Jay's POV
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I am the bigger man, I think to myself lying next to my wife in bed. She's asleep, her hair sprawled out behind her. I look at her blushing cheeks, and her closed eyes and count on the fact that I could never ever leave this woman.
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Gently and quietly leaving the bed, I collect up the pizza boxes. Looking at her sprawled out clothes on the floor mixed in with my own jeans, and remembering how we just made it up to each other. Extensively. She said my name a whole lot which continually reassured me about everything. My goal was to have her shouting my name out and I'm always successful. One last glance at her stretched out on the bed and then I leave the room.
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I carry the pizza boxes down the stairs one handed. Pace through to our kitchen in just my boxers and dump them in the bin. Brewing up a coffee at 3 am is never a good idea, but my body clock is out of whack because of Dubai and I can't sleep in my bed. Thoughts of Matthew's hands on my wife keep provoking me.
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I take a seat at the table and look at the picture he sketched of her. It's such a Matthew thing to do; pretentious, artsy romantic sod that he is. Pretty damn ballsy too, to leave it for her husband to find. I look at the detail he's put into her eyes, the depth and the time he's taken over them and realise just how long he's been gazing into them.
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In the sketch she wears an expression of adoration, and nothing else. Her bare body, and the bump I put there all on show. I sigh putting my hair in a knot. Picking up my phone because who am I kidding, I'm calling him up.
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I wait patiently on the dial tone, I doubt he's sleeping. After that message from her; I would have been over here protesting.
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"Jay" he answers slowly, he sounds guilty but not surprised at all at me calling him.
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"Matty" I say holding the picture in my hand, twirling it in between my fingers.
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"Look man, don't hate me" he says and I place the picture down softly on the table, waiting for his explanations. This is make or break for us, a friendship that has spanned over ten years.
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"I kept her safe the whole time" he says and I laugh.
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"I know you did, you didn't have to do that with your face in between her legs though man" I say and deep down I'm angry. But my tone is calm, I don't lose myself in arguments anymore, that just shows I'm not in control. And I am very much in control here.
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"She told you everything" he says, regretfully.
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"I found your little sketch and I suspected. She told me after that" I say softly.
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"You told her to keep quiet didn't you" I demand from him.
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"She mentioned a lot Jay, that she needed to be clear with you on what had happened and yeah you're right I told her to be quiet" he says and I believe him, it's all I wanted to know. I needed to be sure that she was at least intending on being honest with me. I breathe out and count down from ten.
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"Right now Matthew" I say, and my fists clench.
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"I don't think it's the best idea we see each other" I say and he remains silent.
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"Because I actually want to break your jaw" I say and I've never meant anything more.
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"I get it man" he says.
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"How is Taylor" he asks and this is why I cannot be near him, I will hit him.
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"Shes fine, asleep" I say instead of cursing him.
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We're silent for a few seconds and I know I need to ask him. It's bugging me, and if I don't I'll think about it and let it fester.
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"When you answered Taylor's phone" I ask.
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"And we spoke at three am, had you already" I say and I can't finish my sentence, I can't believe he betrayed me. I can't think of him making her orgasm, call me petty but it angers me.
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"No I hadn't" he says knowing exactly what I mean.
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"I just got carried away, honestly though I did push myself on her, she said that she wouldn't have sex with me" he says and I breathe out.
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"So I just you know" he says and I shh him. I don't want to hear it. I don't need anything else to keep me up at night. I’ve already thought about re-doing the bathroom.
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"Can we try to still be friends" he asks me after a few seconds.
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"Jay you've known me forever, I just got carried away and I shouldn't have I know, but this is Taylor. Man you know how close I was to her." he explains when I don't answer.
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"In time maybe, but not right now" I say calmly, no emotion in my voice.
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"She is my wife, Matty. You gave me your assurances that you wouldn't cause any problems. Fuck she's carrying my child for Gods sake." I say, just a hint of anger in my tone.
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"That's understandable" he comments.
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"You're supposed to be my friend, my best man" I say to him.
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"I'm sorry" he says softly.
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"It's just we never broke up, and you were just there for her." He begins and here we go, this is the crux of it. Matthew claiming he had her first just like I knew he would.
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"So you're not really sorry" I say sly.
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"Jay I am, I want you to be happy. I just can't manage my feelings at the best of times. Let alone when she's around me on her own doing the things we used to do together" he mutters.
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"I am happy, with my wife and soon to be mother of my child. But really you've hit the nail on the head there man" I tell him.
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"You cannot be trusted alone with her" I add, I know his game. Keep me sweet and then hopefully he'll get another chance alone with her.
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"I can" he says defiantly.
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"Not a chance Matthew. She's chosen me and you need to accept it. Hell go and fuck the nurse for all I care" I snark at him.
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"I have accepted it" he says backtracking.
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"Good night Matthew" I say maintaining control.
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"Bye Jay" he mutters.
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We hang up, no goodbyes or making up. I place the phone down, aggravated at him. But I got what I wanted. I needed to know that she would have told me without me finding the damn picture. I place it back on the side looking into her eyes briefly. She must have looked at him in that way, half blushing whilst cradling bump naked. I face the reality of seeing him tomorrow at the hospital, and curse him. I’ll have to ignore his existence in order to not physically harm him.
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Placing the coffee cup into the dishwasher and clicking off the lights I head back upstairs to Taylor. I climb into our bed next to her and she pulls me in close, her arms going around me.
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"Jay" she whispers.
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"What have you been doing" she mutters half asleep and I hush her. Stroking her hair back and looking down at her.
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"I'm here, now" I tell her kissing her lips slowly.
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"Don't leave me" she says sleepily. She's worried, and I do understand that. Maybe she believes I would bolt after this. And had you of asked me that very question a few years back, before marriage and before conceiving a child together. I know that my answer would have been different. The old me would most likely be punching up Matthew and cutting her loose.
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"I'm not going anywhere, Taylor" I tell her and she stirs. Wiping her eyes and sobbing.
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"Hey no" I say concerned at her tears.
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"I'm sorry" she mumbles crying again.
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"Taylor I love you" I tell her stroking her back.
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"I love you" she whispers her tears subsiding as she gradually falls back asleep.
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She may challenge me on my next plan; but I feel it is the best move for us to make. We need to finish our honeymoon and so tomorrow once we have the all clear at the hospital we are going away again.
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