Jason
God damn if the someone out to get Tamara is her boss. Not really, though. Still sitting in my car waiting, but I can’t sit still too much longer. Opening the door, I step out, slamming it shut. I can’t believe the shit that Tamara’s been through during the past few weeks.
The stakes couldn’t have been any higher. No, just messing with someone’s life is okay. That’s not a bit important. I know Charlotte always fucked around on the boss, but I didn’t see this coming. Ever.
My anger subsides for the moment and I wonder where Ken is. Sighing heavily, I bend over to pick up some stones and throw them one by one, as hard as I can, into the woods. Somehow, the movement of my body and the swing of my arm release the mounting anger.
I don’t want to be angry when Ken does show up. Depending on the news from the hospital, I’m going to tell him my feelings regarding this threesome stuff. Just not my thing. I hope this doesn’t tear me and Tamara apart, because I really do love her.
Hearing Ken’s bike in the distance, I toss the last few stones that I have. I chuckle about the line regarding people in glass houses and stones. I never understood that until about a year ago. I look down the road and see Ken’s one-eyed metal driving machine coming toward me.
He slows down and takes his glasses off. “How is she? Have you heard anything?”
“No, not yet,” I look at him seriously wondering why I would ever let him talk me into sucking him off. “In fact, before the ambulances left, I tried to find out and no one said anything. Not hi, or bye, or kiss my ass. Nothing.”
“Well, let’s get to the hospital to see how she is,” he puts his glasses back on and revs the bike for takeoff. I get my ass behind the wheel of my car and start the engine. It purrs to life, but groans when I make turns.
She’s old and I’ve had her for a number of years. Planning on getting a new one by the end of this year. I don’t know what I’ll choose, but it’ll be new and fast.
I pull into the emergency room lot right behind Ken, parking next to him. Heading inside, he leans over the information desk to the woman behind it. “We’re looking for Tamara Daniels. She came in through here a little while ago.”
The woman’s fingers fly over the keyboard, retrieving the information Ken asks for. She writes something on a sticky note and hands it to Ken. “She’s been stabilized and removed from the emergency department. She’s in surgery and being admitted to the hospital. If you take this hall to the elevators, they can help you upstairs in locating her.”
“Thanks,” Ken looks at the note, then to me as he nods towards the elevators. “Let’s go. There isn’t a room number yet because they just put her under for the surgery.”
“I guess that’s a good sign, right?” I ask, following him to the elevators.
“I can be,” Ken says.
In the elevator, Ken is lost in thought. “What’s on your mind, man?” I ask, checking on him.
He shakes his head and looks at me. “Too much has happened to Tamara in such a short period of time. I’m concerned about her mental state having gone through it all.”
“It’s a possibility that she could crack or have a breakdown of sorts,” I say looking at my reflection in the polished steel. Don’t worry man, I tell myself. You’re not gay.
The elevator dings and the doors open to the fifth floor. This time, I ask for the information regarding Tamara. Stopping at the desk, I smile at the coordinator and ask, “He and I are looking for Tamara Daniels. She came in through the emergency room.”
“She’ll be out of surgery in about half an hour. But you can wait in her room. Five twenty-four. Turn left here and then follow it down. She’ll be on the right-hand side of the hall,” she replies and smiles. “Have a good evening.”
“You also,” I call over my shoulder as I walk away with Ken next to me.
Opening the door, we take a step back as we see Tamara being wheeled in on a gurney, still out from the anesthetic. Once she’s inside and while the nurses finish and leave, we ask the doctor how she is. He replies that the bullet went through her shoulder, barely missing her heart. With some physical therapy, she’ll be back to normal.
Good news. I enter the room, and Ken follows. She stirs momentarily when the door creaks and opens her eyes. “Hey,” she says with the same scratchy voice from the head-smashing incident.
“We can’t stay long. Visiting hours are almost over. But we’ll come back tomorrow and see how you are,” I say, holding her hand and kissing her forehead.
“You can count on that,” Ken says as he leans over to kiss her cheek.
We wait until she dozes off again before slipping out of the door. I invite Ken back to my place for the talk that he doesn’t want to have.
At the house, I turn to Ken and begin the string of confessions. “Ken, I’d like you to know that I think of you as my new best friend,” I look down, searching for the correct words. “But I can’t spend the rest of my life in a threesome.” I look deeply in his eyes and see the hurt coming forth. I continue, “There isn’t an easy way to say this, however, I’ve come to the conclusion that I love Tamara and I’m going to ask her to marry me.”
I watch as his eyes grow wide, shunning the hurt and showing some protective anger. “Well, then I guess it’ll surprise you to know that I love her too, fucker! And I want to marry her,” Ken says to me sharply. “This is my relationship too!”
“I guess you know where the damn door is and you best be through it in a second before I put you through it. I’m going to marry her and you aren’t a part of that anymore. You need to leave right now,” I say with hostile intentions. “Just go and get the fuck out of my sight!”
“You’re such an asshole!” Ken turns to leave and turns back once more, eyes filling with tears and brimming with wrath. “You’ll be sorry for this, Jason. I hope you really don’t get hurt or hurt Tamara, because then it’ll be you going through a door.”
“Go on, just leave, damn it!” I spit at him. “I can’t be involved in that type of relationship. He slams the door and I flop into my chair. Angrier with myself, more than with him.