Love on Leave

by Leah McDonnell

  “She’s running a fever. If you’ll get her into bed, I’m going to run and get her some medicine.” He bolts before I have time to protest.

  By morning my sore throat and headache have shifted into what feels like full-blown flu. I managed to get a couple of hours of sleep, but my hacking cough wakes me and Max, both up.

  “You, ok?" he asks between a sleepy yawn.

  He is caught off guard to find me laying in the other bed. “What are you doing over there?”

  My voice is gone, but I manage to force a throaty reply. “I got sick after you went to bed last night. Running a fever and didn’t want to risk getting you sick too. Lana and Artie stayed in another room so I could have this bed.”

  His eyes widen. “Oh God, Kate! I’m so sorry.”

  He’s to me in a split second. His eyes scanning my face.

  He cowers his head. “I shouldn’t have drank so much last night. I would have been…”

  “Max, no!” I say, grabbing his hand. “I wanted you to have a good time.”

  “But I could tell something was wrong. You weren’t yourself. I thought maybe it was because Davis came with us.”

  “I didn’t want to be Debbie Downer,” I squeak out, grasping at my throat from the pain.

  He grimaces. “Is there anything I can get you?”

  I point to the dresser on the far side of the room. “Would you pass me the bag of cough drops?

  Motrin, Nyquil, cough drops, a box of Kleenex, and two bottles of orange Gatorade, line the small four drawer dresser. Max’s head lowers when he turns and sees half the CVS pharmacy sitting there. He’s even more disappointed in himself now.

  It's best for everyone if I don’t mention who bought it all, choosing a more open-ended approach.

  “They ran and grabbed me a few things last night.”

  He sucks in a big breath and shakes his head. “Dammit!” he mumbles. “I can’t believe I wasn’t here for you. I’m so pissed at myself.”

  “It’s no big deal, I promise,” I say, reassuring him.

  A knock at the door is an appreciated distraction. Max opens it to a fully dressed and ready to go, Lana and Ashley.

  “Morning, Drunkard!” Lana teases, causing him to feel even guiltier. “We figured we would go ahead and get your sickly ass on home,” she continues as she barges into the room.

  As much as I didn’t want to leave Max, the thought of going home and getting into my own bed was the best words I could hear. “Ok," I mouth, forcing myself to an upright position.

  “No, no, no,” Max blurts. “Lay back down. I’ll pack your stuff.”

  Too tired to argue, I do as he says. Maybe helping me pack will ease some of his frustrations for missing out last night.

  I’m laid out in the back seat as Lana and Ash talk about how much fun they had last night and their upcoming holiday plans. My fever’s back as I drift in and out of sleep. Finding yet again, I’m the odd man out when it comes to matters of the heart.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Thanksgiving

  I glide into the kitchen and raise my nose, breathing in the mouth-watering aroma of Thanksgiving dinner cooking.

  “Whoa, Mom! The turkey smells fantastic!”

  “Thank you, honey! Not too much longer and it’ll be ready.”

  “Need any help?”

  “I think I have everything under control, you go relax. Oh! By the way… Happy Birthday!”

  I roll out my lip. “Awe! Thanks, Mom.”

  “How does it feel to be twenty-one?”

  “Good,” I admit. “Strange. But good.”

  She wraps an arm around me as I sneak a deviled egg from the table. “It’s good to have you home, sweetheart. I think this might be the longest you’ve ever stayed gone.”

  “I know. I’m sorry. Classes have been a nightmare this semester.”

  Max flew home to Texas yesterday to spend the holiday with his family. I met him at a Ruby Tuesday’s outside the Atlanta airport for a quick lunch before his flight. Between him having CQ Duty and a big project due for my marketing class, it was the first time we’d seen each other since Halloween. I’ve missed him, and even though it was only for a little while, feeling his arms around me was exactly what I needed.

  Mom doesn’t know I’m seeing him again. I don’t know why I’ve been so hesitant to tell her. Maybe it's fear she won’t be able to forgive him for what happened over the summer. Or maybe it’s simply because I’m not ready for her to know. Until the annulment is finalized, I think there will always be a part of me waiting for the ball to drop.

  “You headed to Lana’s later?” she asks.

  “I was thinking about it. Artie and a few of his friends are in town having Thanksgiving at her house. So figured I would pop over and say hello for a while.”

  “Be sure to tell her mother I say hello, and remind her I put her down to bring her sweet potato casserole for the Ladies Christmas Luncheon.”

  James slides his chair back from the dinner table. “That. Was. Amazing!”

  “Yes, it was! I think you’ve outdone yourself,” I agree.

  “Don’t run off yet. There’s a red velvet birthday cake with twenty-one candles that need to be blown out!”

  Although I’m stuffed, I make room for cake. Enjoying every minute of the family time, that’s been long overdue.

  “How are things going with the lovely Julia?” I ask.

  “Really good, actually. She’s invited me on a ski trip with her family for New Year’s.”

  I raise my eyebrows. “Wow! That’s exciting! Must be getting serious.”

  He grins and continues shoveling cake in.

  After some much-needed quality time with the family, I slowly but surely make my way to Lana’s house. Her driveway is packed with cars when I pull up. Jackson’s, mustard-colored, Cavalier, standing out like a sore thumb against the luxury cars Lana’s family drives.

  I stare at the house, hoping to find the courage to go in. I shouldn’t have come. Davis is here and I’m not sure I’m ready to face him. I’ve spent the last three weeks wiping his late-night Halloween confession from my brain. I care about him and I know deep down he’s a good guy; even if he chooses to let the world believe otherwise. But my focus is Max. It’s always been, Max. This is our time to finally make a true go at something real.

  A twinge of nerves flutters in my belly as I head through the back door. Everyone is sitting around the long, perfectly decorated, dining room table.

  “Katie!” Lana’s mom shouts when she spots me. “It’s so good to see you!”

  “Happy Thanksgiving, Mrs. Mathews. My mom sent over a pie and wanted me to remind you about the casserole for the luncheon.” My eyes lock with Davis and he gives me a small side smile.

  “That’s so sweet of her. Patty makes the most amazing pies!” she tells the room.

  “Well, this was perfect timing!” Lana says, standing from the table. “We were just finishing up.”

  The group shifts from the formal setting upstairs to the large comfy den in Lana’s finished basement.

  “Anyone want a drink?” she asks, opening the fridge to the small wet bar.

  Artie unbuttons the top button of his jeans. “Not me! I’m too stuffed to drink.”

  “It’s been so long since I’ve had a home-cooked meal, I’d almost forgotten what one tasted like,” Kevin says, sprawling out across the sectional sofa. “I need a nap after all that food.”

  Lana flips the TV to the Cowboys and Packers game. “How were things at your house, Kate?”

  “Wonderful, as always.”

  Thoughts of Max flash in my head when I see the Dallas Cowboys on the screen.

  “Is James and Eric home?”

  “Hmm?”

  “I asked if James and Eric are home.”

  “Oh, sorry.” Snapping back to Earth. “James is, but Eric won’t get to come home until Christmas. His new job has him crazy busy.”

  “Who’s Eric?” Davis asks.

&nbs
p; “That’s her older brother. He lives in Charlotte,” Lana says.

  The room grows quiet and within minutes Lana, Artie, and Kevin are sound asleep. Jackson’s outside on the cordless phone talking to Gigi.

  I cut through the awkwardness in the air. “I guess they're all in a turkey coma,” I say.

  “Appears so.”

  “Didn’t want to head home for the holiday?”

  “Well, I wanted to, but the tickets were so damn expensive. Since I saw everyone at the wedding, I figured it would be best to save up and go home for Christmas.”

  “At least you were able to get a home-cooked meal.”

  Davis nods his head. “Yeah, it was nice of Lana to invite us all here.”

  “Are y’all heading back tonight?”

  “We’re supposed to.”

  Our heads both shift to the three sleeping beauties. “Well by the looks of it right now, I would put my money on staying.”

  “Definitely looks that way.”

  It’s obvious Lana has forgotten it’s my birthday, and I’d be lying if I said I’m not slightly disappointed.

  I was looking forward to walking into a bar and ordering my first beer, legally. But her hands are full and I know she would never purposely forget. She’s going to feel terrible when it finally dawns on her.

  After a few minutes of watching the game, I break the awkward silence between us. “I didn’t get to thank you for helping me the night of Halloween. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been so sick. If you hadn’t gone to the store, God only knows how bad it would have gotten.”

  “I’m glad I was able to help. I could tell you were sick. I could see it on your face.”

  We both go back to watching the football game until he blurts. “By the way… about what I said… I didn’t…”

  I interrupt him. “It’s ok. I knew it was the booze talking.”

  “Yeah,” he nods. “Sorry about that,” he says with a chuckle. “You know me. Always stirring shit up when I’ve got a few in me.”

  “No biggie,” I say, hoping to end the topic by turning the attention back to the game as Dallas runs it in for a touchdown.

  I’m home fixing a plate of Thanksgiving leftovers when the phone rings. “Kateeee! It’s for youuuu!” James shouts across the house.

  “Hello?” I say, trying to juggle the phone and plate at the same time.

  “Happy Thanksgiving, Beautiful!” Max says warmly. His voice already making my lackluster birthday a little better.

  “Well, aren’t you the sweetest boyfriend ever!”

  “Did you have a good day?”

  “I did! Pigging out on leftovers as we speak! You?”

  “I had a fantastic day. Right up until two hours ago.” His voice growing serious.

  “Why? What happened?”

  “Jody happened!”

  It turns out, Jody’s been dragging her feet with the annulment and has been calling Max incessantly, begging him to reconsider.

  When he stopped taking her calls, she made another one of her infamous out of the blue, show-up’s.” Only this time, it was at Max’s parents’ house. Giving them an Oscar-winning performance, swearing to them the pregnancy wasn’t a lie and how she loved him with every inch of her soul…blah, blah, blah.

  “Then, as if it couldn’t get any worse… she proceeds to tell them the only reason I’m walking away from our marriage, is because I’m being ‘brainwashed’ by a spoiled rotten brat, who does nothing but party.”

  His words are like taking a knife to the heart. The idea of his parents thinking negatively of me, without even knowing me, brings tears to my eyes.

  “If I could get my hands around her fucking throat,” I growl between clenched teeth.

  “I know. I didn’t even want to tell you, but knew it wasn’t right to keep you in the dark.”

  “Well, I’m glad you did. But I hate the idea of your parents thinking I’m some sort of a wild child.”

  Max is silent, and for a second I worry we’ve been disconnected.

  “Hello?”

  “I’m still here,” he says and I can tell there’s something he isn’t saying.

  “What is it?”

  “I had hoped to have everything finalized before I told them about us,” he says, reluctantly.

  “Well, I hope now that the cats out of the bag you were able to take up for me?”

  “I… uh… I,” he stammers. And I know instantly he didn’t. “I thought it best to say we were friends for now. I don’t want to take any chances of Jody using it as ammunition.”

  Tears have now turned to sobs. I’m not sure why I find his confession so upsetting. Especially, since I haven’t told my parents either. But my reason is because Max hurt me and they had to see me heartbroken for months. Not because he was some sort of “dirty little secret.” Maybe I’m being a hypocrite for being upset because I understand why he hasn’t told them. But his inability to admit to our relationship crushes me all the same. Leaving me to question everything. Am I breaking up a marriage? Am I a spoiled brat who does nothing but party?

  I hang up the phone confused, angry, and most of all, feeling as if I will never truly be worthy of Max. Our relationship has been one obstacle after the other. Nothing’s been easy. From night one, when Wayne and his crew jumped him and Drew, it’s been a constant ongoing battle. It’s like the forces of nature don’t want us together.

  I’m upset and consider heading back to Lana’s to vent but talk myself out of it. It’s not the time to involve her. Instead, go for a more “drown in my sorrows” approach and head straight to DiMaggio’s.

  It’s eight-thirty and the tiny pizzeria is packed. “Dang, Jack! This place is hoppin’ tonight!” I shout, slithering through the line at the cash register, that’s caused a traffic jam at the front door.

  “Sup, Kate?” I cringe at the voice coming from the bank of booths.

  Great! Just when my birthday can’t get any worse. I run into Wayne and his Merry Band of Rejects!

  I plaster on a smile. “Hi, guys. Good to see you,” I lie. “Did y’all have a good Thanksgiving?”

  “Ha! We sureeee did,” Wayne says slowly between squinted, bloodshot, eyes.

  “Uhhhh, are y’all high?”

  Wayne chuckles. “We went for a more herbal menu this Thanksgiving.”

  “Well, I guess a lone turkey is walking around thanking you right now," I say sarcastically, as they continue their Beavis and Butthead laughs.

  “Not parading around town with those fuckin’ GI’s tonight?” Wayne asks, turning to his boys. “Y’all remember when I knocked half that fuckers teeth in?” Throwing his hand up for a high five.

  “Well, actually...You didn’t,” I huff. “And no, I’m not parading around town with them tonight.”

  “It’s a good damn thing. I would hate to have to knock the rest of his teeth in.”

  I consider leaving, but I’m hell-bent on buying a beer on my twenty-first birthday. I escape the ridiculousness and find a stool at the long pub-style bar.

  “Damn, Carlos! I can’t get over how busy it is. I guess everyone’s had their fill of Thanksgiving food.”

  “Well, and the fact we are one of the only places in Alpharetta open today,” he says. “We’ve been going nonstop all night!”

  I reach across the bar to grab a bowl of peanuts. “More tip money to spend on Christmas, I guess.”

  “Feel free to throw on an apron and start slingin’ some dough!” he teases.

  “I’d love to, but I have a date with a tall, frosty, beer mug tonight!”

  Jack sneaks behind me and grabs my shoulders, giving them a gentle squeeze. “Kate, I love you. But there’s no way in hell I’m losing my liquor license so you can have a date with Mr. Budweiser.”

  I grab my ID out of my wallet and slide it across the bar. “It’s Mr. Coors Light, actually.”

  Carlos picks up my driver’s license. “Well, I’ll be damned! Let’s pour this girl a drink! She’s twenty-one t
oday!” He shouts it across the restaurant and I smile, appreciative of the acknowledgment. Especially since it hasn’t been the best of birthdays.

  I wipe foam from my lip and about to call it a night when the bell on the front door chimes. I turn around to the sound of singing. My heart bursts as Lana, Artie, Ashley, Santos, Jackson, Kevin, and Davis, walk towards me holding balloons and a slice of my mom’s pecan pie with a single candle in the middle.

  “Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Kate! Happy birthday to you!”

  I close my eyes and make a wish. Tears swell as I blow out the candle.

  Lana throws her arms around me. “I’m so sorry I forgot. I’m a terrible best friend!”

  “Aw, it’s ok! Don’t worry about it. It fell on Thanksgiving this year. Everybody had a million other things going on.”

  She shakes her head. “Nope! That’s no excuse!” she says as Ash and Santos wrap around me for a sandwich hug.

  I look around as everyone finds a seat at the bar, so grateful to have each and every one of them in my life. What a perfect way to end the night.

  I take a bite of pie and feel a familiar hand on my lower back. “Happy Birthday, Kate,” Davis whispers in my ear.

  I don’t look up, worried he’ll see how flushed his touch has made me. “Thank you, Davis.”

  Wayne’s giving us all the death stare and worry there might be trouble.

  I whisper. “You remember my dumb, hillbilly, ex?”

  “I didn't get the pleasure of meeting him personally, but yes, I remember him. Why?”

  “Well, I don’t want to make a big deal of it. But he’s sitting over there," I say, gesturing Wayne’s direction.

  An evil grin splashes across his face. “Is that a fact?” he says, looking over.

  “Don’t turn around!” I laugh, grabbing at his face. “They’ll see you and think it’s an invitation for a fight.”

  “I’m six-five, two hundred and twenty pounds, Kate. Anyone dumb enough to fight me deserves to get their head kicked in.”

  He has a point.

  We watch as Davis walks over to Wayne’s table. Looking even more enormous with them sitting. A few words are exchanged, but it appears Davis is doing most of the talking. It’s too loud in here for us to hear what’s being said. Wayne glances over at me, then back at Davis.