Intertwined

Chapter Six:

Trying to maintain a friendship that had long since stopped being a friendship was one of the hardest things Carmine had done. She sat across from Rod wondering why was she being at his beck and call. She was thankful for the job and the hookup with Bryce. He left out all the sordid details of their relationship and she appreciated him but she really would have rather not see him. He had been blowing up her phone since Saturday now Tuesday she finally broke down and met him for dinner. She knew he wasn't trying to get with her so everything else was just annoying to her.

"I know you are probably the last person that wants to hear about my love life Carmine but I really don't have anyone else I can turn to." Carmine rolled her eyes behind the cover of the menu. "Who's paying for this?" she asked as she tried to decide what to order. "I'm paying." He said agitated. "Cool. I'll have the surf and turf combo with a Caesar salad on the side. Extra butter as well, also a bottle of your most expensive red wine." She smirked at Rod. He looked at her in shock. "Therapy costs "Buddy" she emphasized the word buddy. "So what has you stalking me like a psycho?" she asked ready to get on with it.

"I had lunch with Ruby the other day. I thought she was ready to stop being childish and putting the white man all in our business. Which she was. She also wants to get back together." I looked at him expectantly. I didn't see the problem. I watched him cry and drink away the pain of losing her for months. It seemed like Christmas came early. "I like what I have with Scar. She's my person. Am I selfish to put my own wants over giving my kids the perfect family?" Carmine had to really think about what he was saying. Was he selfish? Did she even care to give him good advice. She couldn't care less about his happiness to be honest.

"I don't know if I would call it selfish. You can still love and provide your kids with a happy blended family if that is what you choose. I'll be honest and say I didn't think I would see the day you wouldn't jump at the chance to have your precious Ruby back. Is it all because of Scarlet? I do advise to tread carefully when it comes to choosing one person over the other. If for some reason you and Scarlet break up would you regret not taking the opportunity to put your family back together? People aren't promised or guaranteed. Only you know what is right for you at the end of the day. What are the reasons you aren't eager to get back with Ruby?" she asked.

It took him a while to answer. "There's a lot of hurt there. On top of that one thing I realized is as much love as I had for Ruby I wasn't in love with her. There was always something missing. It took for me to be in a relationship that gives me everything I need to really understand that. Cheating isn't even an option for me. I wouldn't do anything to mess up what I have. My dick don't even get hard if its not my woman enticing me." His eyes drifted off as if going down memory lane. "Last night she switched into something sexy while I was reading to the kids. It did nothing for me. She sent me sexy pics after I left and absolutely nothing. I just deleted the photos. I know the day I craved that from her." They both kind of nodded their heads knowingly. Even Carmine had to admit that he wasn't into her anymore. She never caught him looking at her inappropriately. Before she started dating Bryce the few attempts she made to press up on him were for nothing. He wasn't interested. That was a major reason why she let go.

"I will say this Rod. If you know that you don't want to get back with her you need to tell her that sooner than later. It is clear she is wooing you and feeling confident that you two are going to reconcile. Don't have her doing all of this and you know you don't want that. Leading someone on by your silence is no different than leading someone on with words. You are also creating issues to come. This woman done sent you her pussy in a text. Would Scarlet like that? Does she even know about Scarlet?" Carmine gave him the look that said don't bullshit her. "You done went over there playing house. What happens when she want you to come by for dinner on a regular basis? Huh? What happens when she continues trying to shoot her shot? Does Scarlet even know whats going on?"

Carmine was hitting him with so many questions he never even considered asking himself. "Scar knows that I was supposed to have lunch with Ruby. Saturday morning she texted me saying she was taking a much needed vacation and she would be out of reach until the following Sunday." Carmine shook her head. "You do know whats going on here right?" she asked as he seemed clueless. "Well, when I saw her Friday evening she was stressed about something she didn't want to talk about. I don't think her impromptu vacation has anything to do with me or my ex-wife." Carmine couldn't believe how gullible he was. "She may have had other worries on her mind but trust she booked it somewhere far away from you because unlike you she knew your ex was going to shoot her shot. Maybe she felt given the opportunity you would go back to your ex." Rod looked thoroughly shocked at Carmine's logic.

"You cant be this clueless. She got scared and ran as far away as she could. She is probably expecting to come back to the bad news. She is probably on someone's beach with large alcoholic drinks going through the breakup before it has even happened." Carmine knew Scarlet had to already wonder how she ended up with a guy like Rod. She had to know compared to his wife she ranked pretty low in the looks department. In the body she ranked even lower. "I'm fucking up. That isn't my goal. I promised no more hurting people and misleading people. What I put you and Ruby through was enough for two lifetimes. I just want to do the right thing here." Part of Carmine loved watching him squirm. Another part was proud to see the growth. At least all the loss and pain wasn't in vain.

"Just make a decision Rod. Then let everyone know and stick with it." She hoped he chose his wife. Part of her felt at least on of them deserved him. He just tossed them both aside for someone new. Everything they both went thru was for nothing. The loss of both babies was for nothing. She stopped her thoughts from going down that ugly road. She had Bryce. He was amazing. He was great boss and a great partner. Something good was happening to her and for her and being ugly wasn't the way to keep it.

Dinnerended casually and she headed over to surprise Bryce with some loving. Shewalked into Bryce apartment to find him buried deep in papers and his laptop.It was a beautiful site to see. After all she had done she always expected towalk in and find him cheating on her. She removed her shoes and got down on thefloor to jump into whatever he was trying to figure out. She wanted him toalways feel like he had her support. She never wanted him to feel he had tochoose between being great at his job and being great to her. They could justbe great at both together.