Don't Let Me Be Gone (Twenty One Hours)

Round Two

Tyler spent about forty-five minutes shooting the shit with Kevin James. His heart wrenched when Jenna stood up and left his side. As soon as a spot opened up on the other side of her friend Stephanie, she got up and took it. They had hardly spoken at all. Though he could feel her eyes boring holes into the side of his head. What was he supposed to do? This was Kevin James and there were people everywhere. 

He glanced over at her, Josh and Stephanie talking, but Kevin and a few others who had joined them drowned out their conversation.

"Stevie!" Kevin suddenly yelled towards the door, making Tyler's heart skip a beat. He was still on edge. Kevin finally left his side and quickly made his way over to greet his new guest. Tyler was finally free. 

He took the opportunity and got up off the black leather couch himself. He walked behind it and over to the other end where Jenna was laughing with Josh and Stephanie. He realized she hadn't even introduced him to her friend. He smiled at the new girl when she looked up and caught him staring at her but he quickly leaned over to Jenna and whispered in her ear.

"Let's take a walk." He didn't ask her, his tone told her that he wouldn't be taking no for an answer. He needed to clear the air and set things right between the two of them again if he could. He didn't like the feeling that she was slipping away.

Jenna whispered something in Stephanie's ear, who nodded. She then turned and pointed to Josh and commanded him to "behave."

------------

"So."

"So."

Tyler sighed. So this was how she was going to be about it; tight-lipped. Tyler led her out of the party and they'd walked the hallways for a little while until they found a vacant bench to sit on next to a set of elevators. 

"Look," he said. "You know I didn't mean the things I said earlier. Can't we just try and get past it and forget about it?"

"Forget about it? How do you expect me to forget about it, Tyler? You told me you don't like being married anymore."

"Ya, I know." He gulped. "I know what I said, but I didn't mean it. I love you. I love being married to you, it's just..." he stopped himself. Shit. He realized too late that he shouldn't have added that last part.

"It's just what Tyler? I'm changing? Isn't that what you also said? That I'm not who I used to be or what you used to want or whatever the fuck it was you actually said?"

"No, no. Just forget I said that. Let's go get a room and cuddle or something." But he had said that. He hadn't even had the thought before he said that, it had just come out of his mouth with the rest of his emotions. 

The fight had started after he made a joke earlier that afternoon about meeting up later and getting a move on starting a family. He had come up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and meant it to be playful and sexy.  He didn't think it would have sparked a fight. But Jenna got so bummed out afterwards. She reminded him that she wanted to wait to have kids until she felt ready. But Tyler knew he was ready to start a family now. He tried telling her that he could wait for her, but she just pulled herself away and gave him the silent treatment, which in Tyler's world was one sure way to ignite his temper. 

Even now, he kept repeating a phrase she had said to him over and over in his mind. 

"I guess I'll never be the perfect wife you've always wanted."

That once sentence triggered something inside Tyler's brain. He ran through all the different ways she had changed since they first met. When they first started dating, Jenna used to talk about starting a family of their own all the time. She was so down-to-earth and funny and he could make her laugh so easily. It wasn't until after they were married, when their third album began to explode, after the video shoots and the parties and the constant touring, that Jenna decided it wasn't the best time to start a family. 

Maybe she was right. Maybe it wasn't the right time. But she also started laughing less and getting annoyed with him more. Sometimes it felt like she got along better with Josh than she did with him. The two of them were always dragging him places, wanting to go out, wanting to party. Tyler just wanted to hang out with his girl and make music with his boy. 

"So, what's it going to be Ty?"

He'd been kicking at his feet silently, thinking about what to say. He hadn't come up with anything great, so he said the first thing that popped into his head. "I just want the old you back."

Her eyes widened. Tyler cringed at his own words and braced for a verbal assault. But what she did stunned him even more. She pushed the elevator button they had walked up to and waited silently until it rang and opened up to their floor. She then turned and slapped him across the face right before she got into the elevator and let the doors close behind her.

Tyler stood with his hand on his cheek, staring at the closed elevator doors, trying to decide which direction his life was about to take.