~*~ Facing the Consequences ~*~
There was a soft knock at the door and he sprang for it hoping against hope that it was Andi. Opening it, he found Howie.
"She won’t talk to me, will she?"
"She’s asleep right now. Maybe when she’s had some rest, she’ll talk to you."
AJ turned to go back into the room and Howie followed closing the door behind him. The younger man plopped down on the couch taking Andi’s shirt and holding it to his face. He breathed in deeply, taking in her scent and his tears started.
"Howie, I really do love her. I never meant to hurt her."
Howie sat down beside his best friend putting his arm around him. "I never doubted it but you’ve got to show her again and AJ, it’s NOT going to be easy. You betrayed a trust and it’s gonna take a lot to get it back."
"What is she doing here? She told me it’d be March before she could fly out."
"She wanted to surprise you for Valentine’s Day, something about you two hadn’t missed one yet."
"Ah fuck!! Today’s Valentine’s Day."
"You’d forgotten?"
"More like tried to forget because I knew she wasn’t going to be here. Think she’d listen if I sent her flowers?"
"She might."
AJ scrambled for the phone and the phone book. He had to order Andi flowers…wild flowers…she loved wildflowers. Finding a florist, he began to place the order but had a sudden change of mind. Instead of wildflowers, he ordered orchids, to remind her of their wedding night.
With the flowers ordered, AJ hung up and leaned back, still holding her shirt. He closed his eyes and he could see her. Softly, he said, "I’m gonna make it up to you, beautiful."
Howie’s heart broke hearing AJ’s promise but there was one question that burned in his mind. "’J’, you were in your room last night…ALONE. How did that girl end up here and in your bed?"
Opening his eyes, he started, "Yeah, I was and I tried to call Andi. All I wanted was to hear her voice and when all I got was the machine and her voice mail, I got depressed. I started drinking…"
Howie raised his eyebrows. "Started?"
"Okay, continued. I ran out so I headed down to the bar. She was there and we started dancing. I swear, all I had in mind was dancing with her. I honestly don’t remember anything after the third round of drinks until waking up to Andi standing in the room with this chick sucking my cock."
Howie shook his head. "AJ, why?"
"I missed her, Howie. I missed the way she felt next to my body," sobbed AJ
hugging her shirt close to his chest. "I missed the way it felt to make love to
her. What’s she gonna do now?"
"She’s headed home. I told her I’d get her a flight while she slept." No need to tell him that she’s planning to leave him or that she’s going to my place.
Reaching for the phone once more, AJ called the airport to make the necessary arrangements for Andi’s flight home. He bought her a first class seat back to Orlando and made sure she would get the royal treatment. Hanging up, he said, "Her flight is at eight tonight. I don’t guess you need to tell her that I bought the ticket."
"I’ll wait to see what kind of mood she’s in."
AJ got up and went to the mini bar and began to fix himself a drink. Howie watched in disgusted amazement.
Seeing the expression on Howie’s face, AJ asked defensively, "What?"
"It’s eight in the morning, your marriage is falling apart because of your drinking, and you’re gonna take a drink?"
"What the fuck difference does it make now?"
"You idiot! You get drunk and Andi’s NOT going to talk to you."
"You know as well as I do, when my wife makes up her mind, NOTHING is going to change it. She says she doesn’t want to talk, I’m NOT going to be able to change her mind and neither are you."
"So you’re giving up? You’re gonna give her the flowers and tell her it’s
over?"
"Over? No, I don’t want it to be over but I don’t really have any control over that. Andi made it perfectly clear when we got married that if I fooled around on her, she’d leave me."
"If you want to salvage your marriage, the first thing you NEED to do is STOP drinking!! You have a chance as long as you’re sober. Look, I’m gonna head back to my room for now. I’ll call you when Andi wakes up."
"Thanks, ‘D’…for everything."
Howie stood and went to the younger man. Embracing him, Howie whispered, "It’ll work out, Alex, just have faith."
AJ watched as Howie left the room then downed the drink he’d fixed. He proceeded to fix a second drink to be followed by a third and a fourth, until the bottle was empty. Bottle in hand, AJ passed out on the couch, her shirt clutched to his chest, tear stains on his cheeks.
