Chapter 74
About an hour before the alarm was suppose to go off, the phone rang. It woke Tyler and as she was reaching to answer it, she heard AJ mumble, "Should I answer it....well, should I?"
Tyler had to laugh as she said, "Hello."
"Tyler? Is that you?"
"Who is this?"
"It’s me....Ali...what are you doing at AJ’s?"
Tyler knew this was AJ’s private line and anyone who had the number knew it was too. What she wanted to know was how Ali had gotten this number. "How did you get this number?"
"AJ gave it to me the last time they were in town. I heard about his grandmother. Is he okay?"
Tyler looked over at AJ as he slept and said, "He’s going to be okay. I’ve been with him since last night."
"What are the arrangements?"
"The viewing is tonight and the funeral is tomorrow at 2."
"Look, Ness and I are in town and I want to be there. Where is the viewing?"
"Echols Funeral Home."
"Thanks, and I’ll see you there."
Tyler hung up and lay back down. She looked over at AJ as he slept. Right now, he looked so sweet and innocent but deep down, there was a very complex man. She knew, or at least she thought she did, that he loved Lex the way Kevin loved her but yet, he had that other side, the side that included Ali.
Ali, Tyler, and AJ had been friends in school and Ali and AJ had dated but before graduation, Ali’s family had moved to Canada and they’d lost touch. That is, until Tyler ran into her in Canada. Howie had begged her to come along after a particularly rough time and that’s when she had met up with Ali.
Now, Tyler was torn between her loyalty to Lex and her loyalty to AJ. He obviously didn’t care if Ali had his private number. Should she tell him Ali had called or just let her show up at the funeral home? How was Lex going to handle it and did she know about Ali? Their relationship had NEVER been a simple one. DAMN AJ for doing this to her.
The phone ran again interrupting her thoughts. She reached over but AJ grabbed it first. "What?" he growled.
"Hello to you too, Age."
"Stop yelling, Kev."
Kevin laughed, "Hung over?"
"Sort of."
"Figured you would be. Let me talk to my wife please."
"Why do you think she’s here with me?"
"Because I’ve tried everywhere else and the last time I talked to her, she was getting ready to clean up YOUR mess."
Tyler took the phone from AJ and said, "Go get a shower. We’ve got to be at the funeral home by six and you need something to eat."
AJ grumbled, "What I need is another drink."
"You touch ONE drop and I’m..."
"You’ll what?" challenged AJ angrily.
"Just go get your shower," said Tyler irritably. She watched him stumble to the bathroom and then said, "Hey, ‘Boo’."
"AJ giving you a hard time?"
"Not really. He just wants more to drink."
"Did you get any sleep?"
"Yeah. The phone woke me though."
While AJ got his shower, Tyler told Kevin about Ali calling. They discussed what Tyler should do and Kevin told her that AJ was the one who needed to make the decision about Ali and Lex.
AJ returned to the room while Tyler was still talking wearing only a towel around his waist. Tyler wasn’t bothered; the guys were comfortable around her like this as was she with them.
"Kev, I need to go and get ready."
"Are you going to be okay?"
"I’ll be fine. I’ll see you tomorrow, ‘Boo’."
Tyler hung up and looked at AJ who was now lying across the foot of the bed. He had his hands over his face but she could still see the tears running down his cheeks.
"AJ," she said softly.
"Yeah," he mumbled.
"What do you need?"
AJ looked at her. "For you to hold me and make the hurt stop."
Tyler moved closer to him and took him in her arms as she said, "It will...soon."
"What’s Kevin going to say?"
"Don’t worry about Kevin, AJ. He’s worried about you too."
"I just need to get back to work."
"Tomorrow, ‘Bone’. You’ve got the video to do and then we’re headed to South America."
AJ took her hand in his and kissed it. "You’ve been such a good friend, Ty, and I don’t know how to thank you."
"You don’t have to thank me. I need to get a shower so that we can go."
"I’ll run you by the house to get some clothes but you can take a
shower here."
"Thanks," said Tyler. She started to get up but AJ stopped her. She
looked at him, "What?"
AJ gave her a quick kiss. "Kev’s a lucky man."
Tyler went to the bathroom where she got a quick shower. When she returned, AJ was dressed in a simple black suit and was sitting on the edge of the bed holding his head in his hands.
He looked up at her and smiled sadly. "You know. I’ve had this dream before. You walking across the room to me...pregnant with MY child."
"I don’t know why! We’ve NEVER had THAT kind of relationship before."
"I still loved you and always will."
"What about Lex?"
"Different kind of love. Where is she anyway?"
"Well, I left her at my house last night after you threw a bottle at her and kicked her out of the house."
"Is she okay?"
"Physically, yeah, but she’s hurt that you shut her out."
"I can’t deal with that right now. Tyler, you’re the only one I want to see me like this and I appreciate what you’re doing for me."
"Anytime, AJ, but you need to deal with Lex soon. We’ll talk later."
"I’ll deal with it after the funeral."
"We’re leaving for LA."
"Later then. Come on. I want a drink before we go."
"There’s no more liquor here, AJ and I guess I’d better warn you. Ali is in town and is coming to the funeral home tonight."
AJ mumbled incoherently as he left the room. Tyler followed him down and got her keys. She figured it would be easier to keep him away from the bars if she drove.
At the house, Fiona and Sonja were sitting in the living room waiting for Tyler so they could go with her to the funeral home. AJ headed straight for the bar but Tyler stopped him.
"NO, YOU DON’T, ALEXANDER."
"And who’s going to stop me?"
‘Bull’ stepped into the room from the deck. "AJ, don’t give Tyler a hard time."
AJ sulked away to the studio and Sonja asked, "How is he?":
"Not good. I poured all the liquor that was left out when I was at his house. Where’s Lex?"
"With Denise. They’re both worried about him."
"Do me a favor. Call them and tell them that I’m with him and that for right now, he’s sober."
"Did you stay with him all night?" asked Fiona as Sonja called Denise.
"Yeah, and it wasn’t a pretty sight. I’m going to change and then I’m taking him to get something to eat before we go to the funeral home."
Tyler went upstairs, changed quickly, and returned. She could hear AJ in the studio messing with the music. She looked at Fiona and Sonja.
"I talked to Kevin to let him know what was going on with AJ. Look, I’m going to stay with him tonight and leave from the funeral for LA."
"What about Lex?" asked Fiona. "She’s REALLY upset."
"I know but AJ won’t deal with it right now. He’s pushing everyone close to him away."
"Except you."
"I know but he would if the guys were here. Besides, he DID try to make me leave last night but he was too drunk to do anything. Look, there’s an added twist to all of this. A girl we went to school with is in town and she’s coming to the funeral home tonight."
"I take it by the tone of your voice that you’re worried," said Sonja.
"To say the least. She has a strange affect on AJ."
AJ came out. "Are you ready?"
"Yeah."
All three looked at each other as AJ made his way to the door. It was going to be a LONG night and they didn’t envy Tyler.
