Murphy Ch. 08

"No nookie means you can't do that too often," he joked when Jae pulled back. She laughed she couldn't believe this amazing man.

###

"Hello?"

"Nandy?!" Murphy answered sounding more relieved than he meant to let on.

He'd been calling her all night until it began to go straight to voicemail. He decided to try one more time before he had to go into the station. It rang then she answered and Murphy was filled with relief. Now he didn't know what to say.

When Nandy left that night the first thing he did was kick Ella out. He felt guilty and admittedly a bit stupid. He had allowed her to come into his home and talk trash about Nandy. He allowed Ella to kiss, touch, and manipulate him. He had no intention of taking it further but the hurt in Nandy's eyes proved to him he was wrong. He could punch himself.

He tried to run after her but by the time he'd made it out of the building he could see Nandy pull off in a souped up Panamera. Murphy had no doubts as to who drove it. He was so angry he could chew bricks but he knew the only one he could blame was himself.

Now Murphy had nothing to say except something she may not believe. "Nandy, I'm so sorry," he said with the emotion he had, "...but..." He didn't want to say it but it was the truth, "it really isn't what you think."

Nandy sighed as if as of bracing herself for what he said next, "Murphy, it's okay."

This one threw Murphy. She didn't sound upset just indifferent. "It's not okay. We had hurt you, I hurt you. Nandy, I promise you it was Ella who was..."

"Murphy, seriously..." She sighed again, "It wasn't like we were dating. I mean I knew what this was."

This speared Murphy. How could she say that after all they've been through together. She'd met his father and He'd baby sat her niece and nephew.

"You can't honestly believe that we were just fucking," Murphy said angrier by the second. He couldn't have been this deep in love by himself. There was nothing but silence on the other side and Murphy feared she hung up.

"Nandy?" He called.

Another sigh, "What do you want from me?" There was was an agitated set to her tone.

"I want you to talk to to me, let's talk about this"

"What do you want me to say?"she asked angrily, "You want me to admit that you hurt me? You did, she was my best fucking friend. is there anything else you want to hear or did you expect me to just forgive you and swing by tonight for a quick fuck? I'm still hurting but do I have any right to be mad at you? No, I knew what this was from jump street. Is there anything else?"

"Goddamn it, Nandy!" Murphy said out of frustration. He'd much rather her scream and curse him than this dismissive indifference. He took a deep breath, "Nandy," he began calmly,"I am so sorry, if I can take it all back I would. I would have never let her in. I would've..." He didn't know how to make this right.

"Oh you're sorry, I guess everything is all better now, thanks."she replied sarcastically having reached the end of her patience.

"You know what Nandy, you're no saint either. Did you conveniently forget that you kissed Cole while you were on a date with me. Not to mention you and him running around the city together. You're pictures are on TV every week. I believed you when you said you weren't fucking him, I never questioned you."

"Never to my face!" She almost shouted.

"That's how you get your kicks isn't it manipulating people. You've manipulated me and Cole and even caused your cousins to be disowned with you. Trust me, querida, you're no angel either."

Complete silence followed his rant and Murphy nearly tossed his phone across the room.

"So, that's how you feel?" She answered calmly, "Fuck you, Murphy!" she said before the line went dead.

"Fuck," he said more to himself. He'd done it now. He'd made things worse. He wondered briefly why he ever thought it was good to abandon his bachelorhood. It was situations like these that made him avoid relationships all together. Murphy stormed out of his own front door. On top of it all he was going to be late for work.

###

Ananda was expecting Murphy to throw Cole in her face. She'd even braced for it. Then he said something that confirmed her worst fear; that it was because of her that Ruby and Jae were deserted along with her. Maybe he was right.She's been through her 'if onlys'. How did he even know? When did he find out? Why hadn't he brought it up with her. It was as if he were saving it just to spite her. To hear him speak those words turned the knife he'd shoved in her heart. She hated him and loved him and hated that she loved him in a painful dichotomy of emotion.

She threw her phone across the room in a fit of anger. As soon as the phone shattered so did Nandy's control over her emotions. She buried her face in the pillow cried from the depths of her sorrow.

"What's wrong?" She heard from the door of Cole's guestroom. Nandy looked up to see Bea wearing only her panties and t-shirt carrying mugs of coffee. Where did Nandy even begin?

"What happened?" She asked with more concern as she sat down the mugs on the nightstand and took a seat on the bed next to her.

"Boy problems," Nandy answered tears still slipping down her cheeks. Bea wiped them away placing a comforting kiss there. She kissed Nandy's jaw then earlobe as her hands ran down her bare back. Bea's touch eased the pain in her chest.

"I can help you forget them," she said close to Nandy's ear before trailing kisses down her neck and back. For the second time that morning Bea made love to her until her pain was forgotten.

###

Ruby finally relaxed into Nandy's couch after a long day out with the twins. She loved her little crumb snatchers but without Tru's buffering they tired her out quickly. Now that they were down for their nap Ruby enjoyed her me time with a glass of wine and Ru Paul's Drag Race. Just as she had her show queued up and her wine in hand her phone began to ring.

"Hello, am I speaking with Mrs Hertland?"

"Yes this is her," Ruby answered, the woman's voice was professional yet distance.

"Mrs. Hertland I'm doctor Erica Mendes here at Atlantic Shores Mental Health Facility. We've recently admitted your husband under the Bakers Act..."

Ruby heard the rest of what the doctor was saying but it didn't register as her heart sank to her knees. Her worst fear had come true. Words like "delusional" and "suicidal" made her sick to her stomach.

"Can I see him?" she asked interrupting the doctor's seemingly endless flow of words.

"Yes, Mrs Hertland but he is heavily medicated and we can't be sure of..."

"I'll be there shortly," she again interrupted before hanging up.

"Truman what did you do?" She said to herself as fear consumed her.

###

Nandy got a call from Ruby asking if she could babysit the twins for a couple hours. She agreed happy to not have to explain last night. Beatrice drove her home in a car more souped up than Cole's. Bea's hand rested on her thigh the whole ride. Nandy really liked her, Bea was more like her than any other of her lovers, despite the obvious fact that they were both female. It still remained that that stupid sexy Brazilian man had her heart.

When they'd pulled up, Nandy hopped out and was surprised to find Bea getting out to. She pulled Nandy in by the waist, holding her close.

"I'm glad I met you,"

"Me too," Nandy said softly, enjoying the way Bea pressed a kiss to her lips while kneading her full cheeks. "Call me if you have anymore boy problems or, you know, when you decide you don't want anymore." she said playfully smacking her ass before getting in the car. Nandy smiled and waved her off.

"That didn't take long," Nandy heard from behind her. When she realized it was Ella her hackles raised. How dare she even show her face?

"This is a new one, though," Ella said ignoring her irritation, "this will be the second time you've brought a girl home. We both know how the first time went."

"I'm not in the mood to deal with you, take your ass on." Nandy said walking past her into the building. Nandy rushed through the lobby and hit the button for the elevator.

"What? You've got yourself a shiny new play thing and you forget about the skeletons in your closet?"

"You weren't a skeleton," Nandy said pinning her with a deep look, "you were my best friend. You were determined to fuck that up, weren't you?". The elevator dinged and Nandy entered trying to hide her emotions. This bitch didn't deserve her tears.

"So you make a habit out of fucking your friends?" Ella asked spitefully, she was ready for Nandy's anger but not the true look of betrayal. Maybe she had fucked things up for good. Ella couldn't believe that. She and Ananda had been through much worse.

"I learned from the best," Nandy said chuckling darkly at the irony.

Anger flared in Ella's eyes but she continued calmly,"I never meant for you to walk in on us. I would never be so cruel. I just needed to show you that he could never be what you wanted. Murphy would have never confessed to the bar and would have never confessed about last night. He'll always want to have his cake and eat it too. They all do! I don't know how many times I must show you that."

It was painful to hear, she didn't want to think that Murphy was the type but there was very little proving her wrong. Ella tentatively reached out to her, pulling her close and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"I can say the same about you," Nandy replied not finding the strength to pull away from her embrace. Ella was shocked by her response but did not let go. She had expected Nandy to just run back to her like she always did despite the fact that Ella was the cause or her misery.

"I begged you Ella!" Nandy said amid crying into her arms.," I begged you to leave him alone. If you loved me you would have done it. But you were selfish, you rather I be miserable with you then happy with someone else and that's not love."

Nandy finally pulled away and looked into the eyes of her former best friend and lover, hopefully for the last time. "Murphy may have done what he did but he'd never piss on my head and tell me its raining. Don't ever call or come by again and if you see me in the streets don't bother to speak."

The elevator opened and Nandy muttered a good bye and left Ella there shocked and hurt. It killed Nandy to see her hurt but it was only deserving. Nandy was the one who lost the love of her life and best friend in one night. For the first time in her life she finally said it even if it was only to herself "Fuck Ella!"