Life: It Only Gets Better Pt. 04: The Unexpected

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"No way!" Amanda and Rebecca screamed at him through the phone as he told them what had happened.

"Yes!" Brian said as he threw out the last of the trash from the night's event. "Scott Tillerson wants me to represent him anytime he comes into the city."

"Told you!" Rebecca shouted over the speakerphone. "Location, Location."

Brian nodded. She was right. She had picked the warehouse that was near to the waterside. "You're right. It is a real draw," Brian said as he looked over the water. On the other side, the lights of the big city shone back at him.

"When you get home, we will celebrate," Amanda said. "Stacy should be here by then."

"Deal," Brian said as he hung up.

Brian walked over to the edge of the water he leaned against the metal fence. Six months ago he was failing hard. Now he was on the way to the top. He looked back at the warehouse. The bright light of his name and logo shone on it.

"Everything okay?" one of his friends from his old job asked.

"Yup," Brian replied. He had hired his two friends to watch over the place at night as the construction crew finished the rest of the building. "Remember to turn off the light..."

"After twelve," the friend said. "Go home!"

Brian nodded. They had moved from the apartment they were into a larger condo in the city. He still couldn't believe he had two beautiful women waiting for him.

Amanda had become a premier adult model. With her own website and features in many of the men's magazines. Rebecca had stopped working for the beauty magazine and opened her own breakfast and lunch diner. It was still getting on its feet, but so far she loved it.

Stacy had kept her word. She had visited them once to two times a month, which had caused a big rift in her marriage. Today Stacy was coming home. Michael threatened to file for divorce if she came over one more time.

Stacy being the rebel she was, went online and got a one-way ticket here. She put the receipt on his desk for him to see when he got home. Now Brian had three women waiting for him.

As he got into his car, his phone rang. "Hello Brian..." he began to say.

"Brian it's Scarlett," the voice said.

Brian stopped in his tracks. "Scarlett?"

"Yeah," she replied. "Sorry, it's been so long. I saw your name in a news article and had to congratulate you."

"Thanks," Brian said.

"Things have gone wrong for me here," Scarlett said.

It seemed that she was still living with her mom and dad in their trailer. She was working as a waitress at the only diner in town. Brian smiled as she told him that it still looked the same as when they were kids.

"The worse thing is," Scarlett said as she hesitated. "I am pregnant."

"Thought that would be a good thing?" Brian asked.

"It's Anthony's," Scarlett said. Brian could tell she was crying.

"And that's bad?" Brian asked. Anthony was Andrew's little brother.

"He is married."

"Oh," Brian said. Not knowing what else to say.

"I know," Scarlett said. "I shouldn't have slept with a married man, but..."

"Does he know?" Brian asked.

"No," Scarlett said. "His wife is Tina."

"Oh shit," Brian said. Tina had been the head cheerleader when they were in high school, and she had been a mean bitch back then.

"She is also chairman of the city council here," Scarlett said.

"Holy fuck," Brian said shaking his head.

"I am screwed if she finds out," Scarlett said.

"Yeah," Brian nodded.

"I need your help," Scarlett said.

Brian sat up in the driver's seat. "How?"

"Come and get me," Scarlett said. "You can be here in a few hours, come to the diner and get me. We can go to another state. You can do your art and..."

"No," Brian said shaking his head. He couldn't leave. "I am making a life for myself here."

Brian told her about Amanda and Rebecca. And soon Stacy. He explained his plans for the warehouse.

"This is me," Scarlett said. "We have been friends for how long?"

"I know," Brian said. "But..." Brian stopped. "What news article?"

"Huh?" Scarlett replied.

"You said you saw my name in a news article. Which one?"

"I don't know. One of the customers was reading a magazine. I saw your name as I served them," Scarlett said.

"No," Brian shook his head. "I haven't been in any articles until two weeks ago. And I know if someone was reading it, then you couldn't just see it walking by," Brian shook his head. "You've been planning this."

There was silence. Brian shook his head. "You leave because things get bad here. Drop off the face of the world. Block me on everything you had. Now you see me doing well, and you're doing bad again. And you want me to come to your rescue again?"

"You owe me," Scarlett replied. "Who was there when everybody turned on you?"

"You left because you didn't see yourself doing anything great there," Brian replied. "You just saw someone you could tag along with."

"Please," Scarlett pleaded. "I can't do this. I don't know how."

Brian shook his head. "I am sorry for you. I really am. But you can't contact me and by my friend when it's convenient for you. That's not how friendships work."

"I said I was sorry," Scarlett said. "I couldn't find the time before."

"Lies, if you really wanted to, you would have no excuses," Brian "You didn't want to be bothered with me until you needed me!"

Brian stopped he knew he was angry and in his mind, he knew he had the right to be. He took a deep breath. "I know it's hard for you right now, but you have to do what I did,"

"What's that?" Scarlett asked.

"Put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward. Bye Scarlett." Brian said as he hung up. He looked at his phone and blocked the number. He shook his head and started the car.

On the way, other phone numbers popped up on his phone all of them from his old town. He blocked them all until no more calls came through.

Brian put the key into the door and turned it. The condo was dark. "If someone yells surprise I am going to throw my shoe at them!" he said with a smile. No one said anything then he saw a faint glow coming from under the bedroom door.

He walked into the bedroom to see all three of the women he loved lying naked on the bed. They were wrapped together with a red ribbon and a large bow in front.

"Surprise!" they all yelled.

"Now that is a surprise I can deal with," Brian smiled as he closed the door.

THE END