Gage (Men of Honor 1)

I only had a moment’s hesitation at what I’d unleashed but then I remembered what the fuck Donna was up to and figured fuck it, she made her bed let her lie in it.

* * *

I must’ve watched the clock every few seconds, growing more and more anxious with each hour that passed. I might as well had not been at the meetings because I couldn’t concentrate on shit.

I had a bad feeling in my gut, and even though I’d asked ma to go take care of her, that shit wasn’t sitting right with me, that’s my job. If it were just me I’d ignore Donna and let this shit play itself out but not my Holly. I won’t let her hurt her not even for a second.

Ten minutes before her lunch date was supposed to start I said fuck it. “Melissa, cancel the rest of my day, reschedule for tomorrow.” I didn’t wait for an okay from my assistant, just grabbed my jacket from the chair back and left the office.

I broke the damn speed barrier getting to the restaurant and was just in time to see the server passing around their menus. Ma shook her head and rolled her eyes when she saw me, but Holly, whose back was turned didn’t see me coming.

Donna did, and the smile on her face made my skin crawl. “Hi handsome, you didn’t tell me you were joining us.” What the fuck? That was a very leading statement. I saw my wife tense up before I placed my hand on her shoulder and leaned in and around for a kiss. “Hi baby, I missed you.” Her smile was a little too weak for my liking.

The waiter came over and brought me a chair, which I moved as close to my baby as possible without being in her lap. I put my arm around the back of her chair and addressed the table at large. “Ladies, ma.” I flicked open her menu, leaving mine on the table.

“What were you thinking of having baby?”

“Um, maybe the Cobb salad?”

“Hmm, I was thinking the pasta and tomato with turkey bacon, you love that.”

“But it’s fattening.” She leaned in to whisper in my ear in a hushed tone.

“You’re perfect.” I whispered back before kissing her neck, making her giggle.

“It’s rude to whisper in company.” Ma was trying hard not to grin at Donna’s grumpy words. I just totally ignored her as I lifted my wife’s hand and kissed her fingers. The rock on her finger flashed off the glasses on the table.

“Hey Lisa how are you doing? I didn’t know you knew Donna.” She gave the other woman a strange look and I wondered what the hell had gone on before I showed up.

“We uh, we just met in fact, at the gym.”

“Yes we did, I was surprised not to see you there Holly, I thought for sure you’d be a member.” The snake gave my wife that sickly sweet bullshit smile that all of her ilk seems to perfect in a mirror or some shit.

“Why is that?” I put her ass on the spot. I dare her to say some shit about my girl when she was a good ten pounds overweight with her fake ass tits. She hid behind her water glass and didn’t answer. Thought so. “Gage would never let his wife go there without him, he’s afraid someone would hit on his baby.”

Thanks ma; shit stirrer. “That’s silly, the gym is full of beautiful women. I didn’t peg you for the insecure type Gage.” That’s right, keep all those barbs directed at me.

“I’m sure you’ve heard the song. When you’re in love with a beautiful woman, everybody wants her. And they don’t come any more beautiful than my girl.”

Choke on that you witch. She didn’t regroup too well from that one and I pointedly ignored her for the next hour and a half, which was an hour and twenty-nine minutes too long in her presence if you ask me, but I forgot how much women like to gab when they get together.

Holly was quiet for the first few minutes but ma and Lisa and the other girl Tracy I think her name is, soon brought her into every conversation, no matter how hard the widow tried to exclude her.

By the time I paid the bill Donna was fit to be tied. She wasn’t the center of attention and I’m sure she was pissed that she didn’t get to put whatever evil plan she had into play. That Tracy chick, the only one of Holly’s friend group that I don’t know that well since she travels a lot for work seemed to pick up the ball without having to be told and had made sure to keep Donna out by bringing up shit they’d done at school together, things Donna could have no knowledge of. I’ll remember to send her some flowers or some shit at a later date.