Linda said she loved him almost as much as she does me and I know you love him like a brother. I would do anything to change his mind. Linda and I talked for almost another hour and came up with nothing. I had almost given up hope of saving my best friend from himself when Linda said “Maybe if I talked to him.” I said we have both tried for hours. She said I know but what if I went to him tonight and comforted him. I looked at her and knew what she was suggesting. We lay there not saying anything for a while. She said “I love Tray and don’t want to see him hurt or lose him and willing to do anything to help our friend but if you say no or think that it might affect our relationship, I won’t go to him. She said I love Tray but I am in love with you and only you. You are my husband and I intend to spend all my days with you until I die. If there is any doubt that it would affect us, I will not do this.” She then turned to me and looked into my eyes.
I told her I loved her with all my heart and she was the best thing that has ever happened to me. I told her she knows all about my history with Tray and how much I love him. If she thinks there is a chance she can change his mind and keep him from doing this foolish thing that will most likely get him killed, please try. I won’t think any less of her but rather understand the sacrifice and dedication she is showing by trying to change Tray’s mind and save him.
Linda looked at me for a few seconds, leaned over and kissed me and said “I love you with all my heart” and got out of bed and walked to the guest bedroom where Tray was sleeping. I heard her quietly shut the door to the guest bedroom. I lay awake all night with my emotions all over the place. My wife was lying in the arms of another man as I lay here. I wasn’t sure what I was feeling. It wasn’t betrayal, we had discussed it. It wasn’t cheating or because she had fallen in love with another man. It was Tray, the man we both loved and who was hurting and finding no way out, was making a foolish decision that would most likely lead him to his death and we all knew it.
I didn’t sleep at all that night and got up early and went downstairs to make coffee and start breakfast. I had eggs and bacon frying and you could smell the coffee brewing. I heard someone behind me and turned to see Tray and Linda standing behind me. Linda and Tray both looked scared and with anxiety written all over their face. No one spoke or moved until Tray said “I’m sorry man. I woke up and she was there and I held her and cried and…..”. I told Tray “Linda and I love you and she and I will do whatever it takes to help you through this. You are about to make a big mistake and Linda thought she might be able to get you see your mistake.” Linda still looked anxious and concerned but I held my arms out to her and she rushed into my embrace and held on tight. She kept saying “I love you so much.”
I told them to sit down, breakfast was almost ready. We ate mostly in silence. After we cleaned up the dishes I said we need to talk. I told Tray “Linda came to you last night to show you how much we love you and what you mean to us. We don’t want you to leave us and break up our family.” Tray was quiet for a minute and then I saw a tear drop start down his cheek. Tray said “I knew you guys loved me but what the two of you did last night for me is unbelievable. I needed someone last night to shake me to my core and show me a way to begin healing and Linda is probably the only one who could do it and like an angel she appeared. I will be forever grateful.”
Tray said “I couldn’t ask for a better send off than last night.” Linda looked at him and said “you stupid jerk, you think I did all that last night so you could go off and get yourself killed. You told me last night made all the difference in the world.” Tray looked at her and said it did. He would now leave a happy man and whatever happened he would have the memory of last night forever. Linda and I looked at each other in dis-belief. She said “I thought last night would make you see what you are giving up by leaving and going overseas.” He said last night was fantastic but if he stayed, in another two or three weeks he would be right back to where he was now and it would only shortly delay him leaving for overseas.
I looked at Linda and then at Tray and said what if this wasn’t just a one-night event. Tray stared at me like I had grown a third eye. Linda said “What are you suggesting?” I said, “If everyone is agreeable maybe Tray could sleep over some time and you could give him some “special” time.” Tray and Linda both yelled “what?” at the same time.