Gary and Libby - Take Two

Chapter Sixty

"Youre upset..." Gary starts, running a hand through his hair as he looks down at me.

"No fucking shit!" I choke, a hot tear breaking free, bypassing my cheek and dropping onto my bottom lip. Gary moves, as though he were going to brush it away, but i jerk backwards as best i can in the little space between him, me and the kitchen island. And then we stare at each other for a while, apple green eyes staring into cerulean blue, neither of us saying anything until i draw in a shuddery breath.

"Go away."

"No."

"You have guests."

"No," Garys tone drops, raising slightly for the first time during this conversation. "We have guests. So we have one of two choices; we can both smile and pretend that this conversation didnt happen for now and rejoin our dinner party, or seeing as you were so keen to bring up this tonight -of all nights,- we can discuss the problem now, shout a bit, swear a bit, then kiss and make up."

"Youre an arsehole." I spit. More because i dont really know what to say than anything else.

"And you're a Goddamn harridan, it doesnt mean i dont love you!"

I freeze, a wet tear teetering on the tip of my nose. "What did you just call me?"

Gary stills too, shaking his head quickly. "Nothing. Forget it."

But its too late. I heard it. And after being up before six and having a day of running after three year olds and entertaining dinner guests, i am in no mood to let it go. Not now, not yet. And so, i do the only thing i can think of that would possibly up the name-calling; lurching forward and shoving at Garys rock solid chest with two flat palms.

"Get the fuck away from me!"

"Oh for Gods sake!" Gary catches my wrists, as, in hindsight, i knew he would, and holds them there, flat against his chest and bent at the elbows, so i am, once more, close enough to him to smell the infusion of Tom Ford and red wine. "Grow up Libby!"

"Grow up?!" I practically squeal, and somewhere, deep within my sub-conscience i am aware of the remaining dinner guests just the other side of the wall. White hot anger, however, does not dissipate just because you think you ought to keep your voice down. "Dont be so fucking rude to me!"

"Im not being rude!" Gary shouts back, shaking my wrists just enough to rock my body steadily on my feet.

"You called me a Goddamn harridan!" I bite back, glaring, now the tears have vaporised due to the heat of the blood causing through my body, straight into Garys wide, wild eyes.

"You fucking drive me to it!" He bellows, and i flinch, not only because of the sudden display of rage, but now i can imagine the four people left in the living room wondering what the hell is going on in the kitchen. "Dont you fucking see that you drive me to it?!" Theres another shake of the wrists and a spike of irrational fear. He wouldnt hurt me though. I know he wouldnt hurt me. "You're stood there, ranting and railing at eleven O'clock at night about me touring Europe after a cosy chat with my mother, when, in actual fact you have no idea what is going on!"

"I shouldn't have to have had the conversation with your mother though Gary!" I hiss, standing my ground. "Don't you understand that?! It shouldn't have been her that told me you were fucking off to Europe, it should've been you!"

"Baby, this is my job-" Gary starts, but i cut him off.

"Don't baby me! I'm not a baby!" Mentally chastising myself for being so petty, i try and pull my arms free from Garys hold a second time, this time, he lets me go and i fold them tightly under my bust before i carry on. "I'm a grown woman, and yet you still felt the need to tell everyone bar the woman carrying your child that you plan to fuck off for three months!"