"You don't love me, you never loved me."
"Whatever I felt for you was damaged a long time ago. And don't go blaming Alana, because it happened long before she came along. It was all you, your constant negativity. You were never happy, never satisfied with anything. Everything had to be about you and when it wasn't you acted up, like a petulant child. You pushed and pushed and now this is it. You get nothing, I don't even want to look at you, you disgust me. That little girl has more integrity in her little finger than you'd ever have in your whole damn life. And the hell of it is, she's the only one of us who wasn't raised in the life. You were, but instead of being supportive you tried to destroy her.
"She was stealing my husband."
"What you failed to realize is that I was never yours to steal. I never belonged to just you, I was engaged to her before I ever met you or knew you existed. So you've got it all backwards. And what about Arlene? Does she even exist in your twisted mind? How were you planning on getting rid of her to keep me all to yourself? I shudder to think."
"You're not being fair. You think I don't know that you love her more?" Such venom was in her voice so much malice in her eyes.
"What was your excuse before she got here? What was the reason for your behavior then?"
" I didn't want o share my husband okay. I never wanted to share my husband."
"And there you have it. So tell me Sharon, why did you marry me? Why did you work so hard to make that happen when I already had a wife and child?"
"Because I thought..." She didn’t go on, but she didn’t need to. I was finally seeing what had been in front of my face all this time.
"You thought your beauty and charms would win me away from my family. You can't think too highly of me then. Isn't it ironic that now you're terrified of Alana doing just that to you? What kind of person are you really Sharon? Tell me. For once in your life tell me the truth."
"I just…I just wanted to be loved. No one ever just loved me."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"My life Cody. I never had anyone love me just for me. At home they brought me out like a pet poodle when they wanted to impress. Oh look at our daughter, isn't she beautiful? It's all I ever was. The rest of the time I didn't exist. I wasn't a son I had no purpose, no use other than to catch a good husband. And I caught the best there is only I had to share you too. A second wife always second best. I wasn't the most important thing in your life either. I always come up short."
"So you married me with the hopes that I'd get rid of my wife and child. Make you my one and only and then what? Would that have made you happy? Who else would you have had to get rid of to fulfill your need to be the center of attention? You know what, I've given you more than enough opportunities to tell me about your childhood and any problems you might've had but you refused. Now it's too late. I'm sorry your childhood wasn't ideal, but that's no excuse for the way you've been acting around here. Alana is my wife Arlene is my wife. I'm not getting rid of anyone for you, not now, not ever. That' my choice you made yours when you chose to disobey me and continued to attack my wife in my home. Now you're threatening her, my pregnant wife, with harm that is unacceptable. I know it's not done and maybe that's what you were relying on. That I would have no way of getting rid of you, but I do. I would lock you away in a room somewhere before I allowed you to harm my family anymore than you already have. But before you suck all the humanity out of me and turn me into you, I'm willing to go against everyone and cast you out. Goodbye Sharon."
"Cody no, you can't. Please don't leave me." She fell to her knees grabbing hold of my legs.
I felt nothing I was way past done. It was too much. Nothing I'd tried had worked! Was this my failing or hers? Could anything have been done to save her from herself? What about her childhood? Was there more to it than the little bit she had shared? And did I care enough anymore to want to know? At this moment in time...No.
Alana
Shit, what now? Jackie is a wild hair. She would smack a bitch down just for looking at her wrong. We were alike that way. Cody had dragged Sharon off to yell at her no doubt. I knew he was at the end of his rope. The others were talking about what was to be done, me, I'm over the whole thing. The bitch was crazy and that was that. If she thought she could do some shit to me and get away with it, then she must really have lost her mind.
I looked over to the kids and my eyes caught little Crystal's. Oh shit she knew. Don't ask me how but she knew. The look in her eyes, no three year old should even look like that. It almost broke my fucking heart. Well shit.
Sharon was such a fuck up sometimes it was hard to remember that she had any attachment to this sweet little girl. She was Sharon's and Cody's. I felt the children in my womb move and tears flooded my eyes. Well fuck it. I grabbed Arlene's hand.
"Come on."
I turned to the room. "We'll be back, watch the kids."
Chapter 18
Alana
I can't believe this shit. I knew that stupid bitch was going to pull some shit like this sooner or later. I dragged Arlene down to the library where I could hear Cody lighting into Sharon as we drew closer. Oh shit did he just say...?
I opened the door and walked in pulling Arlene in behind me.
"Is this a private party or can anybody join?"
"Alana...Wildflower." He held the bridge of his nose between his fingers, a sure sign of a headache coming on.
"No Cody, this is a family situation right? Personally I think it's long overdue. You've always handled it with this one on one thing and no one really gets to clear the air. Quite frankly hubby, the fight's not with you. Is it Sharon?"
"I have nothing to say to you." She sneered at me. Huh.
"Yeah, well I have plenty to say to you. You're a selfish, narcissistic bitch who doesn't know her head from her ass."
"Alana..."
"No Cody...We're all adults here, don't shush me.
He looked like he wanted to say something but I gave him a look. This was for all of us enough is enough with her bullshit.
I wasn't about to bring three innocent lives into this shit, no, hell no.
"Either you let me say what I came in here to say or I fucking walk."
"Don't speak to me like that Alana."
I took a deep breath to get my composure. Sharon was smirking at me and I realized she was getting exactly what she wanted. I fought the tears that were threatening and almost turned and walked out.
Almost because he moved swiftly across the room and grabbed me. "Please don't do this to me. I can't do this with you right now Wildflower, please." He put his forehead against mine.
"I'm not trying to disrespect you but you have to let me speak."
"I didn't want this for you, I wanted to handle this myself."
"As you can see that's not working out. Please trust me, I know what I'm doing. How much worst can it be?"
"The babies..."
"Will be fine, I feel fine I promise."
"Okay, but don't threaten to leave me again. I don't think I can handle that right now on top of everything else today."
"Okay I promise." He kissed me before letting me go.
"You see what I mean? It's always about her, you can't even have a private conversation with me without her butting in. Am I beneath her now?"
"Sharon, shut the hell up." Oh shit, way to go Arlene, way to finally find your fucking voice.
Sharon's gasp could be heard a mile away.
"Don't you talk to me like that Arlene."
"I'll talk to you anyway I like. This is my house, my husband, my family and she's right. Now shut the hell up." Damn, she gave her the bitch glare.
"Go on Alana." And then Miss. Arlene proceeded to sit her ass down, fold her arms across her chest and glare Sharon into submission.
Later on I would pull out this memory so I could laugh my ass off. But right now I had a bitch to put in her place. "Ooookay. Now, Miss. Sharon, you better listen and listen good. First of all, the
next time you do or say anything negative or threatening against me without cause I'm gonna beat your ass. Don't let the belly fool you. I'll pepper spray your ass and wail on you with a broomstick.” Now I was the one giving her the bitch glare.
"Moving right along."
"You..."
"Uh, uh, uh, don't interrupt, you had your say, now it's my turn. First of all as I was saying Cody; the problem's not with you. The problem's amongst the wives, so you trying to handle it without all of us was never gonna work. We have voices we want them to be heard.
Sharon, you claim to love him, but you make his life a living hell. That's not love; I don't know what the hell that is. You two were raised in this lifestyle, I wasn't. I was taught how I was gonna spend my life while living in a completely different world. So excuse me if I needed a little more time with my husband in order to settle in.
Contrary to the bullshit, I didn't marry you I married Cody Jackson. That's my husband, that's who I love. You two happen to come along as part of the package, and because I love him, I was willing to deal. You never even tried. You never had any intention of trying. I peeped your game from day one. You wanna run shit, not gonna happen with me. I handled better bitches than you before first period.
You love him? You think you love him? When you act the way you do, you're only making his life harder. He has to go to work, sometimes ten hours a day so he could keep you in this lifestyle and yeah. I've seen where you came from and all those airs you try to put on don't fool me. Your looks and his dick got you here."
"Wildflower."
"It's the truth, let's be honest here. She's been saying and doing whatever she likes for a long time now, no fucking more. As I said; he works hard for all of us, not just me, but you, Arlene, the girls. That's not enough for you. So what is it that you want? Why don't you be a woman and speak the hell up?" She just glowered at me like she wanted to kill me. Good luck with that bitch.
"Nothing? Okay, then let me tell you. You don't want to share your husband. Arlene you like sharing your husband?" Poor Arlene was caught off guard. She was following along, not expecting a pop quiz at all. But I meant to drag all our shit out today, because this shit was over now.
"Well, we're taught..."
"I didn't ask you that, I asked you if you personally like sharing your husband."
She took a deep breath, looked at Cody then looked down at her lap. "Sometimes no."
I saw Cody close his eyes as though in defeat, and put my hand on his shoulder. When he looked at me with sad eyes I shook my head at him. I wouldn't let him be destroyed. Besides I know damn good and well these bitches ain’t giving up that dick.
"You said sometimes. Sharon pay attention, now answer the question."
"No, I don't like sharing my husband." Angry much?
"Why did you marry him then when he was already married to Arlene?" She puffed up a little. I could see frustrated bitch written all over her face.
"You want me to answer for you?"
"No, you don't know me." She started pulling on her hair. This is a whole other side of crazy for sure.
"I didn't know it was going to be this hard." Aha, now we're getting somewhere.
"What did you think it was going to be like? Did you think your beauty was going to captivate him, make him want only you?" "Is that so wrong?"
"No, no it's not, if you'd been married to someone else. But you're married to a man who had a wife already and was allowed a third. I don't like sharing him either, but you know what? I have to, this is our life, I love him so I'm willing to try. Do you resent the fact that he can have more than one wife while you can only have one husband?"
"Of course not. That's not our way."
"Okay then. Do you want to leave him and go have a life somewhere else, with someone else?"
I almost wish the bitch would say yes. She looked at him, and for the first time I saw a softening about her. She looked almost human and not like the snake headed medusa she'd begun to resemble in my mind.
"No, I don't want that."
"Well then, here's your reality. I'm not going anywhere, Arlene you going anywhere?"
"Nope." Look at Arlene with the broken English.
"There you have it Miss. Sharon. She's not leaving, I'm not leaving and you don't want to leave. I don't know all that went on in here before we came. But I did hear Cody telling you to get the hell out. But before we make any hasty decisions, I hope after this you come to your damn senses. Get counseling or some shit if you need it, but you can't stay here and be the way you were. I personally, as things stand could care less what you do. I don't like you, could you become someone I could like? Hopefully, but Cody I think we should put her on some type of probation. I think from now on when there's a serious issue that affects the family we, all the adults should discuss it together. I'm only doing this because I looked into your daughter's eyes and saw misery." Sharon gasped and clutched her throat.
"That's right. While you were running around here acting the nut, your kid has been suffering for it. You think because she's young she doesn't notice things, but she does. She feels the tension she sees your negativity. If I told you half the shit she's innocently repeated to me verbatim, things that she heard you say, you'd be surprised. Kids know, and right now she's scared. She knows that there's something wrong between her parents. Her security blanket isn't so secure and she senses it. You think about that the next time you lose your damn mind and lose sight of what's important.
Cody you have the final say anyway. Whatever you say will stand, I just wanted to get that shit off my chest." He had been so quiet this whole time I'd almost forgotten he was here. He was studying her like a foreign object or some shit and he was still pissed way the fuck off.
"You have some good points, not the least is little Crystal. I need to do what's best for her; it's going to take me a long time to learn to trust you again Sharon. I don't know what kind of help you need, but you need help. I refuse to lay with you anymore, not like this, if you want to say in this family, you're gonna have to earn it. And your behavior will no longer be tolerated. No slip ups, nothing that's it. If I ever suspect that you mean her harm I don't care what anyone says, you're gone. For now, you can move into the guesthouse that's your punishment for your behavior. You may see Crystal of course, but you will not take part in any of our family times together. Not until you get your act together. This means as of now, you're no longer a part of this family, when, and if you prove that you truly want that, then we'll discuss it."
Damn, I felt that shit. That had to hurt. Funnily enough I didn't feel like rejoicing, I just felt sad. She was in tears of course, Arlene looked torn, and a little scared. And you know, I kind of appreciated his decision. She would pay for the crap she'd been doing and her thinking was way whacked, so yeah, maybe she should see somebody about that.
"Were you finished Wildflower? I think we should be getting back to the others. Sharon I'll help you move some of your clothing and personal things tonight." He turned to the door and I moved to follow.
"Well shit." I bent over almost double. Cody was there in a heartbeat.
"What is it baby, what's wrong?"
"My damn water broke."
Chapter 19
Cody
We're at the hospital, finally. I thought my heart was going to stop when she said her water broke. Just another thing to lay at Sharon's feet. A day that was supposed to be a joyous one turned into chaos because of her need to always be in the spotlight. I'll deal with her and that later. Right now I have a wife to take care of.
I admit I had become a madman after her announcement that her water broke. I’d picked her up and ran walked down the hallway screaming for my moms and hers; pretty much anyone at that point. Believe it or not it was my dad and hers that got everything situated. I needed to put her down in order to go get her overnight bag, but I couldn't, so I delegated.
I sent Sabrina after it in the end, left Katie and Crystal with Arlene and was off to
the hospital. For some reason Wildflower kept laughing her head off. I thought she had become hysterical until she explained that I had turned into what she calls my army mode. Shouting out orders and running rough shod over everyone and everything. Why the hell she found that funny at a time like this was beyond me. But as long as she was smiling I was good.
I barely let them take her from me to set her up in her private room. She had a team of doctors waiting for her since the babies were high risk. Thank goodness they were only a few weeks early. She'd done what she set out to do.
"Okay Alana, we're at that time, are you ready?" The doc was beaming so I guess that meant everything looked good.
They had her hooked up to a contraction machine and heart monitor and I forget what else. My anxiety eased just a tad at his demeanor. They asked me if I wanted to see what they were doing. But as excited as I am at the prospect of a son, she was my main concern. It was always going to be her. And after seeing what she tried to do for Sharon, that only reinforced what I felt for her. For one so young to be that...wise seems too tame a word. But it wasn't just that, her capacity for forgiveness, that heart was worth more than gold.
So no, I stayed with her, holding her hand, whispering words of love and encouragement to her, wiping her brow. Even stealing a quick kiss here and there. I think it must be the first time in history there was so much laughter in a delivery room. Between the pain and the contractions, we laughed. It was the only way I could get through it without losing my mind. I felt every twinge, every discomfort. In fact I was the one promising never again to put her through this.
Not even when the nurse said it's a boy the first, second, or third time. I didn't leave her side; I stayed there looking into her eyes. Though her face had become cloudy through the tears that were running from my eyes. I did pick my head up at the uh oh though, right before I hit the floor.
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