Chapter 1
Judith
I swear, I’m one hundred percent done with the holidays and yet it’s only the day after Thanksgiving! It may sound dramatic, but let me tell you…spending Thanksgiving with my family while watching my sister, Beth, and my ex-fiancé, Nick, act like love sick idiots then watching as he proposed to her…after only being officially a couple for two months…after he cheated on me with her for five months…after we had only ended our relationship a week before he moved her into his apartment…yeah, needless to say, I’m not feeling the holidays this year.
As if that tragic tale isn’t bad enough, my sister didn’t want a long engagement, oh no! She wants to get married on Christmas Eve! As in, the Christmas Eve that’s only a few weeks away! I’m honestly wishing that my family wasn’t aware of my ‘works from home’ status because my mom has less than politely insisted that I help her with the wedding preparations. Don’t get me wrong, my parents are usually great…just…a little naïve sometimes. They think I should forgive her because she’s my sister and we ‘shouldn’t let some guy come between us’. I know, it’s ridiculous, yet I would normally be inclined to agree with them because I was raised to believe family is everything, but this isn’t just ‘some guy’…this is my ex-fiancé that my sister was screwing while I was still engaged to him!
I think one of the other factors in their need for me to forgive and move on is the fact that my ex, the cheating prick my sister is marrying, is their closest friend and neighbor, Luke’s, step-son. The worst part is that Luke is the only one on Thanksgiving who seemed to feel sympathy for my shit situation and he even helped me make my grand escape when it got to be too much. I know my parents’ don’t want there to be strain on their friendship just because Nick was a lying, cheating bastard, but they didn’t seem to notice how cold and stand-offish Luke already was toward Nick, which definitely didn’t help the tension level in the house any.
I won’t lie, Luke has been a rock for me through the whole ordeal with Nick and Beth, though all of our communication before then had been through emails and after, we gradually progressed to sending text messages. We’ve kept in touch for the last year through email and it all started with me reaching out to him for help planning a surprise party for Nick’s birthday last year, but I never let Nick know we talk…he wouldn’t have taken it well. He was always a jealous person, but now I’m realizing he was probably just projecting out of his own guilt…the bastard. Sure, Luke is a good looking guy, but it’s not like I ever let myself see anyone beyond Nick. Of course, I noticed Luke’s tall, muscular frame, his black hair that was styled in a somewhat messy crew cut and his piercing green eyes…I’m not blind after all…but even a god couldn’t lead me astray…too bad the same couldn’t be said for Nick.
Don’t worry, our messages have always been clean and pretty basic…you know, the typical one or two message check-ins and confirming plans for when we were coming down to visit my parents…at least until he reached out after finding out Nick was screwing Beth. That was the first time we had a real conversation, one that had emotions…messy, chaotic emotions, but emotions none-the-less. After that conversation, things shifted a little and our conversations became less cut and dry…less basic.
We started talking about our days, our hobbies, vacation plans. We’ve formed a kind of friendship, something I honestly never expected to find with him, but something I quickly realized I desperately needed. That’s why I can’t help feeling happy when I hear the vibration of my phone on my nightstand and see his name pop up with a new text message. I have no doubt he’s heard about the latest catastrophe in my life, a fact quickly proven when I unlock my screen and read his message.
Luke: I just left your mom and dad’s. They caught me up on the bullshit and I’m so sorry they’re dragging you into this. How are you holding up?
Me: I finished off my bottle of merlot and completed three open tickets for work…so I’m holding up the best I can. How are you?
Luke: I’m completely over the crap Nick and Beth are pulling. I must admit, I was a little surprised. Over dinner your mom said you’re coming down to help with the planning?
Me: Yeah, it was a surprise for me too. I’m really not looking forward to this shit show, but I’m hoping the time will fly by so I can just get through this and move the hell on with my life. I’m currently arguing with my mom about me getting a motel room because she doesn’t understand why I don’t want to stay there while Nick and Beth are there. As it is, even staying in a motel, I’ll be surviving off of an obscene amount of coffee and wine. If I stayed there, I’d have to resort to hard drugs and vodka, but even then I would probably end up killing someone. I still don’t get how they can’t see just how screwed up this all is. As much as I love them, this whole situation has made me lose so much respect for them.
Luke: Why don’t you stay at my place? I have two guest rooms and it’ll be close enough for you to do what you need to, but give you space away from all of them. You can even use my office for work if you need to. It’s a fair compromise and I’m sure it would be enough to get your mom off your back.
Me: I don’t know. Wouldn’t that be a little awkward? I mean, we talk through email and text, but aside from that, we’ve never really talked in person and Thanksgiving DOESN’T count! Besides, you’re my dad’s best friend. Wouldn’t that just be weird?
Luke: Would it be more or less awkward and weird than sleeping under the same roof as Nick and Beth?
Me: I’ll tell you what, I’ll think about it. Okay?
I know he’s right, but I’m right too. Wouldn’t it be weird for him to have his step-son’s ex-fiancé sleeping in his house? Wouldn’t it be weird for him to have his best friend’s single, adult daughter staying in his house with him? The single, adult daughter who’s fourteen years younger than him? What would my parents think? What would Nick think? Wait, why would I care what Nick thinks? God, I’m spiraling…but that’s when my phone vibrates again, but it’s not a text…it’s a phone call…
“Luke?”
“Hey, I know you’re probably sitting there overthinking all the reasons you shouldn’t take me up on my offer, but let me give you one reason you should…or maybe a few reasons. I just want you to hear me out, let me give you some food for thought before you make a decision.”
“Um…okay?”
“First reason, it doesn’t matter what any other person thinks about the situation. If you’re worrying about how it’ll look to Nick and Beth, you need to remember that they both betrayed you, so their opinions don’t matter. If you’re worried about what your parents will think, don’t. They’re choosing to ignore your feelings in all of this and are trying to force you into something that no one should have to go through. If you’re worried about it being awkward because you were engaged to Nick, you don’t need to be. He may be my step-son, but he’s never treated me like family and if it weren’t for his mom passing when he was still a minor, he would’ve cut ties with me ages ago.
“Second reason, it would save a lot of money and you wouldn’t have to drive back and forth. Also, anytime you need a break from their shit, you just have to walk twenty feet. Did I miss any worries or concerns?”
“I…no. Shit, you know what? You’re right. You’ve been there for me when everyone else has turned their backs on me, or smiled and acted like this whole situation isn’t completely screwed up. I know we don’t have an in person relationship, but you’re still the closest thing I have to a friend these days and I hope like hell you know how much I appreciate you. Alright…I’ll do it, but you do realize I’m supposed to be heading there tomorrow, right?”
“I know. I’ll have the room ready for you. So, tell me about your day, Judith.” So, I do. It’s so strange actually talking to him…hearing his voice and all, but it’s…nice. We talk for just over an hour about everything and yet nothing of importance then say our good nights so I can get enough sleep before I have to get up and make the four hour drive back to Brentwood in the morning.
