Intrigue

Walking into the bar now felt weird now to me. I knew I couldn’t drink so it all seemed kind of pointless. Everyone knew Brent and people stopped and conversed with him throughout the first hour we were at the bar. We had ordered food and we were eating when Megan and Ryan approached. Brent stood up and gave them a hug . Ryan gave me a big hug and Megan just said a quiet “what’s up”. They ordered dinner and we ate and watched the game on TV. The Flyers were playing the Rangers and it was a tied game.

I nearly screamed when the Flyers scored early in the second period. Ryan gave me a high five. “How can you cheer for a team other than your boyfriend’s team. That is so wrong.” Megan snapped, clearly annoyed. I took a deep breath before I responded.

“It’s fiancée’ sweetheart”, I said, flashing the ring under her nose. “I grew up in Philly. I will always be a Flyers fan at heart. Brent knows this.” She looked surprised, like she just expected me to allow her to throw digs at me .

Brent squeezed my hand under the able and flashed me a quick smile. Keith finally joined us a long with about ten more people. We sat and talked, laughing and having a good time for the first hour. Everyone was doing shots of vodka and by the time midnight had rolled around, everyone was getting pretty drunk. I was currently playing Keith in pool. “Alex, no fair you are the only sober one.”

I looked up at him and smiled, he grinned at me and pointed to Megan, who was pulling a drunk Brent onto the dance floor amid his protests. I just shook my head at him. I wasn’t too worried. He ended up dancing for a minute before coming back towards us. “I told Megan we’d meet her at the Country Western bar tomorrow.” He said as he sat down.

“Yeah, I’m out. I want to spend some time with Madison before I start working during the day.” I said to him and he frowned.

“Better take advantage of this now before we are sentenced to life with kids.” He said and the table cracked up. I won’t lie it annoyed me beyond belief and Keith looked at me sympathetically.

“And how would you know what that feels like Mr. gone half of the year?” I spit and Keith choked on his beer. Brent looked up at me with hurt in his eyes.

“I’m going home, I’m sorry I am just really tired.” I said to the group. Keith walked me to the truck and I drove home and climbed into bed and quickly fell asleep. I heard loud laughter and looked over at the clock. It read four o’clock in the morning. Within seconds Madison had asked for a cup. I picked her up and walked out of his bedroom and into the kitchen and was greeted by six smiling faces. I was half asleep and in pajamas.

“Wow don’t you look adorable.” Megan said and I just threw her a look. Brent was still mad about the earlier comment and was eager to jump in on the discussion.

“Sexy babe” he said as he pulled at the long t-shirt I had on. I grabbed Madi’s cup and walked out shaking my head. Keith caught up to me. “He is drunk Al, relax.” He said and I fumed.

“He is rude, she is a witch. I’ll tell you what, she says something else to me or hits on your brother I may just have to kick her ass once this baby is born." He went into the kitchen and pulled Brent aside, I went to bed.

The next morning I woke up and Suzanne stumbling into the kitchen. Madi was still sleeping and Brent wasn’t in our room. I went into the kitchen and she handed me a cup as she made the coffee. “Have you seen your son?” I asked.

“No, I just got up. Did you guys have a good time last night? You were rather loud in the middle of the night.” She said as she sleepily waited for the coffee to finish.

“Actually I was home early, went to sleep. I wanted to make sure I was up before Madison today.” I said and the I went in search of Brent. I walked into the living room and he was sound asleep on the sofa, her head in his lap. It made me sick to my stomach to know he just didn’t care. He knew I would walk out and see him there. I resolved to not make a scene and walked back into the kitchen.

“Hey Suzanne, I’m going to take Madi out for the day. Can you let Brent know when he wakes up to call me? I’m going to take her to the zoo and a few other places.” She looked at me funny but agreed. I was sure she would understand once she walked into the living room. I dressed Madison quickly and we left, hitting a diner for breakfast.

By the middle of breakfast, he was ringing my phone off the hook. “Alexa, come home please, so we can talk. Nothing happened. I swear on Madison.” He pleaded over the phone. It wasn’t the point and I hoped he realized that. I told him I would be back later on tonight. I took Madison to the zoo first, then we went and took a nap at a local hotel. Once we were finished, we went to dinner, the toy store and the department store. Brent had called me several more times and I ignored the calls. I just needed time away from him.

Madi and I had an awesome day and we headed back to the house around eight o’clock at night. The minute I walked in, Suzanne gave me a hug. “Where is he?” I asked and told me she wasn’t sure, she knew he went out with Keith, something about a bar. I bathed Madi and put her in bed. She quickly feel asleep. We had a really long day. The minute I seen she was sleeping I gave Suzanne a hug and let her and Gary know I’d be back.

I headed towards the only Country bar I had seen in town. I walked in and seen him right away, surrounded by a crowd of people. I walked up quietly and sat down at a table by him. He seen me and continued to talk to everyone around him. After ten minutes, I got up and left and went home to my daughter. I went straight to the bedroom, saying goodnight to Suzanne and Gary in the process.

I heard the argument the minute he walked in after the bar had closed. Gary was upset and was waiting when Brent and Keith walked in with Ryan, Megan and another female judging from the voice. “One, get the girls out of my house now. I don’t care how old you are, get you own place if you have a problem with it.” Once everyone had left he sat them on the couch.

“Keith, go to bed. You better worry about keeping yourself in shape or you will be sitting in the minors again this year.” He said to a wordless Keith who I heard bang his bedroom door.

“And you, I don’t even know what the hell is going through that little bean sized brain of yours. I see your soon to be wife being a mom to a daughter who isn’t even hers. As for you, being scared isn’t an excuse Brent. You don’t think I was scared with you and your brother?” he asked and he let the silence sink in the room.

“I was, but I never used it as an excuse to screw up. Get it together son, she is too independent and will leave you. Don’t ever invite Megan back into my house. She is just as wrong as you are. She knows you are about to be married. You better figure out how to make it up to Alex, the person who has given up so much just to be with you.” He said and went to his room.

I heard Brent coming down the hall and I faked sleeping. He threw covers on the floor and laid down. I had made up my mind I needed a few days off. I called Mike the next morning before Brent got up to see if he wanted to take in the Flyers playoff home games scheduled for Friday night and Sunday afternoon. He quickly agreed when I reminded him how “hot” Jeff was.

I anxiously awaited Brent to wake up. I knew he was not going to be happy, but I thought it would be good for him. I had asked Suzanne after I made my plans to not help him too much with Madi. It was Thursday. I planned on being gone until Sunday. I figured he’d have to be a dad to her all weekend, mostly by himself.

Notes

Love Alexa, teaching him a hard lesson.