Redemption

by Jaimie Roberts

  “Well, that’s no way to greet someone on the phone.”

  I would recognize that voice anywhere. “Jimmy! Where the fuck have you been?”

  “Just shut the fuck up and listen. You got to get out here, Dean.”

  I sighed. “Where? Where the fuck are you?”

  “Virginia, of course.” Jimmy sighed a little. “Listen, I know she’s fucking missing you. She’s got a face like a slapped—”

  “Hey, you watch what you fucking say about her.”

  Jimmy laughed. “Sorry, man. Anyway, you need to come and see for yourself. But there’s another reason you really need to be here.”

  I was trying to figure out where this was going. “She’s not back with that fucking chump, is she?”

  Jimmy chucked. “No. It’s nothing to do with that—”

  “Then what the fuck is it?” I interrupted.

  “I can’t tell you something like this over the phone, Dean. This is something you really need to see for yourself.”

  I fucking hated it when Jimmy did this cryptic shit. “Fine! I’m going to book the next flight over.”

  “Good. Text me the details and I’ll come pick you up at the airport.”

  “Sure thing. Thanks, Jimmy.”

  “No sweat.”

  I hung up and got online to book a flight. As soon as that was done, I texted Jimmy the details and packed a suitcase. I didn’t know how long I would be gone, but I packed enough for a long stretch. This time, I wasn’t leaving without her. It was all or nothing now.

  Once I was checked in at the airport, I sat down in the first class lounge and had time to dwell on whatever the hell Jimmy was talking about. Everything I thought of ended badly, so I thought it best to not think about it at all. It might be something, or it might be nothing. No point stewing on something I had no fucking idea about.

  On the flight, I tried to sleep, but it was no fucking good. I wanted to try and be alert to adjust to Eastern Daylight Time as quickly as possible. I needed to focus, but my mind had other ideas. I was too pumped to even think about trying to rest.

  Once we landed and the long, arduous process of getting through visa control and customs was over, my suitcase and I made the trip outside to freedom. Jimmy was there and holding up a fucking sign that had Dean Fellatio written on it.

  “Not fucking funny, dickwad.”

  Jimmy smiled. “And it’s so fucking nice to see you, too.”

  I shook my head and Jimmy threw the sign in the bin. “So, where are you taking me?”

  “Well, first off, I rented a house about twenty minutes away from Tyler.”

  I nodded. “Nice thinking.”

  Jimmy smiled. “Thanks. The only problem is, I now have to fucking share the place with a pain in the arse.”

  I closed my eyes and sighed my frustration. “You know, you’re taking this friendship of ours to a whole fucking other level. You really should know your place, Jimmy. You do still work for me, you know.” I looked at him with a smile as he grabbed my suitcase and hauled it into a Ford Focus. “Please tell me you’re not driving me in this piece of shit?”

  Jimmy shrugged. “They’re reliable cars, Dean.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t fucking care if it runs until I’m eighty. I’m not driving in this.”

  Jimmy shook his head. “You take your cars a little too seriously.” He opened the door and motioned for me to get in. “Come on. I’ll take you around to the car hire companies. I’m sure you’ll be able to pick up something more to your liking.”

  I smiled. “Now, that’s what I’m talking about.”

  We drove the five minutes around to the car hire place where I asked for the best they got. They offered a Ford Mustang, but I turned that down for a Cadillac CTS. It had tinted windows, which was always good for spying on people. I should know. I was a fucking expert at it by now.

  I ordered Sat Nav so I knew where the hell I was going, signed a couple of forms, paid the gentleman, and I was handed the keys. I didn’t know how long I would need it for, so I ordered it for two weeks. I didn’t need to be worrying about bringing the car back in the next couple of days. I had more important things to place all my energy into.

  “I know it will be hard, Dean, but try to follow me without feeling the need to overtake and drive like a fucking maniac.”

  I huffed and opened my door. “Just get in the damn car, Jimmy.” I shook my head and saw him laughing. He had something up his sleeve and I’d be damned if I didn’t want to shake it out of him.

  I was patient, though. I followed Jimmy and we arrived at a detached cul-de-sac in Reston. Jimmy opened the garage door and both of us drove in. I loved that about America. Everything was made big. There was no shortage of space for anything.

  As I got out of the car, Jimmy opened the boot and pulled out my case. “So, what do you think?”

  I swung the door shut. “You’ve done well. How did you find it?”

  “I was staying at a hotel in DC, but it was too far away. I went to this bar in Georgetown and bumped into some female locals.” I saw a little mischievous glint in his eye, so I kind of knew what happened next. “They were very…eager to help me. One of them has a sister who is away in Paris for six months and this place was sitting empty. I offered the right price, she contacted her sister, and the rest is history. Of course, the sister, Kimberly, likes to pop by from time to time to make sure I’m okay.” He smiled.

  I smiled back. “I bet she fucking does. Does she bring you muffins?”

  Jimmy laughed. “She loves it when I eat her fucking muffin. It’s just the right taste and texture.”

  I shook my hand in front of me. “I don’t want to fucking know, Jimmy. Shit.”

  He laughed. “I don’t have any muffins in the house for you, but I can offer you a hot dog. Maybe you’d like to suck on that?”

  My fists clenched as I glared at him with an unamused smile. “You little fucking shit.”

  Jimmy ran into the house and I came thundering after.

  “Sorry, man. I couldn’t resist that.” He was on one of the fluffy couches in the living room, spluttering with laughter. You could tell a woman lived there. Everything was colored in soft pinks or lilacs. The cushions on the sofa had pictures of cats on them, and above her fireplace hung a very large provocative picture of a woman, who I assumed was the owner. She was brunette with long eyelashes, pouted lips, and big tits. She was attractive, but didn’t hold a candle to Tyler. No woman ever did.

  “I know. She’s a beauty. I must have jacked off about five times over that picture already.” Jimmy smiled and I shook my head.

  “You’re fucking disgusting, you know that?”

  Jimmy shrugged. “I’m a man, Dean. I can’t help it if I find the opposite sex attractive, and I certainly can’t help it when they throw themselves at me. I mean, fucking hell. If I’d have known just how fucking horny these American women were, I would have moved here ages ago.”

  I laughed a little, but didn’t say anything else. I knew that Jimmy was just like I was only a few months ago. There are only so many women you could go through to try and take your pain away. It never fucking worked and all it ended up doing was leaving you just as fucking depressed and unsatisfied as ever. Jimmy needed to realize that for himself, though. I was sure he would at some point, if he hadn’t already. He may still be in denial. It was while thinking about this that a thought occurred to me.

  “You’ve not been seeing that Tara chick we met at the bar?”

  Jimmy smiled mischievously. “Yeah, I have, actually. I made up all that shit about Kimberly. It’s only Tara’s muffin I’ve been eating since I got here.” He winked at me and I wanted to throw one of those fluffy pillows at his head.

  “You’re a fucking numptyhead, do you know that?”

  Jimmy laughed. “I honestly did meet someone at the bar, but it was a bloke. This,” he pointed at the picture, “is his sister.”

  I shook my head, but saw the time on the clock
over the fireplace. “It’s close to five, Jimmy. I need to know what’s happening.”

  He cleared his throat and sat up. “Shit. I didn’t realize it was so late. You need to go to her house. Do you want me to come?” I shook my head. “Don’t go knocking on her door straight away. Just sit and wait until five-thirty. You’ll see what’s going on then.”

  I frowned, but nodded. I was determined to find out what the fuck he was talking about.

  My keys in hand, I thanked Jimmy and headed back out to the car. I started her up and backed out of the garage. I had to laugh as I was doing exactly what Tyler used to do when she parked in a space. I never pull into a space front first. I always back in, but I had pulled right into the garage. I suppose she was rubbing off on me in more ways than one.

  I got on the highway, but traffic was starting to build up. It took a bit longer than I thought, but I was outside her house at five-twenty. I didn’t know why I had to wait. It took everything in my willpower not to get out of the car and knock on her door. I trusted Jimmy, though, and had to find out for myself what the hell he was talking about. At a little after five-thirty, a car pulled up in front of the house. A woman got out, then I saw Tyler open the front door. She smiled, opened her arms, and knelt down. The other woman had the passenger door open and I was craning my neck, desperate to see who was going to emerge from the car.

  And then it happened. A little boy, no more than about four-years-old, jumped from the car and leapt into Tyler’s arms. I gasped, unable to breathe. She had a son?

  The confirmation came when the little boy shouted, “Mommy!” He hugged her neck tightly.

  “How was the party, Jeremy?”

  The little boy looked around to the lady who brought him home and smiled. “It was great! They had a clown and everything.”

  Tyler gasped. “They did?”

  The little boy nodded and Tyler looked at the other lady. She was talking to her, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying.

  The little boy edged out of Tyler’s arms and came running to the letterbox. He stopped when he got there and looked over in my direction.

  My heart stopped. The minute his eyes locked onto mine, I knew. He couldn’t possibly be anybody else’s son. He definitely had my eyes. He had Tyler’s hair, but there was no mistaking the signature blue eyes my family seemed to inherit. He was simply beautiful.

  As my heart remained in my mouth, Jeremy smiled and pulled out a couple of items from the letterbox. He ran back up to Tyler just as she was saying goodbye to the other lady. Tyler went in, holding Jeremy’s hand, and the other lady drove off.

  As they shut the door behind them, I was left with my mind completely fucking blown. I didn’t know what to do. I was stuck to the fucking seat like my life depended on it. She had a child and she never told me? Why? Why would she do something like that to me? I couldn’t fucking believe that shit. Why had I never seen Jeremy before? None of it really added up.

  My phone rang. I picked it up, Jimmy sighing on the other end. “I guess you know by now?”

  I buried my head in my hand. “How could she not tell me she had a kid?”

  “It wasn’t just that, Dean. Have you seen him? He couldn’t look more like you if he tried. The only resemblance to Tyler is his hair.”

  I knew it to be true, but hearing Jimmy confirm it undid me. “Fuck!” I slammed my hand onto the steering wheel.

  “Don’t lose it, Dean. I know you’ve just had a major shock, but don’t do something you might regret.”

  I shook my head, finding clarity in my thoughts. “I won’t, Jimmy. I won’t.”

  He sighed. “Okay. I’ll leave you to it. Good luck, man. I’ll be waiting for you.”

  I rubbed my hand over my face. “Thanks.”

  He ended the call and I just sat there, feeling dizzy. How could she have had a kid and not told me? Where the hell was he the whole time I was pursuing Tyler? What the fuck am I going to do now?

  Shit, I didn’t know. All I knew was I had to get out of this car and look that boy in the eyes. I had to be certain he was mine. Then, and only then, I could begin to ask the question why. The thought that she had my child all on her own, without my help or support, killed me. It actually hurt more than knowing she kept it from me. I always dreamt Tyler and I would have kids one day, but not like this. I had dreams of being there with her every step of the way. Through any sickness, any aches and pains and, most precious of all, our first scan together. I wanted to be there when Tyler squealed that the baby was kicking. I wanted to be able to place my hand on her belly and feel my son’s or daughter’s foot against my hand.

  I wanted all those things. However, being without all of that was a punishment I deserved. Tyler, on the other hand, didn’t. Not one single fucking bit.

  Closing my eyes, I sighed before opening my car door and stepping out. I knew I had to see him for myself. I had to know that he was definitely mine. If I was right about his age, it puts Tyler and me together when she conceived.

  As I approached the door, I heard laughter coming from inside of the house. The sound was so hypnotic, it made me stop in my tracks and listen for a moment. It was the sound of Jeremy’s laughter.

  As I neared the side of the house, I looked through the cracks of a dodgy-looking wooden fence. Jeremy was riding around in a toy car. It was a Ferrari, of course. It made me smile a little, but the wooden fence didn’t. That needed to be remedied as soon as possible.

  When I got closer, Jeremy looked up through the gaps in the fence. I thought he would scream for Tyler. Instead, he got off the car and came running to the fence to look at me. I kept my distance, but knelt down and smiled at him.

  “Hi,” Jeremy said with a cute America accent.

  “Hey, yourself. How are you doing today, little buddy?”

  Jeremy crinkled up his little nose. “I’m not little anymore. I’m nearly four.”

  My eyes widened. “Really? That’s big. When will you be four?”

  “On September fourth.”

  It was hard to try and keep my cool once he revealed this. I did the quick math in my head and it wasn’t hard to figure out the time she conceived. Fuck, I had been such a dick.

  I stared at this boy in wonderment. How could something so beautiful be born from such an ugly situation? How could I have ever done this to her?

  “You’re the man from the black, shiny car.”

  I nodded. “Yes, I am.”

  “I like cars.”

  I started laughing. “Me, too. Very much.”

  Jeremy frowned. “Are you a friend of Mommy’s? You have the same voice as hers.”

  I frowned, then realized he must mean my accent. “Yes. You’re mummy and I have known each other ever since we were little. In fact, your mum was only a couple of years older than you when we met.”

  Jeremy got closer and stared at me. His eyes were rather hypnotic. He was simply stunning. “What’s your name?”

  “Jeremy, what are you doing?” Tyler stepped out of the side door and saw me standing there. She stopped dead in her tracks and placed her hand on her chest. She looked stunning with her long, blonde hair, sparkly green eyes, and floral summer dress. She looked every bit the beautiful young mother I always thought she would be.

  For a while, nothing was said. We stared, Tyler with her mouth open, whilst Jeremy looked between us both. Tyler eventually swallowed and looked at Jeremy for a moment before meeting my eyes again.

  “What are you doing here?” She didn’t seem angry, and she didn’t seem upset. At least that was something.

  “Mommy, your friend has a nice shiny car like mine.” Jeremy beamed and I couldn’t help the little chuckle that escaped me.

  “That’s great, honey. Listen, can you do mummy a favor and put your toys away in the living room? I’m going to make something to eat soon.”

  Jeremy sighed. “But I want to talk to your friend.”

  Tyler’s eyes widened. “Jeremy, please. I need to speak with…my fr
iend for a moment.”

  Jeremy huffed, pursed his lips, and stormed into the house.

  Tyler moved closer to the fence. “Why did you come back?”

  “I had to. I don’t belong anywhere except where you are.”

  Tyler closed her eyes for a moment. She looked like she was in pain, and I hated that I did that to her. “I thought I made myself clear.”

  I stood rigid. “And so did I.” We fell silent for a moment, just staring at one another. I knew there were things she wanted to say, but the words seemed to be stuck in her mouth. “Can I come in?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  I sighed. “Tyler, are you shitting me? Have you completely ignored the obvious fact that you had a child and didn’t tell me? I think I have a right to come in for an explanation.” I sighed again and ran my fingers through my hair. “Don’t shut me out. I know I did wrong, but this,” I gestured with my hands towards the house, “is something I need to know. I want you to at least give me that much.”

  Tyler covered her eyes with her hand, then looked back at me. “Okay,” she sighed. “Come around the front and I’ll let you in.”

  Tyler disappeared and I quickly ran around to the front door. She opened it, an eager Jeremy standing next to her.

  “Do you want to see my action men?”

  I laughed again. He was certainly a bubbly boy. I loved that. “Sure thing, Grown-up. Lead the way.”

  Jeremy giggled. “Grown-up?”

  I nodded. “You’re a big boy now, aren’t you, Jeremy? A grown-up?”

  Jeremy shook his head. It was the funniest thing I ever saw. “You’re silly,” he stated, taking my hand and leading me into the living room. Once there, Jeremy sat down and I sat with him.

  Tyler sighed. “Would you like a beer? I have some in the fridge.”

  I looked up at her and smiled. “A beer would be good.”

  Tyler nodded and disappeared down the hall. In those few seconds, I was able to properly take in her living conditions. The place was clean, bright, and spacious. At least she was living as she should be. It also didn’t take a genius to figure out that Jeremy had everything he wanted. He was damn lucky to have a mother like Tyler.