The Side Project

Chapter 31 - Allie

Chapter 31 - Allie

A Different Kind of Truth

A Different Kind of Truth

Author's Note: Here at the Side Project, we think the story is enriched with multiple points of view. So here we introduce Allie's. She is someone who will be staying around for a while, if you couldn't guess, and we think she brings a special, and unique, perspective. Hope you enjoy.

It's funny how much things can change in 48 hours. When I changed into my go-to little black dress after work on Wednesday and got ready to go out my expectations were low. I figured I would probably have guys hit on me, ply me with drinks. If one of them wasn't too awful, drinks might turn into dinner. Maybe, if I really dared to dream, some dancing and a little bit of sexy fun before I poured myself into a rideshare for the hike back to suburbia.

Instead I'd caught the attention of a friendly girl who had introduced me to her exceedingly attractive friend: Reed. A man who I connected with instantly, and not just on a physical level. Then we had one of the best dinners I'd eaten in weeks, and ended up dancing with some other girls who loved the party as much as I did. I thought I had hit the jackpot. But then the sex happened and it was beyond my wildest dreams. I felt so desired, so sexy, so appreciated. It was more intoxicating than the drinks. Or the coke.

When I blew him the next morning and he practically vibrated with need, I was excited. I was still hot. Still desirable. When I got pounded in my marital bed spewing filth I could barely recognize as my own - the ultimate of transgressions - I thought maybe I had found someone who truly shared in my deepest fantasies. The love of dirty secrets, the desire to break society's rules, the urge to just be naughty.

Then Reed began to ignore me and I felt unsure, as if I had gone too far, too fast. And that's when that original friendly girl - Lexi - had popped back up. She had drawn me into this ecosystem with her other friends and shown me the thoughtful friendship that perhaps I needed the whole time.

Now here I was, navigating my way through dark woods back towards my home, having just witnessed something that was at the same time objectively hilarious and profoundly disturbing. The Sigma girls were a few feet ahead of me on the path, laughing along with Kyle about how ridiculous it had all been. They weren't wrong, but they also didn't have an idiot of a husband mixed up in it. Which really meant I was mixed up in it too.

"Soooo, a penny for your thoughts?" Lexi asked quietly. She slipped her arm into mine, a comfortably intimate gesture of friendship I did not think I deserved from a woman I had only known for two days, but which I very much welcomed.

"It is...just...so fucking strange," I said.

Lexi chuckled softly. "That's well said."

"Like on one hand, that was hilarious. Some of the dumbest shit I've ever seen in my life. On the other hand, my husband is one of these morons. That's kind of disturbing. Like this is the guy I theoretically share a bed with, even if we rarely do," I explained the contradiction I was feeling.

"It's a fair conundrum, and I won't pretend to have good answers for you," Lexi said. "It seemed like you connected well with Lauren tonight. If I might make a suggestion, perhaps speaking with someone who is experiencing something similar might be helpful."

"That does make a lot of sense," I said. Lexi was right. Lauren was uniquely able to understand the difficult position I was in in life. I was grateful to Lexi for her suggestion that I needed to build connections, I already felt less on an island.

"So you think this yell practice cum barbeque turns into an all night thing, right?" Lexi asked. "Hence why you're free for dinner?"

"I would imagine so," I replied. "Let's snag Lauren to confirm."

We were nearing the point where the woods faded back to suburban landscape and there was a little more light. We dropped back to where Lauren was walking with Reed.

"Hey, Lauren, I'm thinking they're probably at the clubhouse for the duration, right?" I asked.

"Almost assuredly. They're going to drink and not eat anything except whatever meat that was. Then they're all trying to get on the road early tomorrow for the game in Oxford. I think it's a safe bet they're not coming home tonight," Lauren said.

"That's sort of what I figured. I haven't actually asked Garrison this, but I'm pretty sure he's got changes of clothes and toiletries at the clubhouse," I said.

"I know for certain that Tanner does. He'll bring everything home once every few weeks and demand I wash it," Lauren said.

"Weird, Garrison hasn't done that," I noted.

"I'm not positive but I think they sort of round-robin it or something. Not everything Tanner asked me to wash was his," Lauren said. I wondered if I should take it as a good sign Garrison knew I wouldn't do his laundry for him or a bad sign he was having others do it for him.

"Well regardless of that it seems like we have an evening free," I pointed out.

"Agreed. Even if they do come home, I'll say I'm at your house if you'll say you were at mine," Lauren suggested.

"Ha, they won't even bother to check!" I said excitedly.

"Well then ladies, I would have to say our options are looking quite interesting," Lexi said. "It's Friday night, we're amongst like-minded friends, we can probably convince Reed to pay for damn near anything if you bat your eyelashes at him a bit."

"I'm literally standing right here, Alexis," Reed said.

"Am I wrong?" Lexi asked him and batted her eyelashes at him theatrically.

"I suppose not," Reed admitted, attempting to act reluctant. I could tell a part of him liked that though. I kind of liked it too - nothing wrong with a guy who was willing to throw some money around to show a girl a good time.

"And if that fails, I'd assume you can coax Kyle's card out of his wallet on an as needed basis, Lexi," I joked.

"Well, uh, it's not quite like that," Lexi stammered. I detected a nervousness in Lexi I had not noticed previously. I wondered if she was trying to hide something.

"Well I, for one, would welcome an evening of unbridled fun after having to witness that foolishness, not to mention I have practically a whole weekend to myself after this to recover, or just enjoy some blissful quiet," Lauren said.

"Sounds marvelous," I said quietly, which drew a chuckle from Lexi. She started talking with Reed, intentionally giving me some space to chat with Lauren one on one.

"So that was kind of weird, right?" I asked Lauren tentatively.

"Yeah, no kind of about it. I am sort of aware they do a lot of goofy shit with their little boys' club, but actually watching it. Like it's hard to have any respect for my husband after watching him dance around naked in front of half the community," Lauren said.

"Yeah, sorry about that," I said.

"Thanks, but I mean really it could have been any of them right? They were all participating," Lauren pointed out.

"Yeah, very true. What a bunch of manchildren," I said with disgust. Not for the first time I lamented the choices in my life that had led me here.

"Manchildren for sure with all the dumb frat shit, but also some of that stuff...kind of cultish right? Like for the most part that was all just ridiculous, but these guys clearly believe they're some sort of master race I feel like," Lauren said. She was verbalizing a lot of what I had been feeling.

"Do you ever get that sense with Tanner, like worry he's capable of worse than just being an overgrown frat boy?" I asked. I was thinking about how I felt about Garrison.

"Before tonight, not really. I guess I sort of tolerate his bullshit but thought it was all relatively harmless. Now hearing some of those chants, I do worry a little," Lauren admitted.

"Same! Like I thought this was all just cosplaying some weird militia frat boy, but after hearing all that shit, I don't feel 100% safe with Garrison around."

"Well, glass half full, for this weekend we don't have to worry about their dumb asses and these friends of yours seem like a lot of fun. I do think though, that we need to have each other's numbers on speed dial from here on out. In case something truly scary happens."

"Agreed, we should maybe get your friend Cara in on it too," I suggested.

"Great idea. I think I know some other women who would like to be involved as well. Having a little network of neighborhood ladies is a great way to ensure we have a support structure if something goes wrong," Lauren agreed. I nodded eagerly, recalling Lexi's words from the night before about this being exactly what I needed. At the time it had been more a discussion about friendship and emotional support, but it now seemed even more imperative.

- - - - -

- - - - -

Once our group arrived back at my house, we began to hash out a plan for the evening. After some back and forth we settled on an Italian place in Germantown that Lauren swore by. One of the morning anchors she worked with was a co-owner so after a few text messages we had a reservation for 8 PM confirmed even though it was short notice on a Friday.

It took us a minute to figure out the logistics of which vehicles to drive back downtown and who was sober enough to drive. We ended up with Lexi driving the rented SUV with the Sigmas, while Reed, Kyle and I gave Lauren a ride over to her house in my car so that she could pick up hers and get a change of clothes. I had packed a bag when we got back to my house and swapped the practical shoes I'd worn for our little spy mission for proper high-heeled sandals for going out to dinner.

"Would either of you brave gentlemen care to ride downtown with me?" Lauren asked when we pulled into her driveway.

"I will!" Kyle volunteered instantly. Almost as if this had been choreographed. It would leave me alone in the car with Reed. Lauren and Kyle got out and went inside her house to pack a bag. It was by unspoken agreement we were staying downtown that night.

"Are you going to get over being weird tonight?" I asked Reed. Reed had seemed to be over his ignoring me at the happy hour, but that had been a public setting.

"I am indeed. I have been issued a course correction by the Napoleonic dictator of our friend group," Reed said.

I laughed, realizing he was referring to Lexi. I knew I liked that girl. "Good, then I'm going to ride downtown with Lauren. There's some girl stuff I want to talk about with her."

"Girl stuff pertaining to crazed paramilitary-obsessed husbands?" Reed asked knowingly.

"Correct. Do you mind driving my car?" I asked.

"I'd be happy to," Reed said and got out of the car.

I made a split second decision. I reached up my dress and pulled down the yellow thong I was wearing. I stepped out of it as I opened the driver's side door and got out of my car.

"I left something in the car for you. I hope you like it. And I hope you follow through on not being weird tonight," I told Reed as he passed me to get in the driver's seat.

As I walked towards Lauren's front door a light gust of wind blew, reminding me I was now bare beneath my dress. I liked the feeling. I was a bad girl again.

- - - - -

- - - - -

I found Kyle just inside the front door of Lauren's home. He was leaning against a column scrolling on his phone. Presumably entertaining himself while Lauren packed an overnight bag.

"What's up Allie?" he asked suspiciously once I entered the door.

"Nothing, quick change of plans, I'm riding with Lauren. You can go with Reed, he's driving my car," I explained.

"He acting stupid again?" Kyle asked, obviously perturbed. I realized he had probably been just as instrumental in getting through to Reed as Lexi had.

"Oh no, quite the opposite. He was very, uh, gentlemanly. I just want to talk with Lauren about some more neighborhood stuff and thought the drive would be a good time to," I explained.

"Ok cool. Good. We'll see you in a bit then," Kyle said. He pocketed his phone and left to join Reed.

"Hey Allie," Lauren said a few minutes later as she descended the stairs. She had a classy leather bag slung over her shoulder.

"Hey, I thought it might be good to chat a little more on the drive," I said.

"Sounds good, let's head out," Lauren said.

I settled into the plush leather seat of Lauren's BMW SUV. Heck of a lot nicer car than I drove, I noted.

"So how'd you link up with this crew anyways?" Lauren asked.

"Did Tanner go to their little watch party for the A&M basketball game on Wednesday?" I asked in response.

"Yeah, you know how they are,nevermiss a game," Lauren said.

"Right, so I figured I'd stay downtown after work and see what trouble I could get into. Hit happy hour. Lexi befriended me, introduced me to the guys, and we picked up the Sigma girls along the way," I explained.

"The Sigmas are Brandi, Jackie and Rose, right?"

"Correct! They call themselves the Sigma Sluts after their college sorority, how cute is that?" I said.

"They fun?" Lauren wondered.

"By any definition I've ever had for fun they are. Honestly this whole group is," I answered.

"Nice, I like fun people. Speaking of, thanks again for organizing the cocktail hour, it was good to meet some new people and get to know you better," Lauren said.

"Very much my pleasure. I really should have reached out and put something together before. Just easier to avoid the whole thing," I admitted. I was again thankful I'd followed Lexi's advice.

"I get it, I do the same thing at times. Claim I have to stay downtown because I'm on call or make up some bullshit like hurricane prep sessions at work. Sometimes you just need a break," Lauren said.

We passed through the gates at the entrance to our neighborhood. I felt a weight lift off me and my mood shifting fully into anticipation of what tonight would bring.

"So who is your husband's celebrity crush?" Lauren asked after a few minutes.

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"They all have stupid celebrity crushes. Tanner drones on and on about his. It's so juvenile and kind of gross," Lauren said.

"Oh, Garrison doesn't do that, I'm not sure he has one. He has this weird life-sized sticker of Megyn Kelly on his gun safe door, maybe that's it?" I wondered.

"I'd bet. You seem like you have Garrison a lot more under control than a lot of them. Bravo," Lauren commented.

"Thanks, I guess," I said, feeling awkward. On one hand I felt a small measure of pride Garrison wasn't as domineering over my life relative to some of the other women in the neighborhood. On the other hand that this was the way I was evaluating my marriage was pretty depressing.

"I mean, you got a little sense of how Cullen has Cara utterly under his control tonight, right?" Lauren pointed out.

"Yeah, feel for her. We definitely need to stick together to protect one another."

"Agreed. Maybe we can have like a dinner or something tomorrow while the guys are all away. Figure out some stuff," Lauren suggested.

"I'm in," I said. I wanted to be part of helping wherever I could. We chatted about some possibilities, who we could invite and who would host.

"So you never told me your husband's celebrity crush," I noted after we had settled on a rough plan for the next day.

Lauren made a disgusted face. "KellyAnne Conway."

"The 'alternative facts' lady? That's...kind of weird," I said.

"Right!? I mean, I know I'm on TV on a daily basis, so some vanity comes with the job, but seriously?That'syour celebrity crush. Fucking gross," Lauren said with disdain.

"Do you ever, you know get a little lonely when you're away from home?" I asked cautiously, broaching a much more dangerous subject.

"At times, it can be helpful to have a good side piece," Lauren said. I glanced over. She was grinning. I was having an important revelation about Lauren: under that polished veneer of her TV personality she seemed like a kindred spirit who enjoyed a good time.

"I wouldn't know," I said, letting a bit of sarcasm creep in.

"Oh don't play coy with me, Allie. I see the way you and Reed look at each other," Lauren chided.

"I admit nothing, but even if there was a certain sort of liaison, he lives in Houston. He's leaving Sunday. Not exactly a long term solution," I pointed out. It was an unpleasant reminder that whatever Reed and I shared had a shelf life. A very short one. Probably.

"So we need to find you something more steady here in Nashville. Sounds like a fun side project."