What lies Ahead (15)

As I wipe my own tears away I go after Ari about ten minutes later. I know I messed up but she messed up in her own sense and I know we can fix it. I walk upstairs only to see bags at the top.

"Whoa, who's bags are these?" I'm terrified that they may belong to Ari.

Shelia comes out the guest room around the corner and responds. "Don't worry Lance they're mine." She says relieving my of my initial fear.

I let out of sigh of relief as Aria walked out of our bedroom, bags in hand. That initial feeling came right back.

"What's that?" I ask as my heart suddenly sank to my stomach.

"You're a smart man Lance. I'm sure you see that they are bags." She responds sarcastically.

"Why? We can get through this babe." I have never seen her this upset yet calm.

"Why? Maybe because you were willing for me to look like a damn fool so that you could cover your own ass. Me being a dummy, I tell you! After being advised not to, I still told you because I could never keep something from you, my husband, my best friend. It's not even what you did. It's the fact that you woke up in that woman's bed. You kept it from me and you had no intentions to tell me." She looked exhausted

"Baby I'm sorry. I will never keep anything from you again, I swear." I plead.

"Lance I believe you but I'm drained. I need some time away with people who aren't going to lie to me. I'm going to Bobbi's." She tilted her head in fatigue.  

"Ari you are four months pregnant, you need to be here with me so I can take care of you." I cannot let her leave I plead to her. 

"Now you want to take care of me. It's okay. You're a liar, I don't trust you right now so I don't trust your care." She replied to me before taking her bags and leaving out along with her mother.

I can't even move. I'm in shock as I stand and watch Ari leave out with her mother. I sit on the stairs for a long time waiting for her to come back. Two hours go by and nothing. I begin to call only to be sent straight to voicemail. In my head I think out a long elaborate text of how everything will be fine and that we will work it out and even begin to type it. However I delete it, maybe it's pride. I'm letting my own pain stand in the way of what I've done. 

After waiting for hours I realize it's pretty late and I still have to work in the morning. Before I go to bed I go down stairs for a few quick drinks. At least that can numb me at least for now. 

The next morning I can't help but feel as though I lost Ari for good. I know I've messed up plenty of times in our younger days but all of it stopped after we got married. I apologized, isn't that enough? She messed up too. All the thoughts run through my head as I enter the office. 

"Yo what's up dude?" Zach approaches me as I exit the elevator. 

"Ari found out." I whisper. 

"Found out about what? I hope not Viv." He replies. 

"Yeah, she left." I tell him looking at him as though it's his fault. 

"Damn dude. If I would have known she would have found out anyway I would've told you to just tell her. Now she probably knows you were hiding it." He says putting a hand on my shoulder. 

"Thank you Zach, I appreciate your dumb ass advice. Since college I've been hanging out with you doing the same dumb shit as you because we are friends. You have to grow up!" I become upset. 

"Hey man I don't make you do anything. Am I a bad influence? Hell yes! But you choose to hang out with me. Association is with other people led others to do things so either I was going to start straightening up like you or you was going to start doing bonehead things like me." He said surprised I lashed out to him like that. 

"You know what dog, you're right. Guess I need to walk away from some things too." I say leaving him there by the elevator. 

Is everybody right but me these days? Zach really hit home with that statement. My mother used to say something like show me your friends and I'll show you your future. Hanging out with my best friend all the time who's had nothing but broken relationships, I've found myself on the brink of breaking my most important one. 

"Glad to see you're feeling better Mr. Ely." I hear a voice behind me. 

"Huh?" I respond confused on the statement as I turn around. 

"Last night? The cold? You may have taken too many meds." Like clockwork it's Viv.

"Oh yeah, I'm feeling much better. Can't talk right now though, have a lot of work to do." I really want to stay clear of everyone and just take care of business. 

Finally I get to my office. As I begin to look over some files my phone rings. Thinking it's Aria I immediately answer without even looking. 

"Hello!" I say loudly.

"Yes, Mr. Ely?" A soft feminine voice says.

"Yes speaking, may I ask who's calling?" This voice is unfamiliar to me. 

"Hello my name is Kristin Young." She tells me. 

I've heard the name before but still I have no clue who she is.

"My son is Richard Young." She says. 

Richard is the boy that Quick shot. "Yes mam, is there something I can do for you?" I'm confused because I'm not sure if I can do anything for her at all.

"I just want to know." She says calmly.

"What is it that you want to know?" I ask.

"Did he do it? I know you know?" She gets a little louder.

"I cannot discuss this wit..." I'm interrupted. 

"Please! We can't afford a lawyer like you and ours is doing a horrible job. I, we just want to know. That was our son, our only child. Do you have children? He would shoot your kids too if he could. Do you want that to happen?" She's crying at this point. 

"I'm sorry Mrs. Young but I can't help you." I hated to say it but I can't do anything for her. I hang up the phone. 

Already thinking that today would be a tough day, I pull out my flask I had prepared this morning just in case things became too hectic. It's early but it's just too much going on so I take a sip of the whiskey inside. 

"Ahhh." The burning sensation in my chest is somehow soothing. I know this is going to be a long day.