You Before Me [dave east]

| thirty seven

Xiomara;

I picked up the next gift box and held it up to my ear, shaking it just a little. "Yup, definitely more wine." I told Alejandro as I sat on my bed with my legs crossed. Alejandro and I were trying to get through all of my birthday gifts within the hour. With Maya being with her daddy until tomorrow, I had a lot more time on my hands to get all this stuff out the way.

I sighed, tearing open more wrapping paper. The box came into sight and I read the words, finding it was a French brand name but it wasn't wine. "Champagne."

"Yeah, we're saving this one for tonight," Alejandro chuckled, putting the bottle aside which made me smile. I was looking forward to getting my hands on some alcohol tonight but I also felt like I'd need something a little stronger than champagne.

"Oh really? And what are we celebrating?"

I tilted my head aside as he pretended to think. "We are celebrating a newfound lifelong friendship." Announced Alejandro proudly. All I could offer was a small awkward smile, glad that somebody was fond of me. However, the guilt was unavoidable. Could I really be friends with Alejandro knowing our friendship could only ever set Dave and I farther apart?

The room was littered with torn up wrapping paper. I've received a little of everything so far and there was still so much more that we needed to get through. It was wine, a lot of Tequila, purses, heels or just money in a birthday card. Hell, I even got a vibrator from Ari which couldn't be more convenient in the current climate of my marriage.

"So you disappeared at the party," Alejandro brought up as he unwrapped another one of my gifts for me. "You go somewhere with your husband?"

"Actually I was right here." I said smacking my lips. He opened the box and handed me my gift. It was handmade Talavera pottery from one of my tías and it was beautiful. I knew just where to place it in the house, if I ever returned.

"See I knew you had a husband but I didn't think it was gon' be David Brewster. That's some competition right there."

"Oh competition?" I ask, breaking out into a smile. "See now I don't really like beating around the bush, Alejandro. You like me or something?"

"That ain't a question you just ask somebody." He chuckles.

"Well I'm asking."

He shakes his head in amusement. "You're intriguing. That's all I'ma say. If I ain't know you was married to an NBA player I'd probably say more but your husband kinda knocked me off my high horse there."

I laugh, shaking my head.

"You're too humble to be a basketball player's wife." Alejandro tells me.

I hum. "Yeah well I was a mechanic's girlfriend before that." I tilt my head as I reminisce back to when Dave was just another guy.

I pull up at Los Angeles Customs and get out, wandering inside. I see a pair of legs sticking out from under a car which makes me raise an eyebrow. "Hello?" I call out, walking over but keeping my distance at the same time.

The guy rolls out from under the car with a little torch in his mouth which he takes out. "Dave?" I ask, furrowing my eyebrows.