Becoming Mrs. Bryant

𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

Aubrey

February 28, 2023

Pepper started barking downstairs, which told me that the house phone was ringing. He used to bark at literally anything, but he got used to Nick, Jason, May, Lewis, and Hailey all barging in at whenever knows when.

"I'm coming Pepper!" I yelled as I made my way downstairs. "You can stop barking as if you've lost your paw." Our home phone was up to date and therefore had a digital screen that showed who was calling. "Dr Mouzoula's office?" I questioned, "why are they calling? Must've missed an appointment."

"Hi!" A lady said as I answered the phone, "am I speaking to Nova or Aubrey C Milan Bryant?"

"Nova isn't here" I replied, "but this is her wife, Aubrey. I can relay a message to her for you."

"Hello Aubrey," the reception lady said, "this is important for the both of you to know." I felt my chest sink, "uh, okay. What's going on?"

"When you two came in for the routine check up yesterday, we took blood samples, which I'm sure you remember. The results are in now, and both you and Nova tested positive for gonorrhea." I could've freaking died in that moment. How the hell would Nova have gonorrhea if only she and I were sleeping together? I must've gotten it from her because I really only am seeing her.

"Oh," I said, trying to sound as casual and 'I knew that,' as possible, "okay. Thanks for telling me."

"No problem dear. We've sent a prescription letter to the pharmacy closest to you two, so that you guys can get rid of it immediately. You have a nice day!"

***

Nova

"Hi babe!" I exclaimed joyously as I got home from the pet store. Aubrey had asked me to go get a shopping list of "luxury dog items" for Pepper. To say that mutt is spoiled, is an absolute understatement.

I attempted to kiss a sitting Aubrey, but she shied away when I tried. "Oh?" I replied with a cocked eyebrow, "what's wrong Aubz?"

"Would you like to tell me why our physician called and let me know that we had gonorrhea?" Aubrey asked me, "or are you gonna try to gaslight me into thinking that this whole thing is a made up scenario and I'm just fucking crazy?" I tried to quickly fix my face so I didn't look guilty in any way.

"Why would I have gonorrhea?" I asked, "the only person I sleep with is you." Aubrey forced a chuckle then stood up so that we were face level. "Oh, I forgot that you were also capable of gaslighting me into believing I was in the wrong" she said. "Your favorite kind of gaslighting. My bad."

"Aubrey I'm not sleeping with other people," I insisted, trying to look panicked and worried. "I must've had it since Norwood or something." Aubrey looked at me like I was dumb, "So you had it since Norwood yet it was never addressed until now? Despite all the blood tests we've had since Norwood?" she asked, "make it make sense Nova."

"It could've been dormant," I stated, "you know, there but inactive. I used to.."

"You used to..?" Aubrey curiously asked, refusing to break eye contact with my face. I shrugged, "I don't know, it's weird and I never told anybody."

"Well I hate to be an ass Nova, but you don't have a say right now in what you can and cannot tell me. You gave me an STI. So get to talking." I nodded.

"Around prom, I had started sleeping with older guys, like college frat older," I lied. I looked down at the floor, played with my fingers, and tried to mumble to sound even more convincing. "Why?"

I looked up at Aubrey, quickly though, then looked around a little bit. "I was...nervous. About the crown, about you, about Nick. I saw these older guys who didn't really care about much else other than fucking me, to be an outlet. I didn't have to worry about how my relationship with them might be affected."

"Was this around the time that you were like, barely speaking to me?" Aubrey asked, and I nodded. "Somewhere around there," I said, "the details are honestly fuzzy now. I was embarrassed and knew that if anybody found out, I'd be dubbed a hoe. So I tried to convince myself that it didn't happen."

"You weren't using protection?" Aubrey asked after if answered that previous question, seeming to genuinely believe me. Aubrey didn't beat around the bush or sugarcoat. She was as real as it got, and if she thought I was lying, she would've said it by now.

"No," I replied in a low whisper, trying to still give off a sad, embarrassed vibe. "I liked the idea of control behind not wearing a condom. It was dumb really-"

Aubrey shook her head. "It wasn't dumb," she cut me off, "but I truly, truly wish you told me right after we got married. We all did crazy shit last year Nova. I mean, May was a literal stripper for a short period." I chuckled, "I know," I replied, "that was wild."

"But," Aubrey continued, "while we both take the medications needed to recover from this, I also think we should go to therapy. I already booked a couples therapist four blocks from here. She's nice." I raised an eyebrow, "why do we need couples therapy?"

"Because no matter how this conversation had gone, you would've hid something from me, which you did. I want you to be able to trust me enough to tell me things. Between this and the Rico incident a little while back, I'm confident that you just don't feel comfortable enough to tell me those things."

"Aubrey that's not true," I retorted, but she nodded. "Nova, it is," she said, "and you never want to admit to that either, another issue. How can we ever fix shit if you always deny shit when confronted about it?" I shrugged, "I don't mean to, I've just been mentally misplaced as of late."

"Exactly," Aubrey said as she walked around me, opened the fridge, and grabbed a juice pouch. "Therapy doesn't mean something is wrong with either one of us, it means we need a non-judgmental third person perspective. That's all Nova."

"Plus," Aubrey continued, with all this Lewis mess that's going on, I think now would be a perfect time for therapy. Give it a shot."

***

Nick

"Damn," I said as I sat up, waking up to a persistent banging on my dorm door. "What the hell?"

"Who is it?" I asked, trying to make sure it wasn't a police officer or something. "Nova."

"Oh, okay" I replied as I sat up and walked over to the door, opening it to meet a furious looking Nova.

"What's...going on?" I asked my friend, to which she invited herself in and slammed the door shut.

"What's going on," she whispered in a harsh tone, "is that you gave me gonorrhea!"

"Um, what?" I questioned, absolutely not expecting that. "I don't think so."

"No, you did. I started having symptoms after we slept together. I got tested, and it came back positive. But because my stupid doctor is pro loyalty and pro happy couples, she told Aubrey instead of telling me." My mouth dropped and Nova nodded her head dramatically, "yeah."

"Nova I can get tested, but I doubt I have gonorrhea. I haven't had any symptoms" I said. Nova folded her arms, "Nick, you are the only person I've slept with within the last 6 months, other than Aubrey. On top of that, you sleep around. No offense." I sighed.

"I know," I said, "you're right. I'm sorry, I just, can't grasp the idea of me ruining shit for you. This is the second time in a short period of time that I've accidentally caused a rift between you and Aubrey."

"Well, you're in the clear for now," Nova replied with reassurance. "I gave Aubrey this fake sob story about how I slept around with older college guys right before prom last year, and she seemed to believe it." I made a face, "look at you, quick on your feet."