Ugly Truth (SAMPLE)

Two

GETTING OUT OF MY truck, I notice the old muscle car parked in the driveway. I remember Gabe calling me when he bought it back when we were still in high school. He'd gotten a job at a nearby mechanic shop. He was also working alongside his father at the furniture business. He wasn't interested in running the family business anytime soon, but he was pretty good with just the business aspect of it. He would drone on and on about how he could make the effort of running a business, and run it successfully. His enthusiasm used to be on running the furniture business alongside his father once upon a time.

That dream died a painful and cold death. He did a complete turnaround in his aspirations. I don't know exactly what happened that caused Gabe to turn his back on his mission to be close to his father, but I can only go by what I've seen when I was younger and from what little Gabe tells me, now, of his father.

On one hand, I'm surprised that Gabe is now barely moving out and into a place of his own. That's why I'm dropping by in the first place. He's still got a few large pieces of furniture that he needs to load up and take to his new apartment. His old mustang isn't built for the job, which is where my truck comes in. Also, it makes since that Gabe used nothing from his father to do much of anything, much less allow his money to help move him out faster. Gabe was mostly alone at home anyway, so it most likely wasn't a hardship.

Gabe told me to go ahead and wait inside so I don't think twice about it and walk in through the front door. I lay my keys down on the counter and debate whether or not to just leave a note and take off or wait until he gets here, but then my bladder answers for me.

I head further into the house and search for the nearest restroom. I hear banging at the end of the hallway. The door is haphazardly ajar, but then suddenly swings fully open. I found the restroom, but I no longer need to use it. I see the singer from the other night putting on his shirt and buttoning up his pants. From where I stand, I see everything inside the restroom through the reflection of the mirror and see Gabe's stepmother, Gloria, fixing herself up. All too quickly my view is blocked by the closing of the door. I then come face to face with Keanu, Gabe's best friend.

This I do not think twice about. I book it out of there, repulsed by what I just saw. I don't bother listening to the voice calling out behind me, but apparently, I'm also not fully paying attention to where I'm heading either because as I step out of the house I bump into Gabe's big body. I know he's right behind me because I can feel the hairs at the back of my neck stand up when he starts talking to Gabe.

"I knew you'd be back really quick, I tried to tell her."

We hear the garage door open and out rolls a brand-new BMW. Gloria rolls down the window, looking like total perfection and saying she has a last-minute hair appointment then takes off. Gabe just nods at her and then rolls his eyes when she's gone. I laugh at him, but then suddenly remember what I literally just saw not even five minutes ago.

I then start to think about my uncle Marcus, Gabe's Dad. I know that he's almost always working and has a lot of work that requires him to be constantly flying for board meetings and such. Gloria and Marcus have been married for five years and were together a year before that. Then again, their honeymoon was only three days. I just wrote it off as them both being workaholics, having businesses to run. And that is where the similarities end. They are more than 10 years apart in age difference and that's all there is to it.

"Gabe—" I try to get my words out but I'm being pulled back inside.

"We'll go ahead and start, go bring her truck closer." Keanu reaches for my keys on the counter and throws them to Gabe. He catches them like nothing and takes off.

I'm so speechless and in shock by how normal he is acting that I let him pull me into Gabe's room. I quickly snap myself out of it and smack his arm off me and punch his stomach. His eyes widen in shock as his body doubles over in pain.