Empty Net

by Toni Aleo

  Opened ones.

  “Um, Fallon? Why do you have fifteen boxes of opened pregnancy tests all over your floor?”

  Fallon looked over her shoulder, blowing her bangs out of her face as she gazed up at Audrey, “Um? Well you see what had happened was…”

  Audrey rolled her eyes, bending down to look at one of the sticks that lay on the marble floor. When Audrey saw the two pink lines, her heart stopped, “You’re pregnant?”

  Fallon rolled onto her butt, looking up at Audrey as tears welled up in her eyes, “Yes.”

  “Oh my God!” Audrey shrieked. She dropped to her knees, crawling to Fallon to wrap her up in her arms. Forgetting her excitement that she was pregnant, Audrey hugged Fallon tightly as excitement for her took over. Audrey’s love for Fallon was soul deep and this was huge. Lucas wanted a baby so bad and even though Fallon was probably scared out of her mind because she was so busy from what she said, Audrey knew she had to be excited. Who wouldn’t be? It’s a baby! “This is so great! Did you tell Lucas? Is he excited!?”

  “No, I just accepted it like five minutes before you got here.”

  Audrey giggled, kissing Fallon’s cheek, “This is great!”

  Fallon looked into Audrey’s eyes, “I’m old.”

  “You are not!”

  “I am, and Aiden is almost eight and Lucas travels a lot and I’m still not where I want to be at the office or even the cellar. I want to be at the top and I can’t when I’m taking care of a newborn, an eight year old and my horny husband!!”

  Audrey giggled, “Yes you can, it’s a baby, Fal. A baby. This is your Happily Ever After.”

  A small grin went across Fallon’s face as she looked down at her hands, “Yours too, huh?”

  It was as if all the excitement from earlier hit Audrey ten times harder, “God, yes.”

  Audrey had never thought of it like that, probably because she never believed it would come true. She had always wanted to have a husband and baby. She accepted a long time ago that it would probably be just her, her closet, cupcakes, and a boyfriend here and there. But now, she was in love with her Prince and she was pregnant. With a baby.

  Tate’s baby.

  Fallon smiled and looked over at Audrey, “So I guess we’ll both have our Happily Ever After together.”

  “I guess we will, isn’t it great?”

  “I don’t know, I’m pregnant and I’ve only been married four months and I got a soon-to-be-eight year old and I’m old,” Fallon said with a look of distress on her face.

  Audrey giggled, “I’m pregnant and I’m not even married. My baby daddy has only been legal to drink for six months.”

  Both women looked at each other and started laughing. Fallon took in a deep breath before looking over at Audrey, “Gosh, what a pair we are!”

  “I know! We’re crazy!”

  “We’re having our babies together, Audrey, how does this happen?” Fallon asked her eyes wide and happy.

  “We’re two of the luckiest bitches in the world, that’s how!” she giggled as she held her stomach.

  “What is going on?”

  Fallon and Audrey looked up at the doorway, where their mother, Nora, stood with a confused look on her face as she looked down at the floor. Audrey knew that she was looking down at the tests, and they were about to have do some serious explaining. Fallon took in a deep breath when Nora bent down, and picked up one of the tests.

  “Girls?” she asked. Audrey watched as her eyes went wide before she looked down at the two speechless women, “Fallon? Audrey?”

  Audrey looked at Fallon as Fallon looked back at her. They both then looked up at Nora before pointing to each other, “She’s pregnant.”

  ~*~

  Audrey was still smiling when she pulled into her driveway. It was nuts, and insane, but this was her life. She was having a baby with Tate, and at the same time as Fallon. When she did the math, Fallon was two weeks later than Audrey. It was amazing, and she couldn’t wait.

  After going to the grocery, Audrey came home with bags of stuff for ‘We’re pregnant’ cupcakes and a nice romantic dinner for before she told Tate. She couldn’t help but think of all the reactions he was going to have. She knew none of them would be anger though; Tate wanted this just as much as she did. It wasn’t planned and Lord knew it was early in their relationship, but she didn’t care. She wanted this.

  Just as she shut off the ignition and was about to get out of the car, her phone singled a text from Tate.

  Have you heard “Wanted” by Hunter Haynes?

  Audrey shook her head as she wrote back, I haven’t, why?

  Download it, I am learning to play it for you.

  A smile came across her face, You are?

  I am, here is my favorite line of the song: ‘You know I'd fall apart without you, I don't know how you do what you do, ‘Cause everything that don't make sense about me, makes sense when I'm with you’. I love you Audrey.

  Tears came quick to her eyes, she couldn’t even blame it on her hormones, because she knew damn well it was because she would never love anyone the way she loved him. Wiping away the falling tears, she typed back: And I love you. So much more. See you soon.

  Very soon.

  Her heart kicked up in speed as she jumped out the car, and gathered her things. Making her way up the walkway, she went over what she needed to do first, which was put the chicken in the oven. She had also needed to put the ultrasound picture in the frame she had picked up at grocery. Audrey was running late, and hoped she could at least get the cupcakes half way done before Tate got there.

  She was almost to the door when she heard the gravel crunch in the driveway. She thought it was Lucas dropping Tate off, but when she turned, she saw Levi jump out of his car and come towards her.

  “Levi?”

  He looked up, and smiled, “Audrey, I’m sorry to come unannounced but I need to talk to you, here let me help you,” he said taking her bags in his hands despite her protest. He walked past her to the door and waited as Audrey unlocked the door.

  “Tate is going to be home soon,” she said as he walked passed her, laying her things on the counter as she shut the door, “so you need to be gone before he gets here, what do you need to talk about?”

  He turned, leaning against the island of her kitchen as he said, “You said you’d always be there for me.”

  Something wasn’t right. His eyes were wild and he was sweating. She didn’t even recognize him, he looked worried, trouble. She could tell that something was definitely off. As she lay her purse and keys down, she noticed that his hands were shaking too. She had spent eight months with this man, and she had never seen him so upset. “What’s wrong?”

  “I need you, Audrey, I can’t go on without you anymore,” he gasped coming to her, before taking her hands in his. “I love you.” Audrey took in a sharp breath as his wild eyes held her. “I love you so much and I can’t go on another day without you. I need you to be mine again, Audrey, I miss our life and you were right, we were meant to be together.”

  She had waited months for him to say that, but to hear him say it now, it meant nothing. She loved Tate, and only Tate. Plus, she had a feeling that he wasn’t being true. With Tate she never questioned his motives but there was something going on, and she didn’t trust anything Levi said. Shaking her head, she looked up into Levi’s eyes and said, “I’m sorry, Levi, but I don’t feel the same. I love someone else.”

  “No, you love me. No one will love you but me.”

  Audrey scoffed, “No, I love Tate and he loves me.”

  “No you don’t, we are meant to be together,” he said with annoyance on his face.

  “No, I’m meant to be with Tate. I’m pregnant.”

  He smiled, “Fantastic, I hope it’s a girl and she is as beautiful as you.”

  Audrey shook her head as her face twisted in confusion, “What? It isn’t yours.”

  “It has to be.”

  “It’s not, the baby is Tate’s.”r />
  “No, it’s mine!” he said sternly, his hands squeezing hers.

  Audrey jumped and took a step back, “No, it’s not! I think I would know who my baby’s daddy is and it isn’t you. It’s my boyfriend, the guy I’ve been with for almost three months. I don’t know what is wrong with you, but I don’t feel comfortable with you here anymore. You need to leave!”

  “Don’t talk to me like that,” he yelled taking a step towards her. Audrey moved around him, and went towards the door, her heart pounding as she threw it open before looking back at him. She didn’t like the way Levi’s eyes were full of anger or the way he his hands were clenched tightly in a fist. He needed to leave now. “NO! Don’t open that door! I’m not going anywhere! You will fucking love me. I love you and you will love me, you slut. And if you don’t love me, I will make sure no one will be able to love you. You fucking bitch!”

  “Go,” she screamed, trying to be stronger than what she felt. She was scared out of her mind, but she knew he wouldn’t do anything. Or at least she hoped he wouldn’t. “Don’t ever come back either. I don’t love you, and I want nothing to do with you. Now leave.”

  “You fucking fat ass bitch,” Levi sneered coming quickly towards her.

  Before Audrey couldn’t even say anything, his hand connected with the side of her face, knocking her into the wall. Her hand came up, covering her throbbing face as she leaned against the wall, trying to catch her breath. When Levi’s fist went through the wall beside her head, Audrey let out an ear piercing scream as pictures fell from the wall. He then took a hold of her face with his large hand.

  “You are disgusting!” Levi whispered as tears streamed down Audrey’s face over his large hands. She could hear her heart beat in her ears and she was pretty sure that Levi was going to break her face he was squeezing it so tightly. Her teeth cut into her cheeks and she tasted blood as he slammed her head back into the wall. When his other hand connected with the side of her face again, Audrey closed her eyes as she cried out in pain. She tried to push him off her, but he held her tight, squeezing her jaw, causing her to scream out in pain.

  How was this happening? Why did she let him in? “I am going to teach you that my love is the only love that is right for you, you fucking bitch!” Audrey wasn’t sure if it was her tears that made her face so wet, or if it was the spit from his mouth or maybe, it was even blood, she didn’t know, but her face was drenched. Levi slammed her head against the wall again and Audrey let out another scream.

  “Please, stop,” she cried.

  “No! I love you and if you don’t want me then no one will have you!”

  He slammed her head against the wall again and all Audrey could do was pray that he didn’t kill her baby. She didn’t care about her face, her body, but her baby was another story. He was too big, and she knew she couldn’t fight back; all she could do was protect her child and hope that they made it through this. But when Audrey slowly opened her eyes, only able to see a little since both her eyes were swelling up; she looked into Levi’s eyes and knew that he was going kill her.

  Audrey closed her eyes as his fist connected with her face again, knocking her down to the floor. Her whole body shook with pain and every time his fist met her body, white heat exploded as lights went off behind her eyes. When Levi started to kick her thighs while slamming his fist in the back of her head all she could do was hope it would be over soon. She prayed for Tate to come back and save her, but she knew he wouldn’t be home in time. Audrey slowly wrapped her arms around her waist and couldn’t help but think so much for her Happily Ever After because she was about to lose it all.

  Even her life.

  She was losing consciousness quickly, and her body was screaming in pain, but she swore she could hear Fallon.

  Was she there?

  “No, Fallon, run,” she whispered but that only rewarded her with Levi’s foot colliding with her mouth knocking what felt like teeth to the back of her throat.

  “Audrey, why aren’t you answering your cell!? You know it’s intense when I call your house phone! Oh my God, let me tell you what that fuck face asshole, Levi did! He has been embezzling money from Lucas for years! Lucas is freaking out, oh my God, where the hell are you!? Shit! Call me back!”

  It was the last thing Audrey heard before everything went black.

  Chapter 27

  “I can’t fucking believe this shit!”

  Tate nodded from the passenger side of Lucas’ Explorer. “It is bullshit, I’m sorry dude.”

  “It fucking sucks ‘cause I’m all over the news as the idiot whose best friend was stealing his money right out from underneath him. I am so fucking mad. Fallon is flipping out and no one can find the fucker. Let me see him, I swear to God, Tate, I’ll kill him!”

  “I don’t blame you, this is nuts.”

  Tate would be furious if his friend had been stealing money from him for almost a year too. Lucas got the call while they were in New York and it was already all over the NHL network because of the warrant that was issued for Levi’s arrest. It was crazy because Levi laundered almost five million dollars before Lucas’ accountant noticed. No one could believe it, Molly, Lucas’ mother, was heartbroken, and William was sending his lawyers to help Lucas’ lawyers build a case. Basically everyone wanted this guy to burn at the stake and Tate didn’t blame them one bit.

  When Lucas’ phone rang for the 100 time, Tate glanced down at his own, sending a text to Audrey as Lucas answered.

  “Hey baby, no, I don’t know, hold on,” Lucas said then he asked, “hey have you heard from Audrey?”

  Tate looked up, “About thirty minutes ago, why?”

  “Fallon says she is trying to get a hold of her but she isn’t answering.”

  Tate shrugged his shoulders as he dialed Audrey’s number, but it went straight to voicemail.

  That’s weird, Tate thought as he looked back at Lucas, “I don’t know. She isn’t answering my calls either.”

  “No, baby, surely not. Don’t think like that. It’s okay. I’ll have her call you once we get there. It’s okay baby, Fal, don’t stress,” Lucas said calmly before laying his phone in his lap, “I have to keep calm to keep her calm, she freaks about everything.”

  Tate smiled, “What is she freaking out about?”

  Lucas shook his head, “She says she is scared because she can’t get hold of Audrey and the cops can’t find Levi.”

  “So? Audrey is probably asleep, she has been sick.”

  “See, we know this, but Fallon isn’t rational, she thinks Levi went after Audrey, it’s a crazy thought that only my crazy wife--” Lucas’ words cut off as his face filled with worry. “You’ve got to fucking kidding me.”

  “What?” Tate looked out to where Lucas was looking and saw that there was a car in Audrey’s driveway. Lucas pressed on the gas, driving into Audrey’s yard and throwing the truck in park as he kicked opened the door.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Tate yelled.

  “Stay in the truck, Tate,” was all Lucas said before he jumped out the truck. Tate was right behind him though. Something wasn’t right. Rushing around the truck, and being only two steps behind Lucas, they made their way towards the front door of Audrey’s condo. Tate’s heart was pounding against his chest and he didn’t understand why. Something felt off. The door flew open and the last person he expected to see come out, walked out quickly.

  Levi.

  Lucas stopped and Tate barreled into him as Levi looked at both of them, his eyes full of shock. Levi looked crazy, his eyes were wide, his shirt was baggy in spots and he had open wounds on his face.

  “Tate, go back to the truck,” Lucas said slowly.

  “Fuck no,” Tate said moving beside him, “I’m not going to let you fuck your career up, just wait a minute,” he said taking a step towards Levi. “I wouldn’t move because Lucas is ready to kill you and I can’t guarantee your safety if you run. Audrey! Call the police!” Levi looked behind him, and then back at the guys bef
ore he nodded and slowly moved his hand into his pocket. When Audrey didn’t answer, Tate called out again, “Audrey!? Baby, do you hear me?”

  “Why is there blood on his hands?” Lucas asked. Levi looked up as a grin went across his face, and then he was off, making a mad dash for his car. He wasn’t fast enough though; Lucas caught him in no time, throwing him against the trunk of Audrey’s car and then grabbed him by the throat. Tate was frozen in place, a dreadful feeling was in the pit of his stomach and sweat was dripping down his temple as he stood in the frigid temperatures of January. He knew something was wrong. He just couldn’t get his legs to move towards Audrey’s condo.

  Looking back at Lucas, he saw him with Levi on the ground, his foot on his neck while he had his phone out in his palm. Tate looked back up at the house and started taking shaky steps towards the open door. “Audrey?” he called out again, hoping like hell that she would appear in the doorway smiling. When she didn’t, he called her name again and took each step slowly up the porch. He only got to the second step when Audrey’s limp feet came into view. Tate rushed up the stairs, pushing the door open to find her bloody body on the floor.

  “Oh my God,” he said before he rushed to her, picking her limp body up and wrapping her up in his arms. Her head fell back, blood dripping from it as he lightly shook her. “Oh my God, please, Audrey, baby, talk to me,” he said, turning her face up. Her eyes were swollen shut, her lips were busted and her face covered in bright red blood. “Audrey!” he yelled, shaking her more fiercely. When she didn’t wake, her brought her body closer to him. He moved his shaking hands to her throat, pressing his finger to her neck, not feeling a pulse. “Oh God, Audrey, no, baby, please, don’t leave me, please,” he said, hot tears pooling in his eyes and falling down his cheeks. His chest was aching, his heart beating so fast he was sure it was going to pop out of his chest and run away. His body was shaking uncontrollably and he wasn’t sure he was actually breathing. Holding her close, Tate didn’t know what he was going to do. He didn’t know how to move. He didn’t know how to think. “Baby, please, Audrey, love, talk to me, please, don’t leave me,” he cried once more, his lips dusting her temple as he held her close.