Lane Assignments

Chapter Twenty-Two

I am up and out of Christian's lap before he can react and urge me to stay, slamming the bathroom door shut behind me. I need to be alone, and the bathroom is the only room in this - shed - with a door. I pace around the small room, wringing my hands, and I can hear Christian's raised voice as he talks to them. At least he is talking back... defending himself. Defending us.

He's talked to me about how he felt he had cheated on Natalie - if not physically, then emotionally. But the question is, how much did I play a part in it? Would they have stayed together and found their way if I hadn't been around? If he wasn't having wet dreams about us while lying next to her? Or was I just one more factor in a long line of unfortunate circumstances?

I consider going back out to support him, but - in the end - he's the one who was the adult and married, and these are his friends, and this talk with them is way overdue. Plus, I can hear Olive's tinny - but clearly agitated - voice coming through the iPad. And, let's face it, she scares me a little bit.

In the end, I turn on the taps to the bathtub and let it fill, relieved when the sound of the running water drowns out their voices. I add some lavender oil, strip down, and sink gratefully into the steaming bath.

By the time Christian comes to find me, the water is tepid and my fingers and toes are all pruny. After I turned off the water, I could hear their voices again, but they sounded much calmer - like they were finally talking.

He sits on the edge of the bathtub, his back to me, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. I just lie quietly and wait for him, knowing that he'll talk when he's ready.

"Well, that was unpleasant... I had no idea that -" He lets out a dry little chuckle, still clearly processing what just happened.

"That Natalie knew all along? That she confided in her twin sister about her fears? And how seeing me here with you confirmed... everything?"

"Yes. I told them all of it... the truth. I guess they'll have to decide if they're going to accept what I've told them - or not."

"Christian, Natalie has moved on. She's found someone else... she's happy. And in the end, she left you. She gave up, she didn't fight for her marriage. And that really says it all."

"I didn't fight for us either," he sighs. And there you have it.

"Do you think they'll still come to the wedding?" I ask quietly. I know that if they don't, if he's hurt their friendship beyond repair, it'll crush him.

"I hope so? But in the end, our marriage is about us, Anastasia. And speaking of us -" He swivels around to look at me. "I'd join you in that bath, but I can tell by the way your nipples have gone all hard that it's frigid in there." He extends a hand and grasps mine, giving it a squeeze. "Come to bed."

=/=/=/=

"Steele, stop squirming or I swear to God... I am going to stick this eyeliner pencil in your eye."

It's my wedding day - my wedding day - and Kate is in her element, playing Barbie dress-up wedding with a real-live Ana. I try to relax, keeping my chin up as demanded, hoping that I'll still look like me when she's finished. I've reminded her over and over that I need to look like I'm ready to host a barbecue... but this is Kate.

Oh well, people will find out soon enough.

This past week has been crazy, with trying to get ready for the school year and today. Thankfully, Cal has stepped up and taken over most of the preparations for the barbecue. He has a mobile smoker that he pulled in here on a flatbed trailer early this morning. This guy is serious about his barbecue, and my mouth has been watering all day from the delicious smell of roasting meat that's are filling our property.