Beyond The Pale Part 2

Reunited

Raina's POV

There wasn't enough tequila in the world to prepare me for what I saw when I turned my head. Jeff and Monty, their heads thrown back almost too dramatically as they sauntered into MY chill spot.

Jeff placed himself at the bar next to me, his arm instinctively wrapping around me, and I went statue still immediately. This man, seated next to me, is in no way my husband. Surely the body snatchers have taken him over, and that's why all of this going on right now is...crazy, right?

"Babe, don't be so rude. I didn't mean to be mean this morning, I just-" It was my turn to interrupt him, my anger running through my body as it were no longer an emotion, but a fluid that ran through me, like blood. "You just what, Jeff? Thought it would be a nice start to the weekend if you cussed me out then you and your little buddy joined me for drinks? What the fuck is going on?" I halfway mumbled the last part before I stood and sprinted for my car, the alcohol kicking my ass in gear as I peeled out of the parking lot.

"Where the hell do I have to go to get away from the madness?" I questioned out loud, turning my radio down and listening to my phone ring over and over, no telling who had been calling me. I eventually decided to return to MY house, retrieving a bottle of rum from the cellar and taking off once more, this time heading for my closet. I changed clothes quickly, throwing on a pair of overalls Jeff had bought me as a joke, and a t-shirt, rummaging around rather drunkenly for my hiking boots.

I'm sure I looked as crazy as I felt, especially out of context, as I made my way towards the barn, rum and tractor key in tow. The tractor had been restored by Jeff, and after he taught me how to use it, I used my weekends to bushhog, since noone will typically try to speak to you when you're on a big metal death machine. I took a long swig of rum before I took to the seat of the tractor, sighing heavily as I started it up and took off with no particular direction in mind. I just aimlessly drove around the field, cursing Monty, cursing Jeff, drunkenly rambling, not a care in the world.

I don't know how I managed to pass out while driving, but I did it. I was only out for a matter of a few seconds, but that's all my friends needed to see to come barreling from their car to my location in the field, the tractor dying shortly after I stopped pressing the gas.

"Raina!"I heard the familiar voice of Clay, or was it Justin? Nevermind, it's the both of them, and they're running towards me at full speed, looks of worry across their face. However, I was mostly impressed with the fact I'd ran over my rum with the tractor and the bottle hadn't broken. "A CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION! MY BOTTLE REMAINS UNHARMED!" I shouted to the sky, and I was out cold once more before I could even get the lid off.

Clay's POV

From the start of our senior year until the present day, if we needed grounding, (as in, we were stressed to the max and needed a completely unbiased third party to give us some advice) we went to Raina. She was level headed, mature, an overall loving soul. So when Jess called Justin and told us all the events unfolding all at once, and how Raina was drunkenly driving herself around because Monty was back, and he and Jeff were casually hanging out like Jeff didn't marry Monty's ex girlfriend, we knew immediately Raina would need a friend.

Did we expect to find her in a field, drinking rum and dressed like Farmer John, on a tractor? No. However, we knew the circumstances, and that the outcome wouldn't be pretty.

"Raina? Can you hear me?" Justin cooed from his spot next to her on the grass, holding back giggles from the absurdity of the whole situation. Her eyes fluttered open, a smile crossing her face when she realized it was us. "Clay, Justy, hey. I was just....bush hogging the field." She sat up slowly, holding her head, and the two of us helped her to stand. "Raina, what the hell is going on?" I questioned, and she rolled her eyes. "Let's go inside, I'll explain everything after I get some water into me. I'm dehydrated or somethin'." She said, mostly in a whisper.

So Justin and I helped her back to the house, her balance mostly coming back to her about halfway to the barn. I'd never seen Raina drunk. I'd never seen her in ruins like this. I mean, yeah, it was kind of comical. But at the same time, I could only think, what the hell has hurt our friend so badly that this is how she's dealing with it?

When we got to the house, Raina insisted on making some lunch. She drank a tall glass of water, assured us she was fine, and began to rummage through the freezer, deciding on ribs, which wasn't really a lunch food, so I assumed she planned on us sticking around for dinner. She set to thawing them out, noone speaking a word while she did so. We just watched. No matter how hard or how rough she was having it, her first priority was always everyone else. That always baffled me. She was strong! Independent! Why did she cover up her own problems with everyone else's triumphs?

"You're probably wondering why I was mowing, huh?" She said finally, sitting down at the island on a bar stool, facing Justin and I. We exchanged a look and then nodded. She sighed heavily.

"Monty is back. Monty wants to see my kids. Jeff has been so gung ho about not seeing him, speaking to him, all of the above. So this morning Monty is sitting on my porch, before 7 am. And try as I might to get him to leave, he isn't budging. So, Jeff comes home, and I immediately hope he can diffuse the situation, help me out, whatever. I'm his wife. HIS WIFE. Instead of helping, he cussed me out, so I left. Went to Jess's place, started drinking at about 8 this morning. I'm finally getting a hold on everything that's happened and they walk in, together. As if nothing has fucking happened. As if they aren't throwing off the whole balance of my universe by being together. I mean, what the fuck, ya know? Why the fuck, is more like it, but whatever. So I come back here, drink some more. Do some yard work. I'm a productive girl." She trailed off, Justin and I laughing at how casually she told us her whole life was in shambles.

"So, Monty is back, and Jeff is like...not pissed off or anything?" Justin questioned, and Raina shrugged her shoulders. "That's it. Can't figure it out though. Am I old enough to have a mental breakdown?" She questioned, and it was my turn to sigh. "This is all so fucked, Raina. What are you going to do? I mean, what if Jeff brings Monty back here? The last time any of us saw him, he almost killed you and Leesi. What makes him think he can just...come right back, throwing off everyone's world like this?" I genuinely didn't understand, and I knew Raina was having a hard time dealing as well. Before we had a chance to ask any more questions, she broke into tears.

"I didn't want any of this. I never wanted to see him again! He broke my fucking heart and he left me when I needed him the most. He's a shit excuse for a man and if Jeff wants to be best buds with him again, they'll have to find somewhere else to do it, because it isn't happening under this roof, or on this property. Is that too much? Is that being mean? I mean, I know we're married, but fuck... Why would he want him here?"

And all at once, Raina crumbled.