"Tyler. Cab. Now!" Charlie commanded, pushing Tyler out of the doorway. Becka rose suddenly, look around at all of her guests mortified, and ran into the kitchen. Charlie and Brad ran after her.

"Becka! Wait!" Brad called, reaching for her.

"Don't you. FUCKING. Touch me." Becka said turning back. "You... cheated on me?"

"It was the first time... "

"With a GUY?!"

"Becka, please... "

"When did this happen?"

"That night, couple weeks back. We'd gotten into a fight, you were staying with your mom... "

"That was such a stupid fight!"

"I know!"

"If you go and do this after such an asinine fight, what about when we're married? When we're actually really fighting?"

"But it wasn't because... "

"How long had this been going on? How long have you been... ?"

"I'm not gay. I'm not."

"Oh no. Not gay. Just sometimes."

"That's not... "

"Then what the FUCK, Brad?!"

"In college, I used to... only a couple of times, fooling around... it wasn't anything important or... "

"Not important enough to tell me before you proposed?"

"I love you, Becka. I want to be with YOU."

"Then why?"

"I freaked I guess. I never doubted how much I love you or want to be with you but... the thought of only being with one person for the rest of my life... I panicked."

"So you slept with him. Great. The thought of being with me forever freaked you out so much, you slept with a fucking GUY!"

"Becks... "

"And you!" Becka turned to Charlie. "Did you know? Were you covering for Brokeback over there?"

"I swear to God, Becka, I just found out."

Becka turned back to Brad. "So tell me. How was it? Were you the top or the bottom?"

"Becks, please calm down."

"I will NOT. CALM. DOWN." Steve, Edward and the Davids came running in to check on them. "Great. Goddammit. I'm surrounded by gays. Seriously, am I destined to be a fucking fag hag the rest of my fucking life? Couldn't you guys let me have this one?" She burst into hysterical sobs. The kitchen staff tried to maneuver their trays of passed hors d'oeuvres around her awkwardly.

Charlie went over to the guys. "Things are getting rather... heated. Can you... Steve, Edward, if you can see how the parents are doing? Davids, can you... um, usher the guests out? Tell them we'll keep them posted." The guys nodded and left the kitchen. Brad tried to reach out to her, but Charlie stopped him.

"Brad, go to your place. Pack an overnight bag. Stay somewhere else tonight. I'll... we'll talk in the morning."

Brad nodded and slumped off, beginning to tear up. Charlie went and held Becka as she sobbed.

"I'm sorry," Brad managed weakly, bursting into quiet sobs as he left. Charlie held Becka for a long time before she managed to find her voice again.

"I didn't mean what I said before. About gays or whatever."

"I know."

"I just... "

"Shhh." Charlie said, patting her head as she sobbed again. If anyone could make her feel better, it was Charlie. And he wondered how long the bar would stay open, because he knew that he'd need reinforcements.

###

Just joining us? Start from the very beginning, Volume 1 Chapter 1, by clicking here!

For some odd reason, Volume 2 Chapter 1 has disappeared from the pulldown list. If you're still catching up, find it here.

###