Living On A Prayer

Brian tossed his bags in to the trunk of Val’s car after Matt had tossed his in. Closing the trunk, he wished that Eloise had been the one to pick him up. Climbing into the back of the car he watched as Matt took over driving. Ignoring the conversation in the front of the car about what color and theme the nursery should be, Brian looked down at his phone not seeing a response back from Eloise.

Biting his lip, Brian leaned his head back closing his eyes. Ever since their small, well he wouldn’t call it a fight, but he knew that he must’ve done something to tick her off to the point where she wasn’t accepting his calls as much. Staying silent the whole back to his house, Brian waved Matt and Val off after he pulled his luggage out. Unlocking his front door, he set his luggage at the bottom of the stairs and grabbed his truck keys before heading back out of his house.

Taking the familiar path to his girlfriend’s house, Brian pulled up in front of the house. A frown taking over his features when he noticed the for sale sign in the front yard. Getting out of the truck he went to the front door, ringing the door bell.

“Oh dear, she moved earlier this week!” Brian turned around to see Eloise elder neighbor standing in her drive way.

“Do you know why?” He asked confused.

“Foreclosed,” The older lady tisked as she shook her head. “You’d think the banks would give widows of military men a break but no.”

Brian scratched the back of his head confused. “Do you know where El went?”

“To her parent’s house, most of her stuff though is in storage. But her brother and brother in law were over here for the past week packing everything.” Brian thanked the older lady before he got back into his truck. As he drove towards Eloise parent’s house, the question kept plaguing his mind as to why she never told him what was going on.

Pulling up in front of the Parker house, Brian walked to the front door and rang the door bell. Only waiting a minute for the door open, Brian gaze a slight smile when Jane answered the door. “She’s in the back Brian.”

“Thanks,” Brian murmured as he made his way to the back door. He froze as his hand rested on the sliding glass door handle as he watched Eloise lounge by the pool watching who he assumed what her brother play with James in the pool.

“Go on son, go talk to her.” Isaac said watching Brian’s hesitant moves.

Hearing the back door open, Eloise turned to see Brian standing there. Her mouth going dry, she stood making her way over to him. “Hey Bri,”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Brian asked as soon as she got in front of him. He watched as her eyes watered and her arms crossed over her chest. Sighing he pulled her into his arms and rested his head on top of hers. “You should’ve told me.”

“Can we not talk about this here?” Eloise asked knowing her family was listening.

“You two go off and do whatever, I’ll watch James tonight.” Sam told them as he climbed out of the pool with James on his hip.

“Thanks man,” Brian said putting his hand out for Sam to shake.

“No problem,” Sam told him shaking his hand. “I’d do anything for my sister.”

“Well I’ll go change then we can go to your house?” Eloise slipped past Brian and made her way to her old room where she had some of her things stored. Slipping out of swimsuit cover then her swimsuit, Eloise proceeded to quickly change into a pair of shorts and a regular tee shirt.

Grabbing her purse, Eloise said goodbye to her parents and gave James a kiss before she followed Brian out to his truck. Slipping into his truck she waited for him to start the truck and head to his house.

“So, when do you get Pinkly back?” Eloise asked breaking the silence.

“Probably tomorrow,” Brian answered after a few moments quietly. The rest of the short journey was silent even as Brian parked his vehicle and they entered the house. Eloise saw that Brian’s luggage was still at the bottom of the stairs. She felt slight guilt knowing he rushed straight to her place then to her parents. “I’m going to get something to drink, you want anything?”

Eloise looked over at Brian and shook her head. “No thank you, I’ll be in the living room.”

Brian nodded then headed into the kitchen and opened his fridge grabbing two water bottles even though she declined. He went into the living room and saw that Eloise had sat on the couch; her head was bowed, her hands massaging her forehead. Brian placed the second water bottle down on the coffee table in front of her as he sat next to her.

“Eloise,” Brian spoke to get her attention. “Is the reason you barely spoke with me was because of your house and not because of that stupid assumption I made?”

Eloise lifted her head and peered over at Brian. Her heart dropped when she saw the worry laced through his eyes. “Bri . . .” she reached out grabbing his hand and began rubbing soothing circles on the skin. “This week, well I should say these last few weeks just have not been kind to me.”

“How did you lose the house?” Brian asked feeling a bit better that she wasn’t mad about the jackass move he made.

“Honey I barely make thirty five thousand a year,”

“But didn't Wyatt leave money or his G.I. bill?”

Eloise let go of Brian’s hand and started to run her hands through her hair. “Soldiers don’t make that much money in the first place unless they are high ranked or a rare job.” Eloise started out explaining. “He bought the house when we got engaged; I was twenty one just out of college and starting my teacher aid so I could start forward in getting a teaching position. The market was good that we, he, could afford the house. After we married I started teaching and he was shipped overseas for six months. It wasn’t until a couple years ago that we faced problems, barely scraping buy. I wanted to sell the house knowing it was too much but Wyatt said we couldn’t it’d just ruin us and we wouldn’t be able to sell if for what we owed.

“Then when I found out I was pregnant we were cautious no telling anyone since I had miscarried about two years before. When I was about five and half months he was shipped back to Afghanistan and we found out it was boy. Our cars were paid off, I was steadily paying my loans off . . . and then,” Brian pulled Eloise onto his lap as her eyes began to water and her voice crack. “We had started a college fund for James, putting only a hundred or two in a month if we could spare it. Wyatt stated in his will he wanted part of G.I. bill to go to the fund.” Eloise rolled her eyes thinking about the G.I. Bill. “Then his parents stepped in, not happy the way his will was. All the money left to James and I . . . I think they were counting on the bill or some money to help them with bad investments they’d made.”

“So his parents aren’t in James life at all?” Brian asked wrapping his arms tighter around her.

“Nope they didn’t like that I refused to give them money either, because I needed it just as bad.” Brian heard her sniff so he reached over the side table and grabbed a tissue from the box for her. “Thanks,” Eloise mumbled wiping her eyes. “The school district started making cuts, mostly on the teachers who weren’t ten year. I’m always so scared I’ll get a pink slip like some I’ve seen get. Then last November I was in a car accident. Totaled my car and I had already sold Wyatt’s car. So I had no choice to buy a new one, used of course but still a car payment on top of the house payment on top of paying off my loans . . . and soon, I could barely pay things at all.

“You were such a great distraction from everything Brian and I really appreciate that. But when I got that letter the day you left, reality came rushing back that I just sort of, freaked out. Oh and then on top of it! Michelle saying all these things to me at Costco causing a scene!” Brian pulled away and looked down at Eloise with an interested expression.

“I heard about that, Val told Matt and Matt told me what Chelle had told Val . . .” Eloise raised her eyebrows while Brian gave a sheepish smile. “I know that Michelle would twist it and I really want to hear it from you.”

“Well . . .” Eloise stalled deciding to tell Brian out right. She relayed what happened to Brian word for word and how she was feeling. “Then she said that you were just making up for what you lost . . . what does she mean by that?” She looked up to see his face. She watched as a pained expression washed over him. “Was it something in the divorce?”

“Yeah . . . one of the reason she left me, but El please don’t believe anything she says.” Brian pleaded. “I really care about you and James.” Eloise placed her hands on Brian’s face and raised up placing a kiss on his lips.

“I’m not going anywhere Brian.” She rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes listening to his steady heart beat.

“Baby why don’t you go upstairs to my room and take a nap, I’ll go grab some groceries and lunch for us.” Brian suggested getting a drowsy nod from his girlfriend. “I’ll be back in about an hour okay?”

“Okay, drive safe.” Eloise mumbled as she received the kiss from him and went upstairs. Brian shook his head as he grabbed his keys heading out to visit a few select people.