Edge and Belle

Chapter 12 (Edge): Cut Her Loose

As I was running some drills with the boys before Saturday's game, I turned my head when I heard my name being called multiple times.

I saw the guys from my squad and gave them a quick wave before I returned my attention to the boys. The guys had been asking about what I'd been doing on my Thursdays and my Saturdays, so I'd invited them to today's game. Hadn't expected that many of them to show up, but word had spread and I knew the boys would get a kick out of having a larger crowd in the stands for a game. Marines loved any kind of competition and our boys were definitely supported in their efforts during the game.

Every time our team got a hit or made an out, a loud burst of oorah! sounded, and that made the boys burst with pride and spurred them to play even harder. Even West was getting into it, and he grinned almost the whole game. Not surprisingly, with that kind of support and with all the boys playing hard, our team took a healthy lead from the start and kept it until they won the game.

After the two teams and coaches shook hands, the boys had their snacks and drinks and started drifting away toward their families. While some of the parents talked with me, I saw Belle talking with West and Piper and one of the other team moms and her two children, and from the way the children were acting, I could tell there was some begging going on. Maybe a playdate? Would that mean Belle had the afternoon alone and she might be willing to talk with me?

West and Piper gave Belle hugs, and then she waved them off to leave with the other woman and her two children. Belle picked up West's game bag and I walked over to her. My friends -- knowing a bit about my situation with Belle -- were hanging back a little, waiting for me to talk with her, and then I'd talk with them.

"Can I carry that for you, Belle?" I asked as I came up to her, hand outstretched, but she yanked it out of my reach.

"I don't think your girlfriend would like that so much. Karen's been glaring at me for the entire game, so thanks for that. It was a lot of fun to have to sit through my son's game with her glaring daggers at me from the other side of the bleachers."

Karen was here?

And then, speak of the devil...

"Edge! Belle," an unwelcome voice called.

"Fuck," I muttered. "Belle, I didn't notice her in the bleachers, I didn't know she was here and I sure as hell didn't ask her to be here."

By now, Karen was near us, and those gossipy bitches I served with, scenting a scene -- because many of them also knew Karen and I were no longer friendly -- moved in closer. Fortunately, if there was going to be a scene, everyone else from the team was gone by this point.

"I've been wanting to talk to both of you so we can work this out, like adults," Karen said. "Belle, from day one, you've tried to ruin my relationship with Edge. You're jealous of me and of Edge's and my relationship. You've tried to come between the two of us, and you even sunk so low as to try to use your kids to drive a wedge between Edge and me and make him forget our relationship in your quest for a daddy."

Belle dropped West's bag and took a threatening step toward Karen. "Bitch, I have bats in this bag and if you ever talk about my children or me like that again, I won't hesitate to use them on you."

I quickly stepped in front of Belle, who was bristling and ready to go at Karen hard. But this was my mess and I needed to clean it up.

"There's no relationship between us, Karen. I made that pretty fucking clear in the restaurant that our friendship was over and I wanted nothing more to do with you. Belle never had to try to ruin our friendship because you did that all on your own, by treating Belle like shit behind my back. I haven't had anything to do with you since that day I told you to get gone, and you think I'm fucking playing games? I'm trying my best to win back Belle, and I sure as fuck made it clear to you that Belle was my focus and you and I were no longer friends. I don't even know why the fuck you're here today because I sure as hell didn't invite you or want you here."

That was the first that Karen's confidence seemed to slip. "You're being ridiculous, Edge! I gave you time after that shit you pulled in that restaurant to get over it, to get Belle on board with our friendship -- and there hasn't been one word out of you! Weeks, Edge. You haven't seen me or called or texted me in weeks. So I figured this would be a good place to work things out, and since Belle would be here, I knew the three of us could attempt to talk this out like adults and get past this ridiculous vendetta she has against me."

"Who the hell do you think you are?" I snapped at her, and my voice was loud enough for everyone to hear. "Who the actual fuck do you think you are, to come here and spew this shit? I'm not sure what was hard to understand about my message in the restaurant that day, but I couldn't have made it any plainer that you were out of my life. Gone. Not wanted. For good. No coming back. The choice between you and Belle wasn't even a fucking choice -- it's Belle, hands down, every time."

Before Karen could speak, I leveled my buddies with a glare. "Who the hell told her about the game today? Who was it? Because I know it sure as hell wasn't me."

Miller, one of the newer guys, shook his head. "She's been hanging out with me and asked me about you, and I told her a bunch of us were coming to the game today. She said that sounded like a lot of fun -- and I swear I had no fucking clue you were on the outs with her -- so I said she could ride along with me."

"Well, that's a mistake you won't be making again. If she drove here with you, get her gone now."

"Edge! Seriously? After all we've been through together when your dad died --" Karen tried again, but I'd had enough and was beyond done with her.

"I'm not going to be held hostage to that kind of attempted guilt for something in the past and only a truly shitty person would try to capitalize on someone's grief like that. You blew it with Belle, and it may have taken me a while to get my head out of my ass, but it's out and now you're gone. So let me make this clear in front of everyone for witnesses: I don't want to see you again and I don't want you involved in my life in any way. In short, I don't want one fucking thing to do with you ever again. And, fair warning, if you ever try to come to a game again and glare at Belle or force a confrontation with either one of us, I'll let Belle at you with her bats and provide her with an airtight alibi. Do you need me to repeat any of that or did I put it in terms you could finally understand?"

She'd lost all color in her face and didn't even try to open her mouth. I looked from her to all of my buddies. "Are any of you unclear as to how I feel here?"

They shook their heads, some looking kind of shell shocked. I was known for keeping my cool, so this display of temper wasn't something they were used to seeing.

"Then, Miller, I suggest you get her out of my sight now, and if you're smart or have any sense of self-preservation, cut her loose and find yourself a nice girl."

Miller muttered let's go to Karen, and she hurried after him, head down, not saying a single word.