Page 109 of Play of Love
My phone started to ring in my hand. It was an unknown number. I would have hung up on a normal day but welcomed the excuse of a phone call to get away from Scott. I answered it.
“Abi!” It was Margo.
“Hey there. Why are you calling from an unknown number?”
“Are you near Cole?” Her voice was heavy with the type of panic that immediately made me nervous.
“Yes.”
“Don’t’ let him know you’re talking to me,” she said quickly.
I glanced at Cole who was looking at my eagerly. “Why?”
Margo made a whimpering noise and I realized she was crying. “Please, if you’re standing near him, move away.”
I moved away and walked over to the corner of the room, leaving a perplexed Cole with Scott.
“I’m away,” I told her. “Scott’s here.”
Margo broke down. “Oh Abi, I seriously could do with having either of you here now. There are times in life when you lose your strength and when all a girl needs is her best friend or her big brother to help me pick up the pieces of a stupid mistake.”
I held my breath as anxiety filled my stomach. “Sweetie, are you okay?” I asked trying to keep my voice under control. I felt it was more appropriate to allow Margo to tell me what happened and comment after. Scott glanced over at me , but I ignored him.
“Abi, Cole told me he slept with some random girl just after we left college,” she cried.
I turned around when I saw Cole looking on desperately. I couldn’t have a private conversation with him looking at me like that, and Scott was an excuse all by himself. There was a reason I wanted no contact.
The last time we saw each other was when I’d gone to see him at the football stadium to break up with him. He’d had one of those man-hungry groupies on his lap. A fiery redhead who looked like all she wanted was sex. I would never forget the sight of the two of them. I had to tell him I was leaving him while the skank had her arms locked around his neck, and all Scott did was respond with a laugh. That was it. Seven years down the toilet and all the man could do was laugh. He never even came after me, I reflected with bitterness. I couldn’t have been more embarrassed, but what was worse than any embarrassment or humiliation was the hurt that left me feeling bereft and desolate.
I walked back to the balcony, listening to Margo cry. After what Cole had told me, I expected this. I just wished I knew what was going on.
“Margo, Cole just told me. Are you okay?”
“No, I’m not. I’m heartbroken and a mess. I was at work when he told me. I was crushed after we spoke, but I made him think everything was all okay.”
“What are you going to do? The wedding is in two days, and all the guests will be here by tomorrow morning.”
“I know,” she winced.
“Are you… calling it off?” I asked with caution. To me, what had happened was a solid reason which anyone would understand, but, at the same time, I thought it would be sad. I didn’t understand why men had to be such jerks sometimes and ruin a good thing.
“I wanted to. And… I panicked. I, I’ve just made the situation worse.”
“By doing what?” I held my breath.
“I got on a bus to Phoenix.”
“What!” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“I know, it’s crazy.” I winced. I could hear the frustration in her voice. “After Cole spoke to me I was in shock, upset and so numb I couldn’t think straight. One minute I was in LA getting ready to finish up at work, then he called and my mind went blank. I knew I should have been heading over to San Francisco with my parents but I ended up at the bus station.”
That was definite, understandable shock.
“God, are you okay?” It was a stupid question, but I asked it anyway.
“No Abi, it gets worse.”
Oh, sweet Lord. I closed my eyes remembering how eccentric and spontaneous my friend could be.
