"You pervert! How could you?"
I shift my gaze from Sam to the table to see Jim laid out on the floor clutching his jaw, his wife standing over him with a dreadful look on her face. I think she slapped him, hard.
"Oh, I knew something was up with you, the way you sometimes kept your distance from me. The way you would look at men on occasion. Yet, you were always there for me, lying to my face. We're through, you hear me! Through! How could you? How could you?" she keeps saying. The tears are rolling down her face so hard.
She races out of the room before anyone can stop her. It takes another second for Will to get his wits together to check on his brother. Rick, Pete, and the other wives keep looking around at Jim and me, wondering what was happening. Dad just buries his face in his hands. Considering some of the things he did when he was younger, I can only guess at what he's thinking about Sam know. And me. For their part, the Fairbanks are relatively calm. I'm guessing I know why, but it could be that they are all in shock. I try not to look at the minister. Things are already awkward enough as it is.
Addie is just looking at Sam, staring straight through him.
"I'm so sorry about this Addison, but you had to know before you went through with the wedding. You had to know what type of man my brother is. He did something so wrong. Oh, so wrong, betraying you. I just had ..." Sam is on the verge of laughing, I'm sure of it, before Addie gets up and stops him.
"No, he didn't," Addie says calmly and directly as she walks by me to stand right in front of Sam.
Addie barely comes up to his chest. With three brothers, all of them at least six feet, she has a lot of practice standing up to those bigger than her. However, I don't think she has ever stood up to someone so much taller than her. We grab each others hands.
"I know you want to think the best of Chris, but I saw them, kissing each other. I was on the stairs. I saw it," Sam explains.
"No, he didn't!" Addie replies.
"How can you not believe me? I was there, and you weren't! Chris cheated on you with ..." Sam is stopped again.
"Because," Addie whispers, staring Sam down the best she can, "Chris called me when it was happening. I know what really happened."
*********************
"Rick. I know it's late, but I need you and Will to come back immediately. It's Jim. There's something wrong with him and I..."
"Chris? Why are you calling me so late? You know I've got an early flight in the morning."
"Addie? Sh-Shoot. I was trying to call Rick, and I must have hit the wrong contact button. Sorry. Let me hang up so you can get back to sleep."
"Why? Why! I shouldn't have done that. I'm so sorry. So sorry," a man sobs in the background.
"Chris, who's that crying? What's wrong?"
"It's Jim, Will Greenwood's older brother. He was a surprise guest at the bachelor party. He was the one who got the four of us together back in high school. Apparently, he snuck it some booze, got drunk. and realized that now was the best time to admit that he has had a thing for me ever since the day we met."
"He's gay? And you never knew?"
"I don't know. He dated girls in school. He's married with three kids. I don't know what's going on. All I know is he kissed me and tried to hug me. I managed to drag him back into the living room and lock the hall door, but I don't know what else to do. I was trying to call Rick so that he and Will could come over so that the three of us could figure out the best way to handle this."
"Does Will know about his brother being, well, gay?"
"What? No? I guess not. Why is that important?"
"If his own brother doesn't even know, then this might not be the best way for him to find out."
"Wait, what?"
"Jim might not want his brother to see him this way, drunk and professing his love to one of his oldest friends. If he's kept this a secret this long, if might be too hard for him to let his brother know."
"Okay, you might be right, but what should I do right now."
Jim continues to sob from somewhere behind Chris.
"Where is Jim now?"
"I've got him sitting on the new couch right now, the suite we picked out for the living room. The one that is extra-long but narrow."
"I know. I guess it might not be easy to sleep on."
"Well, we're about the same height, but he got about forty or fifty pounds on me. Took awhile for me just to drag him in here from the entryway. He's not going to be able to lie down comfortably. Besides, he's drunk. He could have an accident while he's asleep. On the new couch."
"Right. How about your bed?"
"Where would I sleep? I might not throw up or wet the couch, but it's too small for me either. And I'm definitely not sharing a bed with someone who just proclaimed their lifelong love to me. That I'm not engaged to, that is.'
"Smart. Don't you have a old bed from the apartments?"
"Yeah, one of them. The other one had been cracked some time ago, and the former tenant had hidden the fact. That one was tossed out, but the other one is still here in the weight room. It's going to be picked up Saturday with the rest of the old stuff so the final phase of the demo can start."
"Good. Throw some sheets and it, and put him there. That's going to be for the best. Has it gotten quieter there?"
"Yeah. I think Jim's fallen asleep. I make the bed up for him. I'll set the phone up to record him to. In case something happens overnight. I'll set something up to notify me in case he has any problems."
"There. A solution," Addie yawns. "I need to get back to sleep. I've changed flights to an earlier one, and I really need to get back to bed."
"Why the change?"
"There are some storms in Iowa forming tonight. Not bad yet, but they could be severe when they hit here late morning. Better to leave early. By the way, they could tack into Lexington tomorrow evening. I'll know more in the morning."
"Call me when you wake up, okay? I might need that weather info. And I want a witness to check in on Jim."
"I will. Night, Chris. Love you."
"Love you too Hon. Night."
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