It's Complicated

Chapter 33: House Party

It's been a couple of hours since the after states party has officially begun & while everyone is enjoying themselves, I am not. The dads are all outside helping grill up food & drinking beers meanwhile all the moms are inside drinking wine & spilling their family gossip while the kids just run around. I on the other hand, am just sitting on the dock wishing things were going differently.

"Is this seat right here taken?" It's a familiar voice, one I've grown to dislike, it's Brennan. "Um, nope. You can sit here, I don't really care." He sits down & doesn't say anything, it's kind of nice, it's kind of comforting.  "Alright, well here's this!" Brennan somehow snuck a beer & a wine cooler for us to drink. He twists open the bottles & begins to drink, he chuckles & smiles at me. I can't help but feel bashful. I don't like him like that, he's like a brother but why was he being so nice?

"Well, aren't you going to drink it?" I smirk, I don't drink, I never have but I don't want Brennan thinking I'm uncool. I take swig from the bottle, it doesn't taste the way I expect. I actually kind of enjoy it. "Good choice Brennan!" We share a laugh & start small talk. I've never really been able to just sit down & talk with him, just us, it was something new. Who knows what'll happen from here.

*STORY IS NOW IN KIM'S POV*
As we sit around we decide we need to get some fresh air. Katie, Jill, Mary & I go outside onto the deck to enjoy the cool air & finally enjoy some adult talk without the kids around. Things felt a little weird around Mary, I didn't know what I could & couldn't talk about. Well honestly, I didn't even know if I wanted to even talk to her, I'm still so hurt.

Jill is the one who breaks the ice, "So Mary, how are you? How are things going?" Mary reaches over the table & grabs the bottle of wine & pours herself a glass. She literally chugs it & I'm in disbelief. I understand not wanting your kid, but really? Have some respect for that helpless thing growing inside you! "I'm good, yeah!" She doesn't anything besides that & I have a million questions I want to ask. She then pours herself another drink, we all have concerned looks on our faces. I mean, she does know that we all know she's pregnant. "Oh yeah, I'm not pregnant. I went to tell Luke, he was with another girl, again. I got mad & left to New Hampshire for the week. Anything else?" She drinks her wine & avoids all eye contact.

"Are you fucking kidding me Mary? Are you serious right now? How are you acting so nonchalantly about this when a week ago you were crying over it! You're ridiculous!" I can't help it, but I'm full of frustration. I love Mary, but she seriously is wrong. "You can't just leave town for a week & expect everything to be okay! You can't!" Mary gives me a smug look, she knows I'm right, even though she'll never admit it. "That's enough, this isn't the time or place ladies. We're here to have a good time & celebrate for the girls!" Jill is right, but it still doesn't mean I'm done with Mary.

I try my best to ignore the situation, I'm so upset I'm only half paying attention to the conversation going on. Katie is going on about how she's having issues with Hayley's behavior & attitude, Jill is boasting the fact that Katie now has a boyfriend. & Mary, well is drowning herself in Moscato & is probably half a drink away from being drunk.

I excuse myself from the table & go to the restroom, I run into Brennan, Jill's son on the way. "Hey B, how are things going?" He quickly hides something in his jacket & tries to deflect the attention on what he's hiding. "Things are good, great actually! I gotta get back to my friends! Nice seeing you Mrs. Kim!" Im naturally a nosey person, I walk over to to where he was & notice that he pulled drinks from the beer chest. Why would Brennan be hiding beer?

As I come back outside I notice Brennan is on the dock, with Annie. He opens the bottles & hands her one, they toast & begin drinking. I instantly go into mom mode & have a mini freak out. I don't know if I should say something or if I should keep quiet to avoid the kids getting into trouble, but I needed to do something! I sit back down but my mind keeps racing, I can't do this. I can't sit here & let Annie do this to herself.

"Um, Jill, Katie? Do you know that Brennan & Annie are on the dock drinking?" I love that kid & I would hate to see anything bad happen to her. "I mean I didn't know, but I'd rather her do it here at home than anywhere else." Katie says so nonchalantly. "Honestly, same. I trust Brennan, if he wants to drink let him, as long as I'm around I really don't mind." Jill & Katie both agree in unison. "Maybe you should just stay out of their business Kim. Did you ever think of that? No one cares for your backseat parenting!" I can't believe Mary, I know she's drunk but why is she trying to hurt me?

"No one cares what you have to say Kim, no one. You act like you're better than us but you're no different than anyone sitting at this table. I bet you haven't told them either, have you? You're pathetic!" Mary pours another glass of wine & begins to laugh in my face. I can't believe the person I once called my best friend has now turned into my enemy, she's out to get me.

"Stop it Mary! You have no fucking clue what went on! You didn't even give two shits when I told you, so don't go there!" I can feel my body shaking & my face getting hot, I can't stop myself anymore. "Ladies, please not now." I know Jill is only trying to play mediator & nip things in the bud but that's not going to work this time. "No Jill, if not now, then when? When am I supposed to let all of this out? You wanna know what she's talking about? I had a kid, I lost her, she passed away. I can't ever have kids again & Mary acts like it's no big deal. Oh but what about this week when she went missing? I took care of the girls, I did her job for her! She's unappreciative & I'm done with this fucking friendship!" My heart is shattered, jaws have dropped. It's like an intense scene from a movie where all the music & talking stops only the talking only stopped where we were at, no one else heard.

"I don't live a perfect life. I don't. I've never claimed to, no one has ever given me the chance to open up & the one time I do it comes back to bite me in the ass, so thanks a lot Mary. Some friend you are!" I grab my things & head back inside. I know I can't leave the party, it would cause too many questions so instead I hideaway in the office. Mary rocked my world & I know in the morning she won't remember. Maybe this really was it, maybe my time at 1st Class & being friends with Mary is coming to a halt. Maybe I've done all I can to save her. Maybe I'm just not good enough anymore..