8 Weeks

Chapter Seven

Chapter 7 -Cal

"I'm going to do whatever it takes to get her back, man," I was explaining to TJ as I finished up with an oil change on a Charger.

"Dude, I really don't get what she's getting all freaked out about ... I mean,I get it ... but, it's not like you're having an affair or something.It was an honest mistake," TJ was saying as he organized his tools.He was anal about his toolboxes.

I stopped and gave him a look, "Are you being serious, TJ? It is a big deal. I fucked up majorly."

"All I'm saying is that you didn't plan it. It's not like when we hopped on the plane to Vegas you said, 'I'm getting me some strange this weekend.' Shelly will come around."

"I hope you're right, because as it stands now, she won't take any of my calls or answer any of my texts."

I heard the clicking of heels before the yelling began.

"You mother-fucking son-of-a-bitch!"

Great, just what I needed.

I turned and said, "Hey, Sasha," just as she rounded the corner.

Sasha was impressive even when she wasn't seething in anger. At about five foot nine with waves of red hair and legs that were a mile long,Sasha made an impression wherever she went.

"Don't you'Hey' me, you low life. I just heard what you did to Shelly and I came straight here to kick your ass!"

"Did you talk to her?" I asked, brushing my hands on a rag as I walked toward her. I couldn't keep the worry out of my voice. "How's she doing?"

Sasha stopped a few feet away and tilted her head, her look puzzled.

"No, I didn't talk to her, but Gaby has. What's going on? Did you really cheat on her?" Some of the fight had gone out of her face, and she looked almost as sad as I felt.

I had to get away before I did something embarrassing, like break down.

"Not now,Sasha," I said with my hands up, before I turned and walked to the back of the shop.

The door didn't close all the way, so I could hear TJ say to her, "He's having a hard time too, Sash, and he doesn't need you coming inhere and bustin' his balls."

I could just imagine Sasha's face going from concerned right back to riled up.She and TJ had never been able to get along, but they both lovedShelly and me, so they usually made an attempt to.

"I didn't ask you, of course you're going to stick up for him, no matter what he's done."

"It's not like that. You know Cal would never do anything to hurt Shelly. The two of them are like a fifty-year-old married couple. He made a mistake. She's pissed. They'll work it out ... And they don't need you making it harder by getting all 'Amazon Woman' onCal."

"Suck it,TJ," Sasha said, but her voice sounded less angry.

"What'd you do, hear about it at the coffee house or something and come storming over without getting the facts? You know Cal better than that. Why don't you cut him some slack and give him the benefit of the doubt. He's broken up about what happened. Give him a chance to make it right."

By Sasha's silence, I knew he was probably pretty accurate. Sasha was well known for her temper, especially when it came to her girls.

"Shit ...You're right. You know you'd react the same way if the shoe was on the other foot. Tell Cal I'm sorry ... For now. But if I go and hear the same shit from Shelly that I heard at breakfast I'll be back."

"We wouldn't expect any less," TJ said, and I could hear the smirk in his voice.

I gave it a few minutes, until I was sure that I'd be able to hold my shit,then I walked outside.

"Is it safe?"I tried to lighten the mood a bit, although I felt anything but light.

"Yeah," TJ said with a grin. "She sure is hot when she's pissed though,huh?"

I chuckled at him. As much as they always got under each other's skin, I was surprised they'd never hooked up. It was a long-running joke in our group.

The thought of our group being fractured now was another stab to my heart. I'd fucked up more than I thought in one night. And I couldn't even remember why.

"I'm gonna go see Shelly," I said suddenly. "Can you cover for me here?"

TJ opened his arms and gestured around the empty bays.

"I think I can handle it."

"Thanks,brother."

I hopped in my Mustang and drove down to Shelly's dad's house. I knew my way well, I'd spent the last two years of high school driving there as much as possible. Her dad and I had always gotten along well, but by the sound of his voice when I'd tried calling, our days of being pals were over.

I pulled up to the house and looked at it for a minute before getting out,trying to regain the courage I'd had back at the shop. Now that I was here, I was terrified that she still wouldn't see me.

When I got to the door, I knocked softly and waited, straining to hear if there were any sounds coming from inside the house.

"You probably have to knock loud enough for her to hear you, jackass," I muttered to myself before closing my eyes, taking a deep breath, and knocking again. Louder this time.

I braced myself when the door started to open, and held my breath as I waited to see if it was going to beShelly or her dad at the door.

"Hey," Shelly said softly when she'd opened the door a crack. "What are you doing here?"

I let out the breath I'd been holding and said, "We need to talk, Shelly."

"I don't want to talk right now, Cal."

"Shell, how will we ever work this out if you won't even talk tome?"

"There's nothing to work out."

"Nothing to work out?" I ran my hand through my hair, frustrated, and turned back toward the street so I could breathe for a minute. She looked so upset, I couldn't stand it.

Once I was composed I turned back to her, "What do you mean, Shelly? We have a lot to work out."

She shook her head sadly at me.

"We have nothing that can be worked out, Cal."

I felt panic begin to rise in my throat,until I was in danger of choking on it.

"I don't understand."

"I want a divorce, Cal, and I'll let you know when I'm ready to talk about it."

She shut the door slowly in my face, as I stood there, stunned and speechless, with my life flashing before my eyes.

"No ..." I whispered, unable to believe what she'd just said. I pounded on the door for a few minutes, desperate for her to come back and talk this out, but she never did.