Last week: Dustin was having the best party ever! Until Barry crashed it and revealed that he and Alex had done the nas-tay in Dustin's bed. On noes! So Dustin punched Barry out and drove to ... you guessed it ... Chateau Angel. This week: bleeding and crying. And away we go!
Chapter 41: Dustin's Bachelor Party (Part II)
It was the middle of the night. Angel had been fast asleep, her hair neatly pinned up, her chin neatly tucked under the covers [oh gross. Angel, can’t you even sleep without being irritating?]. She heard a loud rapping at the door [please be DMX].
“Angel!” That was Dustin’s voice. She flicked on the lights and squinted at their brightness.
“Dustin?” She threw back the bolt and opened the door. Stifling a yawn, she asked, “What’s going on?” she led him inside, then re-locked the door. “What happened to your hand?” She unwrapped the towel, now soaked with blood. She held his hand under the cold tap for a few minutes. He still hadn’t responded to any of her questions.
“Dustin, what is it? What happened? Here … sit down.” She led him to the couch. He sat down, but still kept silent.
“Angel, can I stay here tonight?”
Angel was speechless. “I … sure, Dustin. The couch opens up.” She made a quick icepack for his hand and held it against his badly swollen knuckles. “Were you in a fight or something?”
“Not really.”
“What’s going on? Is it Alex? Did you have an argument with her?” [uhm … is Angel accusing him of punching Alex so hard that his hand is swollen and bleeding? If so, why is she not more alarmed?]
“No.”
Angel looked at him in frustration, but couldn’t figure out anything by his expression. “Let me see your hand again.” He did and she re-inspected it.
“Who’d you punch, Dustin?”
“How’d you …”
“When you’ve been treating wrestling injuries as long as I have, you learn to be able to know these things.” [his knuckles are bruised and bleeding and he seems emotionally distressed. what the heck else could have happened? Did he think she would assume that he accidentally shut his hand in a car door and was so emotionally traumatized by the event that he had to rush to her house in the middle of the night to brood?]
“Is it broken?”
“I wont’ know until the swelling goes down a little. Do you want me to take you to get some X-rays?”
“No thanks.”
“Dustin …”
“I guess I owe you an explanation.”
Angel didn’t respond.
“Well … tonight was my bachelor party. It was goin’ great. Then …” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Barry crashed it.”
“Oh, Dustin!” Angel gasped.
“He said that … that Alex … that my … that Alex …” He couldn’t make the words come out.”
“Shh … calm down, calm down. Take it easy.” Angel rubbed his shoulder to try to soothe him.
“Barry said that Alexandra s-s-slept with him last night in my bed.” His chest hitched as he fought back a sob. [don’t fight it, Dustin. It’s been a long time since we’ve had some egregiousness up in here]
“Hey,” Angel’s voice was whisper-soft, calming and reassuring. “Why do you believe that scum anyway?”
Dustin shrugged, unable to speak.
“You trust Alex, don’t you?”
Dustin nodded.
“Well why worry? Barry just made that up to upset you because he’s jealous.”
“You think so?” [wait … that thought never crossed Dustin’s mind?]
“I know so. Doesn’t Alex hate him?”
“Well … yeah.”
“You see?”
“I guess I jumped to conclusions.”
“No you didn’t. You just still trust Barry.”
“I suppose I do, which is pretty stupid, considering everything.”
“Was he out cold?”
“Yeah.”
“Good.”
“Alex still thinks I’m with the guys and will be partying til dawn.”
“You gonna tell her?”
“Should I?”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea right now.” [sure, why start being honest now?]
“Me too. After the honeymoon maybe.”
Angel looked at Dustin’s hand again. “It’s not broken, but be careful with it.”
“I will.”
“You still gonna stay here tonight?”
“Can I?”
“Of course. My couch is your couch.”
“Thanks.”
Angel went to get an extra blanket and pillow for Dustin, then he helped her open up the sofabed. “Angel, I can’t thank you enough.”
“No problem. Really.” She yawned. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to get up awfully early tomorrow.”
“Oh, sure.”
“Dustin … you gonna be allright?”
“Yeah. Thanks so much.”
“Goodnight, Dustin.”
“Goodnight, Angel.”
NOTES:
1) Oh, that Angel. Truly, she is the font of all wisdom. I know I mentioned it up there, but seriously, how did Dustin not even consider for a second that Barry was lying? What’s that, you say? Maybe it’s because he subconsciously wants Alex to cheat on him so that he has an easy way out of the marriage so that he can be with his twu wuv Angel? I assure you that 14-year-old me was not thinking that.
2) Where are Angel’s pets?
3) Why does Angel have to get up so early in the morning? Is there an event? If so, why doesn’t Dustin know anything about it?
4) I regret not including a description of Angel’s sleepwear. I think it probably involved pink flannel pajamas and a light blue bathrobe.
COMING UP NEXT …
One of my favorite chapters. I don’t want to give too much away, but it involves a French maid costume, panting, and a box of tissues. Guesses? Nope, not even close. Here’s another hint: it also involves convulsive sobbing. That’s more like it. See you next time for …
CHAPTER 42: Cry in the Night
2 comments:
oh man! Barry might have lied!!! Why didn't I think of that!?!?!?! And what if he did? If he did then Dustin spent the night on Angel's sofabed for nothing other than to have a horrible fight with Alex after their honeymoon when she finds out that he's the one who "cheated" and then he'll have to have Angel console him and convince him that if he just tells Alex that Angel's like is little sister, it will all go away. And what will happen when Chris gets -over the flu- back from Japan? dun dun dun!
I know, right!?!?!?! The tension is INSANE up in here. And let's not forget Violet's Evil Plan. And ... and ... AND ... here's a little teaser for what's in the semi-distant future: ARM SOCKS. SNAP.
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