Wine After Whiskey

In the weeks post their steakhouse dinner everything seemed to be going really well between Tessa and James.

So far they hadn’t gotten into any squabbles, opened lines of communication that when they were together before never happened, and nothing had- thankfully- been said about what happened that evening at dinner. Tessa had realized how immature, and childish she had acted when she threw the fit about Melanie. It took her a little while to realize, while she didn’t like it, that James had been with other women while they were split. It was something that she had to accept, despite not wanting too. Things for James were going decently well too. Mel hadn’t sent him another text message, or called his phone incessantly for a booty call, after he had sent her a text saying “It was over”. Basically everything between Tessa, James, and Aubree were going pretty perfectly.

In mid July, Tessa had taken off a week at work. They had both agreed that a little family vacation would be the best use of their time, to get away from Whitby and see how everything acted. Before leaving, James had hired a travel agent and had everything taken care of so that when they arrived at their little cottage a couple of miles from the beach, everything would be perfect for his daughters first family vacation.

The first couple of days in Wasaga it had rained. Something both Tessa and James were unimpressed with, seeing when they had left the weather man had said it was going to be clear all week; Aubree on the other hand had no problem with it. She dragged her parents out and about town through gift shops, and toy stores in search of a new doll, and had even hit up a couple of ice cream shops on the way through her journey. That evening they had gotten a slice of pizza at one of the local joints, and had brought it back to their hotel for a “dinner by candlelight” as Aubree liked to refer it as.

By nine o’clock, they had gotten Aubree bathed, teeth brushed, pajamas on, and in bed with a story read, and she had miraculously fell asleep quickly- more than likely tired from a long day- which left Tessa and James ample alone time.

They had decided to keep it low key, and pop in a movie. “The Hangover” had been the movie of choice- something Tessa was never able to watch with a four-year old around- and they had plopped down on the old gingham couch, James’s arm wrapped around her shoulder, and a blanket spread across them.

It hadn’t been fifteen minutes into the movie, when James’s began to nuzzle her ear. Tessa tried to hold back a small smile, she had yet to give into any of his ways, and she knew it was killing him.

“You know, we been dating over three weeks, and we have yet to make it to first base?” James breathed into her ear softly. His breath felt warm and smelt of garlic, making her giggle like a little school girl. She gained composure as soon as a smart-ass comment slipped to her lips.

“Mmmm… is that so?” she asked, her eyebrows raising towards his direction. He nodded hopefully and tried not to get to ahead of himself. A kiss. That was the only thing he wanted, a kiss.

“That would be so.” he confirmed with hungry eyes. He wouldn’t have been lying when he thought about how so badly he wanted a physical, and intimate relationship with her again. It wasn’t even all about the sex for James though, just the physical closeness. She hadn’t slept in his bed since they had gotten back together, and every time that Aubree and Tessa would stay over at his house- something that was becoming more and more frequent- she would stay in his guest bedroom. His heart- and bed- longed for the warm body that she had always been next to him.

“Hmmm… You have been pretty good lately. Keeping your hands to yourself, no pushiness… Hmmmmm.” A sly grin began on her face. She had realized that nothing had happened between them yet. It wasn’t that she didn’t want it to happen, she just was still a little scared of all the after effects. Even a kiss. But she knew she would eventually have to take the plunge. James wasn’t going to be around forever without kisses and ‘I love yous’. She contorted her body to meet his, and began to go to kiss him. It wasn’t until their lips almost met that James pulled away, and ran his hands through his hair.

“I’m sorry,” The phrase that was always used too much in this world, was out before Tessa could even realize what happened. She blinked back, not knowing what exactly to say.

“Does my breath stink or something what?” she questioned with wide eyes. James shook his head, still running his hands through his hair. She had popped up into his mind.

“Tess, I need to tell you something, and you cannot get mad. Okay? Do you promise me that?” Tessa’s heart sank as he said that. What did he mean by that? She couldn’t be mad? What had he done?

“Okay...”

“ThethingsthatItoldyouthathappenedbetweenMelandIactuallyhappenedafewweeksagoithasn’thappenedsinceweweretogetherbutithappenedandIdon’twanttobaseourrelationshiponabunchofliesandIneedyoutoknowthatIsleptwithheralmostfourweeksagoandI’mreallysorrypleasedon’tbemad.” The sentence came out as one big, and long jumbled mess. Tessa didn’t catch much more than a couple of words.

“What?” she asked.

“The things that I told you that happened between Mel and I actually happened a few weeks ago, also. They haven’t happened since we’ve been together, and I don’t want to base our relationship on lies, and I wanted to tell you that I slept with her four weeks ago… Before we were together again, and I’m so sorry. Please don’t be mad.” Tessa blinked, her eyes burning with hot tears.

“You did what?” she asked again, hoping that it was just all an April Fools joke in the middle of July. “You told me you hadn’t had a relationship with her in two years…” he nodded, it was all a lie.

“It didn’t mean anything to me though. I swear. She was just--”

“Just there for a fuck? Is that why we came up here? Hide me and Aubree away while you went off and fucked your other girlfriend?” her voice raised, and James ushered her to be quieter in an attempt not to wake their daughter.

“No that wasn’t it. I swear we’re done. She texted me the night of our dinner--”

“She texted you? Is that when you told her you’d be up here so your could--” He cut her off this time.

“Damnit Tessa, no! I told her we we’re done. I told her I no longer wanted to be around her because I had you, and Aubree. I didn’t drag you up here so I could fuck her. If I wanted to do that so badly, I would’ve drove up here all by myself, and fucked her!”

Slap.

The palm of Tessa’s left hand met with James’s cheek. He quickly grabbed his face as it began to sore and throb. Hot tears rolled down her face as she realized what exactly she had done in the heat of the moment. A small, and pink hand imprinted his face. She wanted to apologize, yet she was so mad, and in her mind it had been justified as he had deserved it.

“Fuck you, James.” she spat back, throwing the blanket onto the floor and getting up off the couch. She stomped back to her room on the other side of the house like a petulant child, and slammed the door behind her. James cringed and listened in to hear if Aubree had started to rise from her slumber. She didn’t, so far.

He took a deep breath, and went to get a cool rag from the kitchen to put on his aching face. She had blindsided him with that hit. Never in their relationship had they been violent with each other, even when sparks were bad, and anger was high. It took a couple of minutes for the initial pain to settle, and his face just to sting. He set the cloth on the counter and padded over to where her bedroom was, knocking on the locked door softly.

“I’m sorry. Okay? I should’ve told you before, but I was worried as to how you would act.” He knew she wasn’t so angry about him having other women in his life, but it had really been that comment of him being able to just get up and go be with another women that had made her so mad, but tonight he knew he would be apologizing for everything.

“Fuck you, James. Fuck you.” she mumbled through the door. “Why don’t you go call Melanie up? I’m sure she’d like to here you’re in town for a good shag.” His anger began to flare. She was now just being immature.

“If you would stop acting like such a fucking child, and a fucking victim for once, maybe you could listen and realize that the world fucking doesn’t revolve around your fucking assumptions. Damnit Tessa, I love you. Okay? Love you. I would do anything in this fucking world for you and for Aubree, and yeah I did sleep with another woman. She was the only one, and now I’m owning up to it… Yet you can’t push past all that shit, can you?” If they had been in the same room, he’d probably receive a slap for that one too.

“Fuck you, James.” he rolled his eyes, it wasn’t going to end. It was better to just try and let it boil over. This was the storm in the ‘calm before the storm’. He turned around and began to make his way back to his bedroom, when a little voice scared him.

“Daddy, you said a bad word.” Aubree mumbled, her eyes sleepy and her blankie tucked underneath her arm. He sighed and shook his head. He didn’t want his daughter to grow up in this kind of votile environment where her parents were fighting over stupid shit. It wasn’t fair.

“I know baby, and I’m sorry. I just got mad.” he explained as he began to take her back to her bedroom to tuck her in. He pulled her blankets up to her chin, and kissed her on the forehead before closing the door back behind him.

Did he really make the best decision coming back to them? Was he actually more hurt than help around here anymore? Maybe it would’ve been just so much better if he had left, never looked back, and just let them alone. He really was the issue.