by Ancelli
“Like what?”
“She said Alicia cheated on me, that she wasn’t happy long before we broke up.” Perry sighed.
“And you believed her?”
“At that point, I would’ve believed anything. I was beyond hammered, and Lorie started coming on to me, and one thing led to another and me and Lorie ended up in the bar bathroom up against the wall. I swear, when I started kissing Lorie, I saw Alicia.”
“Really?” Marco laughed. “I don’t see the resemblance.”
“Funny.” Perry scooted back. “Alicia brainwashed me from the moment we met. And then I woke up the next morning with a headache and the memory of what took place the night before.”
“How did you feel?”
“Like shit, physically and emotionally. I felt like I betrayed Alicia even though we were over.” Perry scratched his neck. “I hadn’t slept with anyone else, from the moment I touched Alicia. Lorie was supposed to be a one-time thing, but as you know, it wasn’t.”
“Tiffany.”
Perry smiled, thinking of his three-year-old. “Yes, the news of Tiffany ended any chance I had with Alicia and Mia.”
~~~
Four years ago
Perry and Mia strolled through the kitchen of the fast-food restaurant, heading to the back office like he always did when picking up Alicia. If he waited for her in the car, she would never stop talking with her co-workers. He was having a shitty day; the mortgage deal he was working on that would have given him a nice commission had fallen through. Perry needed that money. It was time to propose to Alicia. They’d been together nine years and shared a beautiful three-year-old daughter. This final step would seal the deal. Life couldn’t get any better, even though the communication between him and Alicia had deteriorated in the last couple of months. They both worked long hours. Perry still worked at the garage to make extra money and Alicia was now a general manager, but on the weekends she worked at the airport, cleaning planes. The only time they saw each other was when he picked her up, and before bedtime. They’d purchased a small house in a great neighborhood and they both now drove decent cars. One thing they never lost focus on was spending time with Mia as a family. Every Friday, he would drop off Alicia and pick her up, and then they would do something that involved all of them.
“Mr. P?” Talia, an energetic teenage girl who worked with Alicia, called out to him as he passed by. He shook his head; how many times had he asked her to call him Perry? Calling him “mister” made him feel old instead of being twenty-six. “Hey, Mia!” She bent down in front of his daughter. “You’re getting so big. How old are you now?”
“Three!” Mia grinned, showing off her pearly whites and lifting three fingers in the air.
Talia stood, wiping her hands on her apron. “You must be very proud of your girlfriend-wifey.”
“Always.” Perry was beyond proud of Alicia. She’d graduated with a degree in marketing and a minor in business, all while raising their baby, working two and sometimes three jobs so they could make ends meet. In turn, she’d pushed him to go back to school. He’d studied real estate at nights while he worked at the garage full-time, and the one time he’d gone downtown and gotten back into the ring because they were short on funds, he’d ended up in the ER after a brutal fight. Alicia had given him an ultimatum: fighting or them. Of course he chose his family, and now he was slowly making it at a mortgage broker.
“She was so lucky to get promoted,” Talia continued.
Perry had no idea what the young girl was talking about. “Promoted?” Perry mouthed. “She’s already in management.” Alicia had climbed up from being the teen cashier to now being the general manager. She worked Mondays through Fridays, nine to five, and still worked on the weekends. He often wondered why she stayed at McDonald’s, and then he would realize they never took her for granted, and somehow, she enjoyed smelling like burgers.
“Now, but soon she’ll be working at Corporate in Chicago. That’s awesome!” She beamed.
Perry raised an eyebrow. What the hell was she talking about?
“I mean, they picked her out of all those snobs to be the marketing project manager. Her degree finally paid off!” The girl’s eyes sparkled as she talked about Alicia. “I want to be just like her.”
He was confused; Alicia never mentioned applying for a position out of town. “Can you watch Mia for a few minutes?”
“Of course, let me clock out for my break.” Talia took Mia’s hand and stopped at the front, then took her to the playground.
Perry walked into Alicia’s office as she talked to one of her assistant managers.
“We need to place an order by Monday,” she continued after she gave Perry a smile. “Give me one minute,” she told Perry. “And make sure the kids aren’t working over the hours stated,” Alicia said, powering down her computer. “Where’s Mia?”
“With Talia in the playground.” Perry grabbed the doorknob. “Larry, can I speak to Alicia for a minute?”
She closed the binder in front of her and then looked up at Perry. “It can’t wait?”
“No,” he stated harshly.
“Sure.” Larry walked out and Perry closed the door behind him.
“When the hell were you going to tell me you accepted a job in Chicago?” Perry cracked his neck, watching her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“When, Perry?” Alicia tilted her head. “When was I supposed to tell you?”
“What do you mean ‘when’?”
“You don’t have time. We hardly see each other anymore.” She placed her hands on her small desk. “Why would I tell you that I applied for a position I had no business applying for in the first place? I didn’t know I had a chance.”
Perry stared at her, wanting to ask why she didn’t think she deserved to be in the running, but he kept it to himself.
“I was overwhelmed when I got the call yesterday saying that I got the job.” Alicia’s eyes sparkled. “I couldn’t believe I was selected.”
“You found out yesterday and you didn’t tell me?” He continued to glare at her.
“I was thinking of a way to tell you,” she said softly. “I know your family is here, and you wouldn’t want to leave them; however, this is a great opportunity for me. All the hard work has paid off if—”
Perry cut her off. “You’re not taking that fucking job.” He couldn’t just up and leave his aunt alone. She was all he had, outside of Alicia and Mia.
“Excuse me?” She stood. “I don’t see a ring here.” Alicia wiggled her finger. “Who are you to tell me what I can and can’t do? It’s double what I’m making now. Why can’t we relocate to Chicago?”
“I’m not relocating to Chicago,” he said in a stern voice. “Did you think about me and my career?” Perry was doing great at the firm. Why wasn’t she seeing his point of view?
“What career?” Alicia chuckled sarcastically. “This is the best for us both; we won’t have to worry about living from paycheck to paycheck. You can find a mortgage firm there.”
Perry clenched his jaw. She must think he was a joke. “You’re so fucking selfish, always thinking of yourself and no one else. After everything I’ve done for you and you throw this in my face?”
Alicia’s bottom lip dropped. “You want to talk about sacrifices?” she yelled. “Everything I’ve done since I was eighteen has revolved around you!” She pointed at him. “We did everything you wanted us to do.” Her eyes shone with unshed tears. “I turned down going to UCLA because of you…” Tears ran down her cheeks. “And the one time I ask you to sacrifice something for me you say no without even thinking about it, and then you call me selfish. Really!” she yelled.
“Wait.” Perry’s heart ached he’d never known Alicia had been accepted to UCLA. He felt like shit. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“The same reason you didn’t tell me you were still street fighting all these years behind my back,” she blurted out. “You really think I didn’t know you were still stepping in the ri
ng before you landed in the ER? I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to undermine you.” She swallowed. “Because you wanted to provide for me and Mia at any cost? Well, now you don’t have to. Let me do it, for once.”
“Alicia.” He took a deep breath. “I’m a man, and I will take care of my family.”
“Like you have?” She stared back at him. Gone was the sparkle in her eyes. “I am so grateful for all the sacrifices you’ve made for us, but it’s time for me to do what I want.” Alicia picked up her purse.
Perry’s temples began to throb. This isn’t where their relationship was supposed to go. “Maybe we need to take a break, to see if this is what we really want.”
“No…” Alicia touched her chest, taking a deep breath. “Not maybe. I think this,” she pointed at herself and then at him, “is over. If you really think all I think about is myself, then we don’t know each other as I thought. You can pick up your shit tonight.”
His eyebrow rose in shock. That wasn’t what he’d expected to hear. He’d assumed she would say “no, I don’t want a break” and “I’m not going to Chicago.” Instead, it had backfired on him. “You’re not talking Mia to Chicago.” Perry stated.
“Watch me.” Alicia thinned her lips as she picked up her work phone and dialed. She wiped her tears with her fingertips. “Mr. Hathaway, good afternoon. This is Ms. Alicia Stone.” Fresh tears began rolling down her cheeks. “After much consideration, I’ve decided to accept the position.”
Perry took a deep breath, she hadn’t accepted the position until just then. Say you’re sorry, he scolded himself, but his ego wouldn’t allow him to apologize. “Find yourself home.” He opened the door and slammed it shut.
He stormed out of the restaurant to the playground and grabbed Mia. “Let’s go see Tia Lola, sweetheart.”
Later that evening, he drove up to their apartment complex and all his stuff was scattered over the front lawn. Mia unbuckled herself, and they walked up the pathway.
“Daddy!” His little girl picked up his shirt. “Yours…” She helped him pick up the pieces of his life.
Perry and Alicia had argued before, but it had never led to them saying goodbye.
He’d fucked up, big-time.
“Mia.” Alicia opened the front door. “Dinner is ready.”
Their little girl ran up to her mama as he continued to pick up his shit.
He walked up to the door with his clothes in his arms and she placed her hands against his chest. “You are no longer welcome here.” Her eyes were puffy.
“Alicia.” He gazed at her. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t. What we said can’t be taken back. You can pick Mia up on Thursdays and Fridays from my parents’ house, and we can discuss child support and visitation in court.”
“Really, we don’t need to go to court.” Perry’s grip on his things got tighter, as he tried to keep his hands to himself, because he wanted to hold her in his arms. “I will never fight you on anything to do with our baby. You can’t let nine years go down the drain because of a fucking job.”
“This isn’t about a fucking job.” She grabbed the door, and slammed it in his face. Perry shook his head. Nine fucking years and she choose leaving him versus fighting for their relationship.
Weeks later, he begged her to stay, but Alicia wouldn’t listen to him.
Saying goodbye to Mia two months later was the hardest thing he had ever done.
“I love you, Daddy.” Mia hugged him tight.
“I love you to infinity and beyond.” kissed the side of her head. “Princess, whenever you need to talk to me, let mommy know and she will call me.” He felt her tears on his shirt, and he clenched his jaw. “Don’t cry, baby girl. I’m going to come visit you as soon as I can.”
“You promise?” she whispered in his ear.
“I promise…” Perry gazed at Alicia as she waited for Mia. They were driving over twenty hours to get to Chicago. “Are you sure you don’t want me to drive down there with you?” he asked her.
“No.” Alicia said, not able to look at him. “This road trip is going to be fun. Right, Mia?”
Mia wiped her tears and smiled. “Yes, Mommy.”
Perry buckled his heartbeat into her car seat, and gave her one final kiss. “Daddy loves you muñecita.” She blew him a kiss.
“Yo tambien, papi…”
Mia’s Spanish was getting so good, and now she’d probably lose it, being away from his family.
He closed the door, holding back the deep emotion he was feeling. Perry wanted to say, “you can’t fucking leave me,” but he didn’t have the right to. They’d come to an agreement about Mia. Alicia stepped away and he grabbed her wrist, pulling her close to him. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and hugged her tight. “How did we get here?” He inhaled her sweet scent. “You are my forever…don’t do this.”
Alicia gently moved away, and cupped his cheeks. “I will always love you, but we both made sacrifices for each other and didn’t even know it. If we are meant to be, this distance shouldn’t matter.”
“We are meant to be, Alicia,” he pleaded. “Marry me.” Perry rushed his words.
She smirked. “This is what it took for you to ask me to be your wife? I will never make you do what you really don’t want to.” Alicia walked around the car to the driver’s seat.
“Alicia…I asked you when you told me you were pregnant!” He took a deep breath; it was as if someone had punched him in the stomach.
She shook her head. “You don’t get it.” Alicia opened the car door.
“Please don’t go,” he begged.
“Bye, Perry.” she got in.
“Bye, Daddy!” Mia yelled as they drove off.
Perry’s hand balled into a fist and he punched the hood of his car, causing a dent and making the alarm go off. A single tear rolled down his cheek. He wiped it away. “No tears. You’re a fucking man,” he said to himself as his cell rang. He didn’t even look at the caller ID. “What!” he roared.
“Hey, are you okay?” Lorie asked, concerned. She worked in the cubicle right next to him. She was a nice person, always willing to help him out whenever she could. Lorie would always ask about Alicia and Mia, saying how lucky Alicia was to have him. On the other hand, Alicia usually give people the benefit of the doubt, but she’d never warmed up to Lorie. She said something seemed off with the woman.
“What do you want?”
“Whoa…you don’t have to be rude. Kevin wanted me to call and congratulate you on your last deal. He wants to celebrate tonight. Should I tell him you won’t be there, since you stopped your girlfriend from leaving?” She paused. “Or did she leave?”
“Tell Peter I will be there.” Perry hung up. He hadn’t even gotten to tell Alicia about the last commission he’d landed. He’d finally be able to put a decent down payment on an Infiniti RLX they’d looked at, once. So much he’d wanted for them and now it seemed they would get it, but miles apart from each other.
~~~
The night his life changed…
Three months later, Perry was at a bar, drinking like he normally did after work since Alicia and Mia had left town. He hated being in an empty house, staring at the four walls, regretting not saying anything after Talia had told him about the promotion. Alicia seemed happy at her new job, and Mia talked about all the new friends and things she had.
Someone touched him on the shoulder.
He turned and nodded. It was his beautiful co-worker Lorie. She was wearing a short dress showcasing her long legs. He missed caressing Alicia’s brown, toned calves when she came home sore from work.
“Do you mind?” She pointed at the chair.
Perry placed the tumbler down, and pulled out the stool. “Why would I mind sitting next to a gorgeous woman?” He winked. “You’re a beautiful woman.”
“Thanks…” Lorie’s lips turned up as she got on the stool. “Are you drunk?”
He chuckled, placing his thumb and index finger together. �
��A little.”
“Yes,” the bartender chimed in. “He surrendered his keys. What can I get you?” he asked.
“Two apple martinis,” Lorie said. “I’m going to try to catch up with him.”
The bartender shook his head. “Do I need your keys, too?”
“Oh no.” She giggled. “I was only kidding. My max is two.”
Perry picked up his tumbler and raised it. “To fucking broken hearts.” He took the last gulp of his drink. “Another one, make it a double.”
“Your last one.” The bartender placed her drinks in front of her, and then minutes later set Perry’s down. “You’re done for the night.”
“Whatever!” He raised his voice and then took another gulp. “Do you know how much I fucking love my Alicia?”
Lorie placed her hand on his leg. “I know, but she didn’t love you enough. If I had a man like you to come home to every day, I would be very happy. You’re a great guy. She’s a fool to let you go.” She picked up her glass and downed the green liquid in one sip, then gasped. “Think about it, Perry.”
“What?” he asked, placing the tumbler down.
“A woman doesn’t up and leave a man she claims to love, unless she wasn’t happy or…” She watched him closely.
“Or?” He gripped the glass.
“Or she already had another man,” Lorie crossed her legs. “I don’t think this happened out of nowhere.”
“Shut the fuck up!” Perry growled at Lorie. He could never imagine Alicia doing anything like what Lorie just mentioned. “You don’t know my Alicia.”
“I might know her better than you think.” Lorie took a sip of her drink. “I’m a woman, Perry. I bet she’s with a man right now.”
Perry turned, clenching his jaw. He knew he mustn’t be in his right senses; he took a long sip of the brown liquor and slammed the glass down, shattering it to pieces. “Alicia would never betray me.”
