My Ex-Bestfriend

The Ring

With each passing mile on the highway I grow increasingly more angry.

Angry at Michael.

Angry at Mrs. James

But mostly angry at myself.

How did I get myself in this predicament again?! I thought he had finally changed. He figured out his feelings for me and for some reason I thought that would also mean he would stop acting like a selfish prick.

I get that it wasn't ideal to find the lawyer's paperwork but if he would have just let me explain, but how could I when I will forever be second fiddle to his mother. He just needed to trust me that there was no ill intent. It was just a precaution which apparently I needed to do.

I was so deep in thought and replaying the scene in my mind that I was on autopilot driving. It felt like I blinked and I am back in my driveway. Walt is fast asleep after crashing from his pie sugar high on the drive home. I keep the car running as I let Walt continue his nap while I run bags and the pie trash inside. I am going to have to wake Walt as there is no way I am strong enough to carry him inside to the house to let him continue his nap. I am dreading waking him just to contend with a salty attitude for the rest of the day from his interrupted nap.

I lean into the driver's side to turn off the engine when I see a familiar black SUV whipping around heading straight towards my driveway. I shut the door again without waking Walt. The vehicle parks behind me as a furious Michael gets out slamming the door behind him. How in the world did he get here so quickly?

"What the hell Allie! Couldn't wait 5 minutes for me?!"  He hollers at me as he takes long strides to where I am standing. 

Great! Apparently we are just continuously going to have dramatic scenes in front of my neighbors forever.

I scoff and eye roll as I cross my arms. " So you could say goodbye to your precious Mommy, no thanks."

" You took off with our son driving like a bat out of hell! I was scared to death that you would be in an accident."

I bristle at the comment. He knows how I am a superb driver due to my mother's death. "So scared you ran inside to the comfort of your mother's arms?!" I turn to head towards the door when he grabs my elbow, spinning me around to face him.

"That's what you do best right? Run away? I guess I got here just in time before you packed up and moved to another state never to hear from you or see you again. At least this time I KNOW I didn't knock you up! But if I did I am sure you would keep that a secret from me too. "

I rush him to shove him for his asinine comment. He's just been holding that in.

"It's not like you have changed either! The slightest inconvenience and you drop me effortlessly."

He blows air out his nose in frustration.

" That is not at all how it was." He barks.

"Keep your voice down!" I whisper yell as I usher to a sleeping Walt in the back seat of the running vehicle.

He nods in understanding as we march to the porch chairs.

"I gave you 3 opportunities to come with me. To choose me and you chose wrong."

I am trying to look anywhere but at him as the anger is festering and tears now want to roll freely which just makes me even more angry as I don't want to cry in front of him. He lifts my chin to meet his intense gaze, "Allie please, it wasn't like that. That's not the whole truth."

I roll my eyes, deflecting his hands away from me. "I don't need to investigate this story I was right there. You kept looking back at your mom all sad and pained. I wanted to throw up. Then you left me and went to her."