Arden rolled her eyes. She hoped to God she would never be that delusional in love. Shannon returned carrying a tray with muffins and two cups of coffee. She sat next to Arden and patted her on the knee. "How are you feeling?" she asked.
Arden slumped back. "I don't know. I just wish all of this would go away. I hate being bothered trying to sort through all of these feelings."
"Yeah, it's terribly inconvenient, isn't it?" Shannon said, a twinkle in her eye.
"What is it exactly that you find amusing?"
"I don't know. You just got in a fist fight with a girl who claims to be sleeping with your fiancé and the only emotion that is manifesting here is mild annoyance. It's like if you had a flat tire or your heel broke or something."
"I'm just tired, that's all. Maybe it's shock or something. I haven't spoken to Nick, yet. I feel like if I avoid talking to him, then maybe this whole Ashley thing will just go away."
Shannon smiled gently at her. "When will you talk to him?"
"I don't know. He called me three times this morning, but I just let it go to voicemail. I'm pretty sure as soon as I hear his voice or see his face I'm just going to lose it."
Shannon and Russell lived in a two-story farmhouse off a county road. Their long driveway was gravel. They heard Travis's car from a half a mile away. As the engine sound grew louder, Arden's heart began to beat faster. She chalked it up to the caffeine. "I don't think I want to see him," Arden said.
Shannon patted her knee again. "I'll take care of it." A few seconds later there was a knock at the door. Shannon hopped up to answer it, greeting Travis with a smile. "Russ is out back," she said sweetly. "I'll bring you some coffee if you like."
"Aren't you sweet," Travis replied. "Can I come in real quick?"
"You know what, let me walk you to the garage. I need to find out if Russell wants any breakfast." She took him by the arm but he stood firm.
"I'll answer for Russell right now. Yes. He does want breakfast. And as long as you're cooking, I'd love some too. Now may I come in?"
"Travis," Shannon said, letting out a sigh. Then she stepped aside and let him in.
Arden sat up a little straighter on the couch, pulling her feet underneath her. She looked up when she heard Travis's footsteps approach.
"Well, well, well," he said. "How are you holding up, champ?"
She glared at him. He had a small cut on his bottom lip that made it swell slightly. "I'm fine. I came here to talk to Shannon, not you."
Travis dramatically placed his hand over his heart as though he'd been wounded to the core. He sat on the couch and angled himself toward her. Shannon had disappeared into the kitchen, apparently taking to heart Travis's request for breakfast.
"So," Travis said, looking up at the ceiling, his brow furrowed in mock concentration. "The way I heard it, you caught Nick and Ashley...together...and then got in a fight with her, resulting in her nearly being killed. Is that at all accurate?"
"No. She showed up and started saying these grotesquely obscene things and I lost my temper."
Travis grinned and shook his head. "I wish I could have seen that."
"You're sick, you know that?" Arden looked away in disgust.
"I'm sorry. I'm just surprised, that's all. Plus, I love a good fight."
"It wasn't like I was looking for a fight. If she'd just come to me and said, 'Hey, I've been sleeping with Nick,' then I would have controlled my anger. But she just kept going on and on in greater and greater detail. She just wouldn't stop." Arden was on the verge of tears, now, so she bit her bottom lip and turned up the volume on the TV.
Travis's expression sobered as he watched her. "Have you spoken to Nick?"
"No." She turned to face him. "And don't act like you aren't just thrilled with this turn of events. You just can't wait for Nick and me to break up so you can swoop in and rescue me."
Travis gave her a gentle, forgiving smile which ended up softening her mood. She sighed and leaned her head back on the couch.
"I had my hands around her throat, Travis. I've never in my life been so angry. I never thought I could just attack someone like that."
Travis frowned and nodded. "Shit happens."
"To you, maybe. You're wired that way. I'm a civilized, evolved human being."
Travis laughed at her, way too hard. "I'm sorry," he said, apologizing for his laughter. "It's just...you say that like it's a good thing."
"Being civilized?"
"Yeah. Being civilized...like denying all of your basic impulses in some spartan effort to achieve an arbitrary standard of enlightenment...like it's a good thing. Come down and play in the dirt with us animals, Arden. It's lots more fun."