She put the receiver to her ear and tried to stay calm. She took deep breaths to center herself.
"Hello?" he said when he answered.
"Matt," Kaylin replied and gripped the stirring wheel tighter, "Hey, it's Kay. I wanted to know if I could come over and hang for a while. Would that be okay?"
"Yea, sure," he replied excitedly, "I'd love the company."
"All right," Kaylin answered plainly, "I'm on my way."
Before Matt could reply she closed her cell and dropped it in the seat next to her in her 1968 Ford pickup. She started the engine and pulled away just as HE came rushing out of their apartment.
She could feel her control on her emotions slipping.
She drove off blind. Not seeing where she went. Half way to Matt's house, Kaylin glanced down at the ring that once sat proudly on her ring finger.
Pain drove a stake into her heart.
She pulled into Matt's drive way and saw him sitting on the porch, smoking, as if he was waiting for her. She parked the truck and left her left hand on the horn. The ring stood out on her pale skin. But she couldn't bring herself to take the beautiful silver and garnet ring off. She made a fist and punched the seat.
She got out and walked up to the steps as Matt put out his cigarette.
"So, to what do I owe this visit?" he asked as he smiled, standing to let her in, "Won't your man be upset?"
She kept a smile plastered on her face even as the heart break seemed to well up and beg to explode, "What?" she smiled, sounding cheery, "I can't visit an old friend? And I don't think he will care now."
Matt hesitated but opened the door and let her in. His place was cleaner now then the last time she had seen it, it looked like an actual home now.
"It feels nice to get out of the heat," she smiled as she watched him get a soda from the kitchen.
"Yup. Though it hasn't been as hot as normal," Matt replied.
Kaylin tried to relax, to sit back and act normal, but the stress was too much.
Matt's dog came bounding down the hall and slammed right into her lap, all the while panting happily.
"Hey, boy," Kaylin said happily, "How you doing, huh?"
He looked up at her and whined as if he could sense how upset she was, and he nuzzled into her breasts.
"Hey, now," she laughed petting his head, "There's no need to worry. I'm fine."
"He's happy to see you," Matt said leaning against the far wall, "He misses you."
Kaylin's heart sank. She knew which 'he' Matt meant, "I've missed him, too. It's been a while hasn't it?"
The dog looked up at her and licked her lovingly and lay on her breasts as she relaxed and pet him.
Matt sat to her left petting the dogs lower back as he talked, "So," he stared, "Whatcha been up to?"
"Work mostly," she answered kissing the dogs snout, "It's kept me pretty busy."
"Yeah, 'cause being an author is very demanding," he chuckled.
That made Kaylin laugh, "You have no idea," she smiled watching the dog as he slept happily in her bosom, "Publishers hounding you for the final draft for print, dozens of fans begging to know what's next. Busy, busy, busy."
"And I bet your day job is pretty time consuming," Matt stated looking up at her.
She nodded numbly, "Yeah, that too," she said, "A waitress has a lot of responsibility."
Matt laughed, "I would imagine so," he said.
Kaylin opened her mouth as if to say something then closed it, shaking her head.
"What?" Matt asked.
She put on her brave face, "Nothing, it's nothing."
"Kaylin," Matt said sternly, "Did you forget. I know when you're hiding. You don't have to hide from me, you know that."
Her smile faltered, but only for a second, "I know that," she answered, "But honest, don't be such a worry wart! It's nothing. Can't a girl just come hang with a friend outta the blue?"
Matt shook his head and smiled, "You are something, Kaylin. I won't make you talk, you know it. So when you're ready I'll listen."
She genuinely smiled, "Thank you, Matt."
"That's what I'm here for," he winked at her and she laughed.
She felt a vibrating in her back pocket then heard HIS ringtone 'Kissed by a Rose' by Seal.
She went ridged.
"Are you gonna answer that?" Matt asked.
Then it stopped. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.
Then it rang again.
She clumsily fished it out of her pocket, looking at the caller I.D. to confirm her worries.
"Excuse me," she said as she stood and walked to the other room, causing the dog to wake and protest loudly.
"Hello," she answered her phone solemnly.
"Kaylin," his voice said through the phone, "Please let me explain–"
"There's nothing to explain," she snapped at him, cutting him off.
"It wasn't what it looked like, I swear?" he insisted.
"What was it then!" she demanded, her control slipping with every second, "'Cause it looked a hell of a lot like you were fucking some chick in our bed! OUR BED!"
"Kaylin, listen, you got it all wrong!" he continued.
"What the fuck do I have wrong, Mike!" she was yelling now, "I came home early, expecting to be able to spend time with my husband, only to find him dick deep in some home wrecker's cunt! Tell me now, Mike Landon Jones, what have I gotten wrong!"
"I wasn't fucking her!" Mike insisted.
"Oh!" Kaylin yelled, "You just tripped and your dick fell in her?"
"No! It was nothing like that! She seduced me!"
"Seduced you?" Kaylin repeated violently, "Seduced you! What the fuck! I trusted you! I trusted you! And you stabbed me in the back! You gave me your word. You're word, Mike!"
She fell to her knees as tears streamed down her face, clutching the phone to her ear with both hands, and she continued to yell, "You said you wanted another life with me! You wanted to have a family! You wanted to start over! How can you call yourself my husband, the father of our future children! You gave me your word!"
"Kaylin, please, listen, I'm begging you!"
"NO!" she cried, "I'm done listening to your half-truths! I'm done with everything. I'm done with you!"
Before he could say another word she snapped the phone closed.
She lay in a crumpled heap, crying, sobbing, screaming, while Matt's dog lay faithfully beside her, his coat soaking up all her tears, all her pain.
Matt came in a few moments later and pulled her into his arms.
"So that's what was wrong," Matt said holding Kaylin close to him, "I'm sorry, Kaylin."
Her phone beeped with a message. She didn't even look at it. But she heard Matt answer it and hurriedly texted back to whoever it was.
After a while the tears stopped flowing and Kaylin drifted off to sleep.