The One That Got Away (2 page)

She laughed. “No, Brian won’t be joining us.” The last she’d heard he was doing time for serious insurance fraud.

An awkward silence enveloped them. Before she could ask Eric about himself a pixie in blue ran across the dance floor and threw herself into Eric’s arms.

“Thank you, you beautiful, wonderful man,” she said.

At a size two with short cut blond hair and bairy over five feet, Tina Banks was a bundle of energy. Alison looked over at Steve to see how he was taking the fact that Tina was hugging Eric Maurer as if he was a war hero. She was surprised to see a small smile on his face as he looked lovingly at his wife.

Eric seemed shocked then resigned to taking the praise from his best friend’s wife. He looked at Alison over the top of Tina’s head and smiled, shrugging his shoulders as if to say “What am I going to do.” Whatever it was that Tina was thanking him for, it was obviously pretty important.

She looked at Mark, then Steven for some kind of explanation but both of them avoided her eyes as if not wanting to share a secret.

Eric’s phone started ringing from inside his suite coat. “Excuse me a moment, I’ve got to get this,” he said holding up his phone before stepping away and turning his back on the group. Tina let him go then folded herself into her husband’s embrace and hug. She stared up into his eyes with a look of adoration that only truly lucky women got to use.

She caught Alison looking at her and let out a little squeal. “Alison Hamilton. Wow, I didn’t expect to see you here.” She said letting go of her husband long enough to reach over and give her a warm hug. “Welcome home.”

Alison returned the hug, Tina and she had always gotten along. Not the best of friends. But friendly acquaintances.

The two women quickly fell into old patterns exchanging information about different people they both knew. Who was with whom type of news. Alison kept looking over at Eric who continued to talk on his cell phone. It looked serious as he continued to nod his head at the person on the other end.

“So, what where you thanking Eric about, it seemed pretty important,” Alison asked.

Tina continued to bounce on the balls of her feet.

“Haven’t you heard? Eric just bought the Lumber yard. He’s going to open it again and Steven’s going to be the manager.” Those adoring eyes again found her husbands and smiled up to him while she ran a hand over his upper arm.

“Wow, Eric’s buying the Lumber Yard. How? I mean how can he do that?” Alison asked her brow narrowed in confusion. How does a twenty nine year old buy a lumber yard?

“What? Don’t you know about Eric?” Tina said in surprise.

Alison shook her head. Her heart started to pound.

“Erik’s company just got bought.”

“What company?” Alison asked.

“Jeeez Alison, where have you been? He just sold his software company for three quarters of a billion dollars, that’s a billion with a B. Believe me he can afford a little lumber yard.

Alison thought she was going to faint, every bit of energy seemed to have left her legs.

Eric finished his call and joined the group. His eyes were on fire and a giant smile spread across his face. Alison’s heart melted a little, what might have been, she thought. A pang of regret threatening to overwhelm her.

Feeling like the proverbial fifth wheel Alison was making preparations to break away. She needed to get away to process everything she'd just heard. Before she could make a break for it the small group was joined by Miss Perfect herself. Eric’s wife reached up and whispered something into his ear. He smiled and shook his head. Shed obviously teased him about something.

Alison had an overpowering urge to throw herself on her bed and kick her legs in frustration. Sighing to herself she took a sip of Champaign.

“Eric, be a dear and get me a drink okay?” Marla asked. She even did that perfectly, not as a command but as if he would be the most valuable person in the world if he did this favor for her.

He smiled and nodded to everybody before stepping to the bar. Both Mark and Steven joined him and Tina excused herself to check in with some other friends leaving her alone with Marla. Alison quickly evaluated the other woman’s appearance. A form fitting gold dress highlighted the woman’s youth and vitality. An envious surge flashed through her when she thought about everything this woman had.

“So you’re the one,” Marla said with a smile.

Alison cocked an eyebrow and said, “The one?”

“Yeah, you’re the one that got away. He never told me your name, but when I saw the way he looked at you today, I knew it was you that he’d talked about.”

You could have pushed Alison over with a gentle breeze. Her eyes grew and her jaw dropped open for a moment before she could bring herself back under control. There wasn’t anything malicious or gleeful in Marla’s expression. She honestly didn’t seem to be jealous. Alison realized she could like this woman if she didn’t hate her so much.

Did Eric really think of her that way? As the one that got away? A warm glow flowed through her body.

“Really, I’m sure you’re mistaken. Eric and I barely knew each other in school. No, I’m sure it must have been somebody else.”

Eric returned with Marla's drink, handing it to her with a smile. She smiled her thanks and took a sip.

“So what have you guys been talking about?” he asked with a curious look in his eyes.

Alison felt a little mean and decided to tease him a little. It was the least she could do considering all of the teasing his presence caused her. “Your wife and I have been discussing your deep dark secrets from high school.”

Both Marla and Eric choked into their drinks. Marla’s eyes lit up in gleeful delight, Erick looked like he had been hit upside the head with a two by four.

“My wife?” He asked in confusion.

Marla laughed and touched his shoulder. “She thinks we’re married, you and me.”

Now it was Alison’s turn to look confused. Her head shifting back and forth between the two of them trying to figure out what was going on while trying to calm her racing heart.

“We’re not married, Eric said with a frown. Marla’s my sister-in-law. She’s married to my brother Keith.” His voice caught for a second when he mentioned his brother. “He’s in Afghanistan, I thought Marla could use a break and asked her to come with me. No way was I coming to my high school reunion without a date.

Alison had forgotten how to breathe. Sister-in-law? Her eyes couldn’t pull away from his. They were locked together. She was vaguely aware of Marla stepping away with a huge smile on her face.

“Listen Alison, I’m going to be up in New York next week on business. I wondered if you maybe wanted to go see a show or something.”

Alison couldn’t stop herself from smiling. The man still didn’t know how to ask a girl out. He should have asked her to meet him for a drink. Something that he could brush off as not important if she said no. Only after meeting a couple of times, maybe after sleeping together should he ask her on a date date.

Her stomach turned over and her heart pounded in her chest so hard she thought for sure she’d collapse right there and then.

“I would love to go out with you Eric,” she said as her insides did summersaults of joy.

It had only taken ten years for Alison to insure the right one didn't get away.

The End

Acknowledgements

As always, I wish to thank my lovely wife, Shelley Snodgrass. Her support and encouragement were awe inspiring. I want to thank all of my family and friends for being there when I needed them. Thank you.

A special thanks to the Panera Writers Group. Anya Munroe, Eryn Carpenter, Kristi Wheeler, and John Pelkey. These fine people were instrumental in helping me iron out the fine points and get over the hump. Thank you so much guys.

Certain Rules

By G.L. Snodgrass

Chapter One

Scott

There are certain unwritten rules in high school. High on the list, close to the top, is one that says. ‘Thou shalt not have sex with your best friend’s girl’. - A simple rule, understood by all. - Danny Carrs totally ignored it. 

Another rule even higher on the list says:  ‘Thou shalt not beat the crap out of the star quarterback two days before the play-off game.’ I sort of ignored that one. I figured it made us even. Needless to say, the jerks at school didn’t see it my way.

They thought they were going to get to me with the silent treatment. The ice cold stares and turned backs were nothing. They hadn’t grown up with my grandfather. Their weak attempts didn’t get to me. What killed me, a bone deep death, was the laughter and snickering behind me wherever I went.

Scott James, The largest guy on campus, star left tackle, destined for the front line of Nebraska University was a cuckold. Couldn’t keep a woman satisfied so she had to go somewhere else.

“Steroids man, it kills it.” A high pitched freshman voice whispered.

A stupid sophomore girl fresh from P.E. laughed and said. “You know I heard they used him for the model when they made Shrek, only they had to tone it down for the movie, it scared all the kids.”

“I hear he’s so dumb he didn’t know how,” was heard repeatedly.

The fact that she hadn’t ever let me try made it worse.

I’d caught best bud, Danny Carrs and the love of my life, Miss Gina Woods, in his room the previous afternoon. She had her legs strait up in the air with Danny between them, pumping away like a locomotive going uphill. There are some sights that burn their way into your brain and you’ll never get ‘em out.

I’d come to Danny’s to borrow a chemistry book; the world knew he’d never need it. The boy hadn’t cracked a book in the nine years I knew him. He had his head banging music going full bore and never heard me knock. I stepped in, the room smelt like old socks and Ben Gay ointment.  Gina screamed, Danny cursed, jumped up, and held out his hands as if to say, ‘it’s not what you think man’.

Unfortunately it was exactly what I thought man, I saw red and swung.

I’ve got to give him credit, he didn’t stay down. No a very a smart move. But then Danny wasn’t a renowned genius.

He’s your typical Greek god. – Brown curly hair and green eyes, six-one, hundred eighty. I’m more your Norse variety with black hair and the beginning of a straggly red beard. I had him by three inches and seventy pounds; All of it pure muscle from a lifetime of slinging hay bales and four years of banging into fellow giants on the gridiron. Danny on the other hand made Justin Beiber look like an ugly slug.

He jumped up and threw a quick jab. His fist hit me square in the jaw and I heard the bones in his hand crack with a sickening snap. The boy had never learned how to throw a punch. I’d been doing his fighting for him since fourth grade, both on and off the football field. But he tried. I smiled and returned the favor with a left to the eye and a right to the ribs. He crumbled like a sack of potatoes dropped from the roof.

And with that the red rage left me to be replaced by a deep burning hurt. How could they do this to me? What did I do? I hadn’t felt this kind of gut wrenching loss since my parents were killed seven years earlier.

Gina knelt on the bed in all her naked glory, hiding behind a too small pillow. This was not how I anticipated seeing her naked for the first time. Long black hair messed up in the ultimate bed head and white porcelain skin that looked purer than a fresh January snow.

Her head swiveled back and forth between Danny and me as if watching a tennis match. Her mouth open in shock and her eyes clouded in confusion. Slowly awareness started to return and her eyes turned to fire. She screamed and jumped off the bed to cradle Danny’s head in her lap. “What have you done you giant oaf?” she yelled as if everything was my fault. She forgot about me and returned to brushing the hair from his eyes.

I so wanted to come back with a witty retort, a small pithy saying that would put her in her place. Something that would go down in history as the smartest thing a guy in my situation ever said. If not that, at least something to take away the pain. Or better, something to hurt her as much as she’d hurt me.

I had nothing. Nada. I stood there, my knuckles screaming, gob smacked with realty. No nothing. I never had anything when it came to talking to girls. Maybe this is why I ended up in situations like this.

My fists clenched, I hated her so much. She’d ruined everything.

I felt like a worthless piece of crap. The red rage started to return. One of the few things I’m proud of that night is the fact that I somehow got myself under control. Letting out a big sigh I turned and stomped out.

It had become hard to see, everything had gotten all misty. I made my way out of there and to my truck and home to the farm. My sister Mattie looked up as I stormed in, yelling that I wasn’t hungry. It probably raised a few red flags. I hadn’t missed a meal since I’d had my tonsils out at age three. They gave me space. They could see something was wrong and left me alone.   Grandfather even did my chores for me without giving me a ration of crap about it. He’d get me later I was sure.

The next morning at school was interesting to say the least. The hallway full of students parted like the red sea before Moses. That sweet aroma of floor wax and teenage hormones washed over me as I walked down the canyon feeling every pointed barb and hateful glare.

Of course everyone knew what happened, or at least some twisted version. To them I had become the monster who ruined their chance at shared glory. Taken any chance of a state championship out of the realm of possibility. The beast of the night, too big and too dumb to know what I’d done.

They didn’t realize the half of it and just how close I came to losing it. I could feel the anger building in me like a raging forest fire. My heart raced, and my muscles were tighter than a drum. I wanted to hit something, hard. Desperately needed to crush something. Anything to make this pain go away.

I'd thought she cared. She’d been my first steady girlfriend. She'd approached me first for Christ’s sake. Coming up to me at last summer’s quarry party. Acting like I was something important. Staring at me through those long lashes, making feel like I was special. It'd all been a scam to get close to Danny. I could see it now. She’d always wanted to know what he was up to, who he was seeing.

It was Gina that announced our couple hood on Facebook after two dates to the movies. She was the one who said I love you first. It was her that said she was saving her virginity until marriage. A fact that I could reluctantly accept. I’d have done anything to make her happy. People treated me differently because of her. If Gina Woods was my girlfriend I must be pretty special, almost normal.

And my best friend Danny, the bastard. We’d gone to war together on the field. I protected his back and he shared his fame and glory. What had I done to them? Where did I screw up?

I found myself sitting in Mrs. Hollis AP History class wondering how the hell I got there. A quick glance at the clock said we only had a couple of minutes left.  Earth to Scott, get your shit together boy, it’s going to be a long day and you’re going to need to focus.

A short beep over the intercom made everybody jump and look at the speaker on the wall.

“Mrs. Hollis, please send Scott James to my office, thank you,” a grumbly voice said. There weren’t any laughs, no snickers, not even a whoop whoop. Everybody knew what this was about and were hoping for the worst. A sea of gleeful smiles and hateful eyes watched me leave. Only Katie River seemed to be on my side. Her sorrowful eyes looked like she was watching a puppy being taken to the execution chamber.

One out of twenty five was more than I expected. The rest of them stared and remained silent as I gathered my stuff and headed out the door before the teacher could say a word. It’s not like I didn’t expect it.

The hallways were as barren as an Arizona desert and my steps echoed off the lockers as I made my way to the Principal, Mr. Turner’s office. Would the cops be there? I could see it now. Being led out of the school in cuffs, hands behind my back. Everybody standing there cheering and yelling junk. Screw it, things couldn’t get worse.

I glanced into Mr. Turner’s office and realized how wrong I could be. Grandfather sat in one of the chairs. My stomach dropped to the floor and I had a hard time swallowing. Crap, this had gotten so much worse. The thought of disappointing him made me break out in hives.

Old battle axe Betty, the principal’s secretary and the center around which the school revolved nodded her head that I should go right in. Her eyes narrowed in scorn and I thought for sure I’d melt before I made it to the door. I gave a quick knock and entered.

My grandfather raised an eyebrow as I entered, at least he didn’t look like he hated me. Not yet, they mustn’t have told him.

“Scott, thank you for coming,” the principal said indicating I should take the remaining free chair.  A cough behind me startled me for a moment. Coach Carlson followed me into the room, firmly closing the door. He wore his normal coach cloths, white polo shirt and red shorts with tube socks and tennis shoes. His friggin whistle hung around his neck. Did he ever take it off? The man probably wore it to bed and used it any time Mrs. Carlson got out of bounds.

I sat next to grandfather. The chair felt hard and unforgiving. The room smelt like paper and maybe a faint hint of tobacco, Mr. Turner had been sneaking cigarettes again. He looked at the coach and then at my grandfather. He seemed to be avoiding looking at me.

“Mr. James, thank you for coming in so quickly,” he said.

My grandfather, the official ‘Mr. James’, nodded his head. He never did go in for the simple pleasantries of conversation.

Taking a deep breath Mr. Tuner brought his hands together. Interlocked his fingers and set them on the desk in front of him. “Yesterday, your grandson, beat a fellow student, Danny Carrs. He hurt him so bad that the boy had to be taken to the hospital. They operated on him this morning and he should be released later this afternoon.”

“Two days before the play offs,” Coach Carlson snapped from behind us.

My grandfather didn’t say anything, just looked at the principal and waited for the rest. I could see his hands griping his jeans. His knuckles were turning white. Boy was he pissed.  To show that much emotion said a lot.

“As you can imagine, we can’t have our students fighting. Especially young men who should be setting an example. I am afraid I am going to have to Expe…”

“Hold it a second,” my grandfather said, shocking me with his gravelly voice. He didn’t normally interrupt people.

“Yes Mr. James?” the principal asked, his eyebrow rising.

Grandfather stared at the principal for a moment his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. “Did this fight occur on school grounds?”

“It wasn’t a fight, it was a beating. Our most important player no less. Scott’s supposed to be protecting him, not putting him in the hospital,” Coach Carlson said.

My grandfather turned in his chair as his eyes narrowed and his brow creased. He shot the Coach a look that could freeze water on a warm day. “I remember you getting into a fight or two in your younger days, Jake. In fact, if I remember correctly, Scott’s dad kicked your butt in 8
th
grade after he caught you bullying some of the smaller boys.”

Coach Carlson sputtered for a moment. I hadn’t known that about dad and Coach. That might explain a couple of things.

“That was kid’s stuff, this is way more serious,” Coach said.

“Why, because of who got hurt, or the fact it happened a couple of days before a football game?” Wow, I couldn’t believe this, the old man stuck up for me. Of course that was all going to change when he found out why.

Grandfather had always told me that a man who couldn’t control his emotions wasn’t much of a man. That I was responsible for what I did. No excuse. He’d also drilled into me the fact that a guy my size had a special responsibility of staying in control. People could get hurt otherwise. Danny most definitely proved that last point.

Grandfather turned back to Mr. Turner. He hadn’t asked what the fight was about. Hadn’t looked at me to see if I was all right. He’d just assumed what the principle said was true.

“And why aren’t the police here?” Grandfather asked, pausing for a moment. “I assume Danny’s dad decided not to press charges. That must mean his old man’s embarrassed about something. Either the fact that his precious son got his ass kicked. Or the reason behind the fight. Probably both.”

Mr. Turner sighed. “We don’t know the reason. Maybe Scott would like to enlighten us?” They all looked at me as if I had the answer to the meaning of life and was holding out on them. I stared back but didn’t say a word. They would learn soon enough It surprised me they hadn’t heard the story already.

Turner’s eyes glinted and I realized the bastard had heard. He wanted me to say it out loud. My virgin girlfriend preferred to have sex with my best friend instead of me. I’d always thought he was a bit of an asshole. It wasn’t until that moment that I knew how much.

I took a deep breath and got ready to let loose on them. To tell them what I thought about their friggin school and where they could put it. They didn’t care about Danny or me. It was the fact that we might have brought the school and therefore the town a trophy. Some brass statue to be put in the front case where Mr. Alverez, the janitor would dust it off twice a year. I could feel the rage rising like a coke bottle ready to explode.