Tripping Over You

11

         Gavin called me over. "Tripp's on the phone getting ready to talk to Ryan." By Ryan I assumed he was referring to Ryan Seacrest.

         Into the distance, through the sliding kitchen doors, I saw Tripp standing by the pool with his back to the house as he held his cell phone to his ear. He looked so stiff, letting me know he was still upset.

         I went and stood between Gavin and Mick, going and listening to the radio as the song went off and Ryan began to speak.

         "Ryan Seacrest here and we've got Tripp Rivers on the line, here to discuss his side of this whole Jessica Stanley ordeal," Ryan began. "Tripp, how's it going, buddy?"

         "It's been tough, Ryan," Tripp replied. "This kind of sprung up on me."

         "I know, I definitely never saw Jessica going off on Twitter before, let alone attacking you. Can I ask if any of this is true?"

         "It's all false," said Tripp. "I would never hit a woman, and I believe in monogamy. The miscarriage narrative is a private matter that I won't even touch. I don't know why this person would say all these things about me when they're not true. I'm sure she's in a very dark place and I want to get to the bottom of it immediately."

         "Oh no," Nancy said, shaking her head in disdain. "He will not be going to see that evil little bitch. I've had enough of the two of them."

         I could imagine after spinning the night club incident that Nancy was tired of dealing with Tripp and Jessica. But a part of me felt it was maybe necessary for Tripp to go and see Jessica, to sit and try talking it out, to see what her deal was.

         "Nance." Mick sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Maybe this needs to be done."

         "Absolutely not." Nancy shook her head, not hearing it. "The last—"

         The sound of the sliding door opening and closing alerted us, letting us know Tripp had entered the kitchen and was done talking to Ryan.

         Gavin quickly shut the radio off.

         Tripp pocketed his phone, looking to all of us with a shrug of his shoulders, as if to say 'it's done.'

         "Tripp," Nancy said coolly. "You haven't eaten all day, please, eat something. We've gotten—"

         Tripp shook his head. "No, I'm not hungry. I'm going to see Jessica."

         "Tripp, no, that isn't good. You should really sit and eat, and think before—"

         "I'm twenty-two. Don't tell me what to do." He walked out of the room without saying anything more. He'd been irritable and adamant, he was seeing Jessica whether anyone liked it or not.

         Nancy cleared her throat, staring out the door where Tripp had just walked through moments earlier. "He cannot go see her."

         "Nance," Mick began to say. "He's—"

         "The last time things were hostile between the two of them and we let him go see her they disappeared and almost eloped. Do you want to be responsible for any more of the stupid decisions he makes involving that girl?"

         "Maybe if he goes he can clear the air, set her straight, make her retract those things she said," Mick suggested.

         "Nearly eloped, Mick, do you not understand that?" The bite in Nancy's voice showed she was just as unwavering as Tripp.