Page 31 of Waves

Even though it meant maxing all my cards on outrageous fees to cancel a wedding we already couldn’t afford, even though I had to sleep on Mary’s couch for the next few weeks, and even though I had to sell a house I loved but could no longer make payments on—I left him. I lost so much when I ended the relationship, and no one had an ounce of sympathy for me. Since I called off the wedding, I was obviously the bad guy.

Only Mary stuck by me—and, well, Eric continued to be surprisingly supportive, too. He even insisted on coming with me so I could get the last of my things from my house without a disturbance, but I suspected that was mostly because Mary would’ve screamed like a banshee at him if he didn’t.

A year later, I could say with confidence that I didn’t have any regrets. I took a deep breath to calm myself and looked back at Thom. “I am over it.”

“Great,” Thom said with a grin.

“But I don’t think you’re over it. I don’t think you can accept that I left you. And I think it still drives you crazy, Thom.”

Both of our heads turned at the sound of the door opening before Kai walked out onto the porch, closely followed by Mary.

“I’m not quite done with him,” Thom announced to our audience.

“Yes. Yes, you are. I am so done and over this shit,” I said with a huff.

“Then why did you lead me on again? How long are you going to toy with me?” Thom yelled at me.

“I’m not,” I screamed back.

“Then why did you say we were going to work things out?”

“I never said that!”

“Why do you keep doing this to me, Ezra? Why do you keep pulling me back in like this? And why are you getting this poor bastard involved? It’s not right to string him along until you finally decide you want me back again.”

“Screw you,” I hissed.

“You have. Quite recently, I might add,” Thom said with a smug grin.

Now, I knew his claim to be very, very untrue. I hadn’t touched that with a ten-foot pole in over a year. And since Mary was my only remaining friend and the one person who knew the ins and outs of my life, she also knew Thom was lying. I was almost afraid to look in Kai’s direction, but he wore the same bored expression as someone watching a tennis match. His eyes simply flicked from me to Thom and back again. Bless that man’s patience because Thom did his damnedest to bait him, but Kai let the drama roll off him like water off a duck’s back. Or maybe a seal’s back?

“Fuck this. I’m leaving,” I said before throwing my hands up.

After I shoved a hand in my pocket to ensure my keys were still there, I started heading down the second-story stairway. I wouldn’t have to tell Kai to come along, he just would. I also expected Thom would try to stop me, but I successfully shook him off when he grabbed onto me again. Even though I almost lost my balance while at the top of the steps, I had an unfortunate amount of experience dealing with him. I grasped onto the rail in time and made it to the bottom unscathed.

“Eric, get out here,” Mary yelled from the porch.

I turned back to tell her I was fine. Sure, I almost took a shitter down a flight of stairs, and I might be somewhat buzzed, but totally fine otherwise. No need for her to sound so worried. I only needed about five seconds to realize Mary was not screaming because of me. Kai, Mr. Cool-As-Ice, ended a struggle by slamming Thom against the side of Mary’s house and holding him there. I really didn’t know what to say, so I just stood there, catching flies.

“I dare you to try that again in front of me, buddy,” Kai growled. He shoved Thom back once more as if to reinforce his point, then trotted down the steps to loom beside me on the sidewalk outside the house.

I opted for a quick and silent exit, rushing back to my car while Kai trailed just behind me. Maybe I shouldn’t drive, but it wasn’t far and that argument outside certainly felt sobering.

The ride home stayed painfully quiet. Oh, Kai was so pissed. Of course, he was. I’d be pissed too if I were in the middle of all this drama. Sure, we never had the conversation about what this was and what we were to each other, but I liked Kai. I felt almost positive that he was aware of this, and that he was at least interested in me as well. There was nothing wrong with seeing how things progressed with time. Still, I felt certain the last thing he wanted to hear was whatever (or whoever) I might or might not have been doing while he wasn’t around.

Ishmael became ecstatic to see us come home, and I used his need to go outside as an excuse to avoid the inevitable. I dreaded the mere thought of having to explain to Kai the bullshit saga that was my former relationship with Thom. While I stood outside, I ran through the conversation in my mind and tried to go over everything I wanted to say to him. I just hoped Kai would be willing to listen.

When I came back into the house, Kai hovered in the kitchen still. His head hung down, and he shifted his weight from one foot to another. “I’m sorry.”

I was so prepared to apologize and explain, I almost didn’t catch what he actually said before I launched into my speech. “I know, I’m... wait. What?”

“I’m sorry?” Kai repeated, tilting his now raised head.

“You’re... sorry?”

“Yes. Very much so.”

I fidgeted in place while struggling to understand. “Uh, okay... why?”