The Lakes

Chapter 20

20

            Tommy was, not surprisingly, very sweet and comforting.  He held her when she started to cry telling her she wasn't stupid for crying, she wasn't even stupid for sleeping with him, or falling in love with him so soon.  He told her that was just how things happened sometimes.

            "We all get our hearts broken at some point," he said wiping tears from her face.  "It sucks, sometimes it really sucks.  But it's a fact of life Chris."

            "I know," she said sniffling, "I just feel so stupid."

            "I told you, you're not stupid.  You fell in love and that's okay.  I just wish it had worked out differently for you.

            "Me too," she said through a shallow breath.  "Is Waves hiring right now?"

            "It's the slow season so they're actually cutting people for the year, but I bet Terrence could find a spot for you if Patty and I have a word with him," he said winking at her.

            He always knew how to make everything better.

            "Do you want to come over for takeout and an old movie?" she asked him pitifully.

            "Of course I do!"  He jumped up from the dock they were sitting on, the place where all their serious issues were hashed out.  "Let me go tell Patty, Cara can cover the bar for me tonight.  I'll be right back."

            As she felt the weight of his feet on the dock get softer and softer she felt better and better.  Tommy was there for her when no one else was and he would be forever.

            They ordered Chinese food and pizza and Tommy even stopped at the local convenience store to get a gallon of ice cream and a few of her favorite candy bars before he came over.

            After they finished their pig-out they wrapped up in blankets, he combed her hair with his fingers while she laid her head in his lap.  Usually they sat the opposite way but Tommy insisted she get the special treatment.

            They watched "Caddyshack" and laughed out loud even though they'd watched it a million times before.  When it was over, they cleaned up her apartment a little and despite Chris begging him to stay on her couch Tommy went to leave.  He opened the door and turned to give her a kiss on the cheek but the look on her face made him pause and turn around.

            There was Ryan standing at her door, another set of flowers in his hand and bloodshot eyes.

            Chris pulled Tommy by his shirt back into her apartment, slamming the door.

            "I assume that's him," Tommy said with a very concerned look on his face.

            "Uh huh," she said falling back onto her sofa.

            "Do you want me to see if he'll leave?"

            "That would be great," she said looking up at him.  His expression softened and he slipped out the door.

            They were out there for at least twenty minutes.  Chris tried her hardest to keep busy.  She cleaned the kitchen even further; she went into the bathroom and straightened herself up a little.  Tommy had seen her countless times looking rough, even at her very worst, which she felt might be tonight, but Jeremy...Ryan had only seen her at her best.

            Finally as she was walking back into her living room to sit and indulge herself by running her thumbs over her fingers the door opened and both men came in.  At first she was going to protest but she figured if Tommy had allowed him to come in there was a reason.  Tommy was protective of her like an older brother or even a father would be.