Natural Disaster

This was the second time in two days that James had been out and about with Josh since arriving back home for the ‘royal wedding.’ In the first go around they had picked up their tuxes, went through a laundry list of errands that Allison had laid out for them, and finally were able to get a beer at the end of the day—but there had been no talk of Molly.

Today was his plan to do just that. He was going to just ask what had happened, because something obviously had; and then he would finally be able to get to the bottom of it.

“You excited for the wedding?” James asked as their beers were dropped off at their tables and they finished off ordering two large platters of fried shrimps. Josh shrugged his shoulders hesitantly.

“More like I’m more excited for it to finally be over,” Josh commented in a half-joking, half-serious tone. James nodded not so much in agreement but in solidarity for his fellow “almost-not” bachelor. They both took long drinks of their beers and looked out onto Lake Ontario. “I mean, I love Allison, don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t… but…” He sighed and shook his head, taking another long drink of beer.

“What?” James asked as he sat on the edge of his seat. Maybe somehow, someway it would connect into Molly. Again Josh sighed and ran his hands through his equally short hair.

“Don’t tell Allison I said this, okay?” He asked his best friend as his voice lowered and his tone changed. James gulped and nodded quickly. He wasn’t so sure that he wanted to hear what Josh was about to say. Allison was like a sister to him—or had been at one point. “Marriage is one thing, I can deal with it fine. No big deal or anything, but Allison—well she has expectations…” James didn’t follow what he was saying. “A baby.” Josh deadpanned as he realized that James wasn’t exactly following him. James’ face mirrored an ‘O’ and he turned to catch the most recent score of the Pirates game. This wasn’t exactly how he wanted to find out what exactly happened to Molly.

“But don’t you want kids?” James asked with a pondering look. It was such a trivial thing for him to think about. Who didn’t want kids? Wasn’t that the whole point of being put on Earth? Find a job, fall in love, get married, and procreate? Or was that just the spewing bullshit that his parents had fed him and his siblings since they were young?

Still.

Josh shrugged his shoulders not really giving any indication as to how he felt on the matter. “I’m not sure, to be honest with you.” He answered as their plates were brought to the table. James smiled towards the young blonde waitress who had all but shoved her breasts into his face as she set down his plate. Josh tried to hold back a laugh.

“Does Allison know?” Josh shrugged, trying to play it off as no big deal. James knew he didn’t want to feel weak by bitching about something so meaningless as that, but it was something to think about.

“And you don’t plan on telling her?” Josh again shrugged. “Man, this is going to be your wife.”

“I know, I know. I know it sounds bad, but here’s my deal. We have a plan, no baby talk of any sorts for a year. After a year I think I’m going to be more ready for that emotionally, and then bing, bang, boom.” James tried not to laugh at his friend’s unpredictability but chose to keep his mouth shut instead.

“You do realize accidents happen, right?” James asked with not a hint of joking. Josh took the comment as a joke and laughed, quite loud.

“I know, James, don’t need to bring your personal story into it. Accident babies happen all the time, but not to us. I Boy Scout swear. Scouts honor.” James shook his head in slight disgust. It wasn’t the fact that Josh had brought up the past in that comment that bothered him so much but the fact that he made a gigantic joke out of it.

“Whatever, Josh.” James grunted as he ate more of his shrimp. Noting that his best friend wasn’t as impressed by his comments, Josh apologized quickly and everything seemed to go back to OK.

“Have you talked to Molly?” Finally they were getting down to what James had come down to talk about. Shaking his head he took a drink and shrugged. “Why not?”

“I talked to her the night of the rehearsal. I asked her how she was doing and she proceeded to pull all of this cryptic bullshit on me saying I needed to ask around and if then I wanted to still talk to find her, so,” James had spent two days racking his brain as to what had happened.

“I’m assuming you want to hear the story from me then, eh?” Josh asked as the bill was set down at the table. This time the waitress noticed their intense conversation and halted at putting her chest into her client’s faces. “If that’s what you came to lunch for then you’re going to be extremely displeased,” He began as James hunched over. He should’ve guessed that Josh wasn’t going to make this easy.

“Why?”

“You see, Molly never told me exactly what happened. Allison probably knows a little more than I do, but not much. The only thing I do know is about a year ago she showed up at our house in the middle of the night in Vancouver soaked in rainwater and demanding a bed to sleep in for the night. She spent the day with Al, they went shopping, had lunch, the whole shebang, she spent the night and in the morning she was just poof! gone. She didn’t know what happened to her, and when she did end up finding out, she didn’t tell me. It’s not my business, James, and unless she wants to tell you for yourself, it isn’t yours either.” James couldn’t stand when he wasn’t right. He already heard it enough from his brothers, and now he didn’t need to hear it from his best friend.

“Do you think Allison would tell me?” Josh shook his head quickly. If he knew anything in the world it was going to be that his future wife was not going to let the cat out of the bag on her sister.

“All I can tell you is she went through a rough time after that winter. Allison spent some time here right after it was all said and done between you two, and—god James I shouldn’t even be telling you this. She was pretty messed up for a while. You broke her. You honestly believe she wants to talk to you again?”

“I’ve matured. I was so young then--”

“And careless, and stupid, and reckless…” Josh could’ve gone on for hours and hours describing his best friends worst characteristics but chose not to after he saw the unimpressed look on his face. “Look, I’m not going to sugarcoat it here, what you did was fucked up. You hurt her, and I highly doubt she’s going to forgive you so easily. Believe me when I say the Thomas women do not forgive easily. And even if she does forgive you, you know it’s going to constantly be on her mind.” James dropped his shoulders in defeat. This certainly was not what he had expected to hear.

“I just need her to hear that I’m sorry, I mean it this time.”

“And you didn’t mean it the last time you said it?” Josh raised his eyebrows. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. His future wife’s sister and his best friend since third grade, what exactly was he to do?

“I did! It’s just--” James sighed and pulled at his hair. He was backing himself into a very deadly corner, and he knew it. One bad word and this could go extremely wrong. “When everything happened the last time, I didn’t get a fair shake. I mean, I know I fucked up, but I wasn’t allowed to explain myself. My reasons…”

“Your reasons?”

“You know what I mean,” He tried to explain but Josh shook his head. No, he didn’t understand. “I just want to make it right this time around, I want to make it right for both of us, y’know?”

“You’re still in love with her, aren’t you?” Josh asked with a smart tone. James shrugged. He was. Big time. “Let me tell you something that I do know. After you guys broke it off, Allison spent all that time with her, right?” James nodded. “She came back to Van and told me about how she would cry every single night because of you. Sometimes she would spend until four in the morning wailing over how much she missed you. She was going to go back to you, forgive you and all. If it hadn’t been for her sisters, she would have. They convinced her not too. Told her she was better off without you, maybe she finally has herself convinced that they were right. Maybe you shouldn’t do anything but apologize and take a step back. I know that’s hard for you to do, after everything you guys have been through, but maybe it’s for the best. Just apologize and get over her. I want to say that she’s over you now.” James heart dropped about twelve stories.

“She can’t be.” Josh shrugged.

“I’m just telling you what Allison told me, I’m not Molly’s mind reader so maybe you should go talk to her, but it sounds like she probably did.”

“Do you honestly think I still have a shot? As my best friend?”

“I would root for you, yeah. But I probably wouldn’t place a bet on you if you’re getting at what I’m saying.” James got it, loud and clear. Apologize (once again) and get out of her life.

That was going to be his only choice, wasn’t it?