A Happy Coincidence

Chapter 9

It's too bright in here. He probably can't see.

He's panicked and I know his head hurts. I yank the blinds shut, leaning over the back of the couch. He turns around.

Silently, I hand him his coffee and his meds.

He drinks thirstily, downing his pills.

"Why am I naked?" he asks.

I sigh.

"Just drink your coffee, Tyler."

"No." he says. "Why am I naked? Carmen, why am I naked?" he's panicked.

"Relax." I say. "You're fine, okay?"

"But why am I naked?" he whispers. "Did I cheat on you?"

"No." I shake my head.

"I didn't?" he asks, relieved.

"No."

"Okay." He looks scared, but he drinks his coffee. "I love you." He mumbles. "Where's my underwear?"

"On the ground." I say.

He leans over the edge of the couch, peering at his boxers on the floor.

"Why am I naked?" he mumbles. "Did I drive home?"

"No." I say.

He looks afraid, but he pulls his boxers on, laying on his stomach, face down. He lets the blanket drop to the ground, and I can't help but stare at the curvature of his ass.

I pick up his puke bucket, dumping it in the toilet, holding my breath. I flush it and go outside, spraying it with the hose.

I set his bucket back down.

"Why was I naked?" he asks.

"What happened last night?" Shaun mutters.

Nobody replies.

"Somebody answer!" Blake says.

I grab the camera, connecting it to the TV.

I turn the volume down enough so it doesn't hurt their ears.

It starts in the living room.

"This was at four in the morning." I say quietly.

They all watch Tyler scream into the phone, the Uber ride, and then Shaun picking me up and running me across the parking lot, all of them in their underwear, Tyler screaming at people, refusing to give me the keys, yelling at me any time I did something, Shaun picking me up and running me across the parking lot, him reaching me for and me body slamming him against the Land Rover, them throwing me into the lake, me calling Delaney, manhandling Tyler into the car, and all of them, Tyler putting it in park on the interstate, us getting home, Tyler going pee and refusing to let me follow him, yelling at me to go find myself, all the guys in their bed, Tyler ripping his pants off, me yelling at him, him climbing onto the couch, refusing to sleep until I go find myself, and then me saying okay, and then it turns black.

Everyone is dead silent.

"We threw you into a lake." Tyler mutters.

"Yeah." I say. "You threw me into a fucking lake."

"I'm sorry." He mumbles.

"I'm sorry too." Shaun says.

They all start muttering apologies.

"I'm not mad. I was, but I'm not now."

Tyler looks at me.

"Why?" he asks.