The next few days were a blur. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep. All I could do was cry. I couldn't believe that Trey had done this to me. I wasn't really angry at Romy because I knew that she hated me, and that she would do anything to get her revenge on me, for not helping her when she moved to town. But Trey? Trey was my husband, we had been together for over 10 years - how could he do this to me? In the end I realised that my behaviour was having a bad effect on Rykie. It was already bad for her with her father gone, she shouldn't see her mother crying all the time too. So I decided to swallow my pride, and call my mum, asking her if she could keep Rykie with her for a few days, cos I was going out of town.
My mother came almost immediately. Dr James was with her. She asked me if he could come in. I nodded my head. I was too weary to argue with her. At that moment I needed someone who would listen and comfort me. They came in, and my mum started talking. "I am very glad that you finally decided to call me, and not keep Rykie away from me anymore. And I am even more glad that you accepted James in your home. But there is something that you should know. Me and James are still very much in love, and we are getting married." At that moment I couldn't keep the tears inside anymore, and I burst crying. My mum was talking about marriage, while my marriage had ended a few days before
My mum looked up startled. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you would take it so bad. I know that you love your dad, and even I still love him..." I stopped her. 
"Do you want to come and stay with me for a few days?" my mum asked. I shook my head. 
Even James came over and hugged me.
"Everything will be ok. Trust me. My wife left me too for another man 4 years ago. At first it was hard, but now I've met your mum, and I am the happiest man on earth." I hugged him back.
"I'm sorry for saying those things about you."
"It doesn't matter sweetie, I probably would have acted that way if it had been my mother.
Sandy was suddenly closer to me than she had ever been before. She would call me everyday to see if I was ok, and she would come to my house at every chance she got. One day she told me to go out and have some fun together like the good old days. I left Rykie with mum and James, and went out with her.
I was having a really good time, until suddenly Romy walked by. She was with another man, and dressed in a very tarty dress. She sat at the table next to me. I'm sure she did it on purpose. I tried to ignore her, but all the time I was wishing to get up and punch her straight in her face. She had been with my husband, and now she had either left him and was seeing someone else, or else she was cheating on him. I hoped it was the latter, cos I wanted him to feel what it was like to be cheated upon.
As I was walking out of the restaurant I saw Trey sitting at a different table. Romy had left ages ago, and he was sitting alone. He did not see me, and so I walked by fast. I didn't want to know who he was with. But Sandy stopped to talk to him. He seemed surprised to see her there. She didn't tell him that she was with me, but he did tell her that he was here with Devnee. He told her that she was very depressed and that they needed to talk together like the old days to comfort each other. Both Sandy and me didn't know what he meant by that.
A few weeks later I was invited to a very classy party, where the dress code was to wear as much white as possible. At first I wouldn't go alone, but Sandy and Alec kept telling me I should go, and that there will be many other singles there, so I wouldn't feel left out. In the end I decided to go. After all it was about time that I go out and start having fun.
I also met Anthea and her husband Rick over there. I was really delighted to see them because I hadn't seen Anthea in a long long time. My god, we had all grown up so, from those 16 year old girls we had been when we first met. It was more than 11 years ago, and things change.
Sandy had walked away to go to the ladies, and I was talking to Alec. I was really having a good time, and Alec was doing his best to keep my mood up. He was my best friend's husband and he knew what I was going through. Suddenly out of nowhere appeared Romy, wearing a dress that was barely covering anything from the top part. And she started flirting with Alec! I suddenly got really angry, and pulled Alec away. She had already ruined my marriage, I was not going to let her ruin my best friend's happiness too.
As we went near Sandy, I tried to tell her what had happened. I only had to mention the name Romy, and she understood at once, and kept Alec by her side all night. Suddenly I heard someone calling my name. I turned and saw Devnee. She had hugged me tight. It had been a long time since we had last met. I started looking around to see if Trey was here too, but I couldn't see him. In the end, I couldn't resist anymore and asked her," Why isn't Trey here tonight?"
"Trey doesn't live in Pennsburgh anymore. He's got a new job in another town, and he moved there. I thought you would know." I shook my head.
We sat down to talk.
"So where's Bryan?" I asked. Devnee looked surprised.
"Haven't you heard?" she asked.
"Heard what?" I asked.
"Bryan and me are no longer together." I was surprised.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Men! They are all the same. They promise you the world, and make you believe that you are the most important person in the world for them, and then one bitch comes along, and they forget their wives just like that."
"You mean, Bryan went with another woman too?" I asked
"Not any other woman though. He cheated on me me with the same bitch you found with Trey."
"With Romy?" I asked shocked. Devnee nodded. "God, what's wrong with that woman? Why doesn't she find a man of her own?" Devnee shook her head.
"What do men see in her, I wonder? I mean, she's not even beautiful. And the way she dresses! Not even a hooker dresses like her."
"When did this happen?" I asked.
"Oh" she replied. "I found out only after about two weeks after you found Trey. It appeared that Trey was collecting the last things from his office, and he walked on Bryan and Romy together. Apparently Bryan had been seeing Romy for about two months. So she was with both men together. They both didn't want to have anything to do with her anymore, but of course I didn't want my husband around me either."
Later on during the night, I was walking towards the bar to get a drink, when Romy came over to me. "Hi Camie," she said. I tried to ignore her. But she kept on talking. "Come on, why don't you want to talk to me? We used to be friends." I turned around agrily.
"Used to be." I said. "But not anymore, you shallow bitch." She laughed.
"Oh Trey! That's your problem then. Well, let me tell you, I don't regret it cos he's so good in bed." At that moment I lost all control. I turned to her, and slapped her really hard across the face. Sandy ran over to me and tried to drag me away.
"You keep away from all of us," I shouted angrily, as I walked away.
I was still so angry from what had happened, that I could't sleep that night. So I went in the gym room, and started kicking the punch bag. I spent almost two hours in there, and by the time I finished I was totally exhausted, but feeling a lot more better.
When my daughter came home from school the next day, she had something to eat, and then went up to the playroom. I joined her up there, and played with her for a while. Rykie was not the same cheerful girl she had been before, since Trey was gone, but there was nothing I could do except try to cheer her up as much as possible.
At around half past eight Rykie started getting tired, and so after her bath, I tucked her to bed. Now that she was asleep, I suddenly felt lonely. It was Saturday night, and I had nothing to do. I decided to call my mother to see if she could come and sleep over at my house. My mother accepted, and since James came with her, I decided to go out and try to have some fun.
I went to a bar, and I was having a drink at the bar, when I heard a familiar voice from behind me saying, 
We talked about silly stuff, you know like work and all that, since Bryan still worked in my company. Later he asked me if I fancied something to eat. I was pretty hungry so I said yes. As we were there eating, Bryan asked me, "Have you seen Devnee lately?" I nodded.
"Yes I met here at John White's party, yesterday as a matter of fact."
"John White? Isn't he the weird guy who insists that everybody goes to his parties dressed in white?" I nodded. He went on, "How's Dev? I hope she is ok. God, I must sound like a fool asking about her, but I really miss her, even after what she did to me."
I looked up surprised. "Done to you? What you did to her, you mean?" He looked genuinely surprised.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"You cheated on her with Romy," I answered.
"Romy that slut who used to work with us, the one you caught Trey with?" I nodded. "Hell, I've got more dignity than that. I never cheated on Devnee. It was she who cheated on me."
"I thought you knew about it," he said. I shook my head. "Well, I guess I won't tell you then, cos I don't want to hurt you." I shrugged.
"Nothing can hurt me anymore, believe me," I said, "so if it makes you feel better to talk, then go ahead."
"Well, it was like this. After about a couple of weeks you had broken up with Trey, I was feeling really sick, and so I decided to leave work early. As I got there, I saw Trey's car in the drive-way, but I didn't give it much thought, cos Trey was always at our house since you left him. You know me and him were best friends, and he had always been best friends with Dev since ever."
"I went inside and there was no one there. So I climbed upstairs to change. And I found Devnee in bed with Trey." I looked up shocked. "The bastard!" I said.
"Yeh, I was devastated. God, it hurts like hell to see the one that you love in bed with someone else." I nodded. I understood only too well. "Anyway, I tried to talk to Devnee, and to forgive her. I really wanted our marriage to work. But she kept saying that she loved Trey, and that she didn't want me around anymore. She said that she had always been in love with him, and now that he was single again, she wasn't going to miss this opportunity."
"Anyway, I moved out of her house, cos she didn't want me around anymore. Trey went to live with her for a while. But now I heard that he has left her and moved to another town. I wouldn't be surprised if he is with another woman right at this very moment. Some people never change. We all thought that when he got married to you, he was finally going to settle down. But I guess he never really forgot his bad and wild days." I was really shocked after all this that Bryan had told me. I didn't know if I should believe him or not, so I resolved that the next morning I would call Devnee and ask her if it's true that Trey had been living with her.
Later on we went outside to sit on the swing. I was feeling a bit cold and so Bryan put his arms around me. "Why did they do this to us?" I asked. He sighed.
"They are two of a kind. We were too good for them. But maybe we deserved all this, because both you and me were running after popularity when we launched ourselves into those relationships. We had overlooked the other important things. Popularity was so great that we thought everything else was great."
I was beginning to agree with Bryan. I had fallen in love with Trey because he was the most popular boy in town, and I guess he did the same with me. Now we were growing up, and popularity didn't count anymore, and so maybe he had discovered that he wasn't really in love with me anymore. And so he went back to his old ways.
"I know I made a mistake, but I don't totally regret it, because I have Rykie, and she's my world."
"Maybe we should have listened to our hearts that night on the beach," he said.
"Yeh, I had been in love with you back then, and not with Trey."
"Maybe life is giving us a second chance," he said, as he pulled my face closer to his. He kissed me, and again I felt like that 16 year-old girl who had sneaked away to spend a night with the man that she loved. It was perfect. We stayed there, and we kissed each other till it was almost morning.
That night before I left, he kissed me again, and then said, "I will call you tomorrow. I promise that this time I will not let this chance pass by." I kissed him back, and told him that I will be waiting for his call.
The next day my mother and James came to spend the day at my house. James adored swimming, and he spend the whole day in the pool. But me and my mother preferred sunbathing. I told my mother that I had met Bryan last night, and I also told her what he had told me about Trey and Devnee. My mother looked up.
"I know mother, but I also know that Bryan was genuine last night, and Trey was the one who had cheated on me. Anyway, I'm going to call Devnee and see if it's true that Trey had been living with her." My mother smiled, and said, "You must know what's best for you and Rykie. I just don't want you to get hurt again, that's all." I hugged her, and thanked her.
That evening I called Devnee. I brought up the excuse that Trey hadn't called Rykie, and if she had heard from him. She said no. Then I asked her if it was true that Trey had been living with her, after I left him. She said,
"Yes, he stayed with me for a while. It was after I left Bryan. He was looking for a new job, and could not afford to rent anywhere, so he stayed with me until he settled down."
"Thanks," I said, and hung up. I didn't need to hear anymore.
I decided to take Rykie to McDonalds. I was thinking a lot about Bryan, but I somehow felt like I wasn't ready for a relationship just yet. I noticed how I had been ignoring my daughter lately, and so I decided to start spending more time with her
She was my pride and joy, but she was not the same child she was once. Since Trey had left, she seemed withdrawn, and much less cheerful. I just wished I could do something to make her happier. but I didn't know what.
Bryan was being wonderful those days too. He would come over sometimes in the evenings, and play with Rykie. She too loved him, and thought that he was fun to be around with, and sometimes she even preferred him than Kelvin, the next door kid. I was growing very fond of Bryan too, and was hoping for love to blossom some day.
Suddenly, without me even noticing, me and Bryan became inseparable. He had a way with me, that made me feel really special, and I could not want anymore. Also, Rykie started spending the weekends with her father, and so Bryan would sleep over at my house. I was really happy, and I was falling rapidly in love with him.
One year later....
One evening as I was preparing dinner, the doorbell rang. I went to answer it, and to my surprise it was Devnee. I looked at her coldly, and asked her, "What do you want?"
"To talk," was her reply.
"About what?" I asked again.
"Camie, I don't know what's wrong with you. Ever since you called me, about a year ago, and asked me about Trey, you have not been the same. You never called me again, and you never answer my calls. It is as if I don't even exist." I did not answer, and she went on. "Please let me in, I need to talk to you. It's very important."
I invited her, and she started talking. 
"God,' exclaimed Devnee. "This feels just like a movie. You were dating Bryan? And when did this happen?"
"Shortly after he told me about your affair with Trey. Trey is such a bastard isn't he? First he cheated on me, and then after he ruined your marriage, he ran off to another town, probably with another woman."
"Camie, aren't you listening? I NEVER had an affair with Trey. My marriage ended because Bryan cheated on me with that slut, Romy." She looked up at me, "So how long did you and Bryan last?" she asked.
"Well, we're still together," I answered.
"What!" she exclaimed again. "No, you're kidding me, right?" I shook my head. Devnee looked really surprised, but she said, "Oh well, if you're happy, maybe it shouldn't be me who tells you the truth. But I don't want you to be hurt. Listen to me, I knew all about Bryan's cheating, and all about his terrible past too, and yet I foolishly married him. So maybe, I deserved what I got. But you are the victim here, Camie. Don't let them play with you anymore. Trey is not a bastard, he was just too foolish. But believe me, Bryan is one hell of a devil, but unfortunately he manages to hide it real well behind his cute looks."
"What are you talking about?" I asked. "You don't know anything about Bryan's past, do you?" she asked. "Well, about a couple of months after I met him, Bryan went to visit his uncle in Simville, and he met Romy there. They had an affair, but when he came back to me, I forgave him totally. Then one day, out of the blues, Romy appeared here in Pennsburgh. She came looking for Bryan, but at that time popularity mattered a lot to him, and so seeing her as the loser that she was, he told her that he was in love with me, because I was popular. She knew you back from Simville, and decided that you were her ticket to popularity, and so she tried to befriend you. But you turned your back on her, and that day she vowed that she will ruin you. Well, the rest is history. But there is only one other thing that you don't know. Last week I was shopping downtown, and I ran into Bryan and Romy all cosy together and she was as pregnant as can be. That's why you surprised me when you said that you two are still together."
I shook my head, not wanting to believe. "You left your husband, because of Trey, and now that you realise that Trey doesn't want you, you want Bryan back." She looked surprised.
"No, Camie, believe me, that's not true. Maybe you should ask him yourself then right? I had no intention of telling you any of this, I only did it, because I don't want them to hurt you anymore."
"Then why did you come here?" I asked.
"I came to tell you that I met Trey yesterday, and he kept talking non-stop about you. He kept telling me how sorry he was for doing what he did to you, and he would do ANYTHING to be forgiven. That's all. Now maybe I should go."
"Yes, maybe you should," I said angrily. "And please tell Trey to stop playing games with me, because he is NEVER going to win. Do you really believe that I'm still that naive girl, and will not see through you? You want Bryan back, and Trey wants me back, and so you made up this terrible story about Bryan. Well, nice try, Dev. Goodbye." And with those words, I closed the door behind her.
After she left, I sat down on the couch, and just stared into space. I felt like I was caught in a whirlwind, and there was no stopping things. Devnee and Bryan were telling totally different stories, and both of them stuck to their version of things. But who was telling the truth? And Trey wanted me back. But why now? Was it jealousy? But then why hadn't he tried to win me back as soon as I started dating Bryan? Oh my god, so many questions, and not a single answer...
3 comments:
Such a good story. So many twists and turns. I am surprised no one else has read it....
Well, maybe no one has read it yet here on the blog. But I remember, when I had my first website, the geocities one, I had posted this story, and it had so many fans. I remember I had to use a new guestbook 3 times, because it was always getting full up - I used to get about 3 comments a day. Yes, this story has had its moments of glory too lol
I can see why this story had its moments, and why it still should. This is really a great piece of work. I just love this soap opera type drama that you have excellently portrayed. I can't tell which one of them is being truthful, either, as you've done a great job of hiding the truth from us as well as Camie. It will be a surprise to find out, to be sure. Lorianne, this is a beautifully written story. It flows so smoothly, is told in an understandable way, and is such a treasure to read. I'm sad there's only one part left to read because I don't want to stop.
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