The Way It Is

“I can't keep lying to Laura,” Savannah stated. Pushing her hair back, “She is so distraught about Jason possibly cheating.”

“I don't get it, Jason told me that they had an arrangement, that she knew the deal going into the marriage.” Kevin said pushing his food around his plate. “One of them is lying.”

“As much as I know you don't want to hear this, I think that person is Jason,” Savannah surveyed her friend, it was an impossible situation and it was made even more so because despite the fact he hadn't told her, she knew that Kevin was in love with his married lover. “How cliche is it for married men to say that they have an arrangement with their wives.” She gave a low chuckle, “It ranks right up there with the whole 'my wife doesn't understand me' bit.”

“I know, I know. I was an idiot to believe him, but you know me, I can normally see through BS and he honestly seemed to be on the up and up. How was he able to fool me so completely?”

“Honey don't blame yourself, maybe in his mind he really does think that he and Laura have an arrangement, who knows maybe they did while they were dating. I mean no one even knew they were together until the engagement announcement came out.”

“What if they really did just get married for the trust fun, and he is telling me the truth? Thats the best possible scenario.”

“Also the least likely. If that was the case why would Laura have been crying on my shoulder that her husband was cheating?”

“Why does this have to be so hard? Why isn't there an easy answer to this situation? I mean here I have this great guy, who is sexy, wonderful....”

“Married. You can not forget married. Kev you know what you have to do. Stop stalling and say out loud what it is you know you have to do.”

Sighing Kevin struggled to get the words out, “I have to break up with him don't I? I don't want to, but I have to.”

Alyssa watched the people in the country club as they greeted one another. A small smile played across her face, as she thought about how distraught Laura had been earlier in the afternoon. Getting the neurotic mess to believe her husband was stepping out was the easiest thing she had ever done.

It was almost too easy. Earlier in the day, Alyssa had decided that in order to amuse herself, among other reasons she needed stir up some trouble, and decided that she would start it with Laura. Knowing that Jason rarely returned her phone calls, she decided to fake one of her own. And implied that the girl on the other end had found out her man had been cheating on her and it all started with unreturned phone calls.

Of course then she had to talk to Savannah. God that was horrid, she hated Savannah with a passion for a multitude of reasons. Well she would be taken care of later, she would get her daddy to get rid of the trash. When Laura came down in tears though, that had brought a smile to her face. It tickled her to think that she would be the cause of yet another divorce.

“Alyssa I need your help.” Laura said, finally finding her.

“Well I say start with complete face reconstruction, then get some bigger boobs, and if you can a personality transplant, then we will have a start on improving you.”

“I'm serious. I need your help.”

“I was serious too.” Alyssa shook her head. “You are just plain boring to look at.”

“Cut the crap Alyssa. I overheard your conversation earlier, how did your friend find out that her husband was cheating on her?”

“What are you talking about? Ugly and boring, not a good combo.”

“Alyssa, I think Jason is cheating on me, and I need to know the signs. As much as I hate to say this, I need your help.”

“Honey, of course Jason is cheating on you.....”

“Hi mom,” Sunny held the cell phone close to her ear. Anytime she talked to her mom, her emotions went a little crazy, so she was wiping away tears, and smiling. “Yes I am safe mom, Shane is taking very good care of me.” She listened while her mother talked about the going ons in her home town. Her mother then asked about the Vegas wedding. “Not happening anymore, Shanes mother is insisting on throwing us a lavish wedding here.” Her mother prattled on about how she would love to be at her only daughters wedding. “Mom you know I want you here more than anything in the world but you can't travel, Doc warned you that any traveling and any stress would set back your recovery. As much as I want you at my wedding it's not feasible.” Her mother wailed about how for the rest of her life, she would live with the sadness that she was not allowed at her only daughters wedding. “Mom, it's not as if you would have been there if we eloped. I know you want to be here but we can't chance anything, now can we?”

Sunny was so into her conversation with her mom, that she didn't notice Shane sneak in. “Mom you know I don't like to talk about this, why do you insist on bringing it up? No mom I don't hate you, I just don't feel the need to revisit the past, and I really wish you didn't constantly bring it up. It is terrible what happened, but you know that I believe everything happens for a reason.”

Finally Shane decided to make his presence known. “Hi honey, I'm home.”

Sunny let out a small scream, and dropped the phone. “Dear God Shane you scared me.”

“I didn't mean to. I'm sorry.” He kissed her lightly. Then bent to pick up her phone, “This isn't your phone.”

Sunny's eyes went wide, there was no way she could get out of this, she was finally caught she realized.