Green Eyed Daydream #Wattys2016

Chapter 42

Tyler's POV

I'm walking through Union Square, trying to avoid bumping into people, but it's damn near impossible. With Christmas just around the corner, the place is packed with shoppers and tourists even more than usual. I walk into a couple of stores and try to pick out something for Carrie, but nothing catches my eye. In the past, shopping for women was pretty easy. Any purse from Gucci would've done the trick, but somehow I don't want to be that generic when it comes to Carrie. She told me once that she doesn't care whether her clothes come from high end boutiques or from the vintage shop...she's not that brand conscious, and I love her even more for it. She's the first girlfriend I've had that is not insanely materialistic.

I walk past Dior, Hermes, Chanel, and then I stop in front of Tiffany's. Their windows are decorated with intricate paper cutouts, and fake snow, showcasing whatever diamond jewels that are on display. I wonder if a pair of earrings, or a necklace would be something she'd like. I turn around, about to enter the store, when a man bumps into me.

"Watch where you're going," he snarls at me. I'm about to have it out with this fucker, when I recognize him. It's fucking Kenneth.

"Whoa, what's the rush, Ken?" I ask, shoving him slightly by the shoulder.

It takes him a second, but then he recognizes me. "Oh, hey man. Sorry, I didn't see you there," he quickly changes his assertive voice to one of a whiney little bitch. "How's it going? How's Carrie?"

"She's doing great. Loves the new job," I jibe.

Kenneth scratches his goatee, and stares at me. "Look, I know she and I, we...we didn't leave things on the best terms, and I'm sure she told you all about it, but look, for what it's worth, I was in love, man... I couldn't just break it off because the girl was taken, you know? It's like every time we'd see each other in the office, there'd be this pull...and we were both guilty as hell, but it was like an addiction, you know? But after the wedding that was it. That was the last time we hooked up. Just tell Carrie, I'm an asshole, and I am sorry. I'm really sorry for putting her into a fucked up situation like that."

I am unable to speak. My breath is suspended, and I can feel my hands ball into fists at my sides. Is this fuckhead actually confessing to me that he and Carrie were fucking behind my back? I feel the adrenaline rush inside me, and I know this guy is going to end up in the emergency room when I am done. And just when I am about to unleash hell on him, a little girl comes up and tags him by the sleeve.

"Daddy? Are you coming? Mommy is looking for you," the kid whines. And Kenneth smiles down at her, and takes her hand. He even has the balls to say, "Merry Christmas," to me before disappearing into the crowd.

I am filled with so much fucking rage right now, I seriously need to break something...or punch a wall...or a skull. What in the fuck just happened? How is it even possible? Why would this asshole just come clean about this shit to me? Does he not value his life at all? Doesn't he know that now I am going to have to fucking kill him? And her! Her...oh, fuck me! Why? Why would she lie about this for so long? She was so adamant that there was nothing going on, even when I confronted her about it. She swore to me that it was work and nothing else. I thought it was weird how she just up and quit her job right after the wedding, but I was just happy she was away from Kenneth. And now I know why she wanted to get away so badly. Fucking her married boss was obviously messing with her career.

I am pacing, actually pacing the street like a goddamn lunatic, and the security guard in front of Tiffany's is getting a little suspicious, but I am all fresh out of fucks to give. In fact, I want him to get in my face. I welcome anything hostile at this point, and if my knuckles end up bloody by the end of it so much the better.

What am I supposed to do now? I take out my phone, wanting to dial Carrie, and just roar at her over the phone, but my hands are too shaky. I am beyond frantic right now. Will she just deny it if I confront her again? Would she have the gall to tell another bold faced lie? And then I remember Jonah. How he tried to warn me about all of this shit, and I was too fucking stubborn to listen. No, it wasn't stubbornness, it was the fact that I couldn't believe that Carrie could do something like this.

The phone vibrates in my hand, it's Tiffany. I answer.

"Are you at Slate?" I ask, without even greeting her.

"Yeah, why? Do you want to--"

"Stay there," I order. "I need to talk to you," I say, and hang up.

When I arrive at the restaurant, I snag a bottle of Jack Daniels from the bar, grab Tiffany and bring her up to my office.

"Shut the door," I tell her, sitting on the couch, and taking a swig of alcohol from the bottle.

"What's up, Ty? You seem kind of pissed off," she notices.

"I am beyond being pissed off. I am ready to break some fucking heads right now."

"What happened?" she asks, sitting down next to me.

I don't even know if I can actually say it out loud. "Carrie..." I begin, but words fail me, so I just slump down, and hold my head in my hands.

"Carrie, what? Is she okay?"

"It was just too good to be true, Tiff. She's just like the rest... "

"What do you mean?"

"Jesus, do I have to fucking spell it out? She fucked around on me, okay!" I yell, and throw the bottle of whisky across the office. It smashes into a million pieces with a loud sound of broken glass.

"No fucking way," Tiffany gasps in disbelief. "I mean, do you know for sure?"

"Yeah, the guy told me everything to my face. And he was so fucking calm about it too, like so fucking nonchalant, like it didn't mean dick to him. I just can't believe I'm living this hell again."

Tiffany wraps her arms around me. "Oh, Ty, I am so so sorry. Fuck, man, I did not see this coming. Not from Carrie. She seems so sweet."

"Yeah, well. She played me. And I fell for it. She swore to me that she'd only been with one guy."

"Okay, Tyler, I'm going to play the devil's advocate here for a second, so promise you won't bite my head off, okay?"

"There is no way you can make sense of this for me, Tiffany. Don't even try."

"Okay, okay. Yes, this is a fucked up situation, but just hear me out. What if...having so little experience with men, and being trapped in a 2 year horrible relationship is what pushed her to be a little promiscuous. Like, you know, she never had the opportunity to sow her wild oats like you did, Ty. Maybe she wanted to go a little crazy for a minute, but now that you two are doing so well and she's got it out of her system, it'll all be okay. I mean, she hasn't messed around since you exchanged 'I love you's', right?"

"Fuck if I know. How am I supposed to ever trust her again?"

"Well, what did the guy say?"

"He said that they hadn't hooked up since the wedding."

"Well, wasn't that the first time you said 'I love you'?"

"Yeah, so what?"

"So, maybe in Carrie's mind, that's what made it like, official. She's been just with you and no one else since."

"Stop trying to defend her."

"I am not. I am just trying to make sense of it. And Ty, you can't deny that you love this girl something fierce, and without her, you'd be one sad miserable wretch."

"Even if she's done with Kenneth, how do I know she won't take up with some other guy? I mean, what if she's not done sowing her wild oats? What if she's just starting?"

"Well, there's only one way to know for sure."

"Pringle her," I read my sister's thoughts, and Tiffany nods in agreement.