And just like that, everything changes. He smiles at me, we kiss, and it’s as if two stars collide and a new one is formed.
“So,” I say as the happiness overwhelms me and I begin to feel giddy. “I guess the next couple of days are going to be fun?”
Titus grins back. “Oh, you have no idea.”
10
Titus
Four months later…
I don’t knowif this painting is going to look any good on this wall, but Lucy will definitely let me know when she gets here. It’s almost one month since I moved into this house, and I’m still struggling to get the place decorated. I’m hopeless. But having a female touch around has sure been a big help.
The great salary, combined with the company’s home-financing program as well as a loan, have made it possible for me to move out of that old apartment and into this place. It’s not Justin Bieber’s mansion in Beverly Hills, but it fits me nicely.
The job has been going well too. Still no deadly attacks on the vice president, although I did have to subdue a couple of crazed attackers outside the building a couple weeks ago. They were screaming about something that nobody could make heads or tails of. We called the police and had them taken away.
Lucy and I are together and more in love than ever. Although we still have to keep our relationship a secret from Dougie, and that’s hurting both of us.
She’s sent her acceptance letter in to Columbia, and her father fully expects her to go there in the fall. Of course, neither she or I are sure how that’s going to happen with her being pregnant. She’s also been accepted to two more art shows out here, which is only making her not want to go even more.
Yeah, we’re in a tough position.
There’s no new text on my phone as I head down to the truck. I was expecting one from Dougie. We’re scheduled to play nine holes of golf today after work, and he said he’d text me when he was headed over. Either way, I head over anyway. I can always hit some balls to warm up if he’s late.
As it turns out, Dougieislate. Almost an hour late, which is very unlike him. I text him several times to see where he is, but don’t get a response until I see him walking up to me from the parking lot. He’s not carrying his clubs. In fact, he’s not even dressed to play.
“There he is!” I call out with a smile. “What happened? The building fall over on ya?”
Dougie doesn’t reply. He simply marches toward me, stone-faced, like he’s a robot or something. From a distance, he appears emotionless, but as he grows closer, I can see he’s giving me that look that he gives when he’sreallypissed but doing his best to hold it in. I’ve seen it before, and it isnota look you want to see from Dougie.
“Whoa, you all right, pal?” I ask. “Something happen—?”
“You’re goddamn right something happened,” Dougie replies, getting right up in my face. He’s grilling me—staring me down. I’m getting a really bad feeling about this.
“Okay…”
“I saw it, Titus. Lucy’s baby bump.”
Shit. Yeah, this is bad.Reallybad.
I always knew this was a possibility—no, an inevitability—but standing here with the consequences of my actions staring me right in my face…well, I guess it’s just a little different than I expected it would be.
“Dougie—”
“She told me everything, Titus.” I can see the look of intense rage in his eyes. And not just rage—betrayal. My best friend feels hurt. Lied to. And I understand all that. “She told me how you got her pregnantsoearly so you couldbindher to you…”
“Dougie, youknowI’ll take care of her—”
I’m cut off by the crack of his fist connecting with my mouth.
The blow knocks me back a couple steps but that’s all. I’ve taken harder hits in boot camp and could retaliate and take Dougie down in two seconds if I wanted to.
But I don’t want to. In fact, the last thing I want right now is to drive a further wedge between my best friend and me.
“I trusted you,” Dougie says, looking down on me, his voice quivering. He’s on the edge of tears.
“I’m sorry, Doug.” My chest feels hollow. He’s right. I know he is. I should have said something to him, gone to him like a man instead of keeping this a secret. “But I love her. And youknowI’ll never let anything happen to her. No matter what issues you and I have.”