by Rachel Hanna
Maybe things would fall into place. She’d get her divorce, have her baby and start her life over completely. It wouldn’t be easy, but it’d be worth it.
As she rolled out of bed, she could feel the difference in her body immediately. The baby was starting to move more, and she could finally feel the flutters of activity in there. Her stomach was tightening over the growing baby bump, and she knew her time hiding it was limited.
“Good morning, baby,” she whispered for the first time. She hadn’t dared talk to the baby yet for fear she’d grow attached to it and not be able to let it go. But now that fear was gone, and she wanted to bond with that precious life growing inside of her as early as possible. She thought for a moment about the baby’s father, Eric, and wondered how he could not care about his child. She had greatly overestimated his character.
When she thought about her own father and what he’d missed out on raising his kids, it was hard to imagine a father willingly giving that relationship up. But she knew that fathers - and mothers - made that choice everyday all across the world. Still, it was a sad choice to make.
“I’m your momma,” she continued whispering to the baby as she sat on the side of her bed. “We’re going to have lots of fun together. I want you to know I’m going to do my best to be a good mother and teach you everything you need to know in this world. I had a big family, and you’re going to have lots of cool uncles who want to take care of you and protect you. And maybe one day you’ll even have a brother or sister.”
She hoped that was true. That some man out there would love her and she’d love him, and he could be trusted with her heart. And that he’d have such a big heart that he could love someone else’s child and protect them with his life. Maybe it was a fairy tale, but she was still holding out hope that men like that existed out there. Somewhere.
She was broken out of her conversation with the baby by her ringing cell phone. It was early in the morning for anyone who really knew her to call, so she ran across the room to grab it before it woke anyone else in the house up.
“Hello?”
“Addison? It’s Helen,” she heard her attorney say. The woman was as old as dirt with wrinkles that seemed so deep they might show her bones underneath soon. She smoked like a freight train, and her gravelly voice was impossible to miss.
“Oh, hi, Helen. Something wrong?” Addison asked, her stomach already knotting up.
“You might wanna sit down for this one,” she said, stopping mid sentence for a cough and then what sounded like a drag of her cigarette. Addison was starting to regret investing what little money she had into this woman. Hasty decisions end up making situations like this worse.
Addison sat down in the chair beside her dresser. “Okay, I’m sitting.”
“I’ll just cut right to the chase. Jim’s attorneys have drawn up papers where Jim gets everything. The house. The bank accounts. The cars.”
“How is that possible?”
“Well, he’s claiming you didn’t deny your infidelity and there’s nothing proving he was ever unfaithful to you. You got any text messages or emails or anything showing his affair?”
“No. We always talked in person… or argued, rather. Sometimes we had phone conversations, but Jim hates to text and he never emailed me. He was careful, Helen. He’s a freaking attorney. No offense.”
“None taken. And I agree. He’s a rat bastard. But he’s a rat bastard with a lot of power around here, and he’s throwing it around something fierce right now.”
“Shouldn’t I automatically get half of everything?”
“No. Georgia isn’t a community property state. We have something called equitable distribution. That means anything bought or earned during the marriage is supposed to be distributed equitably. But, here’s the issue. Jim knows you have limited funds right now, and he knows you don’t want to spend your whole pregnancy fighting. He’s going to use that to either drag this out or force your hand.”
“This isn’t fair…”
“No, it’s not. But his plan, from what I’ve heard through the grapevine, is reveal your infidelity, your pregnancy, the whole thing. Ruin your career and reputation. So, sweetie, in the end you might get your used car back and a few thousand bucks that he hasn’t hidden yet, but you’ll be screwed as far as your career and reputation.”
Addison couldn’t catch her breath. She leaned over, as far as she could anyway, and stuck her head between her knees. She could hear Helen calling her name, but honestly she blacked out for a few moments as her whole life flashed before her eyes. How could she ever start over with nothing? It wasn’t fair! She’d contributed a lot to their home and finances, and now she was just supposed to walk away with nothing at all?
“Addison? You there?” Helen called once more. Addison regained her senses for a moment.
“Yeah. Sorry…”
“I’ve also put together some information on adoption like you asked…”
“No need, Helen. I’m not giving my baby up for adoption. I’m going to raise my baby.” A shocked gasp came from somewhere else in the room, and she turned to see her mother standing in the doorway with her hand over her mouth and stifling a huge smile. She gave Addison a thumbs up.
Addison said her goodbyes to Helen and hung up her phone. Adele walked silently across the room and hugged her daughter tight.
“It’s going to be okay. You made the right decision, Addy,” she whispered into Addison’s thick brown hair.
“I sure hope so, because I’m starting over with nothing. Literally. This whole divorce thing couldn’t be worse,” she said. She explained the whole phone call, and Adele’s face showed the anger brewing underneath. She didn’t want to cause her mother’s blood pressure to go up, so she tried to act nonchalant about it.
“Sweetie, you’re strong. You’re going to get through this and be better than ever. The Parker women always come out on top, you hear me?” her mother said, grabbing her by the shoulders and looking her in the eyes.
“I hear you,” Addison said smiling. “And maybe one day soon I’ll believe you.”
After excusing herself and telling her mother she needed some exercise, Addison found herself walking around the downtown January Cove area before going to work at Jolt. Memories of her formative years flooded her mind as she walked the streets.
The corner drug store, Rudy’s, was a mainstay in January Cove. The original owner, Rudy Hilliard, had long since died and the shop had stayed in the family. His grandson, Michael, now owned the place and still ran it in much the same way his forefathers did. There was still a working soda fountain inside, and the decor swept you back to the 1950s. Addison waved at Michael through the window as she walked by, being sure to secure her sweatshirt around her waistline.
Next was JCHS - January Cove High School - and she had many fond memories of that place. Too many to mention. Homecoming dances and proms. Yearbook committee and football games. She adored her years at JCHS, and she longed for those simpler times when the idea of bills and babies and divorce were foreign to her.
As she walked, she saw the ice cream parlor and the dry cleaners and the antique stores that littered the main street through town. And then she passed the old Mallory house.
Seeing it up close made her heart skip a beat. This place held memories for many grown up kids in January Cove. All those dances and cotillions and weddings. It had been a beautiful place in its time, and now it was a shell of its former self. Kind of like Addison. The irony wasn’t lost on her.
The for sale sign was still in the yard, and the place appeared empty. Addison walked slowly up to the front porch and peeked through the windows. It definitely needed some work, but the “bones” were good.
There were flyers on the porch, so she grabbed one and almost passed out when she saw the price. Even with a hefty divorce settlement, she wouldn’t come anywhere close to the purchase price. And now she wouldn’t be getting a settlement from what she could tell.
She put the flyer
back in the box and sank down onto the front step. This was as close as she was ever getting to owning the Mallory house. She felt like such a failure. She was starting her life over again, but this time it was like she was a knocked up teenager with no career aspirations.
She stood and looked through the windows once more. Why was it that she could so vividly imagine herself living there, dancing around one of the four fireplaces with her child while putting up the Christmas tree? There was no way it was ever going to happen. Sometimes fairy tales just don’t come true.
“Are you trespassing, ma’am?” a voice said from behind her. It startled her so that she jumped back and fell over an empty flower pot and directly into the man’s arms. When she looked up, she realized it was Clay. “Addy, I’m sorry! Are you okay?”
She glared up at him and struggled to get her footing, being careful to pull her sweatshirt down over her belly. “Jeez, Clay! Were you trying to give me a heart attack?”
He started laughing so hard that tears were welling in his eyes. “I thought you knew it was me…”
“Why would I know it was you? I’m at an abandoned house alone and you used a deep voice…” When she realized how uptight she was being, she got tickled and started laughing too. “You jerk!” she said when she caught her breath. “You’re lucky I didn’t have my pepper spray on me.”
“Well, if you’re going to come to abandoned houses, that’s probably when you should bring your pepper spray.”
“I wasn’t planning to come here, actually. I was walking to work. And I’m late…” she said putting her hand over her mouth. “Gosh, where is my brain lately?”
“Relax. I just came from Jolt,” he said, holding up a cup of coffee. “Rebecca’s not very busy. Care to walk with me?”
She nodded and they made their way down the driveway and back out onto the street. With each passing day, January Cove was getting colder and colder. For full-time beach bums, the temperatures were hard on the regular citizens of the small town. They lived for spring and summer, as did most of the businesses. Some business owners took second jobs during the winter months just to make ends meet.
“So, no ferry riders this morning?” she asked as they passed the hardware store and then the ice cream shop.
“Not a one. I was hoping you might take a trip, but to no avail,” he said with a smile.
“Nah, not today, my friend. I’m a working girl.”
Clay started laughing. “You might not want to say that. It could be misinterpreted, ya know…”
“Haha. Very funny. You’re a regular comedian.”
She and Clay had always bantered back and forth. Even though he was older than her, she’d always been able to hold her own with him. The more he taunted and picked at her, the more sarcastic and fiery she became. She remembered him once asking if she died her hair because he was sure she was a red head underneath those curly brown locks of hers.
“Do you remember when our families went on that camping trip together?” Clay asked as they walked.
“Oh yes. I remember you pushing me in the lake very well!”
“I never pushed you in the lake!”
“Yes you did, you liar!” she said as she punched him in the arm. “We were in the canoe, and you told me to stand up. Of course, I didn’t know any better and you pushed me in!”
“Um, that is not at all how I remember it, and I would never do anything that unchivalrous. I’m a Southern gentleman.” He smiled that dimpled smile, and her stomach flipped. Or maybe the baby was moving.
“You might be a Southern gentleman now, but you pushed me in the dang lake back then.”
“Okay, fine. I admit it. But I did it on a dare.”
“A dare? With who?” she asked, knowing full well it was one of her brothers.
“I’m afraid for my physical safety if I say….”
“Sure you are! Come on. Who?”
“Brad.”
“Brad? Oh, I’m going to smack him the next time I see him!”
“That’ll make for a good Christmas picture,” he said chuckling.
Clay was so easy to talk to. It was one of the things she’d admired about him ever since she was young. He would taunt her around her brothers, but he was always there to lend an ear when she wanted to talk about stuff. Usually boy stuff.
She remembered getting her heart broken by a boy in middle school, and Clay had been right there to pick up the pieces when he found her crying on the beach after school. She sure had done a lot of crying on the beach in her life, yet it was her favorite place on Earth.
They arrived at the front door of Jolt, and Addison said a quick goodbye to Clay before running inside and apologizing to Rebecca for being late. But she couldn’t help herself and looked back to watch him walk up the street toward the ferry dock. And a small part of her wondered why she hadn’t noticed Clay before now. Why did she ever leave January Cove and hook up with the likes of Jim?
If there was one thing Aaron Parker knew, it was that he adored his girlfriend’s son, Tyler. After just turning three years old, the kid had stolen his heart almost from the first moment they met. And today was no different.
As they sat together fishing off the dock of a local lake, Aaron couldn’t imagine his life without this kid in it. Of course, having Tessa in his life wasn’t a bad deal either. She was beautiful, smart and strong. She was honest to a fault and she seemed to always do the right thing no matter how hard it was. He admired her, and lately he didn’t admire himself nearly as much.
“Hey, bro,” he heard his brother, Brad yell from behind. “You not working today?” Brad was climbing out of his big, black pickup truck and Tyler ran to greet him with a bear hug.
“Uncle Brad!” he yelled. He called all the Parker brothers “uncle” now and thought of them as his own family. Tyler really didn’t have any other family after his mother had left his abusive father.
“Hey, man. No, I just took the afternoon off. Tessa’s running the counter at the campground so me and peanut here can go fishing,” he said as he stood up and put his fishing pole in the little metal holder staked into the ground.
“Anything biting?”
“Not really. But that wasn’t really the point,” he said. Everyone knew Aaron loved spending time with Tyler, even if that meant sitting there without any fish biting. Having lost his Dad at a two years old, Aaron wanted to make sure that Tyler always had a father figure around who did those cool things with him. He planned to teach him how to shoot a bow and arrow, how to catch a football and eventually how to capture the attention a beautiful woman and make her his wife.
“Aaron, can I play on the swing?” he asked, pointing to the small swing set that was on the edge of the property.
“Yes, but stay where I can see you, okay?” Tyler nodded and ran off. “So what’s up?” he asked Brad as he sat on the edge of a picnic table.
“Well, I wanted to talk about the bachelor party for Kyle.”
“Jeez, man, that’s months away. It’s December. They aren’t getting married until the spring. Aren’t we jumping the gun a bit?” Aaron laughed.
“Hey, this is a big deal. The first Parker brother to get married!” Brad was the most animated of all the Parker kids, including Addison. He was a planner, but he was also outgoing and spontaneous when he needed to be. He was hysterically funny, and insanely curious to the point that most would’ve called him nosy. Everyone in the family thought he should’ve been a reporter instead of a contractor, but he stuck with the family business of real estate.
“Okay, so what were you thinking? Strippers and debauchery for twenty-four hours?” Aaron winked.
“I doubt that’s a good plan since all of my brothers are tied down. Don’t want to be responsible for Tessa kicking your butt to the curb,” Brad said with a chuckle. Aaron smiled.
“Yeah, she’d probably put me in a headlock and throw me into that lake right there.”
“So, how are things going with you guys anyway? Should I be expe
cting wedding bells from another brother anytime soon?” Brad asked in his usual nosy fashion.
“Do you always have to have your nose in my business?” Aaron asked, walking over and removing his fishing pole from the holder.
“Ooohh. Did I touch a nerve?”
“No, of course not. Things are great with me and Tessa.” Aaron took the bait off his hook and tossed the rod into the back of his truck without looking at his brother.
“Dude, I’m your big brother. You know you can talk to me, right?” Brad said, suddenly serious.
Aaron took in a deep breath. “Seriously. Things are great. I’m just feeling the pressure with all this wedding talk. I know she wants to get engaged, and I think it’s too soon. I mean, we’ve only been dating a few months.” He leaned against the picnic table.
“Look, man, you don’t need to feel pressured by any of this. You do what’s right for you and Tessa, and that little guy over there.”
“She’s starting to talk about it, though, and I don’t want to let her down. I just feel a little…. wary…”
“About Tessa? She’s an awesome woman…”
“Not about her. About Natalie.”
“Natalie? Where the hell did that come from?” Brad asked, talking a little too loudly. “You’re not messing around on Tessa…” he whispered.
“Of course not!” Aaron snapped. “I meant about what Natalie did to me. I trusted her.”
“And you’re wondering how you’ll know if you can trust Tessa?”
“Sort of. I don’t know…”
“Aaron, there are no guarantees in life. Any woman can cheat on you. But she probably worries about you too.”
“How?”
“Her husband beat on her, man. What’s to say you don’t turn out to be like him?”
