8 Weeks

Chapter Eleven

Chapter 11 - Cal

She looked so beautiful. It felt like forever since I'd been able to look at her. Just look at her. The guys were talking, but I wasn't paying attention to what they were saying. I was watching Shelly talk and laugh with Gaby and Sasha.

"Is that a nose ring?" I asked softly, not realizing that I was speaking out loud until TJ looked at me and asked, "Huh?"

I tore my gaze away from the girls and looked at my friends.

"It looks like Shelly got a nose ring. A little stud," I replied. "It looks good on her."

"Really?" Scott asked, turning in his seat and straining to see around a couple of big dudes that were in his line of sight.

"Stop being so obvious, man," TJ said,hitting Scott on the arm.

"What?" Scott asked with a scowl. "So, now,in addition to apparently not being allowed in our favorite bar, we aren't allowed to look at the girls either?"

TJ shrugged and I said, "I'm sorry, guys."They both turned their focus on me, eyes wary. "I really messed things up."

"Hey, brother, you don't have to apologize to us," Scott said. "I just don't see why the girls are turning this into a group divorce."

"No one's getting a divorce," I said harshly as I stood up. I suddenly needed to get away from everyone and get some air.

"You aren't leaving, are ya?" TJ asked.

"Hey, I'm sorry," Scott said at the same time. "I didn't mean anything by it."

"I just need air," I said before I turned and walked back out the way we'd come in.

As soon as the air hit me in the face, I started to cool off and calm down a bit.

The thought of Shelly actually going through with the divorce was unbearable to me. I couldn't stomach it. She was the only girl I'd ever loved, and I knew that as long as I lived, she was the only girl I'd ever want to spend my life with.

"Hey, Cal," a high-pitched voice said from my right.

I turned to see Melody Cannon barreling toward me down the sidewalk. Melody had gone to school with us, and had always tried to weasel her way into our group. If I remembered correctly, I think TJ'd slept with her at some point, but it was hard to keep track.

"Oh, hey, Melody," I returned, trying to walk around her. She put her hand on my arm to stop me.

"I was sorry to hear about you and Shelly,"she said, looking anything but sorry.

"Shelly and I are fine," I said tightly.

Melody's expression turned confused. "Oh ...I'd heard that you were getting a divorce."

"We are not getting a divorce," I said through gritted teeth. People were really starting to piss me off with this shit.

"But, I hear you're living separately and selling your house," she replied.

"We're fine, Melody. I'll see you around."

I was ready to go home. Forget the guys' night out.

I shook Melody's hand off of my arm and started toward my car.

"If you need comfort, or someone to talk to,give me a call, Cal," Melody called out behind me.

Jesus, I thought, but kept walking without dignifying that with a response.

I texted TJ and Scott and told them that I'd left. Scott could give TJ a ride home, since he and I had rode together from work. I knew they'd understand. It was just too much to handle being in the same bar with Shelly and not being able to talk to her, let alone touch her.

I missed my wife.

I let myself into Scott's apartment, putting my keys and wallet on the table by the door. Scott liked everything to be in a certain place. His apartment was neater than any bachelor pad I'd ever seen, but Scott had always been that way.

He'd been raised by strict parents, who believed that kids should be seen and not heard, and had lived in a pretty sterile environment. There were no dinners or sleepovers atScott's house growing up; we'd always gone to my house for that.

Compared to Scott's family, mine was like something out of the 1950s. My parents were still together, and my brother and I had been raised with a lot of freedom. Mine was usually the house that we all ended up hanging out at, and my parents liked it that way. They loved my friends, and they lovedShelly beyond belief.

I hadn't told them any of it. Not that I moved out, or why, or that Shelly wanted a divorce. I didn't have the heart to break theirs, and I was also horribly ashamed to tell them about Vegas. I knew how disappointed they would be in me.Especially my mom. I knew I'd have to tell them eventually, but I just wasn't ready yet. It was hard enough letting Shelly down, I couldn't handle my family's reaction.

I sat down on the couch that had become my bed, and picked up the remote. I turned it to ESPN and settled back, not really paying attention. I looked around Scott's place,and felt the sudden urge to mess something up. I chuckled when I thought of Scott's reaction. He'd probably kick me out.

When my gaze landed on a picture of Scott and his fiancée, my face fell.

Victoria.

Just her name sounded snooty.

I hated the fact that Scott was marrying someone exactly like his mother, because I knew she'd make him miserable, but he was convinced that he was in love.

TJ and I had both tried to talk to him aboutVictoria, to try and understand what he loved about her, and why he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, but Scott had started to get upset and defensive, so we let it go. She wasn't worth losing our friend over, but I couldn't help but hope thatScott realized his mistake before it was too late.

I sprawled out on the couch facing the ceiling and my thoughts went to my date with Shelly tomorrow. I wanted to do something that she loved to do, but I didn't, so I came up with karaoke for the first date. She and the girls went and sang karaoke quite a bit, but the guys and I never went along. I couldn't carry a tune to save my life, and I hated being up in front of large groups of people.

I hoped that things would go well and we would be able to have a nice time together. I wanted so much for things to go back to the way they used to be, but I knew we had along road ahead of us. I just hoped that this was a step in the right direction.