The Boy from New York City

Realization Strikes

“What the hell is going on in here?” Alexzander’s voice echoes through the kitchen. I finish pulling a dish of lasagna from the oven and set it down before confronting him. I had come to realize how boring it could get in the house when I wasn’t at school, so I figured I would learn to cook. Or at least try to cook. The only thing I can say is that at least the lasagna isn’t burnt.

“I thought I’d cook you dinner for once.” We both glance down at the dish that was sitting between us. “Luckily you’re home late; the first couple batches didn’t turn out like this.”

Any other day he would have taken a seat and politely taken a bite of the food. But today, he just walked by the table, opening up the liquor cabinet. “Thanks, but I’m not hungry tonight.” He says while pulling out the Whiskey.

I stop him right then, grabbing the bottle from him. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. That’s not happening.”

He groans and runs a hand through his hair, “Sam, I just need one glass.”

“No.”

“This isn’t bad. It’s normal for businessmen to come home and have a drink. It’s relaxing. My fa-” He stops, catching on to what he was about to say.

“Right. Your father does this doesn’t he? And who are you not? Your father. I don’t care how stressful work was; alcohol is never going to be the answer. Now sit down and have a proper meal.” I put the Whiskey back and close the cabinet, standing between it and Alexzander so that he couldn’t grab more when I turned around. “Sit.” I said, crossing my arms.

Glaring, he takes a seat at the table and I bring in the food. “I told you I’m not hungry.”

“Does it look like I care?”

“Can I just go to my room? I really can’t deal with this right now.”

I stop serving myself and drop the spoon. “So it’s your room now? Is this your house too? Your kitchenware?”

“Sam, that’s not what I meant.” His voice softened some as he realized what he had said, but I wasn’t about to be fooled. I knew something was up when he first walked in.

“Isn’t it? What the fuck has gotten into you? And don’t give me some bullshit answer. Something happened at work today that’s got you all pissed off and I would really like to know what.”

Alexzander stayed silent and stared at his empty plate. “Fine, don’t tell me. But know that this fight is your entire fault. We promised to talk things out and obviously that’s something you can’t do.” I stab the food on my plate with my fork and take a bite. It tasted terrible. I didn’t spit it out though; I just swallowed as if it were any other dinner. I couldn’t let Alexzander know that I messed up on something as simple as lasagna.

He grabs my hand in mid-air before I could take another bite. “Stop. I don’t want you getting sick from it or something.”

“Like you care.” I mumble, pulling my hand from his grasp and finishing the bite.

“Fuck, Sam, of course I care!”

“Do you? Do you really care? Because it doesn’t really seem like it right now. If you’re going to come home from work every day like this then I can’t do it, I can’t be here with this side of you. This isn’t you, Alexzander. I don’t know what happened and I have a feeling you’re not going to tell me. But if you stay like this, acting like I’m nothing more than just a something to have around for a bit, I’m leaving. And trust me, I won’t be-”

“I CALLED LIAM TODAY!” He shouts over my voice, which had just been getting louder and louder with each word. “I called Liam,” he repeats, this time quieter.

I perk up at those words. I had been trying for weeks to get those two talking again, but Alexzander wouldn’t budge. I guess finally he gave in. “Really? I’m glad you finally tried to patch things up.”

“Yeah, well, it didn’t exactly work perfectly. I mean, we don’t hate each other currently. But he definitely reminded me about something that I need to tell you.”
“So that’s why you’re acting like an ass? Just trying to push me away or something?”

“No. I don’t know. I just, he knows how to push my buttons, alright? And I kind of took it out on you.”
I stare at him for a moment before taking another bite of my food. I was getting used to the weird after taste, “eat your dinner Alexzander.” I tell him, pointing at his plate that hadn’t been touched.

“But I need-”

“To tell me something. I know. It’s obvious that you don’t want to tell me right now though, so just eat your dinner and think things through before telling me.”

He doesn’t pick up his fork; instead he pushes his empty plate closer to the center of the table. Similar to the way that a child would do when they’re full. “This is important Sam. I actually should have told you long ago.”

“Then why didn’t you? I’m not saying we’re not going to talk about this, but I don’t see why we have to talk about it right now at dinner.”

“It’s just Doug isn’t-”

“Doug? My friend Doug?”

“Yes, he-”

“Is everything alright? Oh god, one of his drug deals went bad didn’t it?! I always told him this would happen someday. He sold the shittiest stuff. Is he okay? Is he at the hos-”

“Sam!” I blink a couple times at his interruption but stay silent, “Doug is fine. Nothing went wrong with a sale and he’s not in the hospital or anything. That’s not what I had to tell you.”

“Oh.” I stare at my food and move it around a bit on my plate.

“Are you ready to listen now?”

“I guess so. But if that’s not it then I don’t know what Doug has to-”

Alexzander slaps a manila envelope down in front of me, one similar to those I’ve gotten along with the threats. I shut-up and glanced at the envelope with curiosity before focusing my attention back onto my husband. “That day we first met, I wasn’t actually buying drugs off him. And no, not because it was a dare and that whole story I told you. I made that whole dare thing up. It seemed intelligent at the time and then you continued on with it so I just kept talking about how it was a dare.” He pauses and plays with my fingers a bit. I could tell this was hard for him but I also had a gut feeling that I needed to hear it all. “I don’t know if you know this, but Liam is older than me by quite a few years. He’s in his early thirties, and therefore was given a bit more responsibility at the offices before I did, just because he had more experience. Liam is one of the few employees my dad kept on throughout the merger with Charleston’s. Anyways, about the time he started working for the company, and specifically for me, he asked me to do a favor for him. I had to meet up with his buddy Doug and pick something up from him. Liam never told me what I was picking up, and over the years it has always been the same kind of envelope. I also had to swear to never open it which I have kept that promise. This morning when I called Liam I told him that today would be the last time I was doing this. I guess it just feels weird doing something that may or may not be illegal especially when it involves your friend. And I’m sorry I lied to you but in my defense I didn’t know we’d end up married.”

I stare at the envelope. I was pretty sure I knew what was inside of it and just that thought made me sick to my stomach. “You never opened one of them?” I ask while slowly inching my hand toward the envelope, wanting to open it.

“No. as you know Liam can be scary when he gets mad.”

Reaching out I grab the yellow colored envelope and tear it open before Alexzander could stop me. Pulling out the contents my stomach drops, they were what I suspected them to be. “Sam! What are you doing?! Are you crazy!?” Before he could continue yelling at me I turned one of the pictures to face him, it was one of us at the courthouse. There were a series of these, showing us signing not one but two certificates; it was proof that both couples got married that day and not just one.

Alexzander takes the pictures and stares at them for a moment. “Great. So my best friend has been spying on us. That’s just fucking great.”

I was stuck. I could agree with him and maybe this whole thing would wash over as Liam acting like a protective friend. Or I could tell him the truth which would probably result with him becoming even angrier.

And then there was the last choice. The choice I would I have to make at some point and now seemed better than ever. I could tell him the whole truth.

No. That was stupid. There is no way I would toss that kind of information on him right now. Not unless I wanted Liam put in the hospital. No, I wouldn’t tell him just yet.

“And I don’t get it, I don’t get why he’s doing this.” It was then that I realized Alexzander had continued talking. I nod in agreement, attempting to catch up with the conversation, “I mean why would Liam do this? Why would he be spying on us?”

Alexzander talked on about his confusion but my mind was stuck at his last sentence. Why did Liam do all of this? This isn’t just something that has happened once. He had obviously planned it. I stare at my husband, sitting there ranting on about his best friend, and I realize that I was right indeed. It had been planned. It all had been planned.
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So, what do you think's going on? I'm wrapping up this story which means there'll probably be about 5-7 more chapters.

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