Safe With Me, Special Edition

by Shaina Richmond

  “Are you sure? You’re the first person who’s told me any of this. All I hear about is what a great guy he is and how smart he is, and he always looked out for his family--”

  She smiled. “Yep. Those are facts, too.” She chuckled.

  Right then, three loud women burst inside the bathroom, talking and laughing. Crystal gathered her makeup from the sink and waved for me to go back out to the dining room.

  We stopped in an empty corner just before we arrived at the room in the back.

  “Look,” Crystal said, “he really is a great guy. Even back then there was a lot to like about him. He was one of the nice guys but he had a lot of growing up to do and I know for a fact he has regrets.” She squeezed my shoulder. “So there’s no reason for you to ever cry about him being better than you. We all have shit we’re not proud of.”

  I took a deep breath. “Okay. That actually makes me feel a little better.”

  “Good. I’d rather you not repeat any of that, if you don’t mind. I wasn’t trying to trash him. I just couldn’t stand the thought of you feeling so bad about yourself because everyone’s made him out to be so perfect. I hope I didn’t turn you against him.”

  “No, seriously. You helped.”

  “I hope so. He’s really not the same guy he was back then.” She straightened her posture and took a long look at the room behind me. “Now that I think about it, a lot of those people actually do care about him. They know what he went through after his dad passed away. His mom flipped out. The family business fell apart because his dad left them with a big mess to sort out.” She suddenly changed focus, pointing at me. “Remember, you should always have a will. No matter how young or healthy you think you are. I see it all the time at the hospital. The Campbells didn’t even know where he kept the life insurance documents. For weeks. ”

  I nodded. There was no reason to tell her I’d had an estate planner for years, or that all of my documents were carefully locked away in well-hidden fireproof safes inside my house.

  “Seriously, I didn’t turn you against him?” she asked. “You’re sure?”

  “I’m sure.”

  “Well, if nothing else, you took my mind off my own problems for a little while." She smiled. “Thank you for that."

  I heard a voice behind me say, “There you are.”

  It was Aaron. He walked up to us and gave me a slight nod as he pulled Crystal into an embrace and kissed her forehead. “You feeling better?” he asked.

  “Yeah,” she said.

  “You were gone for a long time.”

  “I was just getting to know Susie. Right?” She gave me a wide-eyed look that begged me to agree with her.

  “Yes.” Seeing them together made me curious about their situation. Tyler told me they broke up long ago but they sure seemed cozy tonight. Was Aaron the reason she was crying in the bathroom?

  Aaron let go of Crystal when he caught me staring at his arms wrapped around her. “My brother’s looking for you.”

  “I figured.” I took the obvious hint and gave them a little wave before turning around to find him.

  The room was now noisy and crowded and smelled of French fries. There were no empty tables to be found. To the left was a small stage I hadn’t noticed before. Crystal was correct. It was karaoke night. Nobody was on the stage except a guy who was setting up some equipment.

  I walked to the far wall where Tyler and his friends now occupied about a third of the tables in the entire room. After a few seconds of scanning the crowd I saw him waving to get my attention and sit in an empty chair at the end of the table where my coat now hung.

  I sat down and saw the large pink drink sitting there. He smiled and used his fingertips to slide it down the table an inch or two, urging me to indulge. I stared at the glass with a smirk.

  He leaned down to my ear. “Where were you hiding?”

  I was about to tell him I was just having a nice, casual chat with Crystal in the bathroom when he interrupted me with a beer-soaked tongue plunging inside my mouth, taking my breath away.

  He had my complete submission in that kiss. I swore I felt every cell of my body tingling for this imperfect, drunkenly affectionate man.

  No, Crystal definitely hadn’t turned me against him. I knew without a doubt that I wanted him more than ever. It was comforting to know he had a past. But he wasn’t that guy anymore. I was absolutely sure of it. The guy I was kissing knew what it was like to experience terrifying, life-changing pain--just like me. It was the kind of thought that probably shouldn’t have made me feel romantic, but it did.

  I put my hands on both sides of his face and accepted his overpowering kiss, holding my mouth open loosely to let him inside however he pleased.

  I made a mental note to tell him in January that his flaws had deepened my love, on this very Friday night, the day after Thanksgiving. I felt myself smiling as we kissed, with the realization that, yes, I was going to profess my love for him. I wasn’t ready to do it just yet but I’d be ready by then.

  My fingers worked into his thick hair at the base of his neck. His strong jaw and prickly face were fierce reminders of his roughness, especially as his soft lips cushioned mine at the perfect pressure.

  What I wouldn’t have given to be alone with him instead of sitting at that table where his friends were probably all gaping at us, amused or disgusted by our open display.

  The sound of a hand slapping the table made me begrudgingly open my eyes. Tyler stopped kissing me and looked across the table at Scott, who was now sitting there beside Amber.

  I grinned, trying to hide my lack of enthusiasm at their presence.

  Scott pointed in the direction of the small stage. “You signed up yet?”

  Tyler smirked. “I told you. Not tonight.”

  Their mouths formed frowns at the same time.

  “Why?” Amber asked. I knew it was probably just Crystal’s opinion tainting my perspective, but Amber’s voice was now shrill and extremely irritating to me.

  Tyler hung his arm around my neck. “I wanna stay right here with my woman.”

  I crumpled against him and put my arm against his stomach. He felt so comfortable and warm in that shirt.

  “Come on,” Scott said. “Just one. You can sing a love song to your woman if you want.”

  Amber’s eyes perked up. “Yes! Something sweet and romantic. You guys have a song, don’t you?”

  “Uh...” Tyler said. “I’ll get in trouble if I try to sing it here.”

  We both laughed. I knew he was talking about Crazy Bitch. It was one of a handful of songs we liked to sing together as we drove around town listening to music, joking about how it was ‘our song.’ And, admittedly, it often played like a soundtrack in my mind during the early morning weekend hours as I lay naked under Tyler’s sweat-drenched body. We were usually just getting started.

  They both shook their heads profusely.

  “No you won’t,” Scott said. “They changed the rules a couple months ago. It’s adult karaoke now.” He looked away somewhere and raised his voice. “Ain’t that right, Aaron?”

  I hadn’t noticed Aaron and Crystal approaching us. He waited for her to take a seat at the head of the table, next to me, and then he slumped down in the empty seat beside Scott.

  “Huh? Ain’t what right?” Aaron took a hearty sip from the small glass of dark liquid he held.

  “Karaoke,” Scott said. “I was just telling them about the new rules.”

  Aaron looked at Tyler and took another quick drink. “Yep. Kenny’s trying to get an older crowd in here on the weekends to sell more liquor. You gotta be eighteen to sit in the back room after eight o’clock now.”

  Scott nodded. “So, sing whatever you want.” He turned to Aaron. “Is that straight tequila? You better take it easy.”

  Aaron put his elbows on the table and gave Scott a mean look which he directed at Tyler a few seconds later. “Man, don’t do it. You always look like a fuckin’ idiot up there.”

  Am
ber, Scott, and Crystal all responded at once with gasps and simultaneous pleas of, “don’t listen to him,” and, “no, he doesn’t," but Aaron didn’t acknowledge them. Instead, he glared at Tyler and silently finished his drink.

  Tyler returned his glare. “You got a problem with me or something?”

  Aaron arched one eyebrow and looked like he was about to speak, but instead he tapped his empty glass and stood up. “I need another drink.”

  I looked around to see if anybody seemed as uncomfortable as I did. Crystal was staring down at her frozen drink and slurping it through a big straw. Amber had already joined in another conversation going on a little further down the table.

  “Don’t listen to him,” Scott said. “We already put you on the list.”

  “Good,” Tyler said. “I’m gonna do it just to piss him off.”

  I put my hand on Tyler’s leg. “I think he’s already pissed.”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know why. He was fine ‘til he started drinking. Speaking of which, I need another one.”

  He started to slide his chair back when Crystal stood up.

  “Let me get it,” she said. “Another beer?”

  “Yeah,” he said.

  She gave me a brief, wide-eyed glance, then put her head down and walked away.

  Tyler grimaced. “What the hell? They’re both acting weird. Oh well.” He sighed and put his hand around my drink on the table. “You still haven’t touched this?”

  “No,” I said. “Someone needs to be sober here, don’t you think?”

  Scott laughed. “That’s a good one. No, everyone needs to get drunk enough to sing. Don’t be shy. You should do it. We’re all doing it.”

  “I’m not shy. I just don’t wanna do it here tonight.” I turned to Tyler. “We haven’t taken you to The Devil Dog Saloon yet.”

  “Is that the place Michael told me about?" he asked. “Where he sings Achy Breaky Heart?"

  “Yeah. He learned that song just to sing it there. Does the dance and everything. It’s funny.”

  Scott piped up from across the table. “Susie, have we met before?”

  Uh oh. “Don’t think so.”

  He narrowed his eyes, studying me. “Something about you. Your eyes. Your voice. I don’t know what it is. I swear, I know you from somewhere.”

  I picked up my drink and pulled it up to my mouth in a feeble attempt to try to hide even a little of my face. “I get that a lot. I guess I have one of those faces.”

  Tyler gave me a thoughtful look. “Yeah. You do get that a lot. Remember that waiter a few weeks ago?"

  I nodded and put my lips around the straw, sucking up as much of that pink drink as I possibly could.

  Scott nudged Amber with his elbow to get her attention. “Hey.” He pointed at me. “She remind you of anyone? It’s killing me.”

  Dear Lord, please let this hardwood floor open up and swallow me whole. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

  Amber squinted. “Nobody I can think of.”

  “Hmm.” Scott stared at me. “Maybe it’s her accent.”

  Tyler nodded, talking to Scott like I wasn’t even there. “Yeah. I love it. She has that deep, sexy voice, too. Drives me crazy.”

  I was too nervous to smile or accept his compliment. I just lifted the glass a little higher and contemplated a long trip to hide out in the bathroom.

  “How sweet,” Amber said. “It’s nice to see you so happy.”

  Tyler gave me a sloppy kiss on the cheek and excused himself from the table to go up front and choose his karaoke song for later. Scott spent a few more agonizing moments trying to figure out who I reminded him of before he was finally distracted when the singing began.

  Crystal soon returned with Tyler’s beer and another daiquiri for herself. Aaron followed shortly after, this time with a much larger glass brimming with a mixed drink. He and Crystal sat there quietly, sharing occasional glances. She looked like she was on the verge of tears several times. At one point, after the third cheesy--and very audience participatory--country song in a row, she leaned forward and said, “Sorry. We’re usually much better company.”

  I smiled and told her it was okay. There were more than enough people making fools out of themselves to keep me entertained. It was true. This was one of the most lively karaoke nights I’d ever seen, and I’d seen many.

  Tyler ignored his brother’s awkward brooding and seemed to have a great time, laughing and talking with people around him, all of them hollering and whistling at the people on stage. It was good to see him let loose and be a little rowdy, but I had the worst feeling about Aaron.

  Several times I tried to ask Aaron if he was okay but he wouldn’t make eye contact with me. Every so often he’d flash a hateful--albeit, hilarious--glance at Scott, who still sat next to him, bobbing his head and snickering like an oblivious imbecile until he and Amber’s names were called.

  As Scott stood up, he high-fived Tyler. “You should be up next.”

  “Good. Lookin’ forward to it.” Tyler grinned as his tipped yet another bottle up to the ceiling to empty down his throat.

  I whispered in his ear, “You sure you’re okay to stand up?”

  He sat the bottle down. “Damn it, woman. You can’t be blowin’ in my ear like that in public.” He gave my lips a soaking wet kiss, then he pulled away and peered at me with his big, brown, glassy eyes.

  I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and tried to speak loud enough for him to hear without whispering in his ear again. “I’m a bad girlfriend for letting you get so drunk.”

  He sat up straight, frowning. “No, baby. No. You’re the best girlfriend in the whole world. I love you so much. I’m gonna sing you a song. But it’s a surprise.” Displaying his faded black, short-sleeved undershirt, he unzipped his fleece hoodie and worked his way out of it. He then tried to hang it on the back of his chair but it kept slipping to the floor, unable to stay put against his leather jacket. Finally, he slung it onto my lap. “Watch this for me, okay? I’ll get too hot if I wear it up on that stage. I move around a lot."

  I winced. “Okay. You’re clumsy but at least you’re not slurring your words.”

  “Mmm.” He bent forward to my ear. “It’s so fuckin’ sweet of you to worry about me.”

  I took a big whiff of his hair. It smelled like his spicy body wash. I pressed my cheek against his and kissed his temple.

  His lips were still at my ear. “Tell me you love me,” he whispered.

  Not this again... I responded with a longer kiss on his temple.

  “Come on, baby. Say it.” He pulled away and looked in my eyes.

  I almost said it. My feelings had never been stronger than they were that night. I actually found myself wanting to say it. But just then, the music started up again.

  He kissed my cheek before turning around to face the stage where Amber and Scott were now singing a song I’d never heard before. I couldn’t tell if it was pop or country or something else.

  I looked over at Crystal. The glass in front of her was empty. She had one elbow on the table, propping up her head as she watched the duet with obvious contempt. When she caught me looking she widened her eyes and said, “Lame.”

  Crystal’s open disgust made me laugh. I could see why Tyler might have preferred her company to being alone, at least for a little while. But I could also understand what he meant when he said she was ‘all drama.’ Tyler was all about keeping the drama in his life to a minimum, and Crystal loved to speak her mind and run off at the mouth. Girls like that, per my experience, were usually ‘all drama’ because their mouths made them a lot of enemies. But I liked her, and I had a hunch that we’d be good friends if I ever moved here.

  I chuckled to myself. It was the first time I was able to think about moving for Tyler without that sudden pang of nausea.

  Aaron was still sitting there in gloomy silence. His oversized glass was almost empty. He still wouldn’t make eye contact with me. Instead of Scott, his new source of annoyance was apparently
his brother, who was laughing and shouting louder than ever at his friends on stage.

  I was lost in thought, unaware that the song had ended, when I heard the announcer say Tyler’s name.

  The tables around us cheered when he stood up. He blew me a kiss before heading off to the stage. I watched his every move as he wove his way around the tables, waving occasionally at people he knew. He walked a little slower than usual but otherwise, he wasn’t obviously drunk.

  That is, until he arrived at the stage and took the microphone. There was no question about his level of inebriation. Tyler charged that tiny platform like a rock star, shouting out to friends, pointing, confidently asking, “So, how y’all doin’ tonight?” then smiling and nodding as the equally-drunken crowd shouted back.