shit show with Eamon last night. I mean… she made it pretty clear afterward that shewasinto it, even though it pissed her off beyond all reason that she was.
The slap was just a reflex. I was in shock,Isla had said in the bathroom, laughing and rubbing her fingers against her lips.But it wasn’t fair that he did that.
“She’ll be alright,” Fritz assures me, breaking me out of my reverie, “She’s a strong one, that girl. Fucking scary, too.” I laugh, inclined to agree.
“Usually, I’d say you’re right, but this time… it’s different,” I explain. “She thought she’d be married by now, have kids, the whole thing. And Mike and Charlies announcement so soon after I’ve moved away… I think it wrecked her a little bit.”
Caspian hums in thought, walking to where we’re stationed on the couch, “We will plan a surprise to go visit her soon, My Dove. Promise.”
I want to take comfort in that, but I can’t. We can’t just keep taking vacations to stave off her loneliness and my nightmares. At some point, we have to start living this life we’re building.
“Hey, that reminds me,” I put my feet on Fritz’s lap, “Why did you tell Charlie and Mike that you guys don’t hook up? They certainly wouldn’t care that you have your own relationship.”
They share a tense look, both refusing to answer, making me immensely nervous.
“Guys? What am I missing?” A weight begins to drop in my stomach at what they could possibly say about all the secrecy.
“We may as well tell her,” Fritz pleads with Caspian. “She deserves to know what we did.”
My eyes widen, “What did you do?”
Before answering, Caspian lifts me from my perch and sits himself in my spot, pulling me into his lap and replacing my feet on Fritz’s. Fritz clutches my ankles and takes a deep breath, “Remember that talk we had about a person called Sam?”
The lump in my throat garbles my words, “You didn’t.”
“Of course, we did,” Caspian nuzzles me, “I told you it was going to happen.”
“So you- you went and killed him? Andliedto me about it?” I accuse, attempting to pull my feet from Fritz’s grip to stand.
Fritz holds me tighter, trying to placate me, “Sweets, it wasn’t your burden to bear. It was our decision, our crime.”
“Itoldyou not to,” I peer at Caspian, “I specifically said-”
