Because I Love You – Chapter 11

By MyNameIsCAL

I sat in the kitchen cutting vegetables for Iggy while he and Nudge continued with the other cooking. Max, Angel, and Gazzy were outside, setting up a table, letting Ari run around outside.

"How long are you going to spend in China?" I heard Iggy ask Nudge.

"A month at the least," she said.

"Alright."

"Alright?" Nudge had stopped walking. "What's wrong?"

"Don't act like you don't know," Iggy growled. "Angel called me last night."

I looked up at them.

"What do you mean?" Nudge frowned.

"You think because I'm blind that I don't see things, Nudge? I've got plenty of people who can see for me. She called me and told me she was sure that Gazzy and you are having an affair. You didn't talk long to me last night. So I started to draw my own conclusions. And you know, it's not fair to think you can get away with things because I can't see. It's so hard for me to trust anyone, and after all we've been through, after all the trust I put in you, you just go and betray me? I know I just brush a lot of stuff off with a joke and a laugh, but I don't always feel the way I speak about things. Maybe that's a mistake on my part, but I'm tired of all of this."

Rarely had I ever heard Iggy raise his voice.

"It's not what you think it is, Ig."

"Then why don't you explain to me?" He threw the plate he had been using into the sink. "Why haven't you just said that you're not sleeping with him?"

Nudge stood speechless now. Everyone was now crowded in the doorway. Gazzy behind the rest of them, looking away.

"Usually, when I ask how long you'll be away, you ask me to come with you, Nudge." He said quietly. "So if I've got this all wrong, then you need to tell me. You need to tell me that you're not sleeping with Gazzy."

His eyes, although sightless, were locked with Nudge's. She stared up at him for what seemed like too long.

"Nudge…"

She opened her mouth, but the damage was done.

He pushed the cutting board into the sink. "You can all make dinner by yourselves."

"Iggy!"

"No, don't even think you can try to fix this!" he shouted. "Just get out. All of you. GET OUT!"

He left the kitchen, slamming the door upstairs.

I sat out on the front porch with Max and Ari. Nudge had tried to go talk to him, but it only resulted in him shouting at all of us to get out again. Angel stuck around for a while, explaining to us that she had to tell Iggy what she heard. We discussed what we thought would happen, whether if maybe there was something we could do, but she told us things would work themselves out.

"Iggy loves Nudge too much to let her go," said Angel. "I just can't believe Gazzy would do something like that. That Nudge would too. I'm worried about Iggy. You know him, rarely angry about anything. He's been hiding his anger for too long and now that he has the chance to release it, I'm afraid it'll change him."

It was just last night that everything seemed so perfect, but now here we were, sitting and feeling that things were coming apart again.

Angel's phone suddenly rang. She left quickly after.

"Maybe you should try to talk to him," Max said. "I don't know if he'd listen to me."

I rose and started up the stairs. Iggy's door was shut and I stood in front of it for a minute, my fist raised to knock.

"You can come in. It's opened."

I let out a breath and turned the knob. He was sitting on the floor and I took a seat next to him.

"I'm nothing without her. How long do you think she's been playing me? Oh God, Fang. You know I wouldn't leave her. I couldn't. I love her too much, but I don't know if it's because I need her too. I wouldn't have anything if it weren't for her." He hung his head. "Look at me, Fang. I'm pathetic."

"Don't say that, Iggy. You know that's not true. I'm telling you that it's not true." I shook my head. "I wish I had answers for you, but I don't. And so I'll tell you what you always told me. You can't give up. It'll work out. You and Nudge will figure things out and it'll be okay."

"No, you don't understand. I will never forgive her."

We sat in silence for a long time after that. What was I supposed to say? Of course he couldn't. Nudge had taken advantage of him. If I were him, I'd feel the same way too.

"Look, I appreciate you trying to talk to me." He was pushing back tears now. "I didn't mean to yell at y-you, Max, and Ari. I'll see y-you in the m-m-morning."

"Ig…"

"Just go, Fang. Please."

I didn't want to, but I got up and left, closing the door behind me. Through the door, I could hear him crying, but I knew that right now, maybe that's what he needed.

Max was waiting for me in the kitchen. I took a seat next to her and leaned against the table.

"He's really upset," I said.

"I hope Nudge realizes what she's done," Max replied. "And I hope that Iggy won't let it change him."