My Brother's Girl

16| The Birthday Dinner

"What the hell am I going to wear tonight?" I asked myself.

Just like when I was packing for this goddamn trip, I was standing in the middle of my closet trying on outfit after outfit. I was trying to find the right thing to wear to my birthday dinner tonight. Logan promised that it was just the family. He came by early this morning and wished me a happy birthday. He explained that he was going to help his mom get things ready for tonight, so he would be out most of the day.

Alarm bells rang inside my head when he said that; but I trusted him not to throw a surprise party for me. I knew I wouldn't be able to handle something like that. With everything else I was dealing with...I didn't need to lose it on my birthday. I looked at the polka dot dress that Wyatt teased me about when we went to the mall. Maybe I should wear it tonight. It was something I liked and it was my birthday.

With my mind made up, I took the dress and laid it out on my bed. I pulled out my black heels that would match perfectly and laid them next to it. I walked into my bathroom to shower when I heard my cell phone alert me that I received a new email.

I let out a frustrated sigh when I opened it. Hopefully it wasn't work. I didn't feel like dealing with work, either. When I finally read the email, my mouth dropped. It was an appointment reminder for a doctor's appointment on Monday at three in the afternoon. The doctor's name was Dr. Maria Sanchez. She was a psych doctor that specializes in anxiety and panic attacks.

Wyatt must have made my appointment for me. But...when? I haven't seen him all day today. Is that where he's been? It seemed unlikely because it was Saturday. Doctors' offices are usually closed on the weekends.

Maybe the reason I didn't see him today was because he slept over the blonde's house. I mean-- I never saw him come home last night. After Logan and I came home from the bar, we watched a movie and then he went to bed. I spent a few hours on my patio since I couldn't sleep. I tried to go to bed multiple times and all I kept seeing was Wyatt and the blonde naked in bed together. He was touching her the way he touched me. He was whispering things into her ear. Like he did with me. Yep. No sleep for Lia. I opened a bottle of wine and sat on my patio looking at the stars. Eventually, sleep overcame me. I never heard Wyatt go into his room.

I pushed all that stuff aside in my mind as I hit CONFIRM APPOINTMENT on the email. I quickly undressed before I stepped into the shower. Even though I tried to get myself excited for my birthday dinner, there was a gnawing feeling in my gut. Wyatt had told me he was going to go with me to this appointment, but he didn't even bother to tell me about it. He just forwarded the email. Maybe after what happened between us, he didn't want to go with me.

This was the first time in a long time that I felt utterly alone.

I checked my reflection again in the mirror. Makeup was good. Hair was curly and good. Polka dot dress-- looked good. There was a knock at my door and I quickly slipped my heels on.