Best Friends Ch. 03

"She was pretty angry that I got the car stuck and didn't call her where I was, or what was going on, I guess being pissed didn't help, but we talked and she cried a lot."

"So are you going to try and make a go of it, or not?"

He gave me a frown. "I want to mate, I really do love her, but things seem so difficult, she barely spoke to me this morning, all this tension and drama, it just annoys the shit out of me."

"Maybe if you lay off the grog for a while and spent some time with her things might pick up."

"Yeah you're right... I know that it's just when we are together we fight so I can't wait to get out of the place."

"Mate, if you just take it for a couple of days things will be OK, but while you are out every night with your drinking buddies things will never get better."

We towed the car out and assessed the damage; there were a couple of dents along the sills but nothing serious. With a final crushing bear hug he drove off.

Over the next couple of weeks Chris felt so guilty about what happened between him and Cass that he stayed well away from us. He did send her some flowers and a card apologising and Cass rang him and said it was OK. He still kept his distance. Marie on the other hand came around as much as possible. Cass and her were inseparable, closer than sisters.

Chris was trying... we could all see it, he stopped hanging around with his loser mates and was going home every night. The thought of becoming a father was bringing out the best in him. Marie in particular changed, she wasn't at our place so often, they were back playing house.

The end of the month rolled around and there was no escaping a get together, Marie and Cass organised a big Saturday barbeque lunch at Marie and Chris's place. From all the secretive bullshit I figured it must be good news, but I said nothing, they wanted it to be a surprise.

It started slowly, Marie and I were still distant. We turned up with food and drinks. Marie met us at the door and there was no escaping a kiss as we walked in.

I went straight out to help Chris with the barbeque and we cracked a couple of beers. Thankfully he was much brighter than the last time we spoke. He really seemed to have pulled himself out of the hole. As we drank our beers waiting for the hotplate to heat up, we talked work, cricket and things gradually eased, maybe not quite like old times but it was a start we could at least share a joke.

During lunch Marie made the big smiling announcement. She was pregnant There were hugs and kisses all around, Cassie cried and they kissed. "Oh Marie I am so happy for you, I can't wait."

It became somewhat of a party after that, we turned the music up and we toasted to the baby.

As we were packing up and putting the barbeque away he grabbed me in that damned bear hug. "Jay I will never be able to thank you enough man and I mean that. Thank god you didn't do it, I don't know what I was thinking but thanks for not going through with it, and I am going to pay you back every damned cent that I promise."

I laughed. "I don't care about the money, mum fronted with that, but you are going to be a father and I expect you to be a good one, no more drinking and fucking around, no more man whore shit."

"Jay I promise I will make you proud of me."

Things settled into a crazy routine. The girls did everything together, Chris threw himself back into work, he had lost ground and his new revitalised approach meant he needed to make amends. Cassie took over some of his duties at home and went to antenatal classes in his place, doctors' visits everything and the girl's friendship became even closer if that is possible.

Chris's long hours meant there wasn't much time for socialising. Cassie and Marie were flat out as well, preparing their house for the new arrival.

The birth went well and Chris's parents were so pleased there wasn't too much flack about them being unmarried, they were elated with the new arrival and happy also to see their son reappear.

They named their new daughter Christine and what a gorgeous wee thing she was, the splitting image of her mother thankfully there were no reflections of her father to take away from her fine features.

The first time I held the baby in my arms was weird, this was mine, I got all teary eyed and Cass had to drag her out of my arms.

The birth gave all the families a chance to congregate and celebrate. At the party Marie danced with me and whispered in my ear, "Thank you Jay."

It was later as I was standing out on the back patio sucking in the cool night air when Marie sauntered up beside me. We leaned against the railing listening to the sounds of the night when she whispered. "Jay Chris told me what he said to you that day out in the garage... can I ask a personal question?"

I turned and peered at her from beneath hooded brows. "Yeah go on, what do you want to know?"

"Why did you say no? I know things have always been tense and awkward between us but I put that down to your problem with Chris, did you say no because you don't actually like me? Is that what's behind the awkwardness? You just don't like me."

Stuck, trapped in quicksand I stuttered my response. "Marie I do like you, I like you a lot actually. It was because I couldn't do that to Cass. What happened between Chris and Cassie was heart-breaking for me and I couldn't risk putting her through that, also I didn't want to go through that again myself."

She smiled coyly. "So it's not because I am ugly then?"

I laughed. "Jesus Marie don't be ridiculous you are a beautiful woman, sexy and pretty."

She giggled. "Thanks Jay, so if you like me can we at least try to be friends? I feel so left out when you three start reminiscing, because half the time I don't know what or who you are talking about and I feel like the third wheel."

I gave her a hug. "I'm sorry I didn't realise you felt like that. I will try to be more inclusive."

She hugged me back planting a sloppy kiss on my surprised lips. "That's good because I already feel like Christine needs a sibling..."

Life settled into a somewhat normal routine, except Cassie got clucky with a new baby in the mix and I noticed there were no contraception tablets on the sink in our bathroom, she always left them there to remind herself to never forget, but the packet had vanished and our sex life went through the roof.

So did it all work out? The short answer is yes we managed to navigate our way through the minefield of jealousy and anger, but there was another twist in this tale... But that's as they say another story.