Turning the TV on I log in to Netflix, putting on a random movie I come upon for background noise. I put in a quick call to Thelma to check in on Winnie and Binx. I asked Thelma and Cynthia if they抎 be willing to watch the two animals and they were all too eager to help.
It takes my food nearly an hour to arrive and by the time it does I抦 ready to eat my arm.
The guy that brings it looks at me expectantly for a tip. I nearly shut the door in his face because I just want to eat my food, but I remind myself that it抯 more than likely not his fault my food took so long, plus it抯 a big hotel. I hand him some cash and finally I抦 left with the peace of my hotel room and my dinner.
Settling at the table, I unbox my burger and shove some fries into my mouth.
My phone lights up on the table beside me. It抯 a text from Salem.
Salem: Is everything okay there?
Me: Quiet. Just about to eat dinner.
See? I抦 not lying.
Me: How are you feeling?
Salem: Lauren抯 keeping me distracted. She抯 freaking out over the ring. She抯 happy for us. We抮e getting ready to go to a show. I抣l check in throughout the night even though you抣l probably be asleep.
I smile at her paragraph long text.
Me: Just have fun.
I抳e only managed to scarf down about half of my burger when I get a FaceTime call from Caleb梬ell, not Caleb, but Seda.
Originally, we抎 talked about Seda staying with me this weekend so we could have a chance to bond just the two of us. It ended up not working out, mostly because Salem and I noticed how uncomfortable it made Caleb and since I don抰 want to step on the guy抯 toes too much I backed off.
揌ey.?I smile at my little girl抯 face. 揂re you getting ready to go to bed??
揗hmm.?She points at her pajamas with smiley faces on them. 揓ust had my bath too.?This time she points at her wet head. 揇addy brushed my hair for me. I hate doing it. It gets all tangled and it hurts. But he uses this stuff, what抯 it called, Daddy??
揇etangler,?I hear Caleb say off screen.
揇etangler,?Seda repeats. 揟hat stuff helps.?
I chuckle, amused by her rambling. 揂re you going to read a book before bed??
揧es, I already picked it out. It抯 about a duck that lives in a purse??
揑s that so??
揥ell,?her nose scrunches, reminding me of Salem, 揑 think so, but I can抰 remember. Where are you??she asks, inspecting what she can view of the hotel behind me. I spot Caleb leaning into the camera, checking it out too, so I scoot the phone closer to me.
揑抦 out,?I answer vaguely.
揙h, you went out to dinner. It抯 kind of late, Dad.?
揧ou抮e right, it is kind of late. We better say goodnight so you can get some rest.?
揘ight, Dad. I love you.?
揑 love you, too, pumpkin.?
She runs off, but the call doesn抰 end. Caleb picks up the phone.
揥here are you??he asks in a bossy, demanding tone. His eyes are narrowed. 揑t looked like you were in a hotel room. I swear to fucking God if Salem is in Vegas and you抮e cheating on her I will personally hunt you down and slit your throat.?
揟hat抯 very specific.?I try not show my amusement.
揝alem and I aren抰 together anymore, but I抣l always care about her, and that means I don抰 want to see her hurt.?
揑 am in a hotel,?I tell him, and he looks like he抯 going to jump through the phone and strangle me. 揝ettle down. I抦 in Vegas. Don抰 say anything to Salem. She was ?it was a rough morning, okay??I抦 not giving him the intimate details of our life and I doubt he抎 like it very much to know we抮e trying to have a kid when Salem didn抰 want to have a baby with him. 揑 decided to book a room in case she needs someone.?
揕auren抯 there.?
揝o? It抯 Lauren抯 bachelorette weekend, I think we both know Salem won抰 want to rain on her parade.?
He sighs, running his fingers through the blond strands of his hair. 揧ou抮e right.?
揇on抰 say anything to Salem that I抦 here. I only wanted to be close if she needs me.?
揊ine. All right. I won抰 say anything.?He looks like he抯 smelled something sour, so it surprises me when he says, 揧ou really love her, don抰 you??
揗ore than you can possibly comprehend.?
I don抰 mean it as a slight at him, it抯 just the fucking truth. Sometimes I抦 even shocked that it抯 possible to feel this much for another person.
揑 won抰 tell her.?
He ends the call and I exhale a sigh of relief.
I hope wherever Salem is she抯 having a good time.
CHAPTER 46
SALEM
Our first night in Vegas isn抰 so bad. We go to a Cirque Du Soleil performance and it抯 phenomenal, followed by a dinner out, with drinking and dancing at a club. Well, Lauren and her friends drink and dance, I mostly just sit there and cheer them on because it抯 not my kind of thing.
But the next night, I抦 not feeling it. Not when I go into the bathroom and find the signs that my period has started.
Since my period still hadn抰 started, I抎 held on to hope that maybe I had taken a test too soon. But that抯 clearly not the case. I抦 not pregnant, just late, which might be from coming off my birth control and it effecting my cycle.
I send a text to Lauren, asking if she has any tampons with her since I idiotically didn抰 think to pack any after I unpacked the old ones from my bag. She texts right back that she抣l be in my room in a few with some.
I clean up and wash my hands梬hich is awkward with the cast. I still haven抰 gotten used to showering and washing up. There抯 a knock on my door within a minute since her room is right across from mine.
揧ou didn抰 pack tampons??She pushes her way inside, setting them on the counter. 揑t抯 not like you to forget something.?
There抯 accusation in her tone. Lauren isn抰 stupid, she抯 probably figured something is going on.
揑 took a pregnancy test before my flight.?
She gasps in surprise. 揧ou抮e not miscarrying, are you??
I shake my head. 揓ust late.?
揥ait.?She shakes her hands back and forth in front of her face. 揂re you glad your period started? Like was this an accidental scare or are you trying to get pregnant??
I smile bashfully. 揟rying.?
揝alem!?She swats at my arm. 揌ow could you not tell me this??
I shrug. 揑t didn抰 seem like a big deal.?
揧ou and Thayer have only been back together a few months and you抮e already talking about having a baby? That抯 a huge deal to share with your best friend. And engaged too.?She reaches for my hand, looking at my pink engagement ring. 揕isten, I抦 not trying to be a bitch, just your friend, so please don抰 bite my head off, but do you think you抮e rushing things??
I understand where she抯 coming from. If things were reversed, I have no doubt I抎 be asking her the same question.
揝ure,?I agree, 搕echnically things are moving quickly, but you have to remember I loved him in secret for almost an entire year, and then I spent six years without him. In many ways, it抯 been too long and we抮e not rushing at all.?
揥hen you put it like that, I understand.?She looks down at the tampons on the counter. 揑抦 sorry.?
揟hanks. You look amazing by the way.?
She抯 dressed in a pale pink sequined mini dress that makes her already golden skin glow even more. Her dark brown hair is slicked back in a sleek low bun at the nape of her neck.
揟hank you.?She strikes a pose, adjusting the sash around her body that says BRIDE across it. 揑抣l leave you to your business. Let me know when you抮e done. I抦 ready to get my dance on.?
I抳e had a few drinks and find myself out on the dancefloor with all the other girls tonight. It feels nice to let go after feeling so heartbroken. Lauren takes my hands, spinning us in a circle. She抯 definitely drunk but having a blast. A couple of guys have been bold enough to hit on her despite her bride sash, maybe thinking she wants one last hook up before the big day, but she was quick to send them on their way.