"What are you doing in there?" I asked. I
probably looked like a tool, standing outside the bathroom, balls
naked, with a hard-on that wouldn't lie the fuck down. Glancing
back at the bed, I noticed the sheets before looking down at my
junk. I sagged in relief.
Got it.
I didn’t have a clue why she was so
embarrassed. It wasn’t a big deal. Not to me. It was a woman thing.
It was a good thing. It was a fucking great thing. Her body was
starting to regulate again.
Finally.
"Baby, it's not a big
deal. Can I come in?"
"No," she called out. "I'm peeing. Go to
work, Kyle. I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" I wasn't sure. I wasn't one
bit sure about this. She was being weird as fuck about this. This
was beyond my comprehension. Did I go in anyway? Would I be
breaking some weird girly code? I didn't care if she peed in front
of me…
Fuck it, I needed to check.
Opening the door slowly, I peeked my head
through the opening. "Lee, don't be embarrassed. It's just me…Ouch,
what the fuck." My hand shot up to my nose. I staggered back as my
eyes watered. I looked around for the source of the pain in my nose
and my eyes locked on the weapon. Bending down, I grabbed the
shampoo bottle and slammed the door open. "Did you just hit me with
a fucking shampoo bottle?"
"Get out," she screamed as she scrambled to
cover herself up. "For the love of god, get out now. Close the
door."
"For fuck sake, Lee," I hissed, throwing the
bottle on the floor. "I've seen you naked. I've seen you give
birth. Christ, I looked up your v…"
"Oh my god, will you just get out," she
screamed. "Some things are private, Kyle."
"Fine," I huffed, backing away. "But just so
you know, you're on my shit list for this." I had no idea why I was
saying this, but I was feeling wounded. Damn, my nose was stinging.
"That's right, Lee. I have a shit list, too."
"Fine by me," she snapped. "Close the door
after you, asshat."
Slamming the door closed, I took a few deep,
calming breaths before grabbing my clothes and going downstairs to
the pool room for a shower. Perfect start to the day.
Crazy fucking woman…
****
Lee
"That sounds normal," Dr. Bromwick said after
I told him all my symptoms and I felt anything but relief. My hand
tightened around my phone as I listened to him roll off an
explanation I knew in my gut was wrong. "Intercourse can be painful
after childbirth alone and given the circumstances I'm not
surprised you're feeling some discomfort."
I'd scrambled out from underneath Kyle before
rushing into the bathroom and confirming what I'd thought I felt
while we were having sex. I was bleeding. Not heavily, but enough
to be worried.
Oh god, I shouldn't have thrown that shampoo
bottle at Kyle…but I'd been mortified. He stuck his head round the
door and stared straight at me while I was peeing. What the
hell?
I wasn't used to men or relationships, but I
was pretty sure that wasn't normal. Husband to be or not, we needed
boundaries. But I deserved everything he would say to me when he
came home. I knew I was in trouble. He couldn't hate me more than I
hated myself right now…I hit him. Again.
I'd phoned Dr. Michael's office the moment
Kyle had stalked out. Dr. Michaels wasn't available and I'd been
put through to his much younger, much grumpier, registrar. "But
what about the blood?" I asked Dr. Bromwick, feeling incredibly
embarrassed. "Do you think I could come in for a checkup? Just to
be safe?" The blood terrified me. It wasn't the sex. Kyle was
gentle. I was burning and bleeding and everything ached.
"How old are you Miss Bennett?" Dr Bromwick
asked impatiently.
"Twenty," I whispered as my cheeks
reddened.
"And what do you think, at your age, is
supposed happen to your body on a monthly basis?"
Shame engulfed me. I was glad Hope was the
only one who was in the room because I was sure I was about to
burst into tears. "A menstrual cycle," I muttered in humiliation.
"But that's not what this…"
"Very good," he said interrupting me in a
sarcastic tone before sighing. "Look, take some Advil for the
cramps and put a hot compression against your back. You'll be fine
in a few hours."
I bit down on my lip as the burning
intensified. I didn't feel right. Something was very wrong. My body
had been quite literally torn apart and pieced back together in the
past year. The doctors reckoned that the injuries my body had
endured, along with stress, was the reason why I didn't ovulate
anymore. And even if this was a period, I shouldn't be burning. I
was in agony. This wasn’t right. "Dr. Bromwick, I really think I
need to be examined. Dr. Michaels said to call him immediately if I
had a problem…"
"And I really think I need to examine
patients who have an actual ailment, Miss Bennett," he snapped.
"Not stupid little girls with period pains. If young ladies such as
yourself are old enough to have babies, then surely you're old
enough to understand your own body. There's no cure that I can
prescribe for imprudence."
"Okay, I'm sorry for bothering you," I
whispered before hanging up. I sank down on the couch and buried my
head in my hands. I'd been sure what was happening to me was an
actual
ailment…but then again he was the doctor and I was
the uneducated house-keeper. He knew more than I did. I knew
nothing really. Nothing at all. Oh god, I wasn't sure what to
think. Maybe I was over-reacting?
****
Kyle
"Open the damn door, Derek," I growled as I
tried my key in the lock for the fifth fucking time. He'd locked it
on the inside and I was getting agitated. I had a hell of a lot to
do today, but I needed to check in on him. His phone call earlier
had freaked me out. "Come on, dude. Just let me in," I said in a
softer tone. I could hear banging coming from the other side of the
door and it was scaring the shit out of me. I knew exactly where
the noise was coming from and I hoped like hell he'd answer the
door instead of putting his head through it.
"Do you think she was hiding something
from me?"
he'd blurted out the second I'd answered his call and
for a moment I hadn't a clue who he was talking about. I'd quickly
realized who when he added,
"She fucking hated Mike. It makes no
sense, Kyle. I can't accept this shit…"
He never brought Cam up in conversation with
me and I was hoping this was a break-through. His behavior was
unpredictable as hell lately, and Lee's behavior had been even more
unpredictable. Jesus Christ. I rubbed my nose and made a mental
note to never walk in on her peeing again…
"You on your own?" I heard him ask and I
sagged in relief.
"Yeah. It's just me." I pressed my forehead
against the door and waited. After a couple of minutes I heard the
sound of the lock clicking and stepped back. When he opened the
door I had to force my features to remain impassive. Inside I was
burning. He looked a mess and I knew in my heart of hearts that the
guy had drank himself stupid last night. So much for doing
better…
Goddammit.
"Sorry," Derek mumbled as he held the door
open for me.
Picking up the bags of groceries I'd bought,
I stepped through the doorway and was hit with the nastiest stench
I'd smelt since Hope's bout of diarrhea last week. "What the hell,
dude?" Dropping the bags of food on the kitchen table, I covered my
nose with my hand. "What's that smell?"
"I got a puppy," he mumbled. Strolling out of
the kitchen, he returned a few minutes later with the ugliest
fucking creature I'd ever seen in his hands.
"What the fuck is that?" I pointed at the
ball of matted fur in his hands. I wasn't sure if I was looking at
a dog or a gremlin.
"His name is Kevin," Derek said deadpan. "And
I think he's a shiatsu. I found him last night on my way home from
Bobby's. The poor guy was huddled behind the dumpster at the back
of the bar."
"Kevin?" I shook my head and stepped forward
to get a closer look
.
"Hate to tell you, dude, but he's not
a puppy. Did you see the size of his…?"
"He was dumped, Kyle," Derek said in a tone
which implied I should shut the fuck up. "He was freezing cold and
starving. What the hell was I supposed to do, leave him there?
Abandon him? Get a newer version instead? Something's are worth
fixing. Sometimes people should fix the shit they have instead of
running off and getting an upgrade."
What the hell was he talking about? I held my
hands up in defense. "I didn't say you had…"
"I'm keeping him," Derek growled in a warning
tone as he held the
dog
to his chest. "So don't even suggest
an animal shelter."
"Fine," I said wearily as I started unpacking
the groceries. "Keep the damn dog. Just give him a bath. He smells
like ass."
"See, Kevin," Derek crooned. "He's just a big
softie deep down."
Jesus, he was as moody as a woman.
"And for god's sake, don't tell Lee about
Kevin
," I growled. "The last thing I need right now is a
dog. I have enough responsibilities."
"You liked Bruno," Derek said and I flinched.
"Be honest, Kyle. You were attached to that old guy."
Yeah, I'd liked Lee's old Labrador, Bruno.
I'd liked him a lot until he was poisoned last May. "He was
different," I mumbled. "He smelled a hell of a lot better than
Gismo over there."
"He'll grow on you," Derek chuckled as Kevin
licked his face.
"Hey, Der," I said as I flicked on the
kettle. "You ever walk in a girl when she's…using the
bathroom?"
"Ha," Derek laughed and it was a rare sound.
"You fucking idiot." Placing the dog on the floor, he folded his
arms across his chest and grinned at me. "What was her weapon of
choice?"
"Shampoo bottle," I muttered.
"Could have been worse," he chuckled. "I
walked in on Cam once. She threatened to castrate me in my sleep
with a blunt scissors–after she wacked me on the head with the
toilet paper holder."
"That's nothing," I chuckled.
"It was a
metal
toilet paper holder,
Kyle," he added in a serious tone. "I ended up with two stiches." I
laughed out loud when he ducked his head and showed me the small
scar on the back of his head. "You need to be careful, dude," he
warned. "Women are really weird about shit like that."
"That's what I don't understand," I said in
exasperation. "What's the big deal?"
"I have no clue," he replied. "But here are
my words of wisdom from past experience. Steer clear of the three
P's."
I shook my head. "Three P's?"
"Pee, poop and period," he said solemnly.
"Never, and I mean
never
, walk in during, or bring into
conversation any of those three bodily functions and you'll remain
unscathed...hopefully."
"God, they're so fucking weird," I
sighed.
"Tell me about it," he agreed.
"Are you still coming to dinner on
Saturday?" I asked
.
"You haven't stopped by in a while, and
the girls…they're missing you, man."
"Yeah," Derek sighed. "I'll be there. I
wanna be the first person to say I told you so when it blows up in
your face. Because it will blow up in your face, Kyle."
"I know what I'm doing," I snapped really
irritated as hell that he didn't agree with me. "It's happening,
Derek, and I would appreciate your support on this."
"
You
have my support," he grumbled.
"But your stupid fucking plan sure as hell doesn’t. But then again,
you don't need my approval. You're gonna do it anyway, aren't you,
dumbass?"
"Yep," I muttered as I poured another carton
of sour milk down the drain.
Black coffee again today…
"By
the way, your room in the new house is pretty cool, Derek…well,
your own floor actually. It's really sweet, man." When he didn't
answer I swung around and realized he was gone.
The mutt was sitting where Derek had stood
and was staring directly at me. "You don't know what you're getting
yourself into, Kevin," I muttered as I knelt down to pet him. His
bottom teeth jutted out over his top ones as he wagged his tail,
and I had to admit he was kinda cute–if I didn't breathe through my
nose. "I'd take my chances on the streets if I were you, man," I
told him. "Derek's worse than any bitch you'll ever meet."
****
Lee
The second Kyle walked through the door of
our suite, I scrambled off the couch and rushed towards him. "I'm
sorry," I blurted out as I rushed over to him. He stood, frozen to
the spot, staring down at my face with a look of confusion on his
own. "I am so, so sorry," I whispered as I wrapped my arms around
his waist. "I will never throw a shampoo bottle at you again.
Ever."
After a few moments he sighed heavily,
wrapped his arms around me and kissed my hair. "Or an apple."
I cringed in shame. "Or an apple."
"You know, princess," he mused as he lifted
my chin up with his fingers. "You would have made a fine pitcher.
Your aim is pretty damn perfect."
"It's not funny," I mumbled, burying my face
in his shirt. "Don't let me off the hook so easily. You should be
really mad at me. I'm a horrible person. I'm not good, Kyle. You
should…you should…"
"I should what, baby?" he said in a soft
tone, lifting my face again. "I should punish you?" He shook his
head. "I'm not him, Lee. There's nothing you could ever do to make
me want to hurt you. I'm never gonna hurt you. I'm never gonna
leave you." Leaning down, he pressed his lips to mine before
pulling back and smirking. "Even when you're behaving like a
hormonal anti-Christ."
"Kyle," I choked out. "I've slapped you
twice. Thrown an apple at your head and now a shampoo bottle. I am
a disgusting person. I know how it feels. I don't want you to feel
like that. I don't want to make anyone feel like that. Not
you…Never you."