The Confrontation

My nerves were everywhere as the phone rung. I wasn't sure what time my uncle went to bed, but I knew that it wasn't too late. It sucked cause I actually hoped that he didn't answer so I didn't have to give him the bad news. I wished my mom would get her sh*t together and do this stuff.

"Hello? Marianne?"

"No, Uncle Joe, it's Kelly." I bit my lip and glanced at Chloe across the island from me, nibbling on her chicken nuggets watching me.

"Kelly! It's so nice to hear your voice! I've been calling your dad all day, has he been busy?"

I felt dread as I heard him mention my dad. At least I didn't have to try to turn the conversation that way myself. 

"Um...no. Uncle Joe, something happened last night. I thought Mom would have called you, but she's been out of it all day."

"What happened?" He asked me sharply. 

I took a deep shaky breath and closed my eyes. "Dad passed away. He had an aortic aneurysm that busted and they couldn't save him."

The line went so still that I wondered if somehow the line had been dropped or something. I checked the phone , but his call was still going.

"Wh-when did it happen?" his voice cracked and I felt my eyes being to tear up again.

"Last night around four in the morning."

He took a long shaky breath and barked out a strangled cough. "Excuse me," he muttered. "And your mother is...?"

"Asleep."

"Has she been drinking?"

I hated his assumption because I knew it was correct. Everyone knew my mom was an alcoholic. She had been one for as long as I was alive. I had never really known a moment my mom had ever been fully sober. Now I felt like it would get worse. 

"Yes. The hospital called and asked about funeral homes and stuff but I didn't know what to say. I don't know what she wants or what dad wanted and I-"

"Don't worry about a thing, baby. It's late now, so we will head your way in the morning. Is there anything you need? You have groceries?"

"Yeah we have groceries. We are good."

"Okay, sweet pea, I'll be there in the morning and help arrange everything. For now just buckle in and make sure your mother is looked after."

"Yes sir. Thank you."

"You're welcome. I love you."

"Love you too. Bye."

We hung up and I suddenly didn't feel so hungry anymore. Was I supposed to call anyone else? How in the hell was I supposed to cope with him being gone and my mother striving to be the world's worst alcoholic? I picked at my chicken nuggets and tried to get my mind off of what was to come these next few days. I looked at my phone at Michael's message with James' number and I shook my head. 

There was no way I was going to call him for anything. Last night was...a one night stand? Is that what it was? Did people talk to each other afterwards? He didn't even fill Michael in on my dad's death. Would he tell Mi hael everything. that happened? 

My face felt hot just thinking of Michael opening his big mouth at school and telling everyone that I f*cked James. There was nothing wrong with him, I just wasn't comfortable with the fact that I barely knew him and was able to just do it like nothing. 

The doorbell rang and I looked up at Chloe. She looked up at me mid-chew, her cheeks puffed up like a squirrel, full of food. 

I stood up and walked out into the entryway and looked through the peephole and felt my stomach drop. I cursed under my breath and felt my heart beat a million miles a second. 

"Who is it?" Chloe whispered to me. 

"Dexter."

"Oh. Did you tell him he could come by?"

"No. I left him on read."

"That's why he's here, I bet."

I sighed and slumped my shoulders. I really didn't want to have to deal with him right now. He rang the doorbell repeatedly five times and I grit my teeth. How rude could someone be?

I wretched the door open and scowled up at him. He smirked down at me and reached out and caressed my face. I pulled away, feeling stupid for having butterflies. 

"What do you want?"

"I did it. I broke up with her. I can show you the texts and everything." He grinned and pulled out his phone, pulling up their text messages. I shook my head at him slowly, finally starting to feel the disgust I should have felt for him a long time ago.

"I don't want to see them, Dex. It's actually not a good time right now."

He shoved the phone practically under my nose and shook his head. "It is the right time, Kel. You told me to break up with her. It's done." He tucked his phone in his back pocket and grabbed my waist with his giant, meaty hands. He pulled my body tight against his and moved my hair from my neck, leaning down to kiss it.

My body was completely betraying my brain and my heart. I could feel my body respond to his touch, my nipples hardening and a soft moan escymy lips as I felt his teeth grazed my neck. I wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders, forgetting everything for the moment and pressed my lips against his pulse on his neck. 

He paused, pushing my hair back behind my ear and then pulled away, the angriest look plastered on his face.

"What the f*ck is on your neck?"

I touched my neck and looked up at him, confused. 

"What do you mean?" 

His eyes traveled over my body and then back at my neck. "Who's sweater is that?"

I glanced down at James' sweater that I was still wearing and realized what he had seen on my neck. I had seen it earlier in the mirror when I had jumped out of my shower. A small reminder of what happened at James' house.

"It's mine." I lied to him, raising my chin at him. He leaned in and sniffed the hood part of the sweater near my neck. 

"It smells like a dude, Kelly. Who's f*cking sweater is that? Is he inside?"

He pushed past me into the foyer and spotted Chloe who had been standing there watching everything unfold. Her eyes widened and she lifted her hand with a small wave. 

"Who does she have upstairs, Chloe? Who the f*ck is she f*cking behind my back?"

Chloe's eyebrows rose to her hairline and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"No one. And even if she did have someone here, Dexter, it wouldn't be any of your business. She could kiss, blow, f*ck anyone she wants to right in front of you and it wouldn't be any of your business."

I smiled at her behind his back. This was exactly why I loved my Chloe. He spun on me, his dark eyebrows hooded over his eyes. I glared up at him and nodded.

"She's right. I don't owe you anything. You made that very clear last night. I'm not yours. If I want to go be with anyone else, I can. We aren't in any type of relationship."

"I broke up with Alicia for you and you're out there getting f*cked by someone else? I did it for you! I told you I would! Why would you do that? Who the f*ck is he?"

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "It doesn't matter. Like I said earlier, it's not the time or the place to discuss any of this. I'm not in any mood for it."

"I don't care what kind of mood you're in, Kelly. You owe me this. Who are you f*cking?"

"Dexter, seriously, it's not the right time. Kelly's dad passed away last night." I didn't expect Chloe to tell him. I knew that I didn't want to. He'd find some stupid way to make it about himself. 

Dexter looked at me, his eyes softening around the edges. "For real?"

"Yes." 

"I'm sorry, Kel. I didn't know."

I pressed my lips together and nodded slowly. "Yeah." I cleared my throat and motioned for the door. "So if you would kindly just go, we can talk about this some other time."

He chewed on the inside of his cheek and I could see the gears turning in his head. "I know it's a sh*tty time, but I really do want to talk to you. I doesn't have to turn physical or anything, I just want to get everything out."

I sighed and contemplated just getting it over with. I thought of how easy it was for him to make me want him. I thought of how it had felt for him to just kiss my neck. I had forgotten everything for a moment and it was a temptation I didn't want to explore.

"I don't think so, Dex. I'm not in my right mind right now."

"Well...at least give me a name."

I scoffed and shook my head. "You're f*cking kidding me right?" 

His eyes narrowed and he glared at me. "I broke up with Alicia. That's the least you can do."

"No."

I ushered him to the front door and I could see him fuming. He wouldn't try anything now, but I knew that this was far from over. He left without another word, peeling out of my driveway like the douchbag he was. 

"Girl, if lover boy opens his mouth, Dexter is going to m*rder him."

I grumbled in annoyance and decided that I was done wit onh this long day already, even if I had just woken up. 

"You should tell James to keep quiet about it. Just to make sure."

"I don't think he's going to say anything."

"Well...do you want to go finish your food or go try to watch a movie?"

"Sure."

I mulled over my feelings for Dex and how I felt about sleeping with James and decided that for now, I just needed to concentrate on getting through my dad's funeral before I tackled any big questions about boys. If I was lucky, they would both be solved by the both of them leaving me alone.

As I thought about all of this, I caught myself sniffing James' sweater. This was going to be fun.