by Ancelli
He found her sleeping in the living room. She wore a red dress, his favorite color on her. God, she’s beautiful. He sat next to her and caressed the side of her face. “Baby.”
Her eyes slowly fluttered open. She observed him in silence. “Sorry, I must have dozed off.”
“Don’t be.”
“You’re late.” She slowly sat up. “You told me you would be home early.”
“I’m sorry, Sherry. I tried my best, but I just can’t run out of court.” Her feet were up on the Otto man when her noticed her swollen ankles.
She looked at her watch. “Court is not open at this time.”
“I had mediations.”
She rolled her eyes and tried to stand.
“I’m sorry, baby.” He took her hand, then kissed her slowly kissed her, and nipped at her bottom lip. “Happy anniversary.”
“I thought you forgot.” She gazed into his eyes.
“How could I forget? Matt and Shannon’s anniversary is two days before ours. Sorry we couldn’t get away.”
She finally smiled. “Thank you.”
“For what, baby?”
“For marrying me….”
He placed her feet on his legs and began to massage her swollen ankles.
“Mmm…. That feels good.” She closed her eyes.
“Why are you ankles so swollen?”
“I was on my feet most of the day at work.”
He stopped and she opened her eyes. “Sherry, you need to take it easy.”
“I know, but my boss just wanted things done today.” She gently kicked his hand, making him continue his massage.
“Tell your boss he needs to read the laws protecting pregnant women, and if he doesn’t get it I will explain it to him.”
“You don’t have to, I can handle him.”
“I sent the check to Pretty-In-Pink foundation.” He said massaging her belly.
“What check?” She arched her brow.
He smiled. “Remember, on our one year anniversary, they were to receive a donation.”
Her lips curled up to a smile. “You don’t know how much that means to me.”
She paused giggling and took his hand and placed it on her stomach.
For the very first time, he felt the baby move. It was a tiny flutter, but he felt her move. “I felt it.” He gently applied pressure and the baby moved again. They both laughed. “I couldn’t ask for a better anniversary present.” He gently kissed her lips. “I love you.”
With heavy eyes, falling back asleep, she sighed. “Te amo.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Nancy buzzed in. “Your ten o’clock appointment is here.”
“Send her in,” Andrew answered.
He stood and extended his hand as she entered the office. “Mrs. Roberts please have a seat.”
She moved her blonde and black dreads from her face, and she sat with an envelope in her hand.
“How can I help you?” He walked over to his desk and sat.
“Are you married to Sherry Jones?” she asked him.
“What does that have to do with why you’re here?”
“She’s why I’m here. Is she your wife?” Her voice rose.
“Yes, why?”
“Because she’s fucking my husband.” Her eyes shone.
“Who is your husband?” Andrew did his best to remain calm, sitting.
“Dean Roberts. We’ve been married for over ten years, with four kids.”
He stared at her, feeling the vein in his neck. It throbbed almost painfully. Dean? He’s fucking married with kids. He’d lied to Sherry, must have lied to her the entire time they were together. “My wife is not sleeping with your husband.”
“Look, Mr. Johnston, you look like an intelligent man. I have proof they have been seeing each other.” She handed him the envelope. “I had him followed.”
He opened the envelope and his heart stopped. There were pictures of Sherry and Dean at the same restaurant he’d seen them in.
“They meet at the same restaurant every week, and he calls her all the time,” she said with anger in her voice.
He remained quiet, looking at the pictures. There was one of Dean kissing her but the one that caught his eye the most was the one with Dean’s hand on her stomach. He placed the pictures back into the envelope. “Mrs. Roberts, I don’t know what to say.” Even to his own ears, he’d lost his attorney’s composure. His voice rattled.
“You should get a DNA test done, because he has very potent sperm. I have four kids.” The thought the baby might not be his had never once crossed his mind, until she’d mentioned it. “Please tell your wife to leave my husband alone.”
He stared into her eyes. “Mrs. Roberts, may I ask you a question?”
“Yes.”
“Why do you stay with a man you know is cheating on you?”
“I stay with him because he is the father of my children and I love him.”
He thought about Leann and everything she was going through because of her cheating husband. “Ma’am, you deserve better than Dean.”
“Don’t worry about my husband and me. You need to worry about your bitch of a wife.” She got up and marched out his office.
His heart felt like it had been ripped out his chest. Why would Sherry have kept seeing Dean? He thrust his hand through his hair. Oh, God. Is the baby mine? He slammed that same hand on his desk. The one time he opened up his heart to a woman, she trampled all over it. Just like his mother had done to his father. She was just like his mother.
He powered off his computer, grabbed the envelope, and marched out his office.
***
Sherry was seated behind her desk, rubbing her big belly. She couldn’t wait to get home and tell Andrew the news she’d learned that morning. What a great late anniversary present it would be. She smiled, staring at the printout of her latest sonogram.
There was a soft knock on her door.
“Come in.” She placed the picture on her desk.
A tall, handsome, light-skinned African-American man in a designer tailored suit entered. “Hey, stranger.”
“Dewayne…Dewayne Washington!” she cried, trying to get out of her chair. She finally was successful and managed to stand.
His teeth were perfect as he smiled. He closed the distance to her desk quickly, then wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight. “Damn, girl. It’s been a long time.”
“Yes it has.” She’d dated Dewayne ten years ago. He’d been her first serious relationship, until he decided to put his career first and move out of state. They’d tried the long distance relationship, but it hadn’t worked and they’d parted friends.
She pulled away.
“I couldn’t believe you finally settled down.” He looked at her stomach.
She laughed, making her belly shake. “Who would’ve thought? huh.” She rubbed her stomach.
“You still look beautiful.” He gazed at her. “Pregnancy agrees with you.”
“You don’t have to be nice. I know I’m big.” She walked around her desk and sat. “What are you doing back in town?”
“I got a new job.” He sat in the chair in front of her desk. “Guess where?”
“You’re always one to play games. Where?”
“Here, you’re looking at your new logistics manager.” He smiled.
“You’re kidding me.”
“No, I start tomorrow.”
“Welcome to Tech-Source.”
Andrew entered her office and slammed the door, glaring at her and Dewayne. “I need to talk to you”—he gave them both a dirty look—“alone.”
Dewayne got up. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Excuse me.” On his way out he looked back at Sherry, she smiled at him and he closed the door.
She moved to stand up, but decided against it. “This is a surprise.” She smiled.
But he didn’t smile back. His nostrils flared and his jaw clenched.
She finally pushed herself up, taking her sonogram, and wobbled
toward him. “I have some news.” She went to take his hands in hers and he pulled back. “What’s wrong with you?”
“You want to know what’s wrong with me?” He raised his voice.
“Why are you talking to me like that?”
He moved closer to her and pulled out some pictures from the envelope in his hands, and threw them at her. She watched, shocked, as the last picture hit the floor, and then she looked back up at him.
“I should’ve known better than to trust you.” His eyes were filled with anger. He continued to lash out at her, never breaking eye contact. “You’re nothing but a whore.”
He’d never disrespected her, not even the few times they hadn’t disagreements. “Andrew, I don’t know what’s wrong with you, but I won’t allow you to disrespect me.” She looked back down on the floor and saw pictures of every meeting she’d ever had with Dean. “How…?”
“How what?” His voice got louder. “How did I find out you were cheating on me?”
“I never cheated on you.”
“Don’t fucking lie to me, Sherry. His wife came to my office and told me everything.” He balled his fist. “She had him followed. You met up with him every fucking week.”
“His wife?”
“He’s fucking married!”
“What? I didn’t know. And…I didn’t see Dean every week.”
“Oh really, not every week. So that makes it…okay, right?”
“It’s not what you think, Andrew. I can explain.”
“I don’t want your fucking explanations.”
“I wouldn’t do that to you. I love you.”
“You love me…?” He gave her a sarcastic chuckle. “You could’ve fooled me. You’re just like my fucking mother.” He took some papers out of the envelope. “This is what you wanted from day one. Here.”
Her heart stopped as she read the first page. You didn’t need to be an attorney to see these were divorce papers, and he must have had them drawn up a while ago. But how could he believe she would cheat on him, after what he’d told her about his mom. Doesn’t he know by now he’s the only man for me? She shook her head. “No.”
“Sign the fucking papers.” He shoved them into her hands.
“What about us, the baby?” She clenched her fists, not caring that the pages would be crushed.
“There is no us. There never was. We shared good sex, nothing more.”
For the first time in years, tears flowed down her face in front of another person.
“If the baby is mine, then I’ll step up and take care of it.”
It was as if someone had stuck a knife through her heart. It became hard for her to breathe. She grabbed her stomach. “What…are you saying?”
“I want a paternity test.” He got a pen from off her desk. “Sign it.”
The tears wouldn’t stop running down her cheeks. No one had ever hurt her this way: his words, the anger and pain. She snatched the pen from him and signed the documents, and then threw them at him. Furious, she took her wedding rings off her finger and threw them at him, too. “Get the fuck out of my office!”
“Gladly.” He picked up the document and rings off the floor. “I never had any regrets in life until now.”
She grabbed her stomach again, feeling pressure. He’d finally done it, broken her heart. His one regret was the babies, and her. “Don’t worry about my babies. We don’t need you.” She leaned on her desk and broke down crying.
***
Andrew just stood there at her door watching her. Why did I say that to her? I would never regret this baby. Her back was turned to him as she cried, her hands leaning on her desk. The moment she grabbed her stomach, he wanted to run to her, and make sure she and the baby were okay, but his pride wouldn’t let him. His heart dropped when he saw the hurt in her eyes when he mentioned the paternity test, and the regret. He took a deep breath and closed the door to her office.
He pulled out his cell, and dialed.
“What’s up, Andrew?” Shannon answered happily.
“Sherry’s going to need you.” Even to his own ears, his voice rattled.
“Why?”
“We’re done.” He hung up and walked out of the building.
***
Sherry didn’t understand how it had all happened. She’d kept the blackmail a secret because she didn’t want to hurt anyone. Andrew hadn’t even let her explain.
“Sherry!” Shannon rushed into her office.
She looked up and began crying all over again. “We’re over….”
“What happened?” She ran over to her sister and wiped her tears away.
She pointed to the pictures on the floor. Shannon got down and picked them up. “Did you cheat on him with Dean?”
“No, but he thinks I did.” She sniffled. “Dean’s wife told him I was sleeping with him and he believed her. He didn’t let me explain.”
“Dean’s married?”
“I guess so, but I swear, Shannon, I didn’t now.”
“I believe you.”
She stared at her sister. “I never thought it was possible, but I love Andrew with all my heart.”
“Sherry, he loves you too. Just give him some time. He’ll eventually come around.” She patted her back.
“He won’t.” She pulled a tissue out the box and wiped her eyes. “He made me sign the divorce papers.”
“He what?”
“He brought the divorce papers with him.”
“Why would you sign them, knowing he was mad? You know he’s hot-headed. Sometimes he doesn’t think before he acts.” Shannon sat in the chair in front her desk.
“You didn’t see the hate in his eyes.” She took a deep breath. “He knew exactly what he was saying when he said, he wanted a DNA test and called me a whore.”
“He what?” Shannon yelled. “No, he didn’t.”
“He didn’t even hear me out. I’ll get over this. The babies and I will be just fine.” She wiped her tears again and picked up the sonogram. “I have to find a place to stay.”
“You don’t have to. You’re staying with me.”
“I don’t want to impose.”
“You’re my sister. You can never impose on us.”
“I’ll only stay until I find a place.” She powered down her computer. “I need to get to the house and get my stuff before he gets home.”
Shannon looked at her with pity.
“What?”
“He already had all your stuff delivered to the house.”
“He thought of everything.” She picked up her purse.
“What happened with Dean?” Shannon helped her up.
“It’s a long story and I don’t want to talk about it. Please.”
“Okay, let’s go home.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Andrew was miserable without her. He missed her stories, her laugh, everything about the woman he’d fallen in love with. He couldn’t sleep well at night because he missed holding her. He was at home in the dark, drinking. There were shattered vases, roses and broken glass, all over his living room. When he’d come home, the boxes had been on the doorstep. He’d forgotten he had ordered them. He’d wanted to surprise her with flowers, but that never happened, because of him. Why didn’t he hear her out?
His doorbell rang and he ignored it. “Andrew, open the damn door or I’ll use my key,” Matt yelled.
Andrew growled, getting up, and swung the door open. “What?” he yelled.
“Why haven’t you answered my calls?” Matt pushed him out of the way and entered his house. “You called her a whore and asked for a paternity test. What’s fucking wrong with you?”
He slammed his front door shut. “What would you do if you found out Shannon cheated on you?”
Matt glared at him and didn’t answer.
“What do you expect me to think? We’d been trying for months and nothing, and then the day I find her with him is the same fucking day we found out she was pregnant.” He poured himself some more vodka. �
�I’m not you. I won’t forgive and forget.”
“Are you sure that’s what happened?”
“His wife came to my office with proof, and when I confronted Sherry, she had guilt all over her face.” He took a gulp of his drink.
“Sherry would never do that to you. She might be a lot of things, but a cheater she’s not.” Matt raised his voice.
Andrew laughed sarcastically. “You think you know her so well?”
“There has to be more to this story. Did you let her explain?”
“I don’t need her explanation. We’re done.”
“You’re just going to let the only woman you’ve ever loved go without a fight, just like dad did, and then you say I never got over our parents’ divorce…. But you know what I see, brother? You never got over our mother’s betrayal. Now Sherry’s paying for what our mother did.”
His brother’s words hurt him because that’s exactly what he had been doing. He should’ve let her explain.
Andrew marched to the door and opened it wide. “Get out!”
Matt glared at him. “Sherry’s a good woman. Fix this before you regret it.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
After a week of thinking, going over the events that had transpired, Andrew decided he needed his wife back. He couldn’t breathe right without her around. His house was empty, just like his heart.
He rang Matt and Shannon’s doorbell, and Shannon opened the door.
“Andrew, what do you want?”
“I need to talk to her.”
“Haven’t you done enough? I have never seen my sister this hurt, over nothing.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“Shannon, I’m sorry.” He couldn’t look her in the eyes or say anything else. “Please let me see her.”
She wouldn’t move. “I gave you the benefit of the doubt. I thought you would make my sister happy, but instead you broke her.” She glared at him.
“I made a mistake, Shannon, a mistake that I’ll probably never forgive myself for but I want her back.” He finally met her eyes. “She’s my soul mate.”
