Author's notes: This is a short story that's been rattling around in my brain for a while This has themes of a reluctant cuckold and what some will say is a coward's response to the issues. But this is far more common of a reaction than becoming a green beret and hurting someone.
Thanks again to my group of friends here on LW that have read and critiqued this ahead of time. You know who you are!
I hope you enjoy the story, and I look forward to constructive comments.
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As I was sitting it in the bar sipping my drink, I thought about my past and the girl of my dreams that I lost to her ex-boyfriend. Her name was Kerry, and she was my everything. We separated over a year ago, but I never truly got over her. In fact, she tore my heart out and I hadn't been serious with anyone sense. I went on a few dates and even had a hook up or two over the last year, but no one could hold a candle to the feelings I had for her. We were planning on kids and had even picked out baby names. She was going to be with me until the day we died....... until my world came crashing down.
I work in sales, and three days ago, I went to visit a client for lunch to close a deal and hopefully drum up some additional business. As I shook the customer's hand and was leaving, I glanced back into the restaurant and saw Kerry sitting at a table with some guy. She was twirling her hair and laughing at his jokes while she touched his arm. In that split second, I was devasted again and back to the same spot I was when I broke it off with her. I left the restaurant as fast as I could and sat in my car for about 10 minutes trying to calm down enough to drive. Kerry had really done a number on me.
I wasn't sure how I would ever get over her and have a relationship that would last. How would I ever trust someone again?
While these questions rattled around in my head, I sipped my drink and stared mindlessly at the Football game being shown on the TV above the bar.
While I was trying to contemplate how to get over her yet again, I was woken out of my thoughts by a guy who sat down at the bar next to me.
"You look like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders."
As I turned toward him, he stuck his hand out to shake mine. This was the same guy that had been seated next to Kerry at lunch.
"Name's Kurt, what's yours?"
Instinctually I just shook his hand. "Grant". I couldn't understand why this guy was sitting here in the same bar as me and I certainly couldn't understand why he was striking up a conversation. Had he seen me at the restaurant 3 days ago? I tried to look stoic and uninterested in his banter, but it didn't work.
"So, what's your story Grant? You look like you are one step away from being catatonic. Care to share your story over a beer?"
I just couldn't believe the nerve of this guy. He didn't get the hint that when someone was sitting by himself in deep thought, they might not want to talk about personal things to a random person.
I just stared at him for a moment without saying anything.
Kurt just smiled at me and then continued. "What's the worst thing that could happen if you bare your soul to a stranger?"
"Why are you so interested Kurt?"
Kurt smirked a little knowing he was getting closer to me opening up to him. "Well, I normally stop by here a few nights a week on my wife home. My fiancΓ© works later than I do so it gives me a chance to unwind and clear my head. Each evening, I've watched you sit here sipping a beer and watching that screen. You've probably never even noticed me sitting across the bar each night watching you stare at that TV. I'm a writer and I'm always looking for interesting people and stories. But when I saw you the other day you look different than the other guys that come in here. I love to hear stories that affect people. You look like you have a great one."
I took a sip of my beer and then looked straight at him. "Why would you want to hear my story?"
Kurt's face lit up, motioning the bartender for two more beers. "Come on, it will be healthy to get it off your chest. My fiancΓ© is a shrink, and I've listened to her so much I feel like listening to people unburden themselves helps them move on from whatever has them stuck in a rut."
"And you come here all the time to write? Why don't you write at home or something?"
"Well, my fiancΓ© travels a lot to speak at conventions and other things. The house is so empty when she isn't there, so this is the next best thing for me."
I looked on a little intrigued. "So, she travels a whole lot and is a shrink? I wouldn't think that would require so much travel. Don't most people come to her?"
"Most do, but she is working on a series of articles about sexual behavior and how it affects different people different ways. So, she is in high demand right now talking about her work. I think that is one of the things that attracted me to her is her curiosity about things. Which has rubbed off on me. That's why I wanted to hear your story."
I sighed a little and then said, "You asked for it."
Grant's Story
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I've never had good luck with girls. I was always the lanky nerd in my class. I made good grades, played video games and watched the latest sci-fi movies on opening weekend, by myself.
I met a girl in my senior year of high school. We started hanging out and having fun. I really felt like we were meant for one another. She was a few months older than me, and she took my virginity on my eighteenth birthday. I was totally in love with her.
For months we were inseparable, and I was looking forward to prom, graduating and starting college with my future wife. That all came to an end when she announced a week before prom that she was invited to go with the Quarterback. She said she had never had a chance to hang out with the popular crowd and couldn't turn this opportunity down. She said that it would just be for prom and that he had already reserved a cabin in the mountains for the two of them for the weekend to celebrate. Then she would be back like it never happened.