"American Hangover"

Chapter Six

Christine Duggan walked Hand in hand with her soon-to-be husband at the park. They walked In harmony and total peace looking like a picture perfect couple. The conversation between the two flowed as usual along with the interrupting kisses and the random moments they felt the urge to hold each other intimately.

“So, Jolene is pregnant… again.” Chrissy told Zhi.

“Really? Wow, that’s good for her. Hope she can handle two babies.” Zhi said with a whistle to exaggerate the amount of children she had in total.

Chrissy gave his hand a tug which signaled him to stop and turn to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. He raised his eye brows and awaited Chrissy’s response. “When we marry… do you want to start the baby thing immediately?” Chrissy asked.

“well… if I say no will we have to stick with this abstinence thing?” he asked with a smile.

“Zhi!” Chrissy yelled.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding!” he said with a smile. He held her closer and Chrissy stiffened her posture. Zhi puckered his lips and made sound while attempting to make contact with Chrissy’s lips. Chrissy stood serious and her eyes were stone solid. She wanted an answer. “I want to have children with you Chrissy. I want children with your gorgeous eyes and my smile. Your freckles and my skin complexion. I want it all. If we have a child after marriage… I wouldn’t be unhappy.”

Chrissy smiled at Zhi and said “Good because if you would have said no I would have dropped you faster then the speed of light.” Chrissy chuckled as Zhi’s eyes widened.

“Hey!” he said.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding!” she said mocking him. “I couldn’t ever let you go. Where on earth would I find yet another Asian as hot as you or even as great as you?” She asked. Her question was rhetorical and so Zhi didn’t answer and kissed her instead. He brushed a strand of hair away from her face and looked into her eyes.

Unfortunately Chrissy’s phone vibrated in her pocket. She considered ignoring it but with a month to the wedding she didn’t want to miss a detail. Nothing would go wrong with out her knowing and no one would do anything with out her permission. At her wedding everyone had to ask her how to do it right or they wouldn’t do it at all.

Answering her phone she greeted the person on the other line with a hello and a smile they couldn’t see. “Chrissy come home.” Lydia said her voice sounding distressed. This caught Chrissy’s full attention and so she turned away from Zhi who was no longer fondling with her hair and holding her.

“What’s wrong Lyd-e?” Chrissy asked.

“I came home with Kiral and I opened the door and there he was. Staring right at me with these eyes that brought chills to my body.” Lydia said her voice shaky.

“He?” Chrissy questioned.

“Ahmet…” Lydia said. Chrissy gasped and shook her head. She glanced around a bit paranoid and stepped closer to Zhi. For some reason she suddenly felt vulnerable. He was in her home? What was he up to? Why did he come back? Where was he? So many questions ran through her head.

“Is Kiral still there?” Chrissy asked.

“Yes and he’s also changing our locks. He wants to make sure he doesn’t get back into our home. Kiral is so angry. This is all so complicated. I just want Kiral to go home and stay out of this. He’s not supposed to be apart of this.” Lydia said breathless. From the sound of it Chrissy knew Lydia was crying.

“Neither was Ahmet, Lydia. But I think you should let him be apart of this. It affects him too Lydia. Ahmet can’t just pop up out of no where and do this to you with out it affecting Kiral.” Chrissy spoke into the phone.

“Just come home.” Lydia said before hanging up.

Chrissy shoved her phone into her pocket and looked at Zhi. “I have to get home.”

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Lydia watched Kiral work with the screw driver and drill setting up her new lock. His facial expression was hard and emotionless. Lydia couldn’t believe the life she was living. Lydia couldn’t believe what was actually happening. Lydia sat on the counter staring at their living room. A plain living room. Memories of earlier replayed in her mind.

Lydia giggled as she pulled Kiral out of the elevator. “How about a movie??” She said with a smile on her face. She led them to her door and reached into her pocket for her keys. She put them in the lock and paused. She looked up at Kiral and smiled. He was amazing. She continued turning the lock and opened the door. She stepped into her home and threw her keys onto the side table by the door.

Suddenly a moment caught her attention and she saw Ahmet. He was standing in front of her refrigerator with the door open. He stared at her and she stared at him their gazes locked on each other. His eyes were strong with heat and she felt her body burning up. She looked away and finally released the breath that she had been holding. “Get out…” Lydia said looking down at the floor then back up at him. “Get out now!”

Kiral’s posture stiffened behind Lydia and his breaths became shallow. Lydia stepped closer to Kiral and reached for his hand. She wanted some way to absorb his strength and to subdue his anger.

“So you’re with this guy now?” He asked her.

“I’m with this guy now. Get out.” Lydia said.

“Shame…” He said. He closed the door to the refrigerator and walked toward her. He stopped in front of her and looked her up and down. “You lost some weight, changed your hair a little, and got a tan… nice. You looked better before.” He said then headed toward the door. Before he was completely gone he called back to her “I’ll be back when you’re alone!”

Lydia sighed and turned to Kiral. She hugged him and he stared at the door. She held him tightly fearing any minute he might run for Ahmet. She wanted some comfort from him but what she wanted most was for him to leave it all alone. What was she thinking? She couldn’t ever bring a man into her life and have a normal relationship. This as honest to God proof.

Just then the touch of Kiral grabbing her face made her jump and brought her back to reality. He kissed her and settled all her thoughts. She closed her eyes and let it all go away. He was hypnotizing and she was ready for it to take her into another world. Lord knew she didn’t want to be in her own world anymore.

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Kiral stretched out his arms as he sat in front of his computer. His house was quiet and everything was calm. Perfect for writing. Kiral had a good amount done but not yet finished. Kiral was picky about the length of his articles. He didn’t want it to be too short because then he felt unsatisfied with his own work but if it was too long then he sounded like he was going on and on.

Sighing Kiral got up from the chair. He glanced around his room and wondered what came next. Something was different. He felt it. Feeling thirsty he walked toward his door. He opened it and with out warning a hand came flying through the air. The hand wrapped around his neck and he stumbled back a couple steps. Instincts kicked in and Kiral swung not even knowing who he was hitting.

His knuckles came in contact with the side of a man’s head and the hands grip tightened around his neck. Kiral grabbed at his arm and pulled it off his neck. Fists were flying around and eventually one actually hit Kiral dead in his nose. Kiral hit the ground and grabbed at his bleeding nose.

Memory and experience told him exactly what to do. He held his nose and inhaled the blood. His nose burned and felt sore but he was able to bare the pain. Soon enough Kiral knew it was Ahmet. Kiral was on the ground when Ahmet swung his foot toward him to kick him in the ribs. Kiral caught his foot before it made contact with his body and pulled him to the floor also. Kiral rose quickly and pinned Ahmet to the ground. He punched him multiple times on the face till Ahmet looked drowsy.

Kiral sighed and released Ahmet. He moved over to his bed and sat against it. He looked at Ahmet who groaned and grabbed his face. Kiral shook his head and looked around the room. Just then the phone rang and both men looked at it. Ahmet waved for him to do as he pleased and turned his back to him still lying on the ground.

Kiral rose and grabbed the phone. “Hello” he said into the phone then licking his cut lip.

“Hey” Lydia said.

“Lydia...” he said looking at Ahmet. Ahmet turned to him and they locked eyes. Lydia spoke some more and Kiral responded. Kiral was aware of Ahmet listening and wondered what he thought. He probably didn’t even care anymore. From what he had heard Ahmet was a man above all man. He was a man who rarely cared and barely showed any emotion. Even now his eyes were stone cold dark brown.

Lydia said she’d be hanging up now and Kiral nodded his head. “Alright, I’ll talk to you later…” he paused and looked at Ahmet. “I love you” he said hitting speaker.

“I love you too…” Lydia replied with out hesitation. The phone went click and Lydia was gone.

Ahmet shook his head and sat up. He stared down at the floor and said nothing. Tension and silence filed the room. Kiral sat on the floor no where near Ahmet. “It’s over man…” Kiral said to Ahmet.

“You don’t understand…” Ahmet said not looking at him. “It can’t be over.”

“It is…” Kiral said. “Now leave.” He added. He was done with the fighting and he was done with this man. He understood that it must be hard to watch your previous partner be with another person but what he also understood was that he abandoned Lydia. He left her and he shouldn’t have expected her to not move on. After all, it is human nature to move on. What was Ahmet missing in his nature that stopped him from moving on?

With a grunt Ahmet got up and left. Gone and hopefully for good.

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“He said I love you!!!” Lydia said a smile on her face as she screamed the news to Chrissy who stood right in front of her.

“Wow…” Chrissy said “what did you say back?”

Lydia excitement died down. “I said I love you too…”

“Why the sudden sadness?” Chrissy inquired.

“I’m not sure I meant it...” Lydia replied. With a sigh she sat down on her couch. Did she love him?