The Game-Kirsten Backhard

by Shawnte Borris

  “Retile the bathroom.”

  I scrunched up my face. “All right. Let me get dressed, and we can head over to Home Depot.” I got off of Brad’s knee, put the jam in the fridge, and went back to the table to grab my coffee cup.

  Laughing, Brad grasped my wrist and led us out of the kitchen. “I was kidding. We’ll hire that out. But our activities will most definitely be upstairs.”

  As we passed through the living room, we heard a knock, and my face lit up.

  Weird. Kirsten never knocks, even when she knows we’re probably having sex. I instantly let go of Brad’s hand and opened the door. The face looking at me had defeat written all over it.

  “What happened?” I asked even though I already knew. Drew found out about Kirsten having sex with someone else. Somehow, this is going to bite me in the ass.

  Drew just glared at me. “You.”

  Brad stepped in front of me and put one hand on the door, getting ready to shut it. “Don’t take that tone with Liz. She has nothing to do with what is going on between you and Kirsten.”

  Drew looked at Brad briefly and then came back to lock eyes with me. I could see the dismay and tears in his eyes. I moved Brad over and wrapped my arms around Drew’s neck.

  “She slept with someone else,” he cried on my shoulder.

  So only he could hear, I whispered in his ear, “I know, but she didn’t know. All she knew for sure was what she had heard and what she had seen when she was leaving to get to you.”

  Drew backed up a bit and held me at arm’s length. “What do you mean she heard us?”

  “I didn’t want to say anything before…when you came over and told us what had actually happened. It wasn’t my place to say anything then, and I’m not sure it’s my place to say anything now.”

  “I don’t understand,” Drew said, dumbfounded.

  Brad grabbed Drew around his shoulders. “Come in. Let’s grab you a coffee.”

  “Cream?” I asked.

  “No, I just want to know what Kirsten heard.”

  Brad handed Drew his coffee before he kissed my cheek and sat beside me.

  “When Kirsten got to the hotel, she texted me…” I hope I’m doing the right thing. I don’t want to betray Kirsten, but damn, this man is a wreck. “About the bed thumpers next door and how funny they sounded. We imagined all the things they were doing, and then she started missing you. That was when she left and saw the both of you.”

  I could see the word fuck written all over Drew’s face.

  “Really, Drew, you need to go and talk to her—”

  “I can’t.”

  “Why not?” asked Brad.

  Drew put his head in his hands. “I just left her…sitting on the floor—”

  “You left her? Where did you leave her?” I slid my chair back and grabbed my keys off the counter.

  “When she told me that she had slept with other people, I couldn’t look at her, knowing that other men had touched her.”

  “She didn’t know! All she knew was what she had fucking heard and seen!”

  Brad stood up from his chair. “Liz, calm down.”

  “Don’t fucking tell me to calm down when this asshole is sitting in my kitchen, telling me that he just left my best friend. I have no doubt that she’s lying on the floor in the fetal position, crying her eyes out! She didn’t fucking know, Drew!”

  “Liz!” yelled Brad.

  “What?” I screamed.

  “You need to calm down for the baby. It’s not healthy for either of you to get this worked up.”

  “What I need is to get to Kirsten.”

  As I walked up the stairs to Kirsten’s townhouse, all I could hear—along with the whole neighborhood—was Christina Aguilera’s “Shut Up” blaring out of the stereo. I took my key out and opened the door. What the hell? Why are there boxes and clothes tossed everywhere? I walked in and shut the door behind me. I went over to turn down the stereo before I headed for Kirsten’s closet.

  “Ah!” Kirsten grabbed her chest as she was walking out of her bedroom. “You scared the living shit out of me. What are you doing here?”

  “First of all, even if I did knock, you wouldn’t have heard me. What if I was a rapist trying to get at you? No one would ever hear you cry for help if you needed it.”

  My best friend placed her hands on her hips and laughed. “Did you use your key?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, since I don’t give my keys to rapists, I think I am fine.”

  I looked into her room. “Why does your room look like a tornado hit it?”

  “Because it did.” She shrugged her shoulders as she went back into her closet.

  This told me one of two things. One, she had officially turned on her don’t-fuck-with-me attitude, which was always really fun to work with, or two, she was giving me her big, fake I’m-so-happy attitude. No amount of booze, cake, or chocolate would tear down either one of those walls.

  “Wanna explain to me why?” Sitting on her bed, I folded her shirts and placed them into a neat pile.

  “I decided to rent a furnished condo in Chicago. I’m tired of staying in a hotel.”

  My heart dropped. I just stared at her, trying to catch my breath. “You’re moving?”

  Kirsten came out of the closet with a box full of stuff. “I think so. Once you and Brad are married and…” She paused as she nuzzled up to my belly. “Little one here is born, I don’t think we’ll be as free anymore.”

  I closed my eyes, hoping the tears would back off. Fuck that! Now, I was flat-out pissed.

  “I’ll still come home just as often, but I’ll pack an overnight bag and stay at a hotel or at Derek’s.”

  I can’t believe she just said that as if it was nothing! “You bitch!”

  Kirsten turned around in shock.

  “You cannot just fucking walk away because you fucking feel like it. Where do you get off, only thinking of yourself?”

  “I’m not,” Kirsten said calmly. “This townhouse is too big for just me. Look around, Liz. It’s empty. I have no one here to welcome me home or to have dinner waiting for me with flowers on the table. Would you want to live here? Come home to an empty space?”

  She sat beside me, grabbed my hand, and looked into my eyes. “It’s time for my selfishness to give in, so I can send you over to Brad, sweetheart. He is the person who you need to fully depend on and grow with. And that’s okay. This is how it is supposed to be.”

  Kirsten let out a deep breath. “I just thought that at this point in our lives, we’d be buying houses together, side by side, and planning our weddings together.” She finally let out a few tears. “I thought we’d have…growing bellies together.”

  Kirsten was beyond devastated. She was throwing in the towel. I just sat there, shocked. I didn’t know what to say. She could easily make enough money from selling this townhouse to put a down payment on the house next to mine.

  This wasn’t like her to do something like this. No man got in her way or bought her things that she wanted. She had a drive and a determination that would kick anyone’s ass out of the water. She didn’t back down from any fight…but this one. This one, she was just raising the white flag.

  “All right,” I breathed.

  “All right?”

  “Yeah, all right. Where do you need help?”

  Kirsten and I packed for hours, laughing and remembering the old times with each photo that was being packed away. Driving home, I felt alone for the first time in my life. I couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down my face. Kirsten had always been by my side. We’d shared every experience together. How am I going to manage being a new wife and mom if I don’t have her here, holding my hand?

  I knew that this was something she needed to do for herself. I knew that she needed someone to come home to. She needed to feel loved and cherished. She had that, all of that, until Drew and his stupid ass had fucked it up. This whole situation had turned out to be one huge clusterfuck because stupid decisio
ns were made.

  I pulled into my driveway and put the car into park. I just laid my head in my hands and cried. I looked up and noticed my door being opened. Brad walked over and opened the car door. He crouched down and gathered me into his arms. As he took me inside the house and took us to bed, I sobbed harder into his chest.

  “Kirsten is leaving. She is moving to Chi-ca-go.” I stuttered the last little bit out because I was crying so hard.

  I woke up in the morning with a huge headache. I rolled over and placed my feet on the floor. I went to get up, but I fell back onto the bed.

  “Good morning, sweetheart. I thought you could use some apple juice.” Brad kissed the top of my head. “How are you feeling?”

  I feel overwhelmed. “I have a headache.”

  “I’m sure you do.” He placed his hand in mine and handed me some Advil. “Take these and I’ll draw you up a bubble bath. While you relax, I’ll make you some breakfast.”

  “Thank you.” I smiled up at my wonderful fiancé. “I love you.”

  “I know you do.” He kissed my head again and went to start my bath.

  I stripped down before heading to the bathroom. I leaned up against the door frame, watching as he put my favorite bath salts and oil in. How did I get so lucky? How did I find a man who loves me so much and puts up with all my emotional distress? I laughed to myself.

  “Is that a small giggle I hear?”

  “Maybe. I was just thinking about how much I like you.”

  Brad came over to me, picked me up, and placed me on top of the cold counter. “That’s good because I like you, too.” He rubbed his nose against mine, and then he placed his hand on my stomach. “You’re starting to grow a little.” A smile crept onto his face. “It’s such a great gift that you are giving me, Liz.” Brad cupped my face. “Baby, I love you so much.” He leaned in and kissed me passionately.

  My hands slid around his neck, drawing him in deeper. I slid my tongue against his, moaning. I tangled my fingers in his hair as I rubbed my chest against his. We pulled back a little to breathe.

  Brad picked me up, shut off the water, and walked us over to the bed. After he laid me down, Brad lifted his shirt over his head and then pushed down his pajama bottoms.

  I leaned up on my elbows to watch. “Commando, huh?”

  Brad looked up and shrugged. “What can I say, baby? I like to give you easy access.”

  Lying down, I giggled, and he pounced on top of me. He began licking and kissing my neck.

  “Please don’t start something that you are not willing to finish,” I begged between breaths. “Don’t get me wrong. I love this making-out stuff, but I’m just so past junior high. I want my future husband to make love to me.”

  Brad stopped and cupped my face. “Yes, sweetheart, we can make love.”

  I gave him an inquisitive look. “I went back to see Dr. McKael this week, and she reassured me that it was more than fine to get it on like Donkey Kong.”

  I started laughing. “Babe, she told us that over a month ago.”

  “I know, but I wanted to make sure. It makes me nervous, knowing that our little peach is in there.”

  I smiled at him.

  Brad started kissing my neck again, and then he slowly moved south, popping and sucking on my nipples. “The good doctor also told me that within the next few months, you might develop a peak in the sexual department.”

  I could feel him grinning as he kept lowering himself down my body.

  “Even more than I am now?”

  “Yes, and I, for one, am gonna help you in any way that I can.”

  “Anytime?”

  “Anywhere,” he promised.

  He started pulling apart my folds with his fingers, and then he slipped his tongue in to have a little taste.

  Oh, it feels so good. Yes, like that.

  “Baby, I haven’t been inside you for seven weeks, and just the thought is getting me overloaded.” He took a few more tastes. “A man can only masturbate so much.” He took another stride, but this time, he used a figure-eight motion on my clit.

  Oh god. “Brad…I think…” I threw my head back. “Get inside of me now!” I shouted.

  “Yes, ma’am.” He flipped me over onto my front, and he lifted my ass up. Leaning over me, his finger circled my clit. “I take it that you don’t want it smooth?” he whispered into my ear.

  “Hell no! I want you to fuck me.” I barely got out the last word before he seamlessly slammed into me.

  “Thank Christ. I wasn’t sure how I was going to be able to go slow.”

  “Harder…I love it when your balls slap up against my ass.”

  “Fuck, Liz, there is no way I’m gonna be able to hold on for much longer.”

  “Stop worrying about my clit and just fuck me already.”

  Holy shit, I cannot believe how hard I can take Brad. He can’t even fuck me hard enough for what I want right now. I’m going out of my mind…oh god. I could feel as Brad was getting fuller inside me, which told me the ride would soon be over. I could feel the pregnancy hormones kicking in as the tears started to come.

  Brad stopped, “Oh god, did I hurt you?” he asked, panicked.

  “No…I just know that the ride is over, and I just want back on again.”

  Brad lay on the bed and snuggled me closer to him. He swept the hair off my neck. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t give more, but you must know that I gave you everything I had.”

  “I know.”

  “There was no way that I could hold on any longer while watching the curves of your back and how that sculpted line leads to those amazing dangling breasts, ready for my hands to just capture them.”

  I smacked Brad’s shoulder. “Brad!”

  “What?”

  I leaned in and kissed him.

  “Honestly, baby, I couldn’t stop thinking about that damn TV shaking on the dresser. I’m gonna go buy an anchor for the thing and put it up on the wall,” he admitted.

  We both lay there, laughing.

  “You are such a goof.”

  “Stop bouncing in your seat.” I laughed at Liz.

  “I can’t help it. I’m just so excited. I’ve always wanted to go to New York for the Fourth of July. I hear the Macy’s fireworks show is amazing.”

  “I thought we were here to find you a wedding dress?” I teased.

  “We are, but still, I’m so happy to spend some time alone with you. It’s been months, and I get to see my brother.”

  I sighed. “How pissed is your mom that she’s not here to go shopping with you for wedding dresses?”

  Liz gave me her stupid fishy face.

  “Liz, don’t tell me that she doesn’t know.”

  “I didn’t tell her. I told her that we’re going to visit Steve and Logan for the Fourth of July.”

  “Liz, she’s gonna kill me!”

  “No, she won’t. I’ll pick out a dress that we all love, and then I’ll bring her here to find the one.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh at her logic.

  “Besides, who wouldn’t want two gay men helping her find a dress?” Then, she used her man voice as she said, “It’ll be to die for.”

  I rolled my eyes and laughed.

  “Afternoon, ladies. Welcome to New York. Will this be your final destination?” asked the stewardess.

  “Yes, apparently, we’re here for the fireworks,” I said, wiggling my eyebrows.

  Then, Liz added, “And to pick out my wedding dress.”

  “How exciting. We will be landing in about forty minutes. Would either of you care for a drink before then?”

  “No, thanks,” we answered at the same time.

  Steve and Logan met us at the airport.

  Steve took Liz and swung her around. “My baby sister finally made it to see me. I can’t wait to show you guys around.” He put Liz down and eyed me up.

  I rolled my eyes.

  “Get over here, sister number two,” Steve said.

  “I’ve missed you.
” I walked into his big bear hug.

  “Missed me? Or my lips you’re always trying to un-gay?”

  “Both.”

  “Come on.” Steve grabbed both our hands. “May I introduce the boyfriend, Logan?”

  I stood there in front of Logan. “Holy hotness. Did they make another one of you who prefers vaginas?”

  Logan tipped his head back and laughed. “No, my parents stopped at me.”

  “Too bad,” I said, still eye-fucking him.

  “See, I told ya that you’d love Kirsten.” Steve laughed.

  Liz and I walked onto the boys’ balcony overlooking Central Park.

  “Liz, did the boys tell you that they lived on the Upper West Side?”

  “No. Holy shit, can you imagine what their rent must be like?” whispered Liz.

  Steve and Logan joined us, and Steve handed me a beer.

  “The rent isn’t as much as you’d think. My grandmother bought this apartment long before this side of town became the it side,” Logan replied.

  “Logan, we didn’t mean…” I said. “It’s just…it’s beautiful. You have a great view of the park, you can see Lincoln Center, and I bet we could even see the fireworks from the Hudson River.”

  “It is pretty amazing. I’m very lucky that I’m the only grandchild who grandmother gets to spoil.”

  “Thank you for hosting us this weekend,” Liz said.

  “If you guys think this is great, wait until you see what Logan and I have planned,” Steve said cheerfully while placing his hand in Logan’s.

  Liz started jumping up and down, like she was five. “What, big brother? What do you have planned?”

  “Stop jumping like that. It’s making me uncomfortable. Your boobs are going to pop out and hit you in the face.”

  Logan and I busted out laughing.

  “Oh my god, I can’t believe you just said that.” I cried and wiped the tears away.

  “Well, they will. Gay or not, no brother needs to see that.”

  Liz had her arms crossed over her chest. “You’re an ass.”

  “Ass or not, you are going to love what we’re doing next. So, go brush your teeth and grab a sweatshirt, both of you girls.”

  Liz and I went into the spare bedroom and started going through our suitcases.