Living On A Prayer

Matt slipped into the booth across from Brian who had the laptop open, a grin on his face. Brian felt the eyes on him but he was more interested in the recent pictures that Eloise had sent him. Glancing over the top of the computer, Brian cocked an eyebrow wondering what Matt wanted.

“Can I help you?” Brian asked as he glanced back down at the picture of James holding himself up by the coffee table.

“I just got done talking with Val and she told me something interesting.” Matt said resting his arms on the table. Brian just grunted in response thinking it was just something about the baby boy they’re expecting. “I guess she had breakfast with Michelle this morning and Michelle said that she ran into Eloise at Costco.”

Brian’s head snapped up as Matt mentioned his girlfriend and almost ex wife running into each other. “What’d else did she say?”

“That they uh . . . had some words,” Brian’s eye widened, a million different scenarios running through his mind.

“Wait, Eloise doesn’t have a mean bone in her body!”

Matt just shrugged. “It’s what Chelle tell told Val. And Bri you know all girls have a mean bone if they’re pushed to it.”

“True but I can’t see El saying something to Michelle . . .” Brian scratched the back of his head confused. “When did this happen?”

“The day we left apparently, did she not tell you?” Matt asked frowning. Brian shook his head as he thought about his girlfriend’s behavior since he left.

“I’m going to call her,” Brian mumbled as he pulled out his phone.

Eloise sighed ignoring her phone as she wrapped the dishes up in packing paper. Looking around her bare kitchen, Eloise held in the emotions that were threatening to take over. She felt arms wrap around her shoulder and pull her in tight the muscular chest.

“It’ll be alright,” Eloise just nodded wiping her eyes. “Why don’t you go put the rest of James stuff in your car and I’ll finish up in here?”

“Thanks Sam,” Eloise walked down the hall into James room where all there was left were a few boxes. Hearing her phone ring again, Eloise groaned.

“Hello? . . . No she’s busy right now,” Eloise slipped out the room seeing her brother had answered her phone. “Oh hold on here she is,” Eloise took the phone giving her brother a look.

“Hello?”

“Who was that Eloise?” She groaned hearing Brian’s voice laced with suspicion.

“That would be my idiot of a baby brother.” Brian let out a sigh. “Do you honestly think I’d cheat Brian?”

“No babe I—”

“Because I’ve had a hard couple of weeks and I do not need you thinking I’m doing something so immoral.” Brian grumbled. She could imagine he was rubbing his face.

“I’m sorry, it’s just you’ve been very . . . off since I left.”

Eloise sighed not knowing exactly what to tell Brian. “I know, things have just gotten . . . unraveled.”

“I’m going to be home in a couple of days for our small break before we go to Europe. We can work through . . . whatever it is that’s happening since you aren’t telling me.”

“Okay . . . are you getting a ride with Matt and Val?”

“Yeah and then I’ll come see you.”

Eloise finished her phone call with Brian and turned to see her brother leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.

“I don’t like the way you were talking to him,” Sam told her honestly. “Is he like, verbally abusive or something.”

“No Samuel he isn’t.” Eloise rolled her eyes as she grabbed the last box from the house. Sam shrugged as he closed the door behind them. Eloise put the last box in the back of her brother’s truck.

“I’ll take this stuff to the storage unit, you go back to mom and dad’s and spend time with James.” Sam told his sister as he pulled her into a tight hug.

“Thank you for coming down and helping me out.”

“You know I’d do anything for you El . . . Not Sarah necessarily because she’s a royal bitch but you,” Sam joked around as he talked about his older sisters. “Okay get going to mom and dad’s, I’ll see you there later.” Eloise nodded then headed to her car replaying the past few weeks in her mind and how she’d tell Brian what’s going on.