I pause at the door to the bar. What the hell am I doing? How is this going to solve my problems? I'm just about to go back to my room when arms grab me from either side. "No running away" Brie says, smiling at me. "Come on. We've got a table out of the way of everyone, plus this really cute waiter. Of course, if any of this gets repeated to Bryan, I'm gonna deny it." I smile and let her lead me to the table. Nikki and Denise are already sat there. "Hey" Nikki says standing up and hugging me. I smile and sit down as Denise looks at me warily. I look at her and she smiles. "Yeah" she says, answering my unasked question. "They're back, they got back about half an hour ago. Jon went straight to the room." "Was Colby ok?" I ask. She pauses, just for a second but it's long enough. "I'm not sure" she admits. "But Joe came in alone. Jon and Colby were together. That's gotta mean something, right?" I nod slowly, watching as the waiter approaches the table. Nikki orders everyone's drinks, with a final "keep them coming!" as he walks off. I smile. Maybe this night won't be so bad after all.
"Shhhhhhh!" I whisper as Denise opens her door. "We mustn't wake...oooops, hey Nicholas!" Dolph grins at us from the sofa as we walk in. "What ya watching?" I ask, throwing myself onto the sofa next to him as Denise hits the mini bar for a nightcap. "A pair of drunken bums attempting to be quiet" he says, laughing. "Now I know you're ok, I'm gonna head to bed." He gets up and kisses Denise softly. "See you in a few" he whispers. She nods, watching him as he walks into the bedroom. "You know what?" I say, standing up. "I'm gonna skip the nightcap, just gonna head up to my room. I've taken up enough of your time time tonight, and been like a third wheel at the arena. I'm just gonna go. I'll see you tomorrow. Thanks for everything though." She's about to argue, but decides against it after seeing the look of determination on my face. "Sure?" she asks quietly. I nod and wave, letting myself out and heading for the elevator.
"Ugh, fucking typical" I groan as the elevator doors open. Joe looks at the floor as I get in and hit the button for my floor. The doors close and the elevator starts going, but Joe and I don't speak. "You know" I finally say, as the doors open on his, and Jon's, floor. "I guess I should thank you, really." "Thank me?" he asks, looking at me as he steps out. "Yeah" I spit. "Thanks for ruining my marriage Joe. Really appreciate it. Goodnight." "You're not on this floor?" he asks, frowning. "Oh my fucking god!" I yell. "Really? You really think I'd be on this floor after what happened at the arena tonight? Joe, my husband can't even bear to fucking look at me! So no, I'm not on this floor! Now would you kindly step away from the elevator so the doors can close and I can get to my cold lonely bed? Thanks ever so much?" I push him the rest of the way out and wave sweetly as the doors start closing. They don't close fast enough though. "The fuck is all the yelling out here?" Jon asks, sleepily opening his door. "Lora?" I turn my back on him as the doors close the rest of the way and the elevator takes me to my floor.
It doesn't take him long. I've got three missed calls from him by the time I get to my room. I turn my phone off and leave it on the table, heading for the bathroom. I can't believe how fucked up this has all got, and how quickly. I wash all my makeup off, strip as I walk to the bed, and get in it quickly, cuddling the spare pillow to make up for the fact that my husband isn't there with me. Not that it does, of course. Nothing could make up for that. The pillow doesn't even hug back. Jon, well, he'd be draped all over me, he's like my personal comfort blanket.
After a fitful nights sleep, a loud bang at the door wakes me. I groan and pull the blanket around myself before getting off the bed. "Morning!" Dolph says cheerfully, pushing the door open wider and letting himself in. "How's the head?" "Still on the pillow" I groan. He laughs, flopping onto the sofa. "Get dressed" he orders. "Denise is getting our table for us. I'm under strict instructions to get you down for breakfast. She's not taking no for an answer, damn woman. I'm gonna have to marry her, I think, get her under control." "Haha!" I laugh. "Good luck with that one Nemeth! Besides, I kinda like her how she is." He glares at me and I back off. "Ok, ok" I say. "Getting dressed, mustn't keep Denise waiting." He smiles. "You're learning" he says. "Hurry up, I'm hungry." I slam the door to the bedroom and groan. Damn headache.