Page 69 of Fragments of You

“It goes beyond that.” I straighten, turning my attention fully to her. “You love him.” It’s not a question as it’s no secret that Celine has always had an unhealthy obsession with Felix.

“What?” She tries to hide her shock with annoyance.

“It’s okay. I get it. I love him, too.” I lift my shoulder in a half-shrug. “I’m just sorry I didn’t see it sooner.”

“See what?” She’s hesitant to ask.

“That it wasn’t just an infatuation. Had I known that you truly had feelings for him, I would have never—”

“I don’t.” She’s quick to cut me off. “I mean, maybe I did once upon a time, but that is long over now.”

“Celine...”

“I mean it. I care about him, of course, but only because he’s your fiancé and nothing more.” There isn’t an ounce of truth to her words. That much couldn’t be more clear.

“Okay.” I don’t push the issue because really, what good would it do me? I can’t change the past.

“Let’s get him inside before he pukes in my car.” She moves past me, reaching across Felix’s limp body to unlatch the seat belt while I brace for his weight to shift to me.

Thankfully, Celine quickly moves to help me, though it takes every ounce of strength I have to even support half his weight.

“Felix, you have to wake up.” Celine, making the same realization that I do, that we’ll never get him inside like this, tries to pull him from his comatose state. “Felix.” She shakes him. “Wake up.”

“You wake up,” he slurs, his eyes not so much as fluttering.

“We need you to stand up so we can get you inside,” she tells him.

“Just leave me here,” he grumbles, his head lulling forward.

“Felix.” He goes from barely conscious to head up, eyes open, the instant he hears my voice. “You need to stand up.”

“Paisley.” The way he says my name, it sounds more like Pwaisey. “My girl.” The sloppy smile that tugs at his face is enough to make me feel just about like the worst person in the world at the moment.

This beautiful, boisterous man of mine, who doesn’t deserve an ounce of the hell I’ve put him through as of late. It’s moments like this that make me wonder, what in the hell am I doing?

“Can you stand up?” I dip, supporting as much of his weight as I can as his heavy arm drapes over my shoulders.

Celine does the same, and together, we’re able to get him upright, though getting him to the house proves to be almost impossible. He sways from one side and then to the other, shifting how much weight either of us is supporting at any given time, the movement so drastic that we nearly fall several times in the few short feet to the front porch.

“Felix, we’re almost there.” I coach him along. “I need you to step up. Can you do that?”

“My Pwaisey,” he murmurs, lifting his foot enough to clear the first step but not able to support his weight enough to actually lift himself up.

“This is going to be harder than I thought.” Celine blows out a heavy breath, doing everything she can to help him along. I feel her struggle, as I, too, feel like my strength is going to give out at any moment.

“One step at a time,” I say to both of them, letting out the breath I’m holding when we successfully make it up the first step. “That’s good,” I say to Felix. “Now the next.”

The process of getting him up the stairs is painfully slow, but eventually, by the grace of God, we manage to get him there, though we’re both panting like we’ve just run a marathon by the time we do.

Thankfully, I have a key to his house, so I’m able to get the door unlocked without too much trouble and together, Celine and I guide him inside. We both let out a collective sigh of relief when we are able to deposit him safely onto the couch. He no more than hits the cushions when he slumps forward, liquid spewing from his mouth like a scene straight out of The Exorcist.

“On that note.” My sister takes a full step back, quickly plugging her nose. “I think my job here is done.”

“You can’t leave now. The fun is just getting started,” I say sarcastically, moving to the side of the couch to rub Felix’s back as he heaves and more liquid splashes onto the wood floors at his feet. “Thank you for everything tonight,” I tell her, growing serious.

“I don’t know what is going on between you two, but do yourselves a favor and figure it the hell out,” she tells me bluntly. I briefly wonder what Felix may have said to her in his drunken stupor, knowing I sure as hell haven’t told her anything.

Not really sure how to respond to that, I simply nod in agreement. She’s right, we do need to figure this out. Or rather, I do.

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