words before turning to Abby. “You ready Babe?”
There was a moment of uncomfortable silence. Everyone seemed to be waiting on Abby for a response. Alex had forgotten himself and the status of their relationship within a puddle of beer and tequila.
“Actually, I was thinking since you’ve been stuck on a couch for a week that maybe I should stay in Kyle’s spare room so you could have the extra bed here. As long as that’s okay with you Kyle?”
Kyle sat up straighter and fidgeted with his beer bottle. “Yeah. I guess that makes good sense.”
The look on Alex’s face was at once blank and furious. “Oh. I see. I’m sure the two of you have a lot to talk about.” He put up his hands to make air quotes. “Freakish radioactive skin conditions, prophetic nightmares. You’ve got a lot in common. I get it.”
While Alex’s words said that he understood, his tone was harsh and full of hurt. Abby wasn’t sure how to handle the situation without escalating it even further. She had already made it clear that she and Alex were no longer a couple and she really did have a lot of things to discuss with Kyle. It wasn’t a personal attack on Alex, but that was exactly how he was taking it.
“Okay… um I’ll get my bags then. Be right back.” Abby stood up to walk down the hallway with Alex suddenly on her heels.
He fairly crashed through the bedroom door behind her and closed it with a thud.
“What do you want Alex?” Her voice was laced with annoyance.
He positioned himself between her and the door, planting his feet on the carpeted floor. “I see the way you two look at each other. I’m not stupid Abby. You might as well just wear a tee shirt that says you want to screw that guy’s brains out.”
Abby turned on him with a huff. “You’re drunk Alex. Why don’t you just lie down and sleep it off?”
“Don’t blow me off damn it! I thought we could make this work. I thought we were moving forward, finally having some fun together. What about us?”
“There is no us Alex. ” She softened her voice, feeling empathy for this man who was now her friend. “It’s over now.”
Alex opened his mouth to speak but Abby held up her hand and kept talking. “Look, I wouldn’t have been able to make this trip without you. You are my friend and I’m grateful that we can have at leas t that. But that’s were us ends .”
Alex looked like he was going to scream. His face was red, his hands were shaky, and he was obviously not happy. He continued to stand between Abby and the door even when she had slung her bags over her shoulder and made a move to leave.
“Please get out of my way Alex.” It wasn’t so much as a request as it was a flat out command.
After a long moment he stepped aside with a dramatic sigh only to pound his fist into the top of the dresser beside the bed. Abby jumped at the sound but kept walking without turning around.
Jim peered down the hall as she left the bedroom. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Everything’s fine. Alex is just a little upset right now. I’m sure he’ll be feeling better in the morning.”
“Want me to set him straight?” Jim took a step towards the hall.
“No, no. It’s under control. But thanks Jimmy.” Abby exchanged looks with Kyle. “I’ll be waiting on the porch.”
With Abby out the door Jim turned to Kyle. “Do me a favor and remember that she’s my niece.”
Kyle made a face. “I’m not going to take advantage of her , Jim . I think she just wants to talk, find out what I know. She needs to feel like she’s not in this alone the same way I do.” Kyle leaned in a little closer and lowered his voice a notch. “Plus she’s a big girl, a grown up. I’m pretty sure she can handle herself.”
Jim gave him a look that said even though Kyle was his best friend, he’d still kill him if he hurt his niece. She was the only family Jim had left in the world and he wouldn’t stand for her being mistreated or used by anyone.
“I get the
There was a moment of uncomfortable silence. Everyone seemed to be waiting on Abby for a response. Alex had forgotten himself and the status of their relationship within a puddle of beer and tequila.
“Actually, I was thinking since you’ve been stuck on a couch for a week that maybe I should stay in Kyle’s spare room so you could have the extra bed here. As long as that’s okay with you Kyle?”
Kyle sat up straighter and fidgeted with his beer bottle. “Yeah. I guess that makes good sense.”
The look on Alex’s face was at once blank and furious. “Oh. I see. I’m sure the two of you have a lot to talk about.” He put up his hands to make air quotes. “Freakish radioactive skin conditions, prophetic nightmares. You’ve got a lot in common. I get it.”
While Alex’s words said that he understood, his tone was harsh and full of hurt. Abby wasn’t sure how to handle the situation without escalating it even further. She had already made it clear that she and Alex were no longer a couple and she really did have a lot of things to discuss with Kyle. It wasn’t a personal attack on Alex, but that was exactly how he was taking it.
“Okay… um I’ll get my bags then. Be right back.” Abby stood up to walk down the hallway with Alex suddenly on her heels.
He fairly crashed through the bedroom door behind her and closed it with a thud.
“What do you want Alex?” Her voice was laced with annoyance.
He positioned himself between her and the door, planting his feet on the carpeted floor. “I see the way you two look at each other. I’m not stupid Abby. You might as well just wear a tee shirt that says you want to screw that guy’s brains out.”
Abby turned on him with a huff. “You’re drunk Alex. Why don’t you just lie down and sleep it off?”
“Don’t blow me off damn it! I thought we could make this work. I thought we were moving forward, finally having some fun together. What about us?”
“There is no us Alex. ” She softened her voice, feeling empathy for this man who was now her friend. “It’s over now.”
Alex opened his mouth to speak but Abby held up her hand and kept talking. “Look, I wouldn’t have been able to make this trip without you. You are my friend and I’m grateful that we can have at leas t that. But that’s were us ends .”
Alex looked like he was going to scream. His face was red, his hands were shaky, and he was obviously not happy. He continued to stand between Abby and the door even when she had slung her bags over her shoulder and made a move to leave.
“Please get out of my way Alex.” It wasn’t so much as a request as it was a flat out command.
After a long moment he stepped aside with a dramatic sigh only to pound his fist into the top of the dresser beside the bed. Abby jumped at the sound but kept walking without turning around.
Jim peered down the hall as she left the bedroom. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Everything’s fine. Alex is just a little upset right now. I’m sure he’ll be feeling better in the morning.”
“Want me to set him straight?” Jim took a step towards the hall.
“No, no. It’s under control. But thanks Jimmy.” Abby exchanged looks with Kyle. “I’ll be waiting on the porch.”
With Abby out the door Jim turned to Kyle. “Do me a favor and remember that she’s my niece.”
Kyle made a face. “I’m not going to take advantage of her , Jim . I think she just wants to talk, find out what I know. She needs to feel like she’s not in this alone the same way I do.” Kyle leaned in a little closer and lowered his voice a notch. “Plus she’s a big girl, a grown up. I’m pretty sure she can handle herself.”
Jim gave him a look that said even though Kyle was his best friend, he’d still kill him if he hurt his niece. She was the only family Jim had left in the world and he wouldn’t stand for her being mistreated or used by anyone.
“I get the
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