Chapter 7

David’s phone rang shortly after Alycen left, and sure enough, it was his brother, Dan.

“You’ll never guess who came to my door and asked for you, bro,” Dan laughed even now.

“Let me guess ... Alycen?” David cracked up at even the thought that his estranged wife, soon to be his ex, would come looking for him.

“Nailed it on the first try! Yep, I sent that stupid, lying, filthy hypocrite of a bitch packing, too! If she wants to find you, she’ll need to get a private eye like all other spouses. I doubt that she could afford one, but with your alimony, who knows? Incidentally, are you moving out or just crashing at Sasha’s place still with her and Trudy?

“I gotta tell ya, that’s still freaking weird, you sleeping with the very divorce court judge who shafted you along with your new fiancee in a menage a trois romance. That’s so not you! Not the David Leland that I recall growing up. The faithful boyfriend. The one-woman man. The jealous hubby who left Alycen over her adultery. The churchgoing Christian for a while there. The old-fashioned Southern gentleman, the respectable brother,” Dan chuckled at that bit of jarring news.

“True, but I’m kinda tired of being the nice guy that always finishes last. And Christianity? I lost my faith in that happy horseshit when none of my prayers were answered and my unfaithful wife and her lawyer handed me my ass in court. Talk about your fucking cliches, right? Anyway, I’m not harming anyone and neither are you. Alycen, on the other hand, she’s just a royal fucking cunt!” David grimaced at the thought of his ex.

“Then shouldn’t you have gotten half a kingdom in the divorce?” Dan joked now, making David laugh a bit.

“Thanks. I needed that laugh, bro! Anyway, yeah, I’m staying with Sasha and Trudy now. We live together as a ‘throuple’ ... that is perhaps the best term for it. In any case, we decided to invite you to our place soon and I would naturally like you to be my best man in my wedding to Sasha. It’s a Jewish wedding, just so you know. What the rabbi doesn’t know won’t hurt him, but being left out of Sasha’s first ever nuptials would. Trudy’s maid of honor, of course, or is that matron of honor?

“It will have to be a while. Sasha’s still mourning Ira, her father. At least she’s not an Orthodox or Conservative Jew. The mourning period would be a bit longer or more intense. Reform Jews have it a lot easier,” David invited his brother twice over.

“Yes to both, of course. You’re my kid brother! I’ll proudly stand up with you, especially since this girl seems a lot sweeter and more honest than your ex. She couldn’t be worse, especially if she’ll share you with another woman! That’s a pretty nice deal. Maybe, for once, the nice guy doesn’t finish last, eh, bro? Anyway, congratulations, bro! I’m still wary of marriage myself, but you traded up ... seriously!” Dan told his brother.