Unfold

Chapter Four (4)

Shawn walked into his house that Friday evening to find his kitchen table set with placemats and silverware laid if perfect position. Stemmed wine glasses were set perfectly at the 2 o' clock position of the plate. He couldn't remember the last time he even ate at the kitchen table.

Zeiler was in the kitchen, struggling to tie some yarn around what looked like biscuit dough. Bowls and pots and measuring cups covered the counters. She didn't even look up from what she was doing.

"Why are you accomplishing by doing that?" Shawn asked, seeing immediately that whatever she was attempting, it was not worth the struggle.

She wadded the dough up into a ball and chucked it at him, hitting him in the shoulder. Shawn knew it was probably another crafting cooking recipe that would inevitably fail. He appreciated her grit.

"Don't make a mess, this isn't your house," he said win a smile, picking the dough off the floor throwing it back at her.

"When Tyler and I get married it will be," she said, giving Shawn a playful smile and wiggling her left hand in the air. The ring glinted in the light above.

"The house is in my name, he literally pays me rent."

"Details."

Shawn laughed. She was always messing with him, she had her entire life.

Zeiler didn't skip a beat and grabbed a new wad of dough and started tying it up with string. "So is Megan coming?"

"No."

She smirked. "Good, because I didn't set a plate for her."

Shawn could feel the bitterness in her voice and he rose his brows. "Easy."

She turned towards him and rose her hands, her shoulders hunched. "You know you two are unhealthy!"

"Says the girl marrying a guy so they can have rhyming names!"

Zeiler threw her head back and let out an obnoxious laugh. "Honestly, only reason. I barely love him."

"I'm just messing with you."

"Well I'm not. I know that Megan has some hidden hurts that she needs to work through, but regardless, it's not your job to fix her."

Shawn stared at her, realizing she didn't know. "You do know we broke up Wednesday?"

Zeiler whipped her head back towards Shawn and her face fell in absolute shock. She waited to see if Shawn was kidding, and when she saw he wasn't, her hand was over her mouth and she was stepping forward to put her arms around his neck. "Oh my gosh, are you okay?" she said breathlessly.

Shawn laughed and hugged her back. "Yes, I'm more than fine."

"How's she?"

"Angry."

"Why did you not tell me sooner?"

Shawn patted her on the back. "Maybe if you actually went to your own family's Thanksgiving, you'd have found out."

"We're engaged. I have obligations to his family now too!" She shook her head, still shocked from news. "Wow Shawny, how'd the family take it?"

Shawn remembered his dad slapping a hand on his shoulder and saying something along the lines of Atta boy.

"Pretty well."

The front door opened with a bang, and Tyler walked in with Scottie, both of them holding grocery bags.

"Shawn broke up with Megan and he didn't tell us!" Zeiler shouted across the room.

Tyler rose his brows at Shawn as he walked by to give the bags to Zeiler. Scottie walked over to Shawn and put an arm around him.