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“What?” I grunt.
“I don’t know,” he says with a shrug of his big shoulders. “Don’t you chicks usually like to binge-watch TV and eat shit when you’re going through something like this?”
“I don’t know,” I say. “I’ve never gone through something like this before.”
“Should I call Cass?” he questions.
“No,” I sigh, grateful for his help, but I’m not going to burden Cassie with this the day after her wedding. “Let her enjoy her newlywed bliss. I’ll see her when she gets back from their honeymoon.”
“Alright,” he says with another tight smile.
I hop up from the bed and drop my towel before reaching for the sweatpants, not giving two shits about anything. “Ahhh, gross,” Bobby grunts, shielding his eyes in disgust. “That’s my cue to leave.” He does just that and backs out of the room without another word before silently closing the door behind him, leaving me to wallow in self-pity.
Pulling his oversized hoodie on, I slide under the covers before noticing the painkillers, the remote, and the box of tissues already waiting for me on the bedside table. Bobby is going to make one special woman very happy, hopefully someday soon.
Reaching for the remote, I turn on the TV before searching for the latest Kardashians season. I relax into my pillow and get halfway through the first episode before my eyes become heavy and I fall into a dreamless sleep.
I startle awake a few hours later when Bobby drops heavily onto the bed beside me. “Wake up,” he grunts. “If you keep sleeping you won’t be able to sleep tonight.”
He couldn’t be more wrong. All I want to do is sleep for the rest of time. Maybe I could live the rest of my life unconscious to save myself from the pain of reality.
I groan as I push myself over to use Bobby as a pillow. “I went and got all your stuff from Carter’s place,” he tells me. “But you’ll need to go back eventually. I’m sure I missed some things.”
Gratitude pounds through my veins. I don’t know how I would have faced having to go over there and get all my stuff. “Thanks,” I grumble, but the realization of seeing the pile of bags, filled with my things in the corner of the room just reminds me that it’s truly over. “Today would suck so much more if I didn’t have you.”
“You’re my best friend, Bri. My wombmate! I’d do just about anything to see the smile return to your face. I hate that you’re hurting, and I hate even more that I can’t do anything to help you. I just wish I understood why this happened. Everything seemed so good between you two. I thought this was endgame.”
“I know,” I mumble into his chest. “Love you.”
“Love you, too, sis,” he says as he pulls his arms tighter around me.
Letting out a sigh, I grab the remote and turn off the TV before sitting up and making myself comfortable. After everything Bobby has done for me today, he deserves to know what’s going on. “He ended it,” I say.
“I guessed as much,” he tells me, meeting my broken stare. “It just doesn’t make sense. I saw the two of you during the wedding. Everything seemed fine. I thought he was madly in love with you.”
“He was. He is,” I say. “But our lives are heading in different directions. We want different things, and he doesn’t want to be the reason I don’t get everything I’ve always wanted. Marriage and children isn’t something he’s willing to negotiate on. He’s never going to want them and I . . .”
“Shit,” Bobby sighs, knowing just how important those factors are to me for my future. “He’s a fool for not wanting that with you.”
I don’t respond because, yeah, he is, but how can I blame somebody for being honest about what they want in life? If he doesn’t want to have children then I’m not going to be the woman who forces it on him.
“What am I going to do, Bobby? I love him so much,” I cry. “These past two years, all I’ve done is picture our lives together. I wanted to be with him for the rest of my life. He’s my soul mate. I’ll never find a love like that again.”
“You will,” Bobby insists, reaching out and squeezing my knee firmly. “It might take some time and a few tries, but you’ll get there eventually. You’re the most amazing woman I know and men are going to be lined up, dying to give you the world.”
“I doubt that,” I grumble.
“I know you can’t see it just yet, but in time, this pain is going to fade, and you’ll find yourself again. You’ll go through your hot-girl single era, and Cass is going to hate you because you’re having all the fun while she’s shacked up with the husband. And then one day, you’ll realize that you’re okay and ready to open your heart again.”
