Enough Chapter 30

CHAPTER THIRTY

Later that Christmas day we went over to Tessa’s parents’ home for dinner. Not a word was spoken about what happened although it was the saddest holiday ever for me. Tessa stayed in the house for the time being and I moved back to my first house. Tai went back and forth between us for a while, but I could sense that Tessa was trying to wean her off me. I was angry and hurt that Tessa would do this. I wanted to hurt someone and make them feel the pain that I was feeling.

I went back on the juice and hit the weights with a drive and anger that I had not felt in a long while. I was pounding two a days on weights and working with the arts every day. I quickly put on twenty-five pounds getting back to my heaviest weight ever. One evening, I picked up Tai from Beth’s house and took her to the hospital for Tessa. Tai was confused and could not understand why I had moved out. She told me Tessa had told me that I didn’t love her anymore. I explained to Tai that was not true. That I still loved Tessa and that I loved her as well. But I explained Tessa liked the other doctor and I could not be around and see that.

As we got off the elevator and made our way to the nurse’s station, I felt the eyes on me. I asked for Tessa and one of the nurses told me she would get her. Tai and I waited by the nurse’s station and by the looks I was getting it felt like a pity parade. Finally, Tessa arrived, and Tai ran up to her. I was trying to walk out when the fabulous Doctor Jason Patrick came walking down the floor. He was too close to me before he looked up and had no way of avoiding contact. You could feel the oxygen being sucked out of the hallway.

“Oh uh…… Chris is it, nice to meet you.”, he said extending his hand.

I left him there standing awkwardly with his hand out until the dumbass realized I was not going to shake his hand. I could see that Tessa was extremely nervous about how I was going to react. It seemed that time had frozen for a minute or so.

“Tessa, I’m going to go. Call me if you need anything.”, I stated turning to walk away.

“She doesn’t need anything from you.”, Jason exclaimed.

I turned around quickly and walked right up to him invading his personal space as the term was used in today’s world.

“Let me make you understand something, and I want to be clear as can be. Don’t you ever address me again in your worthless life. Because I can and will end you for good. Obviously, you won with Tessa, but you will never, ever win with me. So, my suggestion is that if you see me try turning and walking the other way. That’s good advice right there.”, I stated, smiling at him.

“And that’s the reason right there that she chose me. When it all comes down to it, you’re a muscle-bound fighter who only knows two things……. Weights and fighting. Tessa is too much of an intellectual to waste her life on someone like you.”, he laughed.

“I’ll agree with you there. I do know only weights and fighting. And I’ll agree Tessa is so much smarter than I am, not even close. But I promise that a guy like you will never ever be faithful to her……… that I’m positive of and she deserves a lot better than you.”, I replied, turning and walking away.

On the drive home I couldn’t help thinking about how Tessa never even tried to salvage our relationship. I would have probably forgiven her if she had promised to be faithful to me. Even Lexie had tried every time to patch things up. That night as I laid in bed, I completely mapped out how my life was going to change.

First and foremost, I was not going to get into a full-time relationship for quite a while. Secondly, I owed Amber from the gym a huge debt of gratitude for stepping up and basically running the gym for me. I was going back to what I knew best, lifting and fighting. I was in the gym early the next morning and surprised Amber when she came in.

“Amber, I need to talk to you in my office.”, I asked.

She followed me inside and sat down in the chair across from my desk. She had a nervous look on her face which I guess might be normal after confronting her like I did.

“Amber, I can’t begin to thank you for everything you do around here. But with that said, I’m going to try. I am going to draw up paperwork transferring twenty percent of the gym into your name. I’m also giving you an eight thousand dollar a year raise. Since you’re basically running the place, you should own part of it.”, I stated.

“Oh my god. Are you kidding me?”, she squealed.

“Nope, I’m not kidding you. However, you cannot sell twenty percent to anyone else without offering it to me first. That will be stated in writing. At that point if you want to leave, I will offer you fair market value. If you get married in the future you must list the gym in a prenup agreement where your partner cannot touch it.”, I stated.

“I understand and thank you so much Chris, you’re the best.”, Amber replied.

“If only that were true, Amber.”, I laughed.

“Why, is everything ok?”, she asked.

“Nope, I got dumped again, this time by Tessa.”, I answered.

“What the fuck……. Is she crazy. You just bought a huge house and what about Tai?”, she asked.

“Right now, I have no clue. But I caught her with another doctor from the hospital and apparently she wants to be with him. All I know at this point.”, I responded.

“Chris, I’m so sorry. But let me give you some free advice from a woman’s standpoint. You seemed to gravitate towards beautiful women and there is nothing wrong with that. You are a gorgeous guy and every woman in here wants to fuck you. Do yourself a favor. Fuck them till you get tired and move on……… enjoy yourself and quit giving so hard in a relationship.”, Amber laughed.

“I’m not sure I could do that Amber but thanks for the advice.”, I answered.

“Oh, by the way, your ex is upstairs and wants to talk to you.”, Amber advised.

“Be more specific, I have a ton of ex’s.”, I asked.

“The cop……”, Amber said, walking out of the door.

I finished what I was doing and then walked up the stairs to the second floor. Lexie Thomas was about to attack the squat rack. I walked over to her before she got under the bar.

“Lexie, what’s up. Amber said you wanted to see me.”, I asked.

“Hey Chris, I wanted to ask you a favor if possible. I understand if you say no.”, she stated.

“Sure, ask away.”, I responded.

“I’m on administrative leave right now and I must get back in shape. Would you mind working with me to help me get started. I need to max out right away. Of course, if you think it would be a problem for you at home, I will understand.”, she asked.

“No, it won’t be a problem for me. You want to start now?”, I asked.

“Please, if you don’t mind.”, she responded.

For the next ninety minutes Lexie pushed herself as hard as she physically could. She went downstairs and took a shower then came into my office on the way out.

“Hey about we say eight o’clock every morning.”, she asked.

“Can you do seven and I will work out with you?”, I offered.

“Sure, that would be fine. Thanks again Chris.” Lexie said, waving bye.

For the next week, Lexie and I busted ass on the weights. The one good thing about Lexie was she knew how I liked to train. Very little was spoken, it was all business. By that Friday morning, she had made decent progress and was eating right again. She did say her day-to-day schedule made it hard to train and eat well on a regular basis.

“So how are things going with the little one?” Lexie asked.

“I don’t see her as much as I would like to. Things have become very complicated.”, I replied, avoiding eye contact.

“Complicated ………. What happened?”, Lexie inquired.

“A second doctor I knew nothing about.”, I answered.

“Wait……. She was seeing someone else at the same time?”, Lexie asked, surprised.

“Seems like it. Tai and I caught her in her office at the hospital making out with him.”, I offered.

“Oh my god……. What did the baby say.”, Lexie asked.

“I don’t think she is old enough to understand it. But she knows something is wrong.”, I stated.

“Chris, I’m so sorry. You don’t deserve this.”, Lexie replied.

“It has nothing to do with deserve, Lex.”, I said, ending the conversation.

Lexie went down to the locker room, took a shower and dressed. On the way out of the door she popped into my office. I was headed for the showers myself.

“Hey, look……. Um, how about I buy you dinner tonight? I need to talk to someone and my parents are no help.”, she said, quite apprehensive.

“Lexie, I am not sure I would be the best company right now.”, I answered.

“I know but I would really like to talk to you. It has nothing to do with us.”, she promised.

“Okay, I guess. What time……”, I asked.

“Pick me up at seven?”, she asked.

“See you then………”, I promised.

Right after lunch, I received a call from Tessa on my cell phone. She relayed the fact that she felt awkward living in the house that I had just paid for. She could not allow Jason to be there out of respect for me, but her condo was too small for her and Tai. After a bit more conversation, I offered to switch houses with her telling her she could stay in my original home for nothing. I also told her that if she wanted to let Jason come there, I had no problem with it. She started crying, telling me how gracious I was and finally accepted the offer. She told me she could move tomorrow if that would be okay with me. I agreed telling her I would take the few things I had there to the gym with me and leave the key under the mat. I would be at the gym until late and then go to the new house. Again, we had an extended conversation and not one mention about possibly she may be doing the wrong thing.