It had been two weeks since Aimee had confronted me about my relationship with Tina. She had been taunting her knowledge about our secret everyday by wearing a smug smile and winking. All the while Tina had been driving a wedge between Eric and herself. She didn’t want to hurt him, so she told him she wanted another child, which he absolutely objected to. I hated seeing her miserable, but we had started this and we had to finish it.

I tried cheering her up each time I saw her, but her mood was hard to lift. Even though she wanted to leave Eric and we had planned it, the fighting and the emotional overload was all too real. We didn’t hang out as much in those two weeks and I didn’t push her to. Once she felt better, she’d come to me. A week later, I got a text I need a drink to which I replied ok and we met at The Planet.

“Easy on those drinks, you have to work tomorrow morning.”

“I’m gonna call in tomorrow. It’s Eric and my day to work together and I don’t think I can do it.”

“Sure you can, just go in there and give it one hundred percent.”

“Will you be at work tomorrow,” she asked, taking another shot of tequila.

“No sweetie, I have a test tomorrow. I also have to prepare for my final in a month.”

“Great! Just wonderful, you were going to help me get through the day,” she said, laying her head on the table.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart, just be brave and I’ll be there for you to lean on. I’m just a phone call or text away. We’ll get through this together.”

As I was driving her home, she held my hand as if she needed it, like if I let go she’d fall. She whined about being home the whole ride there. She wanted to go out and drink her troubles away. I reassured her it would be ok, and drinking wouldn’t solve anything. As I pulled into the driveway, I could see a light on in the living room, and my heart started pounding. I helped her out of the car and walked her up the steps to the front door, I was about to knock when the door opened.