True Colors

TRUE COLORS

I know I wrote I was one and done. Well, this has been swirling around in my mind for a while. Since I have nothing else to do but sit around waiting for doctor appointments and medical test I might has well put my time to use.

No sex in this story.

LUCKY IN LOVE - MICK JAGGER

Everything was all set. I had paid for the hotel, a spa day, made dinner reservations at the best restaurant in that town and best of all, bought the most beautiful engagement ring I could. I even had my sister help me pick it out. She adores Melinda and calls her a sister already.

I always say I've been lucky in life. Others say I worked hard. I studied hard in school. My friends said to the point of being anti-social. It wasn't that I didn't like people. It's just that I had to graduate with good grades. That's what companies look for when hiring. My parents helped when they could but I had to work a part time job to pay extra expenses. My goal was to become an engineer. I always loved buildings, bridges and knowing how they were put together. I guess that made me somewhat of a nerd in high school. I wasn't in the In Crowd but had a good group of friends. I wasn't one of those guys that was picked on.

I met Melinda at a company function. I had landed my dream job at Julian Engineering. As a new hire and my job was to double check plans and work with the senior engineers. The company had around 150 employees over 3 branches. Our branch was the main one with 75 employees. Being a medium size company they treated us pretty well. Everyone knew each other. We were having a celebration for completing a big project that gave us even more name recognition. Melinda had come with one of the secretaries, Brenda, as a plus one. It happened quite often that the younger employees would bring friends for the free drinks and food.

I'm not one to go up to a woman I don't know but Melinda aura was calling to me. She's 5'5" around 120 with a nice shape. Boobs not to big and booty not boyish. It made her the total package to me. Dark hair and smoldering eyes.

I figured I better make my move before someone else did and approached her and with my best smile and pick up line said, '"Hi, I'm Mark. I really would like to get to know you but I'm afraid at a party everything I say will say will sound like a pick up line, no matter how genuine" And just stood there and smiled. She looked at me with a surprised look. She gave me a smile I would come to love and said "Now that is the best pick up line I've every heard" It was off to the races after that. We dated steadily for the next 8 months.

A SMALL PROBLEM - TOM HOLLISTON

Which leads us to today. We had been pretty inseparable for one small issue. Well 6 small issues. Her friends. Besides Brenda there was Carla, April, Cheryl, Jasmine and Anne, don't call me Annie it Ann. I had no problems with Mel having friends of course. But they were all single and not even thinking of getting into a relationship. They were the definition of party girls. Most treated me pretty good, Except Cheryl, Jasmine and Anne. The 3 Stooges as I had started calling them were always saying something to undermine our relationship. They were very blatant about it at times. Asking Mel out when they knew had already made a date. When we moved in together it got worse. I spoke to her several times about how I felt to no avail. There had been some heated arguments but we always made up and she always chose me in the end.

Even with dealing with the 3 Stooges we had a great relationship. I knew she was the one I wanted to have kids with, grow old with and all that cool stuff that goes with being married. Her birthday just happened to fall on a Saturday this year. So I made plans to pop the question at the hotel during dinner. Two weeks before I tell Mel not to make plans for her birthday as I had already set something up. She kept asking what it was but I only said it would be nice.

The Wednesday before her birthday she came to me saying her friends had decided to take her to Vegas for her birthday. I asked "what did they say when you told them you can't go"

'I told them I would go"

"I told you I had made plans for your birthday, you have to tell them you can't go, I said with a little heat. Let me guess, one of the Stooges probably made plans for this weekend huh? You need to make up your mind once and for all, them or me"

Mel crossed her arms which I knew was a bad sign. She wasn't one to argue very much. But she had a look of determination. " I already made a promise I would go with them. They are looking forward to it. You and I can celebrate when I get back.'

"My plans can't be changed Mel, Its been set up for a month. So you going with them let me know where I stand in your life right now. I'm upset and disappointed. I had a bad feeling this day would come. But I prayed you would chose me, I guess I was wrong"

"I'm not choosing them over you. I'm just changing plans right now. Why can't you see its not a big deal."

"To me its a big deal, this isn't something I thought up at the last minute. I put a lot of time and thought into this. If you don't appreciate it I think I need to rethink my future and our relationship"

"Now you're just blowing things out of proportion. Its one day out of the rest of our lives. Why can't you see that. I want to spend one weekend with my girlfriends. We haven't had that since you and I got together. Mel came to me with her arms out. You know I love you, its just one weekend out of many we will share?

For the first time ever I pushed her away. Her touching me felt wrong. "You go we're done. How proportional is that? This isn't a movie or dinner date. Its you going away with 6 single women to Las Vegas for the weekend AFTER I told you weeks ago I had plans for YOUR birthday. But if you think so little of me to discount the effort I put into planning for your birthday then I need to cut my losses now."

"I know you don't mean that. We've going to be together forever. You know it, I know it Heck, everyone knows it. I'm not going to meet some man or something. We're going to go and do some gambling, see some sights and fest at a couple of buffets. Like one last hurrah for me to be with them."

"Well if you put it like that I can see why you would rather go with them. I mean who can pass up eating and gambling with a bunch a sluts! Let me guess one of the stooges said I would get mad and try to control you right? They said I don't own you. Your grown and can make your own decisions. Well let me tell you Mel, I can make mine also. I'm not going to beg you to come with me. Right now I don't know if I even want to be with you after all of this. I'm leaving" And walked out. It sucks living together when you get mad because you can't put the other person out. I didn't know where I was going. I'm not a drinker so the bar was out. I wasn't ready to burden a friend just yet. After everything did I even want to take Mel on the trip. Did I still want to marry someone who puts me second or 7

th

in this case.

My phone started blowing up not even 10 minutes later. All from Mel. I had to turn it off. I decided to find a cheap motel and crash. After checking some reviews I picked Best Western, cheap and I wouldn't get murdered in my sleep. On the way I picked up a chili cheese burger meal. The Desk Clerk gave me a funny look since I didn't have any luggage and only a bag of food. The lack of luggage was going to be a problem since I had to work tomorrow and didn't have a change of clothes. I hated calling off but I might not have a choice.

Laying in bed with nothing else to do gave me time to think. Do I want to stay with Mel. I can't believe not even 5 hours earlier I was ready to marry her and now I'm thinking of breaking up. Mel was the or had been the perfect person for me in every way. It was the influence of her friends that were ending us. If she changed her mind would I still marry her? Can I trust that she would put me first? Would I have to deal with the 3 stooges with the rest of our relationship? So many questions so little answers.

I realized my phone was still off. Turning it on sounded like a thousand smoke detectors going off. I must have had 50 text messages and 20 voice mails. I went through them. My sister texted me asking what was going on because Mel kept calling her trying to find me. I texted her back letting her know I was okay. Mel had even called my parents. I was going to have to call them later. The 3 stooges text saying I was being a big baby and I should let Mel live her own life. Brenda and Carla texted asking if I was okay and we should get together and talk. I called my mom to let her know I was okay and it was just a minor dust up between Mel and I.

TALK TALK - TALK TALK

I called Mel and told her I would be home tomorrow. She begged me to come home because I was blowing everything out of proportion. It was just a trip, hada hada hada, She just didn't get it. So I just hung up and turned off my phone again.

The next day I checked out of the motel and went and got Breakfast. Waffle House of course. When I called off Helen the receptionist was really shocked. I had never called off before.

I didn't know if Mel would be home since it was a working day but her car was in the driveway along with a couple of others. I was tempted to keep driving but figured I'll get it out of the way, As soon as I opened the door Mel was in my arms hugging and kissing me. Saying how much she missed me even though it was only overnight. I caught the irony of that statement even since she was leaving me for 3 days. I wasn't cold to her and returned her hugs.

"Mel, we have a lot to talk about and some things to decide before the weekend. This isn't going to be a group discussion so you need to ask your friends to leave.'

Anne made her presence known at that moment. "I don't know why you're so upset over a little trip, we haven't been together like this in months. We just want to celebrate Mel's birthday."

They all had something to say and I was getting tired of hearing it.

"And I want to celebrate MY GIRLFRIENDS birthday with her. I'm the one that made plans months ago. Not some last minute trip to Vegas of all places' I was disappointed Mel didn't say anything, just let her friends speak for her. You know what Mel, go have fun, enjoy your birthday with your girlfriends. I'm not going to beg you anymore'' I went upstairs to take a shower and change since I've worn the same clothes for 2 days. When I came downstairs Mel was by herself sitting on the couch with a glass of wine. I sat in the chair across from her. She looked sad that I didn't sit next to her.

"Baby, its only one weekend, we will have the rest of our lives to enjoy each other'

"I'm done talking about it, Go have fun with your friends." She made her choice and showed her true colors. She knew I wasn't happy but neither of us knew how unhappy we would be later. That was the last we talked about it until she left.

WILL YOU STAY OR WILL YOU GO - THE CLASH

When I got home Friday she had already left leaving me a note saying how much she loved me. Well, the dye has been cast. I got my suitcase out the guest bedroom and headed to the hotel I had planned on proposing to her at. I couldn't get a refund at the last minute so decided if she's going to enjoy herself this weekend I might as well also.

It wasn't until Saturday night things started to go sideways. I had enjoyed the spa that I had originally booked for Mel. I was surprised I wasn't the only man there. I'll definitely be treating myself to those more often. I was at the restaurant were I was going to propose. Thankfully I didn't set anything up with the staff in advance. That would be embarrassing. I was enjoying a really nice meal of the most tender roast beef when I got a text. I thought it was one of my friends asking how things were going but it was from Jasmine. She never texted me before and I seen it had an attachment. I guess you can figure were this was going. It was a picture of Mel dancing with some guy. That in itself wasn't so bad. I knew they would be out dancing. It was the second and third pictures that made me regret eating so much beef. The second pic was obviously a slow dance as they she had her arms around the guys neck. He was 6 inches taller then Mel. Dark hair, looked to be pretty well built. She was looking into his eyes the way a woman looks into a man eyes when you know.....things are heating up. The third picture sealed our fate. It was her kissing the guy. The fourth text was just smiling and laughing emojis. My biggest fears had come to realization. I had hoped beyond hope it would be just a girls trip away. But that hope died within 24 hours. I only got 2 more pictures that night. One of her sitting on the bed with the same guy and another of her kissing him on the bed. The last one looked like it was taken from the doorway. Like someone was leaving to give them some privacy. I turned off my phone and tried to sleep.

Sleep didn't come as easy as I wished. So many thoughts kept my mind racing. Somehow the next thing I knew my physiological clock was waking me up to use the bathroom. Doing my morning routine I decided to get dressed and go get breakfast. I wasn't going to dwell on what was happening in Vegas. That was out of my hands. I had to start living. The hotel had a nice breakfast buffet. It wasn't Waffle House but I wasn't going to complain. I did have some serious decisions to make like living arrangements, taking the ring back and splitting up our savings fund. The only time I felt sad was thinking I had planned on proposing last night but she was kissing on some guy. I wondered what made her do it. But it didn't really matter, she did it and we were done.

LIES LIES LIES -MORGAN WALLEN

Mel came bouncing into the house like she had won the lottery. "Baby I'm and I really missed you, she shouted from the foyer. Did you miss me too?'

"Well it was hard to miss you since I was getting updates on your fun weekend in Vegas the whole time" I replied with as much sarcasm as I could muster.

"What updates baby, I didn't send you any text.' She asked starting to sound a little worried.

"I know you didn't text me or call me to let me know you were okay. It was like you wanted to forget you had a boyfriend for the weekend huh?"

":With all the excitement I just forgot, I'm sorry. I could never forget you, you have to know that. It was just overwhelming being there with everything going on".

"Yeah, with everything that was going on. And what exactly was going on, pray tell? Looking her straight in the eyes. What was so overwhelming that you couldn't take 30 seconds to text me you arrived? Or a minute to make a phone call so I could hear your voice? Did the lights dazzle you to the point of forgetting how to use a phone. Was it the live entertainment?"

"You could have called or texted me you know. Phones work both ways" she responded with a little heat.

"So the gas lighting begins. Is that how we're going to play it. You decided you were going away for your birthday. I'm not going to keep arguing. Nothing has changed and everything has changed. I got stuff to do" Turned and walked to the bedroom to finish packing. I still didn't know where I was going to go.

Following me into the bedroom she saw the boxes I had been packing. "What the hell are you packing for? Just because I went away for the weekend your leaving me!' She was mad and upset at the same time. 'You are making this a mountain out of a mole hill. It was only 3 days. I hung with my friends the whole time. God I can't believe you!"

"Oh it was more than hanging with your friends or being gone for 3 days. So your telling me you just hung out with the girls. No drinking, no clubbing no dancing, no dancing with strange men, kissing strange men not your boyfriend?'

"What are you accusing me of cheating now? Gosh, grow up. I had a really nice time hanging out with my friends. Yes we went out to a club. We drank and danced with each other. At least I did. Since the girls were single they danced with some guys. None of us got drunk. We watched out for each other"

"So that's your story and your sticking with it? So no drinking? No dancing with other men? No kissing?" In as much of a neutral voice as possible.

"I told you what happened. Nothing happened except we danced and did do some drinking but no one was drunk. I didn't dance with another man and damn sure didn't kiss anyone!" I don't know if she was trying to convince me or herself. If so she wasn't convincing me at all.

I simply grabbed my phone and forwarded one of the photos to her. The one of her kissing the guy on the bed in the hotel room. Her phone beeped with a notification but she didn't look at it. I said "that's for you" but she seemed like she didn't want to see what it was. Again I said "That's for you, you really want to see what it is".

She slowly looked at the image and turned white. I've never seen people turn white. I hear people talk about it but seeing it person is, interesting to say the least. She leaned against the wall. I thought she was going to faint as she dropped her phone. "how...how....how did you get this' it was almost a whisper.

"That's what you want to know, Not I'm sorry or its not want it looks like but how I got it? I'll tell you how I got it. Jasmine sent it to me. Yes, your besty Jasmine. And this isn't the only photo she sent. You want to see the rest. You dancing with one of your friends who somehow looks like this guy that your kissing. And not only dancing with but kissing on the dance floor. I guess the club was to crowded so you had to take him back to your room.

Not one time would I think something like this was going to happen with you. I was mad about our weekend because of the time and effort I put into what was supposed to be a very special weekend. I had booked a room at a 4 star resort. I paid for a spa day for you, reservations at the Michelin 2 Star restaurant and most importantly, I had planned on proposing to you. But thankfully you showed your true colors and went with your friends"

"NO, why didn't you tell me all of this. If I knew I would have went with you. I made a terrible mistake, I know that now. You're always my first choice. We can still get married. You know I love you. I didn't have sex with that guy. I'm sorry for what you saw in those pictures. They don't tell the whole story. He was kissing me I didn't kiss him. Anne and Jasmine kept pushing me to dance with him and keeping my glass full. I may have been more tipsy then I realized. Please don't end us because of this" She was rambling and crying, trying anything she could to mitigate the situation to no avail.

"What part of surprise do you not understand? Its the fact that 1-I told you weeks in advance about my plans and you agreed, until your friends wanted to take you to Vegas. 2- You didn't feel it necessary to keep in touch with me during the weekend and I now see why. 3- and most importantly you lied and cheated about what happened. That guy may have kissed you but that doesn't explain how he got into your room, on your bed and kissing you for the second time. I might be able to get over the first two but the third one is a relationship killer, I'm done!"

"Please baby its not what it looks like. I didn't kiss him either time. Jasmine invited him to the room with his friend. I didn't know he was coming. There was no where else to sit besides the beds and he sat on mine. Yes, I knew he wanted me but I didn't want him. When he kissed me the second time I slapped him and left and went to Brenda's room. I yelled at Jasmine for causing trouble. I didn't know she sent you those pics and I'm going to find out why she did it. I know she doesn't like you for some reason but to send you those pictures hurt me as much as you. You can ask Brenda, Carla or April about what happened that weekend. I'm sorry for not calling. I wasn't trying to hide anything. Please call them, they will tell the truth. Don't lose all this time we've had together"