Wendy rolled on the bed, which was still so warm, and let out a chuckle as she heard a groan to her left. It was a little distant, although pretty loud, so she figured Vince was no longer in bed.
Rubbing her eyes, Wendy tugged on Vin's oversized hoodie so it was sitting right on her and got out of the bed, walking to the bathroom. The place was already pretty cramped and it certainly hadn't been made for her 6'4 boyfriend to drape himself on the ground, forehead resting on his forearm, which was sitting on the toilet rim.
"Ho ho ho?" She grinned, leaning against the door, "I'm gonna guess you regret all the wine from yesterday?" Wendy felt a jolt of pleasure as her boyfriend's throat bobbed at the mention of alcohol.
Yesterday had been the 25th and Vince had been delegated to Santa. Not only he had eaten all the cookies that Liv put out, while dressed in satin red and sporting a fake beard, but he had pulled out the performance of his life. Wendy would be lying if she said she didn't have a blast, watching Livia's eyes get the size of saucers as Santa guided her outside to find the pink bike she wanted, with a red ribbon on top.
Then, in return for his hard work at keeping the magic of Christmas alive, Vince had decided he could and should down two bottles of red wine as the night stretched on.
"I never wanna drink again," Vince groaned, pushing himself up and belching over the water, a thin dribble of pink puke falling inside the bowl.
"Really? Bummer, there's a merlot downstairs calling your name," Wendy teased him and Vince gagged at the thought, back curling as he heaved and brought up a bit more vomit.
"You're so mean," he whined, wrapping an arm around his bloated stomach and curling up again. He had sweat through his long sleeved shirt, the ratty fabric glued to his back and clinging to his tummy. Vince had always had a belly, but today he was really channeling in Santa, his tummy rounding out and poking out of the top.
"Yeah, I'm terrible," Wendy rolled her eyes, walking further into the bathroom and crouching down behind him, carefully pulling back Vince's hair and twisting the curls on the sides, so she could use her own hair clip to keep them behind his head, "how long have you been here, honey?"
"Uhm..." Vince groaned, burping again and pressing on his tummy, which let out an upset growl. He breathed frantically, drool dripping down his bottom lip and then heaved once more, a bigger gush of wine smelling vomit hitting the bowl. Wendy cringed, getting up to press the flush and then sitting behind him again.
"Vin?"
"Too long," he groaned, forcefully clearing his throat and spitting in the now clear water, "feels like I've been here forever and I'm still not empty."
"I mean, you did drain two bottles of wine, honey," she chuckled, rubbing his arm, "I hope you realize that's enough to kill a smaller man."
"Maybe it's enough to kill me too, because I feel like I'm dying," Vince whined, rubbing at his forehead, "my head is pounding like hell."
"You're dehydrated," Wendy sighed, getting up and going back to the room, grabbing his bottle of water, "here. Small sips."
"I'm not dehydrated, my belly is all sloshy," Vince scoffed, poking his bloated tummy and Wendy nearly fell flat on her back as his belly immediately sloshed like a waterbed. Her cheeks turned red and she breathed through the hot flash, catching just the last flicker of Vin's cheeky smile.
"You are horrible," she glared at him, "how am I going to explain to your family I'm hard because you're dying, uh?"
"There's no one here," Vince chuckled lightly, but there was no real intent behind his friendly teasing. He was feeling too much like death to engage in any frisky activity and Wendy knew it. She rolled her eyes, poking the bottle he was holding.
"Small sips, I'm gonna go grab some food. Greasy bacon?"
"UrghrkK-" was his answer, a sick belch that had him scrambling for the bowl, some red puke splattering on the lid as he threw himself against the toilet.
She sighed, squeezing his shoulder, "trust me, honey, it'll help. Keep drinking the water, I'll be right back."
Wendy pressed her lips not to laugh as she sauntered downstairs - now wearing pants - and found Sophia draped over the kitchen island, arms wrapped around her stomach. Her parents had allowed the teenager a couple glasses of wine, since Vince was going all out and Soph was about to turn 18, but clearly she regretted it already.
"Morning," Wendy said cheerfully, causing the other girl to glare her way, while Vince's dad looked up from where he was sitting in the little makeshift breakfast nook and smiled.
"Buongiorno, Wendy," he pointed the oven, "I made pancakes and bacon, suit yourself."
"Thank you... Where's Ma?"
"Asleep," Giuseppe smiled fondly, "she overworked herself yesterday, nothing more fair than to let her sleep in."
Wendy agreed, munching on some bacon. Ma had gone all out, she had made Wendy almost feel ashamed of what she called hosting, "everything was gorgeous and delicious."
Vin's dad only smiled in a proud way, as if saying yes-I-know, "where's Vincenzo?"
"Wanna guess?" Wendy chuckled, making up a plate for her sick boyfriend. Giuseppe only chuckled at that.
"He's always been a lightweight," he commented, causing Wendy's eyebrows to jump. She definitely didn't consider two bottles of wine a lightweight, but then again Vin's entire family was as tall as he was, so maybe they just had different standards around here.
Europeans, Wendy thought, laughing to herself, "I'm gonna take these for him..." she circled Sophia, "honey, eat something greasy, it's going to help."
"Don't talk to me," Sophia mumbled, her accent much more prominent than ever before, "g'away."
Giuseppe chuckled at that, gesturing for Wendy to go and not pay his daughter any mind. As she was walking out, she heard the old man tease the teenage girl as he said, "no more wine for you, piccola?"
"Babbooooo!"
Wendy was still giggling as she walked back in the bedroom, holding a plate filled with goodies. Vince was no longer crouched in front of the toilet, but he had shut the door and she could hear the shower running.
She planted the plate down on the bedside table, doing the messy bed and changing out of her clothes into something warmer and more fitting for the day. It was shaping up to be a lazy type of day with them just cuddling in bed for the best half of it, but regardless Wendy didn't want to be in her pajamas in case his parents and sisters came knocking.
Vince's phone buzzed across the room and Wendy glanced at it, but didn't bother getting it, knocking on the door of the bathroom, "are you alright?"
"Peachy!" Vince's voice was still husky as hell, but at least he sounded more like his goofy self. A couple minutes later he stepped out, a towel around his shoulders and sweat pants hanging low on his hips, shoved away from his bloated belly.
Wendy bit down her lip, "hi there," she grinned, tip toeing to kiss him, "I like your outfit."
"Yeah yeah, figures," Vince groaned, but kissed her back, before sluggishly walking to the bed and sitting down. He eyed the plate filled with food with a grimace on his face, paling a little more, "do I have to?"
"Just one bacon?" Wendy suggested, grabbing the towel that was hanging around his shoulders and starting to dry his hair. Vince whined.
"You're gonna make my curls look awful, that's not how you dry curly hair, Wen."
"Oh," she dropped her hands and he rolled his eyes at her, wrapping an arm around her waist and resting his face on her chest, since she was standing between his legs.
"You're comfy..."
"And you're sweet. Eat," she pushed his forehead slightly.
"Uhm," Vince grumbled, gagging around the bacon piece he was trying to eat and muffling a sick burp against Wendy's tummy, "the wine was a horrible idea, a terrible... Disgusting idea," he gagged again, before forcefully swallowing and reaching for his water bottle.
He chugged on the water and once again slumped against her, letting out a sigh as he felt Wendy's delicate fingers running through his damp hair.
"Your phone was buzzing, by the way," Wendy said quietly, clearly just enjoying the makeshift hug. Vince let out a grunt, falling on his back and spreading on the bed to grab his phone in his jacket, hanging on the opposite bed post. He squinted at the screen and then groaned, dropping the phone back on his chest.
"I can't read, my head hurts."
She chuckled, pushing his thigh slightly so she could join him on the bed, taking his phone and resting a hand on Vince's upset belly, rubbing it as she clicked on the notification.
"It's a text from Leo..." Wendy's voice dipped at the end, as she read Leo's words, "uhm... I don't- I don't get it..."
Leo: what is it that I hear about you leaving? As in leaving town? For good??
"What?" Vince yawned, oblivious to Wendy's frown. He had closed his eyes and planted his hand over hers, still resting on his belly, "read it to me, maybe it's a joke?"
"I don't think it's a joke," Wendy pulled her hand back from his grip, getting up from the bed, reading the text again, "he's asking if you're leaving? Leaving town... For good?"
If Wendy had any hopes of this being just a joke, they flew out of the window as Vince visibly flinched, paling at least two shades and quickly sat up on the bed.
"Wen-"
"Vince, what is this?" she raised the phone, shaking it, "why is he saying you're leaving town?"
"I'm not-"
"So Leo is lying?" she could feel her voice raising, just as her heart was starting to race, "Vince, what is he talking about!?"
"Hey," Vince's voice softened up as he got up too, closing the distance between them in two steps, "Wendy, calm down, let's talk this over, c'mere."
"Talk what over!?" she hissed, but allowed him to pull her back to the bed, where they both sat down, "just start talking already, Vince!"
"Lately, I- I've been considering... Moving here. Home, I mean..." he winced as Wendy's eyes widened and she dropped his phone as if it was burning, "closer to my parent-"
"This is why you haven't been sleeping," Wendy concluded, voice suddenly icy cold. She got up, pushing Vin's hands away when he tried keeping her close, "right? This is why you've had these huge dark circles lately and Luke- And Luke knows and if Lucas' knows, this means that Bella...And Jonah know too, that's how Leo knows," she paced the room, "so literally everyone knew you'd be breaking up with me at fucking Christmas and no one told me."
"Bre- WHAT?!" Vince exclaimed, confused, "no, Wendy, what the hell, I'm not breaking up with you! Where did you even- I'm not breaking up, don't even joke about that-"
"I'm not joking," she crossed her arms, ignoring the sudden burn in her eyes and the way her throat was closing up, "if you're not dumping me then what are you doing?"
"I'm not doing- I'm not breaking up with you, that's for sure. I'm... I'm just considering moving here, I was going to talk with you-"
"WHEN!?" She exclaimed suddenly, "when you made up your mind on dumping me!? Meanwhile, you get to have a lovely girlfriend and stay at-"
"There's no scenario where I'm breaking up with you, Wendy! I love you!" Vince got up from the bed, crossing the room again and Wendy took a step back, glaring at him.
"You just said you didn't make up your mind on moving here-"
"Yeah, but I was going to ask- I wanted us to move here together!" He exclaimed and Wendy was so shocked that for a second she stopped feeling like crying.
"You wanted me to move here? To Doveport?" She repeated, numbly, and Vince nodded eagerly.
"We could get a place together and- And my old high school said they'd love having me as- as a teacher..." He stumbled over his words, barely meeting her eyes, as Wendy glared at him, "and I looked into it and the local hospital has a neurology program and-"
"Sounds like you thought this through, alright," Wendy said, coldly, feeling her heart all but crack in her chest, "only forgot to fucking ask me."
Vince looked up, every bit like a wounded puppy, "I didn't- I hadn't made up my mind, I was going to-"
"You're not going to fucking Gone Girl me," Wendy scoffed, starting to move around the room, grabbing the pieces of clothing lying around and throwing it inside her suitcase, "you're out of your damn mind."
"Gone Girl you...?" Vince frowned, following her around, "what are you doing?" he noticed her grabbing her things, "Wendy, stop- What do you mean!?" forcefully, he took the shirt she was clutching on for dear life.
Wendy blinked against the sudden tears, trying to pull the shirt back, before giving up and shoving his chest out of sheer frustration, "did it occur you to ask me if I wanted to move to the middle of fucking nowhere to be close to your family!? No, it didn't! You were very happy going through your options, while using me as a holiday date and free bed and breakfast-" a sob came up and she pressed her knuckles to her lips, trying to bite it down.
Vince let out a little pitiful noise, crouching down slightly, "honey, honey, please don't cry, I never meant to hurt you. There was no decision, I just wanted us to get through the holidays before-"
"Before you gave me the ultimatum that either I move with you or we bre-break up!?" Wendy scoffed, fat tears running down her face, "I feel sss-sostupid, I thought- I thought we were moving in to-together," she was full on shaking now and Vince stepped even closer, attempting to wipe down the tears, only to receive a sharp slap to his hand when he tried touching her face.
"Don't fucking touch me," Wendy scoffed, turning around and zipping up her bag, "I can't believe everyone- Everyone knew, but me. I'm- You're such a fucking asshole."
"No one- I didn't talk with anyone, Wendy. Would you please look at me? Please, just let me explain, Wen..."
"Nothing to explain," she got up, dragging her bag, "you said all that needed to be said-"
"I don't wanna break up," Vince grabbed the back of her coat, and Wendy immediately grabbed his wrist, trying to get him to let go, "I love you, Wendy. I don't want to hurt you, I never meant to hurt you like this... I wanted us to talk this over-"
"Luke has known for weeks," Wendy hissed, squeezing his fingers, frothing at the mouth. She was so devastated, it was turning into anger, boiling in her stomach, "for weeks and it didn't occur you to talk with me. To ask if I- Let go of my jacket! We're done Vince, let go off me!"
"Done?" Vince's grip loosened up and he widened his eyes, "Wendy, please, don't say that. We're not done, couples fight-"
"This isn't a fight," Wendy scoffed, stumbling back as he fully let her go. She straightened up, "you wanted to go then fucking go, but there's no world where I leave my town and my- my life to follow you to this place just because you wanna continue being a momma's boy."
"You're not being fair..." Vince frowned, his own eyes welling up with tears and he followed her into the hallway. The yelling had woken up his mom, who was standing at the threshold of her door, but she didn't say anything.
"I don't have to be fair," Wendy scoffed, continuing to walk and completely ignoring him, "you certainly weren't," she was squeezing the handle of her suitcase with so much force her knuckles were white as she rushed down the stairs, Vin hot in her heels.
"Wendy, please, don't-"
"Don't you ever-" Wendy turned around, furious, tears streaming down all over again and shoving a finger in his naked chest, "dare come close to me again. Ever. You broke my fucking heart, Vince."
"Please stay," he grabbed her hand, pressing it to him, "please. Let's just talk about this."
"ARE YOU NOT LISTENING TO ME!?" this time she screamed out in frustration, causing a scene at the front door, and shoving him back, "never again."
Before he could say anything, which he couldn't because now Vince was full on crying, Wendy turned back around and walked as fast as she could to her car, throwing her suitcase in the backseat and slamming the door, driving off.
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