Kristen Mazzola - Crashing Back Down

In the limo, we drank champagne and goofed off with all of the band members. They were just the way I remembered them, good-hearted, funny, and seductive. Cali was getting really comfortable next to Maverick, and my alarms started going off. This was not like her and I started to get really unsettled. I knew that we had been drinking for the better part of the day and I might have been overreacting, but when I saw Maverick put his hand on Cali’s knee and she just giggled into a long, make out session, my temper flared.

In the limo, packed like sardines, was not the place to rip Cali away from the sexual panther that was about to pounce on her, but I didn’t wait long after we climbed out of the limo to rip her to the side of the group.

Dane and Fallon spun around to look at us as we stopped right next to the limo, as Fallon’s soft voice called over. “You two coming?”

I smiled as nicely as I could while my nails dug into Cali’s wrist. “Yeah, be right in, I just have something to tell Cali really quickly.”

They both nodded and headed inside where we could see Dane letting the bellhop know we were with them. Cali tore her hand from my clenched grasp. “What the fuck, Mags! That hurts!”

I glared at her. “Well, Cal, I think you need to remember the ring on your finger doesn’t say ‘Fuck me Maverick’ on it.”

With a gapped mouth stare, tears came out of nowhere. Through sobs, Cali gasped, “My marriage is over.”

I did a double take at Cali while inhaling a sharp breath, immediately wrapped her up in a hug. “What happened? What do you mean, over?” I whispered softly into her ear, not letting her go as I clung to her shaking body.

She pushed me away a little bit and plopped right onto the sidewalk, patting it for me to take a seat next to her. “Kyle has been cheating on me for months. I found some of his emails and credit card receipts. These stupid trips he’s been taking haven’t been for work. Apparently her name is Chloe, and she lives in Miami. That bastard even flew her to our house when I was away on business the last time.”

“Does Kyle know you figured out his secret?” The words came out exuding hatred for the scumbag and a few visions of me punching him in the face crossed my mind.

She shook her head. “I am planning on kicking him out tomorrow night when he gets home from screwing his whore. I figured let him have one more hurrah and I can have mine before our world turns upside down.”

I raked my fingers through my hair, horrified by the pain that she was in. “Oh honey, why didn’t you tell me?”

“Come on Mags. You have so much going on, and I’m freaking embarrassed. You were always right about Kyle and I just never listened.”

“Oh sweetie, this isn’t about being right or wrong or who has what going on. You’re my best friend and if you need me, I’ll be there, no matter what.”

With that, I climbed to my feet and helped Cali up. I rubbed away the black streaks her eyeliner was making and we went into the party, promising to have fun for the rest of the night.

I let Cali do her thing. She danced and flirted with Maverick all night and had a ball. It was nice to see that she was having a great time in the midst of such a terrible circumstance. Fallon and I ended up hanging out and talking. I found out she was about three months pregnant and therefore the perfect person for me to be around while I was trying to sober up to drive.

Cali stumbled over to me and in her drunken slurred speech, she barely got out, “This is one of the best days of my life. I love you, Margret McManus!” With that, she slumped down on the couch next to me and that was my queue to drive her home. Maverick helped me carry her to the car.

Once Cali was bulked in, I started to make my way to the driver’s side as Maverick turned to head back to the party. He spun around quickly, “Hey, Mags?”

Halfway into the driver’s seat, I called back to him, “Yeah? What’s up?”

He shyly grinned and trotted over to my side, shoving a piece of paper in my hand. “Make sure Cali calls me. OK?”

I gave him a quick nod. “Yeah, for sure. Thanks for everything Maverick!”

He gave me a quick wave and headed back into the hotel as I opened the crumbled loose leaf to read:

Cali, tonight was amazing. Don’t let that annoying twat piss on you like that! You’re too beautiful and kind for that. Call me!

-Maverick

I smiled over at my best friend, her head leaning against my window, a little bit of drool escaping from the corner of her mouth. This was a crazy ass night. I slid the paper into her handbag and pulled out of the valet section of the hotel. The whole ride back home, Cali dozed and snored while I jammed out to the radio. Once we pulled into the driveway, I was able to shake her awake enough for me to help her into the house and up into my bed. I remembered the last time she slept over and did not want to suffer her wrath again for holding out on her.

I changed Cali into some of my pajamas and slid under the covers next to her, and in her half sleeping voice, she muttered, “Love youuuu,” and was out for the night. A huge smile spread over my face as I tucked her in a little bit tighter.

Before turning out the light, I rattled off a quick text to Walker, kind of surprised I hadn’t heard from him all day.

Just got back from an insane adventure with Cali. Can’t wait to see you tomorrow and have my fish dinner. Night.

There was no reply while I sat up and watched mindless infomercials until I finally fell asleep from the sheer exhaustion of our crazy day.

In the morning, Cali and I woke up at the same time. We lazily cuddled in bed for awhile, talking about her game plan for when Kyle came home later on that day.

“But, what if he refuses to leave?” I knew it was an odd question but it had been bugging me. I pictured myself having to go over to her house and beat up a freaking cop so he would leave my best friend alone.

“He’ll leave. Once he knows, I’m sure it will be a relief for him to be rid of me and the burden.” She punched her pillow a few times, exaggeratedly groaning. “I’m going to head home and get his shit packed up so I don’t have to deal with it anymore.”

I offered to go and help, but she declined, claiming that it was going to be her therapy session and needed to break things and cry alone. I understood, and knew that if it got rough or if she needed me, she would call this time; I made her promise.

After Cali left, I sulked around the house for a while until my boredom took total control in Walker’s absence. Waking up without him on a Sunday morning used to be my only option. But I had become accustomed to having company, and warmth was starting to fill the emptiness again. I got out of my pajamas and made a little breakfast, deciding to clean the house up a bit.

Since Walker really didn’t use his room anymore, I started in there and began to make it back into the guest room it used to be. I got the vacuum out of the hall closet and dragged it into the room. I collected all of Walker’s clothes out of the drawers and closet, and made room for them in mine, stripped the bed, put new sheets on and then began to vacuum. After passing the vacuum a few times under the bed, I felt it hit something light.

I got down onto the floor and found a journal with Walker’s name engraved in the leather on the front. I sat on the freshly made bed, trying to convince myself to be respectful of Walker’s privacy.

My concentration was broken when my cell vibrated in my pocket. There was a text from Walker shining on the screen:

Sorry I haven’t been in touch, no service. We’ll be home in about four hours, maybe a little more. Can’t wait to see you too!