Almost Easy

Liz’s POV

I sat on Marie’s couch after venting about the past few months and the last couple weeks, her jaw had almost hit the floor when I recalled the fight at Matt’s birthday to her that was almost a month ago now.

“So we can change the topic to work any time now.” I laughed, placing the wine glass she had given me upon entry on the coffee table.

“I’m just… this is better than a soap opera.” She laughed and opened her laptop, “Really we haven’t talked much in a few months and suddenly… Your marriage is falling apart, you and your best friend nearly fucked, and your mother had two strokes within a day… I don’t know how you’re trying to come back to work amidst it all but… Dennis is ecstatic.”

“I know.” I shook my head and copied her motions, opening my emails instantly seeing one from Dennis, “I know.”

“Ok, well here’s the deal. There’s a lot more going on in Breckinridge than there is here. So the plan is putting you on satellite for now, helping those bozos out and communicating with their East Coast buyers mostly.”

“Do they need me there?”

Marie looked up from her computer, “And stress that last marriage string your balancing on? No. I don’t think that’s a plan right now, we like you married, we like you mostly happy. I watched that train midway to finish and I’m not helping it derail.”

“I appreciate that.” I raised my wine glass, sipping carefully, “So that’s it? Jump right back in to Breckinridge?”

“Pretty much, same contracts, you’ll blend seamlessly.” She shrugged, shutting her computer, “Really that’s all, I mainly wanted you to come over and hang out because I fucking miss you.”

“I miss you too, there’s so much drama lately like… fuck my life.” I laughed.

“Apparently people want to, Brian being a main contender.” Marie winked at me.

“It’s not funny though! He’s my best friend, I’ve known him just as long as Matt. It’s weird, honestly. I feel like shit, and it’s odd that he and Michelle want to talk, and that he said she doesn’t know about what happened then Matt said she does? Odd, also odd the fact Matt wants to sit down because it’s his drama now not mine…”

“Maybe it is his drama?” Marie asked me, raising an eyebrow as she sipped her wine, kicking her feet up on the coffee table, “Maybe something happened since then that you don’t know about, maybe shit threw down.”

“Maybe, I wouldn’t put it past any of them.”

“Ask Zack.”

“No one else knows, that’s the thing. I don’t know what would happen if they knew, would they be weird to me or Brian? Probably me, I’m the fucking whore now.” I groaned and glanced at my phone, “It’s Zack.”

“Tell him I said hi.”

“I’m not answering, I’ll call him tonight. There’s too much going on, he’s supposed to be at the hospital with mom and all that, probably just asking how the morning went before he goes it.”

“You didn’t tell him you were coming here?”

“No? We don’t talk to the most lately, I don’t know. He goes to Boston a lot with Jacky and Lid lately on the weekends so I don’t see him much. At least once a month if not more.”

“Wow, frequent flyer miles.” Marie pointed at my glass, “Refills are happening soon so drink up.”

“You need to move closer, like, down the street close so we can get wrecked together and walk home.” I laughed a little and finished off my glass, “Or just come over more. I’m such a homebody I barely ever leave and when I do I get mugged.”

“Wait,” Marie paused as she grabbed the wine bottle from the table in front of her, “What?”

“Right, yeah, I got mugged a few weeks ago. Horrible, it was the morning of that party at Brian’s..”

“Jesus woman, definitely need a camera crew following you, you’d make millions.” She joked and handed my glass back, “So how’s Lid? Jacky? The normal part of your life I’m hoping?”

“Good, they’re good. Jacky works a ton now that Liddy’s in preschool, daycare that stuff. They do play group and all sorts of cool mommy and me things, it’s awesome to see. She hasn’t brought her by the hospital yet obviously, I think they’re waiting until mom comes home or at least rehab when she can remember people a little more and doesn’t freak Liddy out.”

“Yeah, she’s super young it would be odd for her.” Marie nodded a little and sighed, “I really miss you, Liz. I miss the dumb shit we used to do, I’m sorry your marriage isn’t what you wanted it to be, I hope you guys figure things out because you were really happy when you first came back from Vegas.”

I couldn’t help but feel tears welling in my eyes at her words, I nodded, “I was. I didn’t want to leave his goddamn side for so long and now it’s kind of like… I couldn’t be bothered to go anywhere with him. I don’t do events with them any more, I mean neither does Jacky but that’s because she stays home with Liddy most of the time. But it’s so… not what I expected it to be, and I don’t know if it will be. Matt’s never really been the super settled down romantic type so maybe that was my fault for shacking up with someone like that even though I do have an eternal soft spot for him.”

“Eternal soft spot.” Marie laughed, “I like that one… so you’ll always give in to those puppy dog eyes he gives you every time he fucks up?”

“More like the other way around.” I shook my head, “Let’s topic change here, fill me in on your life, please. Mine is far too disappointing and depressing to continue blabbing about.”

Marie took my cue and changed the topic to what adventures she’d been on lately, trips, work, and relationships. I was surprised to learn she was actually seeing someone, and that’s when I realized I may have dove in to my marriage and blinded myself from my friends and what made being with Matt so special… our time apart.