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I’d joined in her laughter as we discussed how Leah ultimately could become a problem that Russell would come to regret. Right now, I was filled with a sense of peace to know that Dee believed me and had my back against her ex’s insinuation.
“I’m surprised you can sit there and act like that’s no big deal.” Dennis made no attempt to hide his animosity. Jealous burned deep in his eyes and had him clenching his jaw.
“That’s because itwasno big deal, and last time I checked, it wasn’t any of your business. Leah was dealt with and Travis did nothing wrong.” Dee clapped back, yet her voice remained even.
Dennis took the hint and proceeded to drink beer after beer as the game began and the Sox swept through the first three innings. By the bottom of the seventh, Dennis was completely intoxicated and Diane had long since fucked off to who only knew where.
“You know, Dee,” Dennis piped up just as the Sox player smacked one out into center field, sending all the players scrambling. “When we broke up, I expected you to mourn us at least a little.” He paused before burping loudly. “I didn’t think you’d be the type to jump onto the next man that came along.” Dennis sneered as he glanced my way. “I guess I never meant as much to you as you did me.”
“What the hell did you just say to me?” Dee hissed as her neck nearly tore itself in two from how fast it swiveled in his direction. We’re talking The Exorcist level swivel. "You expectedmeto mourn a little? What about you, Dennis? Did you mourn me at all? And how dare you sit there and try to blame me? Or blame Travis for that matter! This has nothing to do with him. This is about you 'falling in love' with someone else while we were still together! It's about you not lovingmethe way I loved you!"
“I never said I didn't love you, and yes, I carry guilt over how we broke up.”
“Did you have a stroke or something, Dennis?” she snapped. “We didn’t break up.Youended things.Youdumped me! It wasn’t mutual.Youdumpedmefor that skank who left three innings ago and has yet to come back.”
“I can’t help that I found her exciting.” He sighed wistfully. “She was what I thought I wanted at the time, alright? I just . . . I had no I idea what a pain in the ass she’d turn out to be, but I made my bed. IguessI’ll just have to live with that decision since it didn’t bother you to move on from me.”
“It didn't bother me to move on? Do you call me lying in bed, depressed and completely checked out 'moving on'?" Jesus, Dennis! I didn't just 'get over' you! I mourned! For months I mourned because you broke me when you said it was over. You're the one who moved on while I was left behind, feeling like a bag of garbage you just dumped at the curb! So, yes! I guess Ididmove on. I had to for my own sake because that’s what you do when the person who’s supposed to love you smashes your life all to hell. You pick up the pieces and find a way to move forward.”
“I never meant to hurt you! I just . . . You know what? It doesn’t matter. Diane and I are getting married in a few weeks. There’s no sense in arguing about it.”
"No one's forcing you to marry her, Dennis!"
Dennis looked at Dee through narrowed eyes. "But I made a commitment to her! I made the commitment to spend my life with her."
“You do realize that youdon’thave to stay with her! No one is forcing you to marry that beotch!” Dee shouted before huffing out an exasperated sigh. “Why would you even want to, knowing how she treats the boys? She’s horrible to them. The boys themselves told me how mean she is to them!”
“They need a mother,” Dennis argued back.
“They had one with me!” Dee’s raised voice caused several people to look our way. Not giving a shit that we had an audience, my girl let him have it with both barrels. “Those boys were my life and you just ripped them away from me without giving a shit about what it would do! Losing those boys made me feel like I had nothing left to live for.”
Dennis stared at her for a beat as her words sunk into his alcohol-soaked brain. “I’m sorry, okay? I can’t help that I fell in love with Diane. I know you don’t want to hear this, but I think if she just spends a little more time with them, they’ll all come around.”
“You are such an ass! Nathan and Daniel aren’t going to ‘come around!’ It’s not that they don’t know her. They’re afraid of her! I mean, why wouldn’t they be? She abuses them. Mentally and verbally. Physically too since she won’t let them go to the bathroom unless you’re home. She’s threatened to lock them in a closet and beat them with a belt! How can you stand there and claim that they’ll come around if they spend more time with her? That’s the last thing they need.”
Dennis shook his head. “You don’t understand how difficult it’s been adjusting to our new normal. Starting over with Diane has been difficult, but we’ll get through. It just requires work and patience. Not everything is as easy as hopping on the first dick that comes along after breaking up with your boyfriend." Dennis paused before adding, "Tell me, did my side of the bed even have time to grow cold before he climbed into it?”
“Care to repeat that?” I lunged forward in my seat and stared him down. This ass was about to get punched. How dare he try to devalue the pain and trauma she’d suffered? Everything Dee had grieved over had worth. She'd suffered more than anyone deserved to and I wasn’t about to let him rub it in her face.
“You heard me,” Dennis scoffed again. “You’re not good enough for her. And so help me God, if I see you lay one more finger on her, you’re going to regret it!”
I jumped to my feet at the same time Dennis did. All it took was seconds for the two of us to be on the verge of trading blows. “I think you’ve got that wrong.You’rethe one who’s not good enough for her! You’re the idiot whowillinglythrew away the best thing that could have ever happened to him!” I poked him in the chest as we stood face to face, both snorting like pissed off Brahma bulls.
“I loved her!” Dennis shouted. "Dee was my world!"
“Apparently not since you left herfor another woman!”
“Travis, please,” Dee begged as she too got to her feet and tried to place herself between us. “Please, it’s not worth it. Nothing he can say can hurt me.”
“No, Dee. Youareworth it! This asshole’s trying to manipulate you into feeling guilty about howheendedthings between you. You’ve got another thing coming if you think I’m just going to stand back and let you hurt her again!”
“I don’t want to see her hurt! I still care about her!” Dennis shouted over us, his confession suddenly out for everyone to hear it.
“If you didn’t want to hurt her, then why did you do that to her? You knew it would devastate her, but you did it anyway. You are something else, you know that?" I shook my head, incredulous that Dennis was doing this here and now. Once again surrounded by a bunch of witnesses. The dude must crave attention.
"Oh, you think I'm something else?"
"Yeah, I do. I think you're an idiot because not only did you leave her, but you also broke the news in public. You humiliated her! Just like you're trying to do right now? Who does that?” I scoffed, disbelieving the nerve of this guy. “Oh, that’s right. An insensitive jackass!”
