Chapter 9
"Merrill, how do I look?"
Alicia emerged from the guest bathroom in a tiny, baby blue tube dress that was covered in glitter.
"Wow," Merrill replied, "You look..hot."
"So do you. Where's Ellen?"
"We're all waiting on you. She and Tyler are in the living room. Let's go."
"OK, OK!"
As Alicia and Merrill walked into the living room, Ellen whistled in admiration.
"You guys are so cute together, it's sick."
Merrill put his arm around Alicia's waist and said, "Thanks. So where are we going?"
"Centro-Fly. It's a loungey place. You'll enjoy it."
"Cool. So are we ready?"
"Yeah, let's rock."
They left the apartment and when they arrived in the city, Tyler parked the car near the club and they began walking. As they approached the entrance, Alicia's heart stopped. She grabbed into Ellen's hand.
"What is it, Ali?"
"That's Harrison's car over there. I'd know it anywhere."
"Are you sure it's not just another Lexus?"
"No, that's his. I'm positive."
"Well, maybe he's somewhere else- not necessarily at Centro."
"You're right. I'm just paranoid, I guess."
"We're gonna have a blast tonight and you're gonna forget all about Harrison. It's your 22nd birthday, you and I are spending time together, and you have a hot new man. What isn't there to celebrate?"
They went into the club and as they sat at a table, a man across the room stopped in the middle of his conversation with his friend.
"Well I'll be damned. Look. It's Alicia."
"Alicia? Alicia Spencer, as in your fiancée who up and left? I thought she moved back to be with her family in Pennsylvania."
"She did. She must be visiting her best friend. It was her birthday a few days ago."
"She looks pretty happy. Who's that guy with her?"
"Ellen's brother's ex-girlfriend works for me and she says that Alicia is dating one of the best players in the minor league. He's supposedly about to go pro. I think I'll go say hi."
"Do you think that's really necessary, Harrison?"
"She's still my fiancée. I have the right."
Meanwhile, Alicia smiled at Merrill as he ran his hand along her bare back. She kissed him and then looked around the room. Suddenly, her eyes locked with someone familiar's and she felt as if she were going to vomit.
'OmiGod,' she thought to herself, 'He is here.'
She shook Ellen's shoulder and whispered in her ear, "That was Harrison's car. He's in here! Look to the left of the bar. 10:00."
Alicia watched as Ellen's eyes scanned the room.
"Shit," she said, "I hope he doesn't come over here and be his usual asshole self."
Out of the corner of her eye, Alicia saw him coming.
"Holy shit," she whispered in Ellen's ear, "he's coming over here. He's coming over here."
As Harrison approached the table, Alicia looked him dead in the eye with an icy and harsh glare.
"What the hell do you want?" she said.
He placed his drink on the table and looked at Merrill.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Harrison Peters. Ali's fiancé."
Harrison reached in his pocket and slid a ring towards Alicia.
"Baby, I believe this belongs to you. You left it on the kitchen counter before you ran back home to Mommy and big sis."
Tyler said, "Leave us the hell alone, you jackass."
"I don't have to go anywhere- who made you the authority?"
Merrill, meanwhile, was still in shock that this man had introduced himself as Alicia's fiancé, and she hadn't denied it yet.
As he spoke, he didn't even make eye contact with Alicia and spoke through his teeth.
"Alicia, is he really your fiancé?"
"We broke up."
"No," Harrison added, "You left. Technically, there was no breakup and it was never discussed. So when you think about it, we're still very much engaged."
"I can't believe this is happening," Ellen mumbled.
Harrison said, "Oh, believe it Ellen. Your best friend realized she could never share my lifestyle and wanted to be a Quaker princess."
Merrill was becoming more infuriated by the second.
"Don't talk about her like that," he growled.
"Who is this lugnut?"
"I'm her boyfriend, you asshole, and if you don't leave this table by the time I finish this sentence, I swear to God I'll kick your ass. And that's not a threat, it's a promise."
"You're her boyfriend? Ali, this is the best you could do?"
Alicia, at this point, was fighting the urge to burst into tears.
"Please Harrison, just leave us alone for tonight. We can talk another time."
"Fine. If you say so. Have a great life, Ali."
As he walked away, he turned around and said, "By the way, the two dollar teenage slut look really doesn't work for you."
Merrill couldn't stand anymore and leaped out of his chair. He took Harrison to the ground and punched him in the face twice. Alicia and Ellen screamed for him to stop as Harrison collected himself and stood up. He swung at Merrill, making contact with his jaw.
Tyler got between the two men and yelled, "STOP! "
Despite being held back, Merrill tried to go after Harrison again.
"You son of a bitch! Leave Alicia the hell alone!"
"Gladly! I don't have time to waste on trash like her anyway!"
Tyler let the two men go and Ellen ran to Merrill's side.
"Merrill, are you OK?"
"Yeah, he just brushed my jaw."
Harrison said, "I'm pressing charges, you son of a bitch!."
Ellen replied, "Don't waste your breath. We're leaving."
Merrill hurried past Harrison and out the front doors, with Ellen and Tyler behind. Alicia was behind them, and as she walked past Harrison, she looked him in his eyes. She had the ring in her hand.
"That ring," Harrison said, "is worth more than anything that piece of shit boyfriend of yours will ever give you."
"That's a lie, Harry. He gives me support and love, which is worth an infinite more than anything you ever gave me, you arrogant son of a bitch."
She threw the ring onto the ground, spit on it, and walked away. Tyler had pulled the car around and Ellen was waiting outside for Alicia.
"Where's Merrill?" Alicia asked.
"In the car. Ali, he's livid."
"Why wouldn't he be? Harrison was-"
"Not only at Harrison, Ali. At you."
"Me? Why me?"
"Um, let's see..the guy is in love with you and you conveniently forgot to tell him you never broke your engagement to a New York socialite? I think he has somewhat of a right to be pissed off."
Alicia's stomach turned as she entered the car. Merrill had positioned his body so that it was against the door and facing her. As Ellen drove off, she went to reach for his hand. He snapped it away and gave her an ominous look. He turned his body around and looked out the window. When they got back to Ellen's apartment, Merrill went right into the guest bedroom and took out his suitcase.
"Merrill, what are you doing?"
He didn't answer. Instead, he took out his clothes and began packing them.
"Merrill, it is 4:30 in the morning. Where the hell are you going?"
He looked her directly in the eyes and snarled, "Away from you."
"Merrill, I was going to tell you."
"When, Alicia? On our wedding night?"
"I didn't want it to come between us like this."
"Well, now it has and there's nothing you can do about it."
"This is ridiculous."
"Yes, Alicia, this is ridiculous! I pour my heart out to you about how much I want to be with you, and you shoot me down by saying that you'd find it hard to trust me. So I trusted you. I've told you everything there is to know about me. And what do you do? Oh, that's right. You somehow just forget to mention that you were engaged and had never officially broke up with him."
"I thought maybe Colleen would've told you."
"This isn't Colleen's problem, Alicia! Stop hiding under your sister's skirt! Stand up for yourself. You've screwed up big time, Alicia, and you're the only one to blame for it."
"Don't talk like to me like that, Merrill."
"Well, all I know is that I can't be in the company, let alone the same room as a dishonest hypocrite such as yourself. Ask Harrison if he can give you a ride in his Lexus back to Newtown."
"Can we just talk about this?"
"Why should we? Even if we do talk, how and why should I believe anything you say?"
The words 'dishonest hypocrite' were still ringing in Alicia's head.
"You're not really going to leave me here, are you?"
Deep down, Merrill wanted to stay, but he was too much of a man to go back on his word.
"I'll see you around."
He took his suitcase and headed for the door.
"Merrill," she whimpered, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! What more do you want me to say or do?"
"Nothing. We're done. This relationship has gone to shit and thank yourself for doing that, sweetheart."
Merrill slammed the door behind him and in Alicia's face. She opened it back up and followed him down the stairs and onto the street.
"Merrill, you're acting so immature! If you would just listen to my side of the story.."
"What side? All I know is that you can't be honest to save your life. I don't have time to waste on people like you, Alicia."
"So what are we supposed to tell Colleen and Graham?"
"No, what are you going to tell Colleen and Graham?"
Merrill got in the car, looked at Alicia one final time, and drove away. Alicia ambled back into the building, and once she got inside Ellen's apartment, she slammed the door. She burst into tears as she slid into a ball on the floor. Both Ellen and Tyler came out and sat next to her.
"Did he leave?" asked Tyler.
"Yes," Alicia sobbed, "Everything was so perfect and now.."
"Sshh," Ellen whispered, "Just let everything out, sweetie."
Meanwhile, Merrill started the drive to Pennsylvania without Alicia. As each mile passed, he was regretting leaving Alicia behind more and more. Then he would replay the scene in the club and get angrier with her.
'That's what you get for trusting someone so quickly, dumbass,' Merrill thought to himself.
"Merrill, how do I look?"
Alicia emerged from the guest bathroom in a tiny, baby blue tube dress that was covered in glitter.
"Wow," Merrill replied, "You look..hot."
"So do you. Where's Ellen?"
"We're all waiting on you. She and Tyler are in the living room. Let's go."
"OK, OK!"
As Alicia and Merrill walked into the living room, Ellen whistled in admiration.
"You guys are so cute together, it's sick."
Merrill put his arm around Alicia's waist and said, "Thanks. So where are we going?"
"Centro-Fly. It's a loungey place. You'll enjoy it."
"Cool. So are we ready?"
"Yeah, let's rock."
They left the apartment and when they arrived in the city, Tyler parked the car near the club and they began walking. As they approached the entrance, Alicia's heart stopped. She grabbed into Ellen's hand.
"What is it, Ali?"
"That's Harrison's car over there. I'd know it anywhere."
"Are you sure it's not just another Lexus?"
"No, that's his. I'm positive."
"Well, maybe he's somewhere else- not necessarily at Centro."
"You're right. I'm just paranoid, I guess."
"We're gonna have a blast tonight and you're gonna forget all about Harrison. It's your 22nd birthday, you and I are spending time together, and you have a hot new man. What isn't there to celebrate?"
They went into the club and as they sat at a table, a man across the room stopped in the middle of his conversation with his friend.
"Well I'll be damned. Look. It's Alicia."
"Alicia? Alicia Spencer, as in your fiancée who up and left? I thought she moved back to be with her family in Pennsylvania."
"She did. She must be visiting her best friend. It was her birthday a few days ago."
"She looks pretty happy. Who's that guy with her?"
"Ellen's brother's ex-girlfriend works for me and she says that Alicia is dating one of the best players in the minor league. He's supposedly about to go pro. I think I'll go say hi."
"Do you think that's really necessary, Harrison?"
"She's still my fiancée. I have the right."
Meanwhile, Alicia smiled at Merrill as he ran his hand along her bare back. She kissed him and then looked around the room. Suddenly, her eyes locked with someone familiar's and she felt as if she were going to vomit.
'OmiGod,' she thought to herself, 'He is here.'
She shook Ellen's shoulder and whispered in her ear, "That was Harrison's car. He's in here! Look to the left of the bar. 10:00."
Alicia watched as Ellen's eyes scanned the room.
"Shit," she said, "I hope he doesn't come over here and be his usual asshole self."
Out of the corner of her eye, Alicia saw him coming.
"Holy shit," she whispered in Ellen's ear, "he's coming over here. He's coming over here."
As Harrison approached the table, Alicia looked him dead in the eye with an icy and harsh glare.
"What the hell do you want?" she said.
He placed his drink on the table and looked at Merrill.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Harrison Peters. Ali's fiancé."
Harrison reached in his pocket and slid a ring towards Alicia.
"Baby, I believe this belongs to you. You left it on the kitchen counter before you ran back home to Mommy and big sis."
Tyler said, "Leave us the hell alone, you jackass."
"I don't have to go anywhere- who made you the authority?"
Merrill, meanwhile, was still in shock that this man had introduced himself as Alicia's fiancé, and she hadn't denied it yet.
As he spoke, he didn't even make eye contact with Alicia and spoke through his teeth.
"Alicia, is he really your fiancé?"
"We broke up."
"No," Harrison added, "You left. Technically, there was no breakup and it was never discussed. So when you think about it, we're still very much engaged."
"I can't believe this is happening," Ellen mumbled.
Harrison said, "Oh, believe it Ellen. Your best friend realized she could never share my lifestyle and wanted to be a Quaker princess."
Merrill was becoming more infuriated by the second.
"Don't talk about her like that," he growled.
"Who is this lugnut?"
"I'm her boyfriend, you asshole, and if you don't leave this table by the time I finish this sentence, I swear to God I'll kick your ass. And that's not a threat, it's a promise."
"You're her boyfriend? Ali, this is the best you could do?"
Alicia, at this point, was fighting the urge to burst into tears.
"Please Harrison, just leave us alone for tonight. We can talk another time."
"Fine. If you say so. Have a great life, Ali."
As he walked away, he turned around and said, "By the way, the two dollar teenage slut look really doesn't work for you."
Merrill couldn't stand anymore and leaped out of his chair. He took Harrison to the ground and punched him in the face twice. Alicia and Ellen screamed for him to stop as Harrison collected himself and stood up. He swung at Merrill, making contact with his jaw.
Tyler got between the two men and yelled, "STOP! "
Despite being held back, Merrill tried to go after Harrison again.
"You son of a bitch! Leave Alicia the hell alone!"
"Gladly! I don't have time to waste on trash like her anyway!"
Tyler let the two men go and Ellen ran to Merrill's side.
"Merrill, are you OK?"
"Yeah, he just brushed my jaw."
Harrison said, "I'm pressing charges, you son of a bitch!."
Ellen replied, "Don't waste your breath. We're leaving."
Merrill hurried past Harrison and out the front doors, with Ellen and Tyler behind. Alicia was behind them, and as she walked past Harrison, she looked him in his eyes. She had the ring in her hand.
"That ring," Harrison said, "is worth more than anything that piece of shit boyfriend of yours will ever give you."
"That's a lie, Harry. He gives me support and love, which is worth an infinite more than anything you ever gave me, you arrogant son of a bitch."
She threw the ring onto the ground, spit on it, and walked away. Tyler had pulled the car around and Ellen was waiting outside for Alicia.
"Where's Merrill?" Alicia asked.
"In the car. Ali, he's livid."
"Why wouldn't he be? Harrison was-"
"Not only at Harrison, Ali. At you."
"Me? Why me?"
"Um, let's see..the guy is in love with you and you conveniently forgot to tell him you never broke your engagement to a New York socialite? I think he has somewhat of a right to be pissed off."
Alicia's stomach turned as she entered the car. Merrill had positioned his body so that it was against the door and facing her. As Ellen drove off, she went to reach for his hand. He snapped it away and gave her an ominous look. He turned his body around and looked out the window. When they got back to Ellen's apartment, Merrill went right into the guest bedroom and took out his suitcase.
"Merrill, what are you doing?"
He didn't answer. Instead, he took out his clothes and began packing them.
"Merrill, it is 4:30 in the morning. Where the hell are you going?"
He looked her directly in the eyes and snarled, "Away from you."
"Merrill, I was going to tell you."
"When, Alicia? On our wedding night?"
"I didn't want it to come between us like this."
"Well, now it has and there's nothing you can do about it."
"This is ridiculous."
"Yes, Alicia, this is ridiculous! I pour my heart out to you about how much I want to be with you, and you shoot me down by saying that you'd find it hard to trust me. So I trusted you. I've told you everything there is to know about me. And what do you do? Oh, that's right. You somehow just forget to mention that you were engaged and had never officially broke up with him."
"I thought maybe Colleen would've told you."
"This isn't Colleen's problem, Alicia! Stop hiding under your sister's skirt! Stand up for yourself. You've screwed up big time, Alicia, and you're the only one to blame for it."
"Don't talk like to me like that, Merrill."
"Well, all I know is that I can't be in the company, let alone the same room as a dishonest hypocrite such as yourself. Ask Harrison if he can give you a ride in his Lexus back to Newtown."
"Can we just talk about this?"
"Why should we? Even if we do talk, how and why should I believe anything you say?"
The words 'dishonest hypocrite' were still ringing in Alicia's head.
"You're not really going to leave me here, are you?"
Deep down, Merrill wanted to stay, but he was too much of a man to go back on his word.
"I'll see you around."
He took his suitcase and headed for the door.
"Merrill," she whimpered, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! What more do you want me to say or do?"
"Nothing. We're done. This relationship has gone to shit and thank yourself for doing that, sweetheart."
Merrill slammed the door behind him and in Alicia's face. She opened it back up and followed him down the stairs and onto the street.
"Merrill, you're acting so immature! If you would just listen to my side of the story.."
"What side? All I know is that you can't be honest to save your life. I don't have time to waste on people like you, Alicia."
"So what are we supposed to tell Colleen and Graham?"
"No, what are you going to tell Colleen and Graham?"
Merrill got in the car, looked at Alicia one final time, and drove away. Alicia ambled back into the building, and once she got inside Ellen's apartment, she slammed the door. She burst into tears as she slid into a ball on the floor. Both Ellen and Tyler came out and sat next to her.
"Did he leave?" asked Tyler.
"Yes," Alicia sobbed, "Everything was so perfect and now.."
"Sshh," Ellen whispered, "Just let everything out, sweetie."
Meanwhile, Merrill started the drive to Pennsylvania without Alicia. As each mile passed, he was regretting leaving Alicia behind more and more. Then he would replay the scene in the club and get angrier with her.
'That's what you get for trusting someone so quickly, dumbass,' Merrill thought to himself.