Page 34 of Almost Beautiful (Beautiful 3)

“Tonight I’m doing both. There’s not much. One of these days I’ll be sick, and you’ll have to carry more of the load. That’s how this works.”

“It can’t be this easy. People get divorced every day. Is this really how easy marriage is?”

“It’s not easy. This is the easy part.”

I pointed the fork at her. “Well, I’m going to enjoy it.”

I finished my food and tried to stay awake for her to come back to bed, but I must’ve passed out before she came back for my tray, because I woke up, the tray was gone, and the room was dark. Abby was curled up behind me, her arm over my middle.

“Shit,” I whispered, looking around.

“What?” Abby asked, stirring.

“What time is it?” I sat up, looking at the glowing numbers on the clock.

“You were tired, babe,” she said, squeezing me after I laid back down.

My phone pinged.

“What the hell?” I said. “Who would be texting me at this hour?”

It pinged again.

“I’m not moving,” I said. I felt a little better than I had earlier, but I was warm, comfortable, and cuddled up to my wife. I wasn’t going anywhere.

Ping!

“Reminds me of fight night,” Abby said, her voice muffled against my back.

Then, her phone chimed.

“Must be Shep and Mare,” she said, sitting up. She grabbed her phone and opened her messages. “Oh, God. Trav?”

“What?”

“It’s your dad.”

“What?” I said again, this time sitting up and reaching for my phone. “Why is he up this late? Is he okay?”

“I’m calling him,” she said, holding the phone to her ear.

I flipped on the lamp and waited.

“Jim? What happened?What? When?” Abby asked.

“Is he okay?” I asked. I could hear Dad’s voice. He was worried.

She nodded to me, then continued to listen. “We’ll be right there, Jim. We’re coming.” She hung up and then turned to me.

“Is it Dad?”

She shook her head. “Trent’s been in an accident,” she blurted out. “With Cami.”

“Tonight?”

She nodded, her eyes filling with tears. “They were T-boned by a drunk driver after work. Your dad’s at the hospital, waiting to hear from the doctors. Thomas is on a plane home.”

“So it must be bad," I said, instantly feeling sick. I stood, going straight for the closet and pulling on the first hoodie I found.