...And Beyond... | To Infinity... Book Two [ON HOLD]

Chapter 11: Elias

Wednesday May 20, 2021 - Greensboro, North Carolina

10:13 PM

Desi POV

Sitting in catering, I'm eating a bowl of mac and cheese while I look through some of the backstage shots I've been capturing throughout the night trying to figure out which ones I want to send to Tammy later. I'm also watching as a bunch of different superstars come through to eat or just grab something and leave to go do something else, most of them stopping to check in on me and happy to see me not shying away from everyone anymore.

"Hey there, sunshine!" Miz says to me as he sits in the chair beside me and gives me a side hug.
"Hi Mike. How are you?"
"I'm good, doing pretty good. How 'bout yourself? You're looking good, by-the-way."
"Oh, thank you so much. I've got a good bit to go still, but I'm definitely feeling better. How's the wife? How's the pregnant life treating her?"
"It's going pretty smooth for us, actually; we're lucky now, but we'll see when she's doing it a second time."

I chat and laugh with Miz for a little while longer until a familiar man in SWAT gear approaches the table.

"Oh look! The Big Dog has finally decided to join us." Miz says shaking Joe's hand.
"Hey man, you know I hate coming around people with all that sweat on me; had to dry off and hydrate first and I'm still sweating. You don't mind do you, Desi?"
"I've gotten more than just your sweat on me before Joe, I don't care."

His face turns a bright red while Miz tries to stifle his laughter and I give him a small smirk.

"Well, I guess I'll leave you two alone then. Good work out there tonight Big Dog."
"Thanks man, I'll see you later."

They bid each other farewell and Joe sits across from me.

"Hey." He says with a smile.
"Hi, Joe." I smile back.
"That mac and cheese any good?"
"It's pretty alright, here, you have the rest." I say and push the bowl towards him.
"Nah, I don't want your food, you need it."
"It's okay Joe, really; I want some steak anyway, this was just an appetizer."
"Oh, okay."

Before I could say anything else he's made his way over to the food tables and is loading up two plates. He returns shortly after and places a plate in front of me loaded with steak, salad, a couple cookies, some mashed potatoes, and a bowl of assorted fruits on the side.

"Joseph-"
"Just eat, okay?"
"Joe, I promise I'm better."
"I know you're getting better, but we can't slack off now. Enjoy your food, I'll pack up whatever you don't eat for you."
"You're something else, J."
"I'm just trying to make sure you're okay, D."
"I know, and I am, thank you." I reach over and squeeze his hand and give him a big smile, his genuine kindness and protectiveness always putting a smile on my face.

"I'd do anything for you, you know that. Um, I should apologize again though, about earlier. I'm trippin', I know; I know you're not tryna dedicate yourself to someone else right now, I'm just-"
"Overcompensating?"
"What?"
"You feel bad about everything. Listen, it was wrong for you to cheat, but that whole situation with you and your wife was...a confusing and messy one, and that's what happened; it was more wrong to not be honest with me from the start. Okay, so I probably wouldn't have given you the time of day if you told me you were married with kids, but I'm sure we both would've been better off that way."
"Let's agree to disagree."

"Fine, but my point is that I think you're acting like this, doing all these things for me, because of how bad you feel about your part. Listen to me: I've been had issues, our break up was just the camel that broke the straws back."
"Um, isn't it the other way around?" He chuckles and I chuckle back; his laugh is infectious.
"Usually, but not this time. I was fragile, I had no place tryna give myself to anyone else after my ex; I was still broken, but instead of coming to terms with my problems I just used you to distract myself from them. You made me feel so good, it was euphoric being with you, but most of the hype was because I was coming from such a low point before you and when it didn't work out it felt like the weight of the world literally fell on me and crushed me; I was the straw and you, your wife, and three children were the proverbial camel that finally snapped me."
"Well, when you put everything like that, it all makes sense."