Endlessly Beautiful

“Your parents pay your bills,” Travis grumbled. “Not sure what you’re crying about.”

“It was nice not to have to ask,” Shepley said.

“Shep,” Travis began. “I love you, cousin, but one of us is going to have to move out.”

“What are you talking about?” Shepley said.

America picked up a throw pillow and tossed it at Shepley. “Quit it! Don’t act like you didn’t know this was coming the second you found out about their wedding!”

Shepley chuckled. “Sorry. I was going to milk that for as long as I could.”

Two lines formed between Travis’s brows. Shepley didn’t know that Travis already felt bad enough, about a lot of things. Travis exhaled, shaking his head. “We won’t find anything that pays that good, I guaranfuckingtee you that.”

“Like you said,” I said, rubbing his back, “we’ve got two incomes, now. It’s okay that you’ll make less. Even by half.”

“I’m going to miss that money,” Travis said, staring off. “I had a lot of plans for us.”

“Like a car?” I asked.

He stifled a smile. “Don’t you worry about that.”

I playfully smacked him. “What do you mean?”

“I mean I’ve got that covered.”

“Did you buy us a car?” I said, sitting up.

I’d never owned a car before. Travis’s only mode of transportation was his Harley Night Rod, and although he looked incredibly sexy riding it, it was more than a bit drafty in the winter. We had been relying on Shepley to either give us a ride or let us borrow his car, but now that we were married, that would change. Everything would change. We were no longer college kids who could depend on others for a ride, we were a married couple and there was a certain expectation—mostly on ourselves—to be responsible and self-sufficient.

Marriage was so much more than a ceremony and promises. I had never thought twice about Travis having a roommate when I was just his girlfriend, but marriage made that feel different. Just like not having a vehicle was different, or jobs, or … the reality of it all began to weigh on me, and I sunk back into the couch.

Travis frowned, concerned with my reaction. “What, baby?” he asked.

Shepley chuckled. “Now you really don’t have any money left.”

“Now we really don’t need you to live here,” Travis grumbled.

Shepley wrinkled his nose, looking like he suddenly smelled something revolting. “Well that’s fuckin’ rude.”

Travis scrambled over the couch, tackling his cousin to the tile floor in the kitchen. Shepley grunted when his knee hit the lower cabinet door, and then he yelped as Travis grabbed for his crotch.

“Quit fighting dirty, sack jacker!” Shepley cried.

America lept back, narrowly missing Travis’s quickly moving legs. I stood up to stand next to her, hooking my arm around hers.

“Are you sure you know what you’ve gotten yourself into?” she asked. ” You’re in this, you know. This is yours.”

“You’re next,” I said, tugging on her arm.

“Oh, no. Just because you got married as a freshman doesn’t mean the rest of us are crazy.” She looked at me, confused. “I still can’t understand why you did it. Travis knew the biggest fight of the year was coming up, Adam somehow finds someone else to fight for Trav last minute, the fire breaks out, and you two just happened to decide to elope …” Recognition flickered in her eyes.

Travis froze, and both boys looked at America, breathing hard.

“Abby,” America began, suspicious.

“Mare, don’t,” I said. “Don’t say it. Don’t even think it.”