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I pulled into the driveway of a little cabin set back into the woods. I walked up to the door and gently knocked. I looked a little awkward wearing a leather trench coat over a silk robe and teddy. He opened the door. He must have seen the hopeless expression on my face. He wrapped his arms around me as stray tears rolled down my cheek. I looked down at his branded arms.

“ How many more of these are you gonna get?”

He gave me a smile. “ Until you have a total fit, how’s that? When are you getting yours, missy?”

I gave AJ an amused look. “ Probably never. After this divorce.”

“Divorce? Oh dear.”

“The thing is I didn’t have an affair…it just looks like I did.”

I shrugged, taking off the trench coat then sitting on the couch. He sat down in the chair across from the couch before noticing what I was wearing.

“ Woo hoo! Will, baby, you know how to take things to the next level!”

“J…keep your dick in your pants…where it belongs!”

He chuckled to himself and gave me a smirk.

“Ah you know I couldn’t do a things like that. You’re like a little sis to me. It would..”

“Just be too weird and demented? Even for your taste?” I interrupted.

“You win that one. Want a drink?”

“Actually yes. I just don’t know how it got this far you know? Howie just all of a sudden doesn’t seem to care about me like he used to. I feel so empty inside.”

AJ brought back a glass of rum and coke. As I started sipping at it (he made it strong of course) he asked, “ Have you ever actually told him that?”

“Since when have you become my shrink? I knew something was wrong when he left for tour. He seemed so absent. I tried to get him to take some time off.”

At that moment, the phone rang. J picked up.

“Hello?”

“Hey AJ. Have you talked to Willow lately?”

“No what’s up?”

“Ah…I was wondering if I could come over and talk to you.”

“Well ah…I was just about to leave but”

“ Thanks AJ. I’ll be there about an hour. Thanks.”

AJ gave me a look as he set the phone back into place. I knew as soon as I saw that look that things were not going to get any better.

“We need to move your car and you’re gonna need to stay in the bedroom upstairs. Your hubby in coming over for a bitch session I think.”

“Oh dear God. This night never ends. Can you just shoot me now? Please?”

“No. You’re too precious. That’s why I’m trying to save you from him. I’ll bring in your stuff then I’ll move your car.

I quickly went out to my car with him to try and grab all the suitcases at once. I shoved them through the door then took two upstairs. I went into the first room and set the bags in the doorway. As I went to get the last one, AJ walked through the door and handed me back my keys.

“ The car is all set. He won’t be able to see where I parked it but it’s in a safe place.”

“Thanks so much for everything, J,” I said giving him a hug. “I’m sorry that we are pulling you into this.”

“Everything is gonna be ok, Will. It will all work out in the end. Now go upstairs and change out of the outfit, woman. The snake is wanting to come out and play.”

I gave him a slug in the arm. I knew it was all fun and games. He would never go as far as trying to sleep with me. It would be too weird. I went up to the room and took a nice warm shower before changing into a pair of sweatpants and an old t-shirt. I went back downstairs to grab my rum and coke.

“This better for you?” I asked while striking a pose.

“Much better. Came to get your drink?”

“Yeah. Can’t waste good booze.”

He gave me a gentle smile. His face showed that he was slightly sad. I was wondering what was exactly going in his head. Before I could ask, he said “ Better get back upstairs as much as I hate to shove you around. He’ll pry be here in a few minutes.”

As I was starting to walk back up the stairs there was a knock on the door. That would be a guarantee that he was here. Early like always. I closed the door to the bedroom not wanting to hear what he had to say about any of it.

There was a point sitting in that room like a caged tiger that I wanted to know what they were saying. I made a promise to myself that what either of them was saying, I would not burst out of the room and let myself be known. I carefully opened the door and listened.

“D, what’s wrong that you needed to rush over here?”

“Willow is…is cheating on me. I found her when I got home dressed in a lingerie outfit I had gotten her.”

“What makes you think that she is cheating on you and that she just wasn’t trying to surprise you?”

“She surprised me alright. There was a car parked in our driveway and after I was trying to look for her in the house, I saw him run across the lawn with his shirt off to his car. I didn’t tell her I saw him when I confronted her. I was giving her a chance but she denied it.”

“Maybe he was coming to drop something off for you al she was sleeping. He came to the door and he had spilt something on this shirt and needed to take it off.’

“Then why would she hide it under the bed away from me? She cheated on me! Hell she might have been doing this the entire time of the tour.” He broke down, falling to the couch. AJ sat down beside him. “ I knew something wasn’t right when I was leaving. It hasn’t been the same for the past year. She was always so distant. Maybe it is better that it ends like this. I don’t know if I can trust her anymore.”

“D, don’t try to make these decisions so quickly. Try to work it out between you two.”

“ No AJ. I don’t think I even want to. If she doesn’t want me, then I’ll leave. At least I’ll be the bigger man and admit it. I don’t …I don’t think I..”

“You’ll be the bigger man?!” I walked out of the room. I couldn’t take it anymore. Both Howie and AJ looked up toward the railing. AJ had that “ What the hell are you doing?!” look. I’d hope he’d understand later.

“Yes Willow I am because I’m going to admit that this will not work. Even if I wanted to, I don’t think I can trust you ever again.”

“You’re blaming me? You started it Howie! You started the fucking landslide! Do you now how long it has been since we have really gotten to spend any quality time together? Almost a year and a half! I’ve been alone for a year and a half. And I did not cheat on you! I could have but I knew better.”

“Well you can go fuck this guy anytime now Willow because it’s done. I’m done with this marriage, done with the commitment and most of all I’m done with you.”

I just stared at him with a burning rage. At that moment I just didn’t know what to say. “ Well Howie you were going to say something before I interrupted you. Tell me dear, what were you going to say?”

He got up and started to walk toward the door. There was only one thing that I could think of that could possibly have stopped him in his tracks. “Who is she?”

He stopped and slowly turned to face me. “What are you talking about?”

“That day when you were calling me at the school…there was a woman in the background asking when you were coming to bed. WHO IS SHE?!”

AJ looked at him as if someone had slapped him in the face. Questions ran across his face. “ What did you do?”

“I’m not going to take anymore of this. AJ…watch out.. you might be next.”

“Oh you little baby. You’re such a coward! You’re the cheater!”

“You wanna know what I was gonna say?! I DON”T LOVE YOU ANYMORE WILLOW! Are you happy? I know I am! I feel a hell of a lot better!” He said while slamming the door shut.

I collapsed under the pressure. Questions still left unanswered and the feeling that my heart was ripped out of my chest. AJ came running up the stairs and cradled me in his arms. Between sobs, I kept repeating over and over “What did I do to deserve this? What did I do?”. He did all that he could do as I sat there – he held me like a best friend or a loving brother would do. He rubbed his hand gently in circles across my back.

“He’ll come to his senses, Will. You are the best thing that has happened in his life and I don’t think he could ever get rid of you. He loves you. Loves you more than life itself.”

My sobbing slowed and I slumped into him. I was drained. So tired. I think he saw it in my eyes as he lifted my face to look at him. He lifted me up in his arms and took me to the room I was staying in. He laid me on the bed and pulled a blanket up over me.

Next thing I remember was waking up in the dark in a room that wasn’t mine. At first I thought everything that had happened had just been a scary dream but then I knew better. I lay on the queen bed and was suddenly both scared and lonely. It was the first time in a very long time that I was alone. I knew this whole thing started with me feeling alone but I was guaranteed that someone would be coming home to me. Not anymore. I slowly crawled out of bed and left my room. I went down the hall to AJ’s room. Maybe he was still awake. I knocked on the door. No response. I opened the door a little, seeing that it was dark. I went over to the bed and lifted up the sheets climbing in. I faced the wall finding some comfort in just its blankness. I could feel his body heat and that was enough to make me feel a little better. I heard him start to wake up.

“Will, baby what’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry to wake you up. I just realized that this is the first time I have truly been alone.”

I felt him turn in the bed, his eyes burning against my back. I felt him cuddle up close to me, feeling the intensity of his body heat. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my neck.

“It’ll be ok Willow. You’re not alone. You know I love you right?”

I felt a smile creep over my face. It was a true genuine smile, which felt so good in that moment. I nestled closer into him as if I could cuddle through him. I felt his breath warm on my neck and his arms getting tighter around me.

“ I love you too.” And I meant it.