Almost Easy

Liz’s POV

The next morning I woke up comfortably in the guest room at Brian and Michelle’s, Matt had insisted after only about half an hour of name brainstorming that we each go home. I agreed but ended up half asleep in the bathroom before hand and he helped me upstairs and to bed. A quick scan around the room made sure the night went as I remembered and he in fact did leave. I smiled and stretched out, adjusting my top before climbing out of bed and making my way to the bathroom. I washed off the rest of my half slept-off makeup and pulled my hair in to a ponytail on top of my head, brushed my teeth and applied moisturizer, then decided I needed coffee before I got too cranky. I grabbed my phone and checked the time, it was almost noon and seeing how last night went I assumed Michelle and Brian would still be sleeping.

I was wrong.

I landed in the kitchen to a fully prepared breakfast and a plate waiting for me beside where Michelle was sitting, “Oh hey there sleeping beauty.” She looked up at me and smiled, “I wasn’t sure how long to let you stay out for.”

“As long as she wants is my guess, no one should wake a pregnant lady.” Brian mumbled, eyes glued to his phone, “So…? You gonna fill us in on last night?”

“I’m assuming you mean Matt?” I asked, walking over and sitting by Michelle, my question was answered with them both choking on their drinks, “Oh, you didn’t?”

“What happened with Matt? What did we miss?” Brian asked, “Do we need to call Zack-“

“No,” I shook my head, “Everything’s fine. What were you two referencing?”

“Uhm, you and Jason in the guest room but that’s whatever apparently.” Michelle laughed, my eyes widened, “Or was that Matt?”

“It was no one.” I shook my head, “Matt brought me upstairs to bed but he left, then I was out like a light once my head hit the pillow… That was just before three.”

“Oh this was after that, like four in the morning. We were heading upstairs to bed and Jason was behind us and said he was going to see if you’d let him crash with you.” Brian glanced at Michelle, “So we should call Zack.”

“What exactly did you hear?” I asked, now mentally taking inventory of my body and how I felt, “He wouldn’t have done anything, I was sleeping… I’m a deep sleeper but-“

“He was also drunk.” Brian swiped his phone multiple times quickly, “Hey, Yeah uhm… quick question, did you fuck someone in our guest room last night?” He paused as I smacked my forehead, “Oh… So about that.”

“What did he say?” I asked in unison with Michelle, Brian nodded, I furrowed my eyebrows and shook my head, “No, we didn’t-“

“You do know you fucked someone in the guest bathroom while Liz was sleeping right there, right?” Brian asked, I laughed a little bit as Michelle sighed in relief, “Yeah, we just had a little fucking confusing conversation over here. No it’s fine, she was just confused because she was dead asleep and had no idea what we were talking about.”

“For the love of god.” I looked at Michelle as she giggled, “I’ve known you all for my entire life and I will never get used to this.”

“Well you’re about to be stuck with one of us for another eighteen years so get used to it.” She nodded at my stomach and I groaned, internally wishing I hadn’t had that conversation with Matt last night.

“Yeah, tell me about it.” I shrugged and continued to eat breakfast as Brian kept heckling Jason over the phone.

:.:.:.:.:

I had gone home shortly after breakfast and ignored the slight nausea that seemed to be catching up to me suddenly. I remembered my quick morning routine and the fact I had forgotten to take my prescription for morning sickness, something that had suddenly been an issue the past few days. I made my way from the bedroom to the bathroom and grabbed the bottle from the shelf, quickly downing the small white pill with a handful of water from the sink. I leaned against the cold surface and looked around, crossing my arms over my chest as my eyes finally settled along the furnishings in the room.

It had been almost six months since Matt and my marriage was officially over and I had spent such little time at the house it hadn’t really hit me. The mounted TV on the bedroom wall was currently running my favorite home makeover show and the sound was echoing through the otherwise silent house. I rubbed my hands up my arms and looked at the tub, the terrible memories blanketed the gorgeous fixture and I shook my head. There was too much here, it was time to move on and the best way to do that was going to be getting out of here.

I walked from the bathroom to the bedroom and plopped my pregnant ass back down on the bed, looking up at the TV but my eyes were only finding a place to sit. My head was wrapping around the possibilities. I knew selling the house would be hard, god it was the first house Matt and I bought together technically speaking. He had hit the nail on the head last night with his statement about love. I would always love him but we just couldn’t make this work, we were definitely not the same people we were when this all started. That was certain. I looked over at the large dresser against the wall and to my jewelry stand where my wedding ring was sitting sadly, that ring had so many secrets and was such a symbol. Not only of our marriage that we couldn’t make last, but of everything we’d been through. The good and the bad, all of it.

I wiped at my eyes and drew in a deep breath, if this marriage wasn’t going to work, I was damned sure going to make sure this child’s life was going to work no matter what. That meant stability and I knew for one that’s something this marriage lacked. It was time to make that decision on my own for once.

I picked up the phone and dialed a number that had been saved in my phone for a while but I never managed to get the courage to use.

“Hello, this is the office of Marianne Coulpo, how may I help you?”

“Hi, really need to sell my house..”