The Cottage

Rob invited Andrew and my wife to his cottage, where he was staying with Sara for the weekend. I couldn’t make it because of my schedule, not that I was invited. Rob usually invited Laryssa and I to join him, whatever girl he was with at the time, and occasionally another couple. Andrew being invited instead of me spoke volumes about where Rob and I stood, friendship-wise.

I managed to get out of work and surprised everyone at the cottage by showing up stag, but Rob was not thrilled to see me, telling me I should have called. Laryssa got up and made me feel even more unwelcome by saying how rude it was to show up uninvited somewhere. Andrew just looked at me like I was blocking him from something he had planned. I offered to leave, feeling unwelcome, but surprisingly, Rob insisted I stay.

“Well, now that you’re here, we might as well make the best of it,” Rob said, winking at Andrew, and grinning devilishly. Suddenly, Andrew grinned right back at him. The tidal wave of inferiority I was getting used to feeling suddenly was a full-on tsunami.

Rob told me to put my bags in the kiddie room, which had bunk beds. I asked him if my wife and I could have the queen bed in the bigger room, but he told me she already had it. He told me that I was staying in the kiddie room or I had to leave, so I didn’t press the issue. I assumed I was staying in there with Andrew, but I couldn’t find his luggage anywhere. I went to drop something in my wife’s room, and surprisingly, Andrew’s stuff was unpacked inside besides Laryssa’s stuff.

I told my wife that Rob put me in the kiddie room, assuming she was going to say, “don’t be silly, you’re sleeping with me”. Instead, she said she would have joined me in the bunk beds, but Rob gave Andrew one of the bigger rooms with the big bed, and he invited her to sleep with him. I asked her if that would be awkward for her. When I brought up my inconvenience, she told me I was the one who showed up spontaneously, so I shouldn’t expect the royal treatment. Laryssa also told me she was having a good time without me, implying I should give her some space. I felt like she was on vacation from me at that very moment. Worse, I felt like she was spending that getaway with Andrew by choice.

That night, feeling ostracized yet again, I got really drunk while I was there, to the point where I felt like I was going to pass out. I felt like my wife was giving all her attention to Andrew, even sitting on his lap right beside me around the campfire. At one point, I got up to take a piss and fell right down, the clothing I was wearing blending into the leaves. I was too drunk to stand up, and could barely muster out a word.

Rob and Andrew walked over to where I lay, not realizing I was on the ground. They both lit up a cigarette and began talking…when it suddenly went silent. I then heard them both mischievously laugh before walking over towards me.