by E. L. Todd
Sleep hadn’t come easy to me while living in that little room. Since Trinity wasn’t there, I tossed and turned all night and didn’t get any rest. But the first night back in my bed with my wife felt heavenly. I hadn’t slept that good in a long time.
When I woke up one morning, Trinity was still asleep. I was normally awake before she was but I woke up even earlier today. I headed into the kitchen and followed the directions I found on my phone. I made French toast, bacon, and eggs, and I brewed a pot of coffee.
When Trinity fell asleep the night before, I changed her alarm to fifteen minutes earlier so she could enjoy the breakfast I made for her. When I heard it go off, I knew she was awake.
I carried the tray into the bedroom and watched her rub the sleep from her eyes as she tried to wake up. When I approached the bed, she finally turned her gaze on me. Her eyes went to the plate, and a smile spread on her face. “What’s this?”
“Breakfast.”
“That’s so sweet, Slade. But I have to leave for work…”
“I set your alarm fifteen minutes earlier.”
She squinted her eyes as she looked at the time. “Oh.”
I set the tray in her lap and watched her.
“Wow.” Her eyes widened when she looked at the plate. “You made all of this?”
“With the help of YouTube.”
“You didn’t have to do this…”
“I wanted to.” I had a lot to make up for. I know I really hurt Trinity. When I kept my distance from her I thought I was doing the right thing. But when I saved her from the elevator I realized I was the only person brave enough to do anything to keep her safe. Would any other guy have done that for her?
I had a feeling they wouldn’t.
“Aren’t you going to eat too?” she asked. “Or are you going to watch me eat like a pig?”
“You look nothing like a pig, baby. And if you do, you’re a cute one.”
She blushed and smiled at the same time.
I grabbed my plate from the kitchen then returned to her side. Together, we ate quietly. Trinity normally didn’t eat much but she wiped her plate clean. I knew she did that just for me.
“It was great,” she said. “Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome.”
She got out of bed and kissed me on the cheek. “I have to get ready for work now. I’ll do the dishes after work.”
“Don’t worry about it. I got it.”
“Are you sure?” Hesitation was in her eyes.
“Yes. You do my laundry, clean up after me, and make me dinner. This is the least I can do.” I carried everything into the kitchen without waiting to hear her response.
After she showered and got ready for the day, she walked into the kitchen wearing a tight dress and heels. She looked sexy as hell. If I saw her walking the streets, I’d definitely send a catcall her way.
She gripped my shoulders then pressed a hard kiss to my mouth.
My fingertips burned from the touch.
“Love you.”
My heart melted right into the floor. “Love you too. I’ll pick you up at five.”
“Why?”
“To walk you home.”
She gave me a faint smile. “Thanks…”
It hurt that she was still scared but I didn’t comment on it.
“I’ll see you later.”
“Bye, baby. Have a good day at work.”
“You too.” She walked out and left me alone in the apartment.
I examined the centerpiece of flowers on the center island. Then I looked at the magazine cutouts at the kitchen table. A bowl of fruit was on the coffee table, and the scent of her perfume was in the air.
I was home.
***
Cayson met me at the deli and sat in the seat across from me. “So…how’s it going?” He eyed me like I was a ticking time bomb.
“Awesome. I moved back in with Trinity.”
“You guys worked it out?” he asked with a smile. “That’s awesome. We were worried for a moment.”
“Yeah…I was too.”
“So, what happened?” He opened his bag of chips and began eating them.
“It’s a long story…”
“My lunch is an hour long.” He eyed his watch.
“Trinity was stuck in a deficient elevator. It kept skidding down before it stopped. But then it would drop again for ten feet before it stopped again. She couldn’t get out and the fire department wasn’t there yet…so I got her out.”
Cayson’s eyes were wide. “You got her out of there? How?”
I told him the whole story. “I basically traded spots with Trinity so she could get out and to safety.”
“Dude, you could have died.”
“If Trinity died, I died too.”
“But I mean…that was some serious stuff. You could have just waited for the fire department.”
“But I didn’t know when they would get there. I couldn’t wait.”
Cayson abandoned his chips. “That’s amazing, man. I don’t know anyone else who would have done that. I doubt even Mike would have done that.”
“I know.” I didn’t mean to sound arrogant or pompous. I was terrified through the entire experience. If someone chickened out I wouldn’t have blamed him. “But I had to get her out. She’s everything to me.”
He nodded. “You’re a hero.”
“I wouldn’t go that far…”
“No, you are. Do you really have any doubt that you’re the best man for her? Come on, who else would have done that?”
I shrugged. “No one.”
“So, are these dumb insecurities over with?”
“I think so.”
He released a relieved sigh. “Thank god. That was getting old, man.”
“Sorry.”
“And I didn’t enjoy seeing you naked. In fact, I threw up a little bit after Arsen and I left.”
“Maybe because you were jealous.”
“Gross.” He closed his eyes like I was naked in that moment. “My eyes still burn.”
I laughed. “I admit, being chained up and unable to do anything while my wife pretty much raped me…was fucking hot.”
Cayson returned to his chips and kept his gaze averted. “Anyway…”
“It’s so nice to be home again.” I spoke my mind. “I missed her so much. My body ached for her every day.”
“Well, you’ll never have to leave again. Just be happy.”
“I am happy.”
He finished his chips then moved onto his sandwich. “I have something to tell you.”
“Now you and Skye broke up?”
He shot me a glare. “Not funny. Anyway, I’m going on the trip—officially.”
“Oh…” I tried to act happy but I was struggling. The idea of not seeing my best friend every day for three months was torture. Who would I play basketball with? Who would I talk to when I was down? Who would I watch the game with? We’d been inseparable since we were born. But I couldn’t be selfish and make him feel bad for leaving. That’s not what real friends do. “That’s great.” I forced a fake smile on my lips. “I’m happy for you.”
Cayson knew I was lying. It was obvious in his features. “It’ll be over before you know it.”
At least I had Trinity to keep me company until he came back. “You aren’t going to do another one of these right…? This is a one-time thing?”
“Yes,” he said with a laugh.
“Then I think I can handle it…but I’m really going to miss you.” I wasn’t an emotional guy but I had a soft spot for Cayson.
“I’m going to miss you too,” he said quietly.
I stared at my sandwich and was no longer interested in eating it. “I’ll look after Skye while you’re gone. I’ll make sure she has everything she needs.”
“I appreciate that.”
“I know you would do it for me.”
He nodded. “I would.”
“So…right after the wedding?”
&nbs
p; “Yep.”
That wasn’t that long away. It was going to be a shitty three months. “Sean okay with it?”
“He came around.”
“At least that’s out of the way.”
“Just make sure she stays busy,” he said. “Play board games with her and have movie night and stuff.”
“I’ll be stuck to her like glue, man. Trinity too.”
“Okay,” he said. “Time goes by a lot faster when you’re busy.”
“You’ll be super busy, right?”
“I think so. I’m excited to go but I also just want to get it over with. The sooner I get back, the sooner I can begin my new life with Skye.”
“Please don’t have kids right away.” I gave him a pleading look.
He laughed. “Not ready yet?”
“Do I look ready? Trinity and I almost got divorced.”
“You did not,” he argued. “It never would have happened.”
I didn’t want to imagine a reality where Trinity did sign those divorce papers. “I don’t know…I was pretty adamant.”
“So was Trinity. And she never would have signed those papers.”
My wife could be feisty when she was particularly passionate about something. In my heart, I knew she would tear up every set of divorce papers I brought to her. If the situation were reversed, I would have done the same. “Need help with the wedding?”
“No, I think we have everything taken care of. Scarlet is doing most of the work so that really helps.”
“Why was my wedding so stressful and yours is a walk in the park?”
He shrugged. “Probably because Skye doesn’t want a princess wedding.”
“Yeah, maybe.” I imagined the wedding at the Preston estate and knew it would be a fun night. “You know what you should have?”
He gave me a knowing look. “No tigers, Slade.”
“Dammit.” I banged my fist against the table. “It would be so cool.”
“Yes, it would be so cool to watch a tiger eat my family members during the ceremony…” His voice was full of sarcasm.
“He won’t eat anyone. Put him on a leash.”
“Oh okay,” he said. “Problem solved.” He rolled his eyes.
“So, did you have anything in mind for the bachelor party?” I wiggled my eyebrows. “Keep in mind that I’m a married man and can’t do anything too crazy.”
“We went surfing for your bachelor party. That was the lamest party I’ve ever been to.”
“Whoa…” I raised my hands. “You’re the one who threw it.”
He chuckled. “I’m kidding. I’m not sure what I want to do—but no strippers.”
I was relieved. I would feel creepy going to a strip club as a married man. It seemed…wrong. “But it’s your bachelor party. There are supposed to be strippers.”
“No strippers.”
“We can hire some hookers…”
“Why the hell would we want a bunch of hookers?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Maybe you can learn a few things before the wedding night.”
He threw a tomato at me. “Go to hell.”
I picked it off my shirt then tossed it aside. It stuck to the wall. “Gross…”
“Get that off,” he said in a low voice.
“I’m not touching it.”
“It’s a tomato.”
“It’s all yours.”
He sighed then picked it off the wall. Then he placed it on a dirty napkin. “Such a girl…”
“You know, you shouldn’t insult your best man. I have the power to take you to a strip club against your will.”
“You’re less likely to walk in there than me.”
“What?” I asked in mock offense. “I’ll go into a strip club. I don’t care.”
“Sure…”
“What? I could.” I wasn’t sure why I was being so defensive about this.
“I’ve been teased for being so pussy-whipped over Skye. But Slade, you’re a million times worse than I am. You wouldn’t set foot inside a strip club, and if you did, your eyes would be sealed shut. Let’s not lie to ourselves.”
It irritated me that he was right. “Shows how much you know…”
“Okay.” He chuckled like he won the argument.
“Then let’s go to a strip club for your bachelor party. Unless you’re too pussy-whipped…”
Cayson ate his sandwich. “I have no problem admitting I’m pussy-whipped. It’s true. And it’ll save you some time just to admit it too.”
I narrowed my eyes on his face.
“You know what?” He set his sandwich on the wrapper. “I’m glad I’m pussy-whipped. I’ve never been happier. Everyone is jealous of what I have with Skye. I found the woman that I want to spend the rest of my life with. There’s not even a grain of doubt that she’s the one. A lot of people wish they had that even if they won’t admit it.”
When I thought about my life before Trinity I realized how empty it was. She was the first woman I forced myself to open up to. I finally gave someone love, and more importantly, I allowed myself to receive it. If I’d never done that, I would have woken up that morning to a girl whose name I couldn’t remember. I would have quickly kicked her out without saying goodbye then continued on my journey alone. At the time it wouldn’t seem so bad. But compared to what I had now, it was pitiful. “I think you’re right.”
“I know I’m right.” He fist-pounded me across the table. “We’re the luckiest guys in the world. We have two beautiful women that have agreed to put up with our crap for the rest of their lives.”
I chuckled. “Poor Trinity.”
“We just need to minimize the amount of crap so they don’t go anywhere.”
“I made Trinity breakfast this morning.”
“You did?” he asked as he raised both eyebrows. “How did you figure it out?”
“YouTube. I try to find things to do for her so she won’t hook up with some pretty model one day and never come home.”
He gave me a slight smile. “Trinity would never do that.”
“But I don’t want to give her a reason to.”
“I hope me leaving doesn’t cause anything like that…” He stared at his food but didn’t touch it.
“You have nothing to worry about,” I said immediately. “Skye would never do that—especially as a married woman. And I’ll spend so much time with her that she won’t have a chance to meet someone.”
“You’re going to stalk my wife?”
I shrugged. “So to speak. You know what you can do? Get her a tiger so it can guard her at all times—”
“Are you obsessed with Sigmund and Freud?”
“What?” I asked innocently. “I just like tigers.”
“A little too much…”
“You know how sick those things are? One of them could kill ten people in a second.”
“I’m surprised you don’t have a tattoo of a tiger.”
My eyes widened in realization. “I don’t…”
“Not that you should get one. It’s not like you have much room.”
I started thinking about the vacant part of my body. “I got my legs. I haven’t venture down there yet.”
“You have enough ink, Slade.”
“When are you going to get some?” I asked. “Let me put something on your bicep. I’m telling you, Skye will love it.”
“I’ll pass.”
“How about a rabid polar bear?” When I envisioned how it would look, I got excited.
“No tattoos, Slade.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re the most boring guy I’ve ever met.”
“Boring?” he asked. “I’m leaving for three months into the Sahara. How is that boring?”
“Well…it’s the only somewhat interesting thing you’ve ever done.”
“Whatever.” He continued eating.
“Is this wedding going to be on the beach?”
“I think so,” he said. “It’s what Skye wants. And I think it will be beautiful.�
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“Who’s marrying you?”
“Not sure yet.”
I slammed my hand down on the table. “I have the perfect idea. What if I marry you?”
He gave me a look that said, “That’s not funny.”
“Come on. Wouldn’t it be better to have someone up there you actually know? Otherwise you’re going to get a generic ceremony from someone you’ve never met. It would be perfect. Skye is my cousin and you’re my best friend. What would be better than that?”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea…”
“Pretty please.” I leaned over the table and begged him. “I’ll do such a good job. I swear.”
“Why do you want to do this so bad?”
“Because you’re my best friend. It would be so sick to marry you two.”
“Slade, it’s a big responsibility.”
“And I’ll be on top of my game—I promise.”
“You aren’t even ordained.”
“I can get ordained over the Internet.”
Cayson still looked hesitant.
“Come on, man. I promise I’ll do a good job.”
He released a sigh as he looked at me. “Let me talk to Skye about it first.”
I fist-pumped the air. “Yes! Slade Sisco, Minister of Love.”
“I’m not calling you that.”
I went off on my own tangent. “I’ll have to wear multi-colored robes. And I’ll have to wear one of those hats that French guys wear. Ooh! And I’ll—”
“You’re wearing a suit and tie. And we haven’t decided if you’re doing this or not.”
“That’s so boring! And yes, I’m doing this. I’m doing this whether you like it or not.”
He covered his face with his palms. “Oh no…”
***
I walked into Trinity’s office after five. She was sitting at her desk while staring at a document on her desk. She was biting her nail like she was anxious.
“Everything alright?”
She looked up when she realized I was there. “Sorry…just drifted away for a moment.”
I leaned over the desk and gave her a hard kiss. “How was your day?”
“A little stressful…we’re relocating so there’s a lot to take care of.”
“It’s official?”
“Yeah.”
