Becoming Mrs. Bryant

𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄

Lewis

𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟏𝟒, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑

As the early hours of the morning broke, I threw on a sweatshirt, and some shorts, and grabbed my car keys. I lived in a super-sized single dorm, so I didn't have to worry about waking up a roommate, because I didn't have one. It was Valentine's Day, and I figured that since I was only dealing with two women here, I could see May in the morning and Cassidy in the evening.

"Damn," I groaned as I entered my car and rested my forehead on my steering wheel. "How'd I even end up in this mess?" It was slowly starting to hit me that I may be on my merry way to getting caught up, given the shallow explanation I gave Cass at the party yesterday, and the fact that May is very nosey.

But I was also filled to the brim with anxiety, which was kind of typical of me. It was normal for me to worry about nothing and nine times out of ten, that worry really was nothing. "Step by step kid," I said aloud to myself, "step by step. Don't mess it up."

I made a stop at the local flower shop, Rosebud Gardens, and grabbed two random flowers of different colors. I figured that if anybody saw me here, I could lie and say that one of these flowers was for my mom.

As I roamed the store, I watched as a girl, slim and whom I'd never seen before, stared at me. I looked back to see if she would look away, and she didn't. I wasn't gonna let my anxiety win this battle yet again. I shook my head and looked away, maybe she simply found me to be attractive.

***
Maddie

"You're gonna stay there this whole weekend?" I asked Matt on the phone. "Seriously?"

"Maddie, I don't have much of a choice," Matt confided in me. "I'm stationed here. If you remember, this whole idea of me joining the army was your plan." I rolled my eyes, though Matt couldn't see that. "I guess."

"But I didn't know that meant you had to stay in Tibet all the time, even when nothing was going on," I continued, "I thought it was an in-and-out thing. Your daughter misses you." I could hear Matt clear his throat. "I'm sure she does, babe," he said, "and if it were up to me, I'd be back in Orlando with you two, but it's not. I made a decision and signed a contract. I'm stuck here." I sighed.

I muted my phone and then turned to my daughter, Aubrey, who was only a few months old. "Daddy must have a side bitch in the Himalayas!" I said with sarcastic joy. My daughter did nothing but stare at me, wide-eyed and surely confused.

Lewis

"Sidney said she saw you with two bouquets earlier," Cassidy said as I entered her home. I rolled my eyes, "Sidney is always saying some shit babe" I responded, "doesn't mean it's true." I was mentally face-palming myself at the fact that I didn't realize Sidney, Cassidy's annoying best friend, was the bitch staring at me that whole time.

"Why would Sidney lie?" Cass asked me, and I huffed. "Why would I lie?" I retorted.

"You tell me, Lewis, because that's a weird thing for my best friend to lie about." I shook my head, "I came here to take you out to dinner Cass. If you're about to sit here and argue about flowers, then forget it. I don't have time for this shit."

"Why is it that every time I ask you what's up with something, you get all mad and start trying to make me feel bad for asking?" Cassidy confronted me, and I folded my arms, "because I tell you the truth, and you won't accept it" I answered. "It's like you want some shit to be going down behind your back."

"Whatever," Cassidy said rudely, "just take me out somewhere. I don't care where, but I'm not paying a thing." I chuckled and got up from where I was sitting in Cassidy's dorm. "You know what Cass? I'll see you tomorrow, or some other time. But right now? I can't do this shit, I'm tired."

Right as I had opened the door and was about to exit Cassidy's dorm, she spoke. "If you leave right now, we're done Lewis" she threatened, to which anger overcame me. I no longer cared.

"You know what Cassidy?" I asked, "We can be done, that's okay. You know why? Because this whole time, I wasn't just seeing you anyway." A look of shock appeared on Cassidy's face, but I kept going. "I'm dating May, and have been since high school. We were on a break, but I'm getting back with her. I'm tired of you, all you do is threaten me and try to belittle me when we argue. You play it off cool to the public eye, but in real time you think you're above everybody."

Cassidy nodded, "okay," she said quietly, and I refused to waste another minute there. I slammed the door and headed to May's dorm room.

Nova

"Before the night ends, I wanted to show you something I got you," Aubrey said, as I was taking off a Rolex watch that she had bought me. I got her a lot of car decor, matching pajamas, tickets to see an NFL game, and a diamond necklace.

"More stuff?" I asked my wife, and Aubrey smiled. "Just one more thing" she guaranteed, "and it wasn't super expensive, so you won't feel bad."

Aubrey opened the door, and I saw nothing. "You got me air?" I asked, "Thanks, babe!"

"Surprise!" Hailey yelled, causing me to jump back a foot. "Girl," I said in a weak tone as I held onto my stomach, "Oh my gosh!" Hailey hugged me and we shared the longest hug possible. I hadn't seen her since summer, which wasn't that long, but it felt like forever for me. I had always worried that she was making new friends and forgetting about me back at Norwood.

"I'm going to stay for a week, maybe longer," Hailey warned me, "so get used to my presence, Milan."