Because (Seven Year Itch #4)(40)

He shrugs. “I don’t know. She’s stubborn.”

“I may need that lawyer now.”

He pats me on the shoulder. “Whatever you need. I’m sorry for my part in this. I never should have agreed to go to her workplace and taunt her. It was a terrible idea I knew had the potential of backfiring.”

“Yeah, well it’s definitely proving to be one of my worst mistakes yet.”

“So where are the two lovebirds now? I’m here to give them a ride. Ty messaged me earlier. He said he needs to get to his car and doesn’t want to ask you since he heard the commotion this morning.”

I’ve been sitting in the kitchen since the altercation. “I guess they’re upstairs. I have no idea.”

Toby finds Tyler and his girl and they eagerly leave. Ty apologizes before walking out the door. It’s not his fault. He’s single. He couldn’t have known this would happen.

I spend the whole day feeling lost. I send more messages with no response. Finally, around dinner time, my phone rings and I notice it’s Shayla.

Our conversation doesn’t go as expected. She’s telling me how it’s going to be. She’s destroying me with every word that escapes her pretty little mouth. Our marriage is over. I can’t even begin to feel anything but pain as the call ends. I’m sobbing like a little girl, and I can’t stop. The ground has fallen out from under me. There is no resolution for this outcome. She’s left me and she’s never coming back. I don’t want to accept it, but I have no other choice.

I should be cleaning up, but I’m unable to move. Hours later I manage to make it into the bedroom where I plop down on the mattress and remain until the next morning.

I call out of work and go back to bed. When I hear the kitchen door opening I’m elated because I know she’s come to move her things back in, and then I recall everything that has taken place. She’s not here for me. She’s here to make sure I’m gone.

My mom steps in the doorway. “Brandon, what are you doing home from work? Shayla said you were coming to our house. I wanted to know if you needed help with your things.”

I’m sad it’s not my wife, but also relieved in my current state that she isn’t able to see how damaged I am. “What else did she say?”

She comes in the room and sits down on the bed. “Enough. My heart is breaking for the both of you. I know this decision isn’t what either of you wanted to come to.”

“Yeah, well the damage is done.”

“It’s none of my business, Brandon, but I have to know if what she said is true. Did you have another woman here over the weekend?”

“Tyler did.” I wipe the tiredness from my face. “They were too drunk to drive, so I brought them home with me. It doesn’t matter. Shayla will never believe that’s all it was. I had Toby talk to her the other day at work. I thought it would help me get her back, but whatever he said fueled her suspicions. I screwed up so bad, Mom.”

“We’ll find a way to get it all worked out.”

I’m not certain she’s hearing me right. “No. It won’t work this time. She wants a divorce.”

I can feel a burning in my throat. My head starts to ache and I become overwhelmed with sadness. I bury my face in my hands and feel my mother’s hand on my back. She’s trying to comfort me, but nothing she can say will help. “It’s going to be okay. Nothing is set in stone. Shayla needs time to calm down.”

I want to think it can be fixed with time, but I’m losing hope. Too much has happened. Nothing goes right. It’s best if we just stop ruining each other’s lives. It’s what Shayla wants. For once I want to give her that. “I’m not going to fight her anymore. She’s right. We need to stop worrying about our problems and focus on Ab. She’s the most important thing to each of us. I think I’d rather have her as a friend then push her to wish she never met me.”

My mom doesn’t leave for hours. She convinces me to get up and gather some of my things together. She does the dishes and straightens up the mess my friends and I made over the weekend, then she fixes me something to eat and watches to make sure I get something in my stomach.

We load both of our vehicles, and I watch as she heads home with some of my things. I’m left alone in the house I’m about to leave, and it’s bittersweet.

I know I’ll be back to visit, but it won’t be the same. This was the home we thought we’d grow old together in. Every room had our own personal touches. I think back to painting Aberdeen’s room when Shayla was pregnant. We were very much in love. I was crazy about her. She was the coolest girl I’d ever dated. She let me paint all over her belly before we ended up screwing right in the middle of the drop cloth. I smile for a second before I’m brought back to reality. There have been so many times I’ve neglected to appreciate the good things. Now that I’ll be without them I don’t know how I’ll be able to proceed. It will kill me to not be able to come home to Aberdeen waiting for me. I wonder if eventually Shayla will allow me to come to dinner to hang out with them. I can feel tears forming in my eyes again. Everything is gone and I’m somewhat at fault. Full of regret, I shoot Shayla a message to let her know I’m about to leave with my stuff.

The house is yours. I’ll be gone in the next five minutes. – Bran