Ashleigh's high pitch scream blasts through my room almost as though she was here in person. “Do you know how fucking embarrassing it was to sit in that church with everyone whispering and pointing and betting on whether I'd object to the marriage? But I was there for you and I stood by you when you made a colossal mistake and I watched you pretend it was the best fucking day of your life, and I did it even though less than twelve hours before you told me you loved me. And I have never, ever, thrown that back in your face. Never. Because you made your choice and I respected that.”
“I've never...” He gasps.
“I can't believe you think I'd bullshit about something like—” Her voice catches and I suddenly realize Ashleigh is crying. “Well you did, right before you stopped me from going home with your best man and took me home yourself.”
I know I'm impersonating a fish as I stare at Sean. He appears to have turned to stone. He's even turned a concrete shade of pale grey. “I ... I...”
“I know, Sean.” She sighs again. There's no malice, or anger in her voice anymore. Just a real sadness that breaks my heart for her loss. “I gave up hoping you'd remember a long time ago and I thought I'd made it clear to you when I said I deserved better than someone who can't, or maybe won't, put me first.”
“You were talking about me?”
“I want something you can't give me.”
My heart breaks for her all over again, for both of them actually, because she'll never voice the words Sean needs to hear to make him choose her. A vicious little cycle of pain because he's married and unless he leaves his wife he can't make her happy. She'll never ask him to do that for her because she's too scared Anna will run to the nearest member of the press and my brother's a journalist, Anna knows exactly who to tell Sean has left her for Krystal Valentina. So I know that whatever Sean says is either going to end his marriage or end their friendship. I don't believe it. This is make or break for them.
“You’re right.” He looks away from me. “I can't and I never could.”
In that moment I'm sure I heard the shattering of Ashleigh's heart. When I look at Sean, he's staring out the window. He blinks a dozen times and then swallows. His Adam's apple makes a long and painfully slow motion in his throat.
“In that case, Sean.” I hear it in her voice as she breaks the horrible extended silence and I know what she is going to say before she says it. “I wish you and your family all the best in the future, but for the sake of your wife and daughter, I think it's best we don't see each other anymore.”
“What?” He turns back to look at the phone as though seeing it will change everything.
“You've made a choice. I respect that. If you love me at all, even just as a friend, you'll respect that I can't do this with you anymore. Goodbye, Sean.”
“Sparkle, wait!”
I look at the single word displayed on the handset of my cell as it fades to black; disconnected. Then I look up at Sean. As his gaze meets with mine, he says nothing. He just walks away.
#
There's a thump outside the bedroom door, followed by a crash and a curse. I scramble out of bed and gingerly run towards the door. “Wayne? Are you okay?”
“Stop!” he yells as I swing the door open. He's crouched on the floor and I wince at the pile of sticky oatmeal, orange juice, broken crockery and glass shards. “Don't come out here,” he says.
“What happened?” I ask. It's not like Wayne to be clumsy like this.
He curses. “Where's your damn brother, I'm going to be late.”
“He's gone home.” A thunderstorm of anger builds behind Wayne's eyes. “You knew they both were going back to New York last night.”
He hesitates. “So how come she's staying in LA for good?”
“What are you talking about?”
He frowns. “She didn't tell you?” He reaches for the soggy newspaper. Ashleigh and Dex are on the front page. I skim what I can of
“I've never...” He gasps.
“I can't believe you think I'd bullshit about something like—” Her voice catches and I suddenly realize Ashleigh is crying. “Well you did, right before you stopped me from going home with your best man and took me home yourself.”
I know I'm impersonating a fish as I stare at Sean. He appears to have turned to stone. He's even turned a concrete shade of pale grey. “I ... I...”
“I know, Sean.” She sighs again. There's no malice, or anger in her voice anymore. Just a real sadness that breaks my heart for her loss. “I gave up hoping you'd remember a long time ago and I thought I'd made it clear to you when I said I deserved better than someone who can't, or maybe won't, put me first.”
“You were talking about me?”
“I want something you can't give me.”
My heart breaks for her all over again, for both of them actually, because she'll never voice the words Sean needs to hear to make him choose her. A vicious little cycle of pain because he's married and unless he leaves his wife he can't make her happy. She'll never ask him to do that for her because she's too scared Anna will run to the nearest member of the press and my brother's a journalist, Anna knows exactly who to tell Sean has left her for Krystal Valentina. So I know that whatever Sean says is either going to end his marriage or end their friendship. I don't believe it. This is make or break for them.
“You’re right.” He looks away from me. “I can't and I never could.”
In that moment I'm sure I heard the shattering of Ashleigh's heart. When I look at Sean, he's staring out the window. He blinks a dozen times and then swallows. His Adam's apple makes a long and painfully slow motion in his throat.
“In that case, Sean.” I hear it in her voice as she breaks the horrible extended silence and I know what she is going to say before she says it. “I wish you and your family all the best in the future, but for the sake of your wife and daughter, I think it's best we don't see each other anymore.”
“What?” He turns back to look at the phone as though seeing it will change everything.
“You've made a choice. I respect that. If you love me at all, even just as a friend, you'll respect that I can't do this with you anymore. Goodbye, Sean.”
“Sparkle, wait!”
I look at the single word displayed on the handset of my cell as it fades to black; disconnected. Then I look up at Sean. As his gaze meets with mine, he says nothing. He just walks away.
#
There's a thump outside the bedroom door, followed by a crash and a curse. I scramble out of bed and gingerly run towards the door. “Wayne? Are you okay?”
“Stop!” he yells as I swing the door open. He's crouched on the floor and I wince at the pile of sticky oatmeal, orange juice, broken crockery and glass shards. “Don't come out here,” he says.
“What happened?” I ask. It's not like Wayne to be clumsy like this.
He curses. “Where's your damn brother, I'm going to be late.”
“He's gone home.” A thunderstorm of anger builds behind Wayne's eyes. “You knew they both were going back to New York last night.”
He hesitates. “So how come she's staying in LA for good?”
“What are you talking about?”
He frowns. “She didn't tell you?” He reaches for the soggy newspaper. Ashleigh and Dex are on the front page. I skim what I can of
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