couples_therapy | 33.2
33.2. Discuss an uncomfortable situation you were put in by your partner
[Follows THIS and THIS]
Riley swallowed down the last mouthful of his drink and waved the barman away as he approached for a refill. He was on to his fourth Scotch and he knew he was drunk already. Sure, it had taken most of the night to get through the small amount of drinks, but with his recent and quick weight loss plus the fact he hadn’t eaten much during the day meant the drinks were working their magic rapidly in his system. It was actually quite a feat that he hadn’t fallen off the barstool he’d been stuck to for the band’s final set. He hiccupped and shot Beth a disoriented smile. They’d been sitting together most of the night due to the fact everyone else was mostly paired off. He still hadn’t found a chance to introduce her to Keiran, but now he was probably too drunk to pull it off anyway. It was hard to carry on much of a conversation over the music, though, so they’d just listened to the music as the band wound up their act for the night.
The final set went smoothly and it felt quick, because they were soon ending with their encore and breaking off to be with their significant others. Riley stumbled up out of the barstool, grabbing the edge of the bar to hold himself upright. He giggled a little and then pressed a kiss to Beth’s cheek. “Jus’ gonna go say hi to Tab.” He didn’t exactly make it to Tab right away, though. Lachlan came up and threw an arm around his shoulder and Pat followed, shoving another drink into Riley’s hand. Lachlan nudged him over in the direction of the booth their bunch had overtaken. There wasn’t enough seats for everyone, but they were making the most. Jules was on Benny’s lap, Chase was draped over the back of the seat Rogue was sitting in with his arms wrapped around her and Tab was sitting on the end of the table with Luke standing between her legs.
To say the night had been a success was an understatement. Getting up on the stage seemed to have hyped Lachlan up and he moved back to Tara as she returned from the ladies room and swept her into a heated snog. If this was going to be how things were with their new and extended “family”, Riley decided he could definitely get used to it. It felt right and warm. Things did feel like maybe they were starting to orbit in the right direction now. He missed Evie, though. Next time, he wasn’t coming unless she could. He was only here without her this time because she promised Tab they could get the tattoos. It had worked out well because Beth came to America earlier than anticipated and he was able to be here to catch up with her.
His eyes trailed to find Beth, planning on dragging her over to their mix, but it seemed she was occupied elsewhere. He spotted her just as Keiran leaned in and kissed her. Riley felt slightly like he’d had the rug pulled out from under him. The plan had been there to try and set Beth up with Keiran, but seeing it in the flesh came as more of a shock to his system than he could have anticipated. It wasn’t jealousy, but more of a book slamming firmly closed on a large piece of his past. He tried to drag his eyes away, but he couldn’t. Beth was kissing someone that wasn’t him and it did hurt. How could it not? They were moving on from each other after two years together. Riley had nearly asked her to marry him… things had been wonderful between them, until they just weren’t anymore.
But he was happy for her. Keiran seemed like he would fit with her really well and Riley knew he was a nice guy. Single dad and all that, he had to have the love, care and respect Beth deserved. Still, something tugged in Riley’s heart and he needed a bit of time to process all the new changes. He turned to Pat with a faint smile. “I’m just going to go outside and get a smoke,” he told him, giving Pat’s hand a squeeze.
“I’ll come with you, darling,” Pat said and then spotted the scene at the bar over Riley’s shoulder. His blue eyes met Riley’s, searching them in concern as he realised the need for Riley’s hasty exit at that point. “Are you okay?”
Riley cleared his throat and nodded. He kissed Pat’s cheek. “You know me, love. I will be. To think, I was sure I’d prepared myself for this…” He took his smokes from his pocket and held them up. “I’ll be back. I’m fine, if anyone asks.” He took only one more brief glance at Beth and Keiran, but as he slipped out the door a tiny smile appeared on his lips. If he couldn’t make her happy, she deserved someone who could.
Lachlan Campbell [drcampbell], Tara Brennan-Campbell [doctortara], Tabitha Browne [asinthecity], Luke Jackson [notskywalker], Patrick Preston [sexyinscrubs], Evie Miller [imnodoctor], Beth Anderson [phtgrphcscot], Robert Chase [chasemd], Rogue [justalilcontact], Keiran Fitzpatrick [dublinbass], Jules Bailey [naughtynrse] & Benny Taylor [prvdsrhythm] all referenced with permission
Word Count | 838
[Follows THIS and THIS]
Riley swallowed down the last mouthful of his drink and waved the barman away as he approached for a refill. He was on to his fourth Scotch and he knew he was drunk already. Sure, it had taken most of the night to get through the small amount of drinks, but with his recent and quick weight loss plus the fact he hadn’t eaten much during the day meant the drinks were working their magic rapidly in his system. It was actually quite a feat that he hadn’t fallen off the barstool he’d been stuck to for the band’s final set. He hiccupped and shot Beth a disoriented smile. They’d been sitting together most of the night due to the fact everyone else was mostly paired off. He still hadn’t found a chance to introduce her to Keiran, but now he was probably too drunk to pull it off anyway. It was hard to carry on much of a conversation over the music, though, so they’d just listened to the music as the band wound up their act for the night.
The final set went smoothly and it felt quick, because they were soon ending with their encore and breaking off to be with their significant others. Riley stumbled up out of the barstool, grabbing the edge of the bar to hold himself upright. He giggled a little and then pressed a kiss to Beth’s cheek. “Jus’ gonna go say hi to Tab.” He didn’t exactly make it to Tab right away, though. Lachlan came up and threw an arm around his shoulder and Pat followed, shoving another drink into Riley’s hand. Lachlan nudged him over in the direction of the booth their bunch had overtaken. There wasn’t enough seats for everyone, but they were making the most. Jules was on Benny’s lap, Chase was draped over the back of the seat Rogue was sitting in with his arms wrapped around her and Tab was sitting on the end of the table with Luke standing between her legs.
To say the night had been a success was an understatement. Getting up on the stage seemed to have hyped Lachlan up and he moved back to Tara as she returned from the ladies room and swept her into a heated snog. If this was going to be how things were with their new and extended “family”, Riley decided he could definitely get used to it. It felt right and warm. Things did feel like maybe they were starting to orbit in the right direction now. He missed Evie, though. Next time, he wasn’t coming unless she could. He was only here without her this time because she promised Tab they could get the tattoos. It had worked out well because Beth came to America earlier than anticipated and he was able to be here to catch up with her.
His eyes trailed to find Beth, planning on dragging her over to their mix, but it seemed she was occupied elsewhere. He spotted her just as Keiran leaned in and kissed her. Riley felt slightly like he’d had the rug pulled out from under him. The plan had been there to try and set Beth up with Keiran, but seeing it in the flesh came as more of a shock to his system than he could have anticipated. It wasn’t jealousy, but more of a book slamming firmly closed on a large piece of his past. He tried to drag his eyes away, but he couldn’t. Beth was kissing someone that wasn’t him and it did hurt. How could it not? They were moving on from each other after two years together. Riley had nearly asked her to marry him… things had been wonderful between them, until they just weren’t anymore.
But he was happy for her. Keiran seemed like he would fit with her really well and Riley knew he was a nice guy. Single dad and all that, he had to have the love, care and respect Beth deserved. Still, something tugged in Riley’s heart and he needed a bit of time to process all the new changes. He turned to Pat with a faint smile. “I’m just going to go outside and get a smoke,” he told him, giving Pat’s hand a squeeze.
“I’ll come with you, darling,” Pat said and then spotted the scene at the bar over Riley’s shoulder. His blue eyes met Riley’s, searching them in concern as he realised the need for Riley’s hasty exit at that point. “Are you okay?”
Riley cleared his throat and nodded. He kissed Pat’s cheek. “You know me, love. I will be. To think, I was sure I’d prepared myself for this…” He took his smokes from his pocket and held them up. “I’ll be back. I’m fine, if anyone asks.” He took only one more brief glance at Beth and Keiran, but as he slipped out the door a tiny smile appeared on his lips. If he couldn’t make her happy, she deserved someone who could.
Lachlan Campbell [drcampbell], Tara Brennan-Campbell [doctortara], Tabitha Browne [asinthecity], Luke Jackson [notskywalker], Patrick Preston [sexyinscrubs], Evie Miller [imnodoctor], Beth Anderson [phtgrphcscot], Robert Chase [chasemd], Rogue [justalilcontact], Keiran Fitzpatrick [dublinbass], Jules Bailey [naughtynrse] & Benny Taylor [prvdsrhythm] all referenced with permission
Word Count | 838