Today was Kaitlin's birthday and she was nervous and excited. She and Leroy were going out when she got home from work and they were going to be gone overnight. He had told her to dress up. She had nothing so she splurged $200 on a new dress, shoes and lingerie. She felt a little guilty but knew it would be worth it.
Angie spotted her and pulled her over in between clients. “Kaitlin, I just heard! I'm so sorry.”
“Heard what Angie?” asked Kaitlin confused.
“It's okay, you don't have to pretend with me,” replied Angie conspiratorially, “Miranda said Reid was brought in for questioning in the fire that he was almost killed fighting. They are charging him with arson. How is that even possible? She said his lawyer got him released, on the condition he not leave town and he keep away from you and Leroy. Man she was furious! A mama bear out to protect her cub for sure!”
Kaitlin paled, “Why are you telling me this Angie?”
“Oh Katie! I am so sorry sweetie! I figured you would know. Hon, if you need a friend, I’m here for you. Do you need some time off? I mean, it seems like both of your boyfriends are in this up to their eyeballs,” then with a little laugh she didn’t miss a beat, “Man, you sure know how to pick ‘em! Please, let me know if I can help. Ohhh- here’s my next client. Toodaloo!” As she walked off, Angie’s smile was more of a smirk.
Kaitlin and Angie finished up their last clients and she didn't have another one scheduled so she decided to ask Angie if she could leave early.
“Oh honey, you are upset!” said Angie with concern, “Of course you can. I can take any walk-ins since I am also done for the day.”
Kaitlin didn't want her pity. “I'm fine Angie. It's just I have a date and need to go home and get ready.” Then she smiled weakly and said, “It's my birthday and Leroy is taking me out.” She wanted her to know she wasn’t with Reid.
Angie squealed. “Ohhh! How fun! Since we don't have any more appointments, stay and I will make you scrumptious! As a birthday present!”
Even though Kaitlin was irritated with Angie, she thought that sounded nice. After all, Angie was her boss and she was very good at what she did. But Kaitlin knew Angie would try to fish for information so she would need to watch what she said and maybe she would leave being ‘scrumptious’ for Leroy and without giving Angie more to gossip about. Kaitlin sighed and said, “Okay Angie, make me scrumptious,” and walked over to her styling station.
* * * * * *
Across town, Leroy was in his bar setting up for lunch and thinking about tonight’s date with Kaitlin when the door opened interrupting his fantasies.
He looked up to tell whoever was walking in to tell them they weren’t open yet. He couldn't believe his eyes. Reid ‘Asshole’ Neilson. “What the fuck are you doing here?” he growled out.
“I came to clear the air,” said Reid looking somewhat defeated.
“It's clear as day as far as I am concerned so you can leave.”
Reid advanced a little further. “Just hear me out Chapman. Five minutes.”
Leroy had never seen Reid look like this before and they had known each other since they were 12 - best friends for a long time. He looked scared, his shoulders hunched over looking defeated. He was curious. “Five minutes.”
Reid visibly relaxed and sat down at the bar. Leroy sat down a glass in front of Reid and filled it with Whiskey. “Talk.”
Reid looked at his glass instead of at Leroy. “I'm not sure how everything got so fucked up. I've known you - what - since we played little league baseball. We were best friends until you got convicted of robbing that damn store. You would have been captain of the football team and instead you got sent to Juvie.”
That pissed Leroy off even more - he had no desire to rehash that lie again. “Four minutes asshole.”
Reid shot the drink. “You tried to blame me. Fuck Chapman, I had nothing to do with it. I thought you betrayed me. I was so pissed that you could do something that fucking stupid.”
“I’ve heard this before. Tell me something new. Tick. Tock.”
“The point is, I didn't do this thing that I am being charged with. I figured….”
“Wait, being ‘charged with’? They filed charges?”
Then how the hell are you here and not locked up? thought Leroy.
Reid stood up and pushed his empty glass towards Leroy and he filled it up again. “As if you didn’t know. Fuck yeah, they picked me up yesterday. I was released on the condition that I would stay in town and keep away from you and Katie. Since my step-father is Chief of Police I guess they figured I would do as they said. Plus he put up the bail money.”
Now Leroy was really interested. “So you risked getting thrown in jail coming here? That’s stupid -even for you.”
“Think about it man, why the hell would I set a fire that I knew I would be called to fight? Even if it was supposedly to set you up? I don't have a death wish. After this past Thanksgiving, I am now convinced you didn't do did it either. And Leroy, you and I were innocent back then too, just like we both are now.”
“You fucking threatened my daughter!”
“Kaitlin chose me! She was the first woman I let myself care about since Shania dumped me when you got arrested. And Ben. God he reminds me so much of my cousin - we were like brothers - hell we are brothers - but I didn't know it then. He was my best friend before you. He was ripped away from me just like you were and then you came and took Katie and Ben away too. I was grasping at straws Chapman. I wouldn't have done anything - shit!”
“You went to CPS on Candy!”
“I didn't. I swear. My mother told me about it, but I didn't call anyone. I am not a heartless bastard.”
“Bullshit. You busted up my bar!”
“Okay, maybe I did break some bottles and planted a note. I was desperate to get Kaitlin back. I was angry. Everyone that I let myself care about gets ripped away. But I didn't take anything. Yes, I wanted your ass outta my life, but I am not a killer. I just thought if you were scared enough you would crawl back into your hole and Kaitlin would come back to me. But shit, Chapman, she is married...to my fucking brother.”
“I know. I hear he’s also a bastard. Obviously runs in the family.”
Reid looked at Leroy with sadness in his eyes. “I'm not like him. You know? Hell, I even told my mother about her. That's how bad I had it and that was my mistake. I tried to stay away when Katie kicked me out, but I was miserable - ask any of the guys at the station. It hurt me bad when she broke up - with no reason - at least I didn't think there was a reason until I found out she was pregnant. I thought it was mine and I began to get excited at the prospect of being a dad just to get knocked down once more when my baby was taken away too. It should have been mine.”
Leroy leaned over the bar and yelled, “This isn't true confessions and I am not buying your line of bullshit and pity party. Times up. Drinks are on me. Now get the hell out!”
Reid didn't make any move to leave and sat back down instead. “Let me finish, please,” he said, “Look, I may have stalked her and manipulated the situation to my advantage to steal some time with Katie and make you back off, but they were just idle threats. I was decent when she stayed with me. I didn't touch her. Ask her if you don't believe me. When I found out she was married to my brother, I tried to use that to get her to leave you. I told her I could make him go away too. My step-father is the one that confirmed my suspicions about her identity and I figured he told my mother who she was. But I think she knew the first time I mentioned her name and then she wanted us together. But I didn't do this - I did NOT start that fire and try to frame you just to get you out of the way.”
“If not you, then who had the motive, who? What would anyone else have to gain trying to frame me twice?”
“My mother.”
“Bullshit!”
“Hear me out Chapman. She invited Aunt Cass - her twin sister and Newt’s mother - over for Thanksgiving. They haven't spoken to each other since we left town when I was 10. I think she told her she knew where Katie was to lure her here. Anyway, after dinner I heard them discussing my lack of an inheritance from my real father, Newt’s father. She wanted half interest in his business. The old man’s loaded and my mother is crazy and manipulating. She told her sister she knew where Katie was but wouldn't tell her and threatened to tell Newt that I was his brother and destroy his relationship with our father if she didn't give us half of his business. She was always competitive with her sister, obviously wanting everything she had including her husband. They didn't know I overheard their conversation.”
“And what exactly did you expect to gain from telling me this?”
“Just to let you know that if you or I get convicted, the wrong person is going to prison. I’m pretty sure my mother setup Candy to get your bar shut down, she set you up in high school so that I would get Captain of the team, she started the fire and planted evidence from your bar to put you in prison. She didn’t know we were short handed and I would have to help fight the fire. She wanted me to take my brother’s wife and kids. That way, I would be guaranteed all of the business, not just half. Now she is desperate to settle for half.”
“Times up. Get out!”
Reid stood up and threw a $20 bill on the bar and pointed at Leroy. “We are both innocent. And my own fucking mother is a goddamn nutcase and she will do whatever she can to get me acquitted. So be careful my friend. And please tell Katie I didn't do this, that I am sorry about what my mother has done. Don't worry. I won't bother either of you anymore. Bye Leroy. Have a nice life.”
Leroy just stared at the closed door after he left.
Bye Leroy? Reid never called him by his first name. It sent a chill through him.
What the hell just happened? he thought.
Could the asshole possibly be telling the truth? If not, that lie takes the fucking cake.
She got up and went to change. She couldn’t think about Reid anymore. Right now all she wanted was to spend her birthday with Leroy.
He looked down at her and immediately pulled her into his arms. “Ohhh shit,” he said under his breath and then started speaking softly, “Baby, it's okay. Just relax and take deep breaths. That's it.” Kaitlin forced herself to let him hold her and did what he said. After just a few minutes her heart rate went back to normal. She looked up at him and smiled weakly, his arms still wrapped around her. 
“Who’s Reid?” asked Leroy grinning. He released her and grabbed her hand and ceremoniously kissed it. "Your chariot awaits sexy Kate."
