Single Again Ch. 13

"How much has she told you about the time around when you got married?"

"Not a huge amount. We seem to avoid that subject."

"Push her on it a little. Not much. I'm going to tell you what I know, which is most of it. Her mom and I are still very close and talk several times a week."

"Is this something I should be concerned with?"

"No, but you need to know. The six of you have been close since you were all in diapers. Everyone figured the six of you would wind up together somehow and for the most part it worked out. Except you and Tiffany. But we all figured you'd be back together after you went your separate ways. Even Tiffany believed it, even if you didn't."

"Ok."

"When you first started dating Krista and I noticed things started getting serious, I made the mistake of telling Tiffany's mom, who in turn told Tiffany. She didn't take the news too well and started dating this loser, Vic."

"I know all about him."

"So it seems. There's a couple of small things she left out, but they aren't too important. The one thing that is important is that he was abusive. Nothing physical. Mostly mental. She somehow escaped from him though, but not without some scars. When you got married, she went into this tailspin. Her mom actually flew out there and managed to get her some help. It took a while, but she finally found herself again. She got into martial arts and got her life on track. Her one problem was finding a good man. She wound up with that loser Scott. To be honest, I think she was only with him because she was in control."

"That's kind of what I got out of it, but I didn't peg him for a loser," I say.

"If she'd really wanted him to propose, she would have told him to and he would have done it. Anyway, when your marriage started to fall apart, her mom and I managed how we told Tiffany. The day you told me you were separating, I almost burst with the news."

"I knew you never liked Krista," I say angrily.

"That's not true. I just never loved her. She just wasn't the right girl for you."

"Thanks for your support."

"Stop sulking and man up."

I look at my mom surprised. She's never spoken to me like that.

"Are you done?"

"Yeah."

"Anyway, we decided not to tell Tiffany till after your divorce was final. And even then we waited till the summer to tell her. I knew you'd need to sew some oats and blow off some steam. When we finally told her, I swear I heard her scream from California. A week later she broke up with Scott and started making plans to move back."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Now tell me how things are going."

"Good mom. I swear. Sometimes it feels like we're back in high school and I start to get worried. We need to progress beyond that and I think we are. But it still needs to hold up under real life."

"Well, I'm going to tell you right now. That girl has marriage on her mind. Don't fuck around," my mom says sternly.

"You kiss your kids with that mouth?"

"John, I'm not kidding. Now tell me the truth. How are things going?"

"Mom, I'm telling you the truth. Things are good."

"So there's not going to be any surprises?"

"Nothing that I know about. I swear."

"Good. Let's go home. I'm getting cold."

When we get back to the house, everyone is upstairs tossing ideas around. Tiffany sees me and wraps herself around my arm.

"Have a nice talk?"

"Yeah." I take her chin and kiss her gently. Her eyes go wide and she grips me tighter. "Ok. This is what we're doing."

Everyone turns to look at me and makes space.

I spend the next half hour going over the plan and the next hour listening to everyone else's ideas. My uncle finally arrives and we fill him in.

"I like what John has planned. A big family room for movies, tv and games with the kids bedrooms wrapped around it. Then, when the kids go to bed, the parents go downstairs to their own little family room." I smile as everyone else stares at him. "Besides, it's his damn house. Now let's start making it work."

After my uncle gets started, the woman go downstairs. Brian and Andy start taking measurement while my dad and uncle start looking closer at the changes. I already did that part, so I just sit back and watch.

By dinnertime, a plan has been formed. In two weeks, they will have a crew taking care of the demolition, framing, electrical and plumbing. Then the sheet rock crew will do their thing. Once that's done, Brian, Andy, my dad and uncle will come back and we'll finish all the detail work.

With the plan in place we find the ladies sitting in the dining room. "It's about time you guys figured this out. Now we're hungry. Where's a good place to eat?" my mom asks.

After dinner my family heads to the hotel they reserved and Tiffany and I head home. "That was crazy," she says.

"You knew they were all coming, didn't you."

"Maybe."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Are you angry?"

"No, just curious."

"I wanted it to be a surprise."

"You're rushing me."

"Are you having second thoughts?"

"No. That's not the problem. But there are things I need to take care of." I take a deep breath before cotinuing. "Tell me about the time around when I got married. That seems to be the only time that you haven't told me much about."

She looks at me sadly. "What did your mom tell you?"

"A few things, but I want to hear it from you."

"It crushed me. But I already told you most of it. The only thing that I left out is that I had a breakdown. I didn't just get drunk that day, but I fell back into the bad habits I had from Vic. One of my friends called my mom and she flew out. I was a complete mess, but I got the help I needed."

"Tell me what you expect from me right now."

"It's no secret."

"Then tell me."

She steps close to me so that our faces are just inches apart. "I expect to be your wife, to have your children and to grow old with you. Nothing less. But I do not have a timetable and there will be no ultimatums. That's just the way it is. Now you know and you have a choice to make. You can either continue this conversation or you can take me to bed and make love to me till the sun comes up. I know which choice I want you to make."

I grab her arm as she walks by. There's a challenge in her eyes. "Tell me everything."

"No. It's in the past. I know what our moms have been doing the last few years. I'm not stupid. My mom knew everything about you. About your separation, the divorce, everything. She waited to tell me till she knew you were ready. Probably a smart move because if they had told me sooner, I'd have been here and you weren't ready. But I've waited long enough for you and you're mine now. Do you have a problem with that?" Her voice is fierce and I pull back a little.

"Maybe." I pull her close and put my hand on her lower back. I suddenly pick her up and push her against the wall. The move catches her off guard and she's about to say something when I crush her mouth with mine. After a moment she wraps her arms around my neck and is kissing me back.

I pull back just a little, staring into her eyes. Her emotions are wide open to me. "Tell me the worst thing that happened to you." She licks her lips nervously. "I know there is something nobody is telling me. What is it?"

Her eyes flash in anger. "I tried to kill myself the day after your wedding. I took a bunch of pills and curled up on the bathroom floor." We are still standing face to face and I see the fear I her eyes. "My roommate's boyfriend kicked in the door and stuck his finger down my throat till I puked all over him." She drops her arms and pushes me away. "By then the rescue squad arrived and they saved my life. I woke up the next day in the hospital, my mom by my side. When I saw her I cried. I don't know how long I sat there crying on my mom's shoulder. She stayed out there for a few months till I started to feel better. All of my friends were very supportive and helped me get through it."

I just stare at her for a long time. "When were you going to tell me?"

"I don't know." She walks away from me. "I would have. But it's not exactly my greatest moment."

"No, it's not. But that puts a lot of pressure on me."

"I'm past all that. I'm healthy and I'm in a good place. I have been for a long time. If something happens to us, I'll survive."

"But you know that I won't let anything happen, don't you?"

She finally smiles. "That's what I need to hear. If for some reason we don't wind up together for the rest of our lives, I will survive. But I have no plans on letting you get away. Not this time."

"Same with me."

"Now, are you ready to take me to bed?"

That night the sex is slow and sweet. By the time we fall asleep I am completely satisfied. The next morning I wake up fairly late and feel Tiffany still curled up against me. Any remaining doubt about our relationship have been washed away. It's almost like that last bit of information was the only thing blocking us, even though I don't understand why. I stretch and slip out of bed.

Pup is waiting for me so I get dressed and take him for a long walk. I feel like I did the day after my divorce was finalized. The next chapter in my life is beginning and I feel good about it. Pup goes for a quick swim and runs happily around the edge of the lake. I'm sitting on a stump watching him when I hear someone approach from behind.

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

"I don't know. I just wanted to have a few minutes to myself."

Tiffany squats next to me. "What's on your mind?"

I touch her chin and smile. "It was almost a year ago that I came to this same place. Pup was tiny back then. At least compared to what he is now. It was the day after I signed the papers for my divorce and I felt completely at ease with life. Now, here I am again, about to start a new chapter."

Pup runs up to us, gives Tiffany a big, wet lick and runs back to the water. "What was that about?"

"He's happy to see you."

"He never did that before."

"Maybe it's his way of accepting you. He's only done that to one other person besides me."

"Tina?"

"No, Judy. He used to curl up with her all the time and give her big kisses like that."

Tiffany looks up at me. "Did you love her?"

"Yes."

"You'd have married her if she had stayed."

"I don't know. I do know you'd have liked her."

"Probably not."

"We better get home before everyone shows up. I plan on keeping a close eye on my sister."

"Relax. She does want to start packing, but she can wait. I'll talk with her."

We walk back to the house hand in hand and Pup follows slowly. Everyone is on the back porch waiting for us.

"And here we thought you were both still in bed," Andy says with a big grin.

"No, just taking a walk."

"Tell me about the deck you want back here?" my dad says.

Tiffany goes over what we discussed and I fill in the bits and pieces.

"Doesn't sound too difficult. We'll just add it to your bill."

"Thought you were paying for it dad."

"Good luck with that one. He still owes me five bucks from a bet when we were little," my uncle says.

My dad glares at my uncle and gets ignored.

The rest of the weekend is spent talking, eating and drinking. By lunchtime Sunday everyone is packed up and heading home.

"Holy cow that was loud," Tiffany says when my sister pulls away.

"You might as well get used to it. Are you packed?"

"Yeah. We might as well get going."

"Now starts the craziness."

"The official start of the next chapter starts now. Think we'll survive?"

"We'll be fine," I say. I load up the car, get Pup into the back seat and head home.