by Cary Hart
“For fuck’s sake, stop it with the pet name.” She rolls her eyes.
“Aubrey, I did call her up. As much as I did love you, I still cared for Sarah deeply. I felt like I owed her a goodbye of sorts.” Doug gets up to come to me but Drew holds out his hand, stopping him.
“Oh, geez!” Sarah looks out the window and notices the WilliamSon Construction trailer. “Hmm, interesting. Drew, is this how you met? Landed yourself a new project and a new bed?” She waves her hand toward the window.
“Ignore her,” I whisper to him.
“Whatever. Anyway, when you lost the baby, Doug reached out to me again. He said his parents wanted him to divorce you, but he couldn’t leave you, that you needed him. So, once again, I lost out.”
“Doug, is this true? Did you only marry me because I was pregnant?” I worry my bottom lip. I know we didn’t work, but right now, I can’t help but wonder what if.
“Aubrey, no, that’s not true.” He turns toward Sarah. “JoJo I loved you with everything I was capable of at that time, but when I met Aubrey, she was interesting, fun, carefree. She loved me with no expectation. Yes, we got pregnant, but I didn’t have to marry her, but I wanted to do the right thing. I wanted a family with Aubrey. When she lost our baby, I was devastated. I was young and didn’t know how things work. A part of me blamed her and when I talked to you, when I saw you at my parents’, it was a break from my reality. I shouldn’t have leaned on you, I shouldn’t have told you the things I did, but I wanted an escape. I wanted you, when I should have needed my wife.” He looks from Sarah to me. “I’m sorry. I failed you.”
“I think I need a break.” I try to get up, but Sarah calls out.
“Sit down! You wanted to know the truth? Well, here it is. You don’t get a break, you are going to hear what Doug and I have been living. Do you understand? You may have put this show together, but I’m running this bitch now.” Her voice is full of venom.
“After he chose you, we went our separate ways until his five-year high school reunion. I wasn’t supposed to be there, but for some reason they included me in their Facebook event. I showed up, we had a few drinks, danced and reminisced about old times and what could have been. We left together and that is the night he didn’t come home. That is the night I got pregnant.” She stops and for the first time looks almost sad. “About a month later, I found out I was pregnant. I called him to talk. He agreed, saying he needed to talk to me, too. When we met up, I couldn’t help myself, I was so excited with my news, I just threw myself at him, but something was off. He pushed me off, saying that you were pregnant and what we did shouldn’t have happened and he needed to focus fully on his family.” She looks to Doug. “I was numb. I couldn’t speak and felt rejected by you. I didn’t know what to do.” He eyes travel over to Drew. “I’m sorry. We had been on a few dates before I found out I was pregnant. I liked you and I thought you liked me. So, after we slept together I waited a few weeks, then announced our pregnancy. Knowing the type of guy you are, I knew you would marry me.”
“Why?” Drew asks, clamping his hand down on my knee. “Why do that to me?”
“I don’t know. I was scared...worried...I don’t know.” She searches for the answer, but I don’t think she honestly knows why.
“So when did you tell Doug and why tell him and not me?”
“Remember when Andie was three and she fell? You were out of town and we weren’t sure if she was going to need surgery or not?” She waits for him to recall the memory. “Well, I didn’t know what to do. In the movies they always try to get the family members to donate blood. I freaked. All I could think about is she has Doug’s blood type and we needed his blood. I called him, he came no questions asked and gave, but after the donation he demanded to know the truth.”
“ENOUGH!” Drew jumps up and I follow.
“Sit down, loverboy. This is the one and only time I’m telling this story.”
“Come on, Drew. Remember, we can do this together.” I sit down, pulling him down with me.
“So, when you decided it was time to go back to work, you sought out his company?” Drew tilts his head in Doug’s direction.
“Yes, after the truth was out I couldn’t help myself. I felt this pull toward him and needed to be near him. I knew I was playing with fire, but I didn’t care. I was ready to get burned.”
“Wait.” It’s all beginning to click now. “You are the one she was with when Drew walked in on his wife having an affair?”
Doug nods.
“So, the night I asked you for the divorce. Your assistant, who had a sick kid and was recently separated from her husband. That was her and Andie?” He confirms. “Is that why you agreed to a divorce?”
“Not exactly, but yes. I knew neither of us was happy. I was tired of living the lie.”
“But Doug, you continued to lie.”
“Exactly!” Sarah chimes in. “Once you guys divorced and once I signed the papers, we were supposed to finally have our happily ever after, but then you happened.” She seethes in my direction. “You had to go and fuck everything up again. I was just about to have my happily ever after until you met my daughter and my husband in the park. Your daughter couldn’t help but go on and on and on about Andie’s daddy and how he was so nice. Doug here,” she jabs her thumb in his direction, “he got jealous and couldn’t stand the idea of another guy around his ex-wife and daughter. The irony, right? BUT YOU! You couldn’t help yourself could you? You just found another opportunity to take what was mine. You had the love of my life and my husband, but that still wasn’t enough. You wanted my daughter. You wanted my life. You wanted to be me,” she spits out.
“Sarah!” I can’t help but cry out. “All this was over jealousy? All because you thought I stole your boyfriend in college? All because I fell for your husband who was supposed to be your ex?”
“You don’t get it! You destroyed my life. Doug was everything to me. I loved him with every fiber that I am and you took him from me. He may have loved you, but I was in his system. I’m the one he turned to. I’m the one he needed. You were a marriage of circumstance.”
“Sarah!” “JoJo!” Drew and Doug try to shut her down, but it’s too late. The damage is done.
“What? It’s true.” She shrugs her shoulders.
“Really? That is how you are going to be? Just stand there and not take any responsibility? We have a little girl at home who doesn’t know anything about this, who thinks I’m her daddy. You deceived her, lied to her. What makes you think she will ever forgive you?” Drew speaks up.
“She will be fine Drew, she has you. You’re her dad, and a great one.” Sarah gives him a weak smile.
“But that’s the thing JoJo,” Doug says. “She’s my daughter and I want to get to know her.”
“Doug, that isn’t what we agreed on. You said you were OK with just being a ‘friend,’” she replies.
“That’s not good enough. I want more.” He turns to Drew. “Man, I know you are her father, but I want a chance at getting to know her. I promise I won’t take her away, but I need to know her. I’ve been wanting to since I found out,” he pleads.
“I can’t take this! I can’t.” Sarah starts to run out the door, heading for Drew’s truck. “I want to go home.”
“Sarah, calm down, it’s not good for the baby,” Drew hollers after her.
“Drew.” She throws her hands in the air. “There is no baby. I lied. I was trying to make Doug jealous and ruin your relationship with Aubrey. See, this is me telling the truth. How does it feel guys? To know I’m this fucking evil bitch you claim me to be?”
“JoJo, don’t say that.” Doug surprises us.
“Why not Doug? You don’t want to be with me.”
“I do want to be with you. I just couldn’t while harboring these secrets.” Doug walks up to her and takes her in his arms. Words are silently exchanged between the two and in this moment, I see it. Everything she said, how Doug felt about her. It’s true.
“Guys, I think
this has been enough for today.” Doug takes Sarah under his arm, guiding her to his car. “I think we can agree that we all want what is best for the girls, because it does affect both of them.”
“Hold up!” Drew exclaims. “You guys don’t get to have some private conversation and then decide this meeting is over. You both lied. You kept us in the dark. Sarah, I’m sending over the divorce papers. I want this finalized by Monday morning. Doug, I want to have coffee with you. We need to hash some things out. As far as Andie and Reece are concerned, we need to figure out how to manage this and ease them into it. A family therapist might be the best bet. With that said, Aubrey and I are picking up the girls and taking them for ice cream. Anyone have a problem with that?”
Looking at each other, Sarah and Doug agree, get in the car and drive off.
“Drew, I know it seems like nothing came from today, but trust me. It did. Sarah, she was able to finally tell the truth. The burden she carried had to help make her into the woman she has become.”
Wrapping his arm around me he kisses my temple. “Babe, I hope you’re right. I know how guilt consumed me for those couple of months, I couldn’t imagine carrying around a secret of that magnitude.” We walk around the truck, he opens the door and helps me up. “Aubrey, I just pray they heard me today. I can’t lose her.” Worry is etched on his face.
“Honey, I know Doug and even though he can be a douche at times, I know he would never do anything that would harm either child. To him, you are the dad. Just like he’s Reece’s.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Me too!
Three Months Later
Aubrey
“ROLL OVER? I HAVE to pee.” I nudge his side then jump out of the bed making a quick escape, stopping to do the running man. “Can’t catch me...”
“You are a mess.” His laughter vibrates through the room.
Hitting the bathroom, I shut the door and quietly lock it behind me. Running the water, I dig under the sink where I hid the white bag.
Hurrying, I sit down on the toilet and unwrap the box, looking at the test in front of me. “So what’s it going to be?” I pee on the stick and set the timer for two minutes.
“What’s that, babe?” Drew hollers from the other room.
“Oh nothing! I was just talking to myself,” I yell back.
I hear him get out of bed and pad down the hall. “I’m going to make some coffee and put the turkey in the oven.”
“OK. Be right out,” I shout through the door.
Looking down, I notice the lines start to show. “Hmmm.” I stare at it. “Well, OK then.” I tuck the stick in my pants, not wanting one of the girls to find it in the trash.
After washing my hands then brushing my teeth, I head to the kitchen to see what all I still need to do.
“Did you season the turkey?”
“Yep, I followed your list.” He walks over to me, grabs my hips and kisses my cheek. “I’m going to brush my teeth.”
“OK. Looks like the coffee is almost done. I’ll make us each a cup.”
I hurry and pour him a cup and place it on the table with his newspaper, turned to the birth announcements, and put the test on a napkin by the paper.
“I’m exhausted. Last night you were insatiable.” He sits down and adds creamer to his coffee and I stand there leaning against the counter, waiting for his reaction.
“I beg your pardon?” I tease. “I’m pretty sure you were the one who couldn’t keep his hands to himself.”
“You mean these magic wands?” He lifts his hands, wiggling his fingers.
He’s making fun of me from last night. I may have told him I thought his fingers were individual magic wands that cast a spell over my body. I’m not really sure where that came from, but I said it and now I’m paying.
He picks up the test as he looks at the paper. “Hey, why is it turned to the birth announcements?” he asks as he starts to stick the test in his coffee.
“No!” I rush over to stop him.
“Wh-What?”
“Don’t put that in your coffee.” I pull the test out of his hands and set it back on the napkin.
“What’s that?” He picks it up and examines it, then looks back to the table.
Stick.
Paper.
Stick.
Paper.
My belly.
“Really?” His eyes begin to water as he turns in his chair and holds his arms out.
“Yeah.” I nod, walking into his arms. “I’m pregnant. We’re going to have a baby.”
Wrapping his strong arms around my waist he leans in and whispers, “Hey there little one, I’m your daddy.”
Running my fingers through his hair, I hold him close, feeling his body shake with cries of joy. “I love you, Drew Williams.”
Looking up at me, a smile stretches across his face as the tears stream down his cheeks. “I love you right back, soon-to-be Mrs. Williams.”
“We have a little while before that.”
“Nope. It’s happening this year. New Year’s wedding?” he runs the idea by me.
“I don’t want you to move up the date because I’m pregnant.” I pull back, but he reaches out and tugs me back in.
“Don’t even go there. You know that I would have married you the day I asked you, but you and the girls wanted an outside wedding. I’m sure once we tell them it’s a New Year’s party they will love the idea.”
“Maybe you’re right. Let’s talk to Doug and Sarah to make sure they aren’t doing anything with the girls. They have them that week, remember?”
“Oh yeah.” I can tell he’s thinking, jogging his memory. “Which reminds me. One of my clients was telling me about this shared calendar. I think we should do that and share with them. Communication is great and all, but this would allow us all to have a little freedom.”
“I think that is the best idea!” I bend down to nuzzle his neck and take in his scent.
“Oh no you don’t, we have to start getting ready for Thanksgiving.” He pushes me away laughing.
“How’s the counseling going?” Niki stirs the stuffing, adding a little more broth before sticking it back in the oven.
“Actually it’s going pretty well.” I turn and lean up against the island. “I think it helped that us adults went to a few group sessions before the girls went.”
“Honestly, I still can’t believe how that went down.” She peeks her head around the corner to make sure no prying ears are listening. “How you dealing with super bitch?” Niki whispers.
“Shhhh,” I scold her.
“It’s OK, the coast is clear. So? Is she giving you any trouble?”
“Not really. Her and Doug are seeing a couples therapist and trying to work through everything that has happened.”
“So basically she’s cool because she is getting her way, temporarily shutting down her bitchy side.” She turns around and sticks two stalks of celery up like horns.
“Stop it. That totally isn’t funny.”
“You know it is.” She does it again, this time doing her best Sarah impersonation. “What about you and Drew? I keep waiting for you to ask me to go wedding shopping.”
“Well, I need to talk to you about that.” I smile. “We may be moving it up. Like to say...New Year’s Eve.”
“What? How come?” A smile spreads across her lips. “Noooo?”
“Yes.” I nod, rubbing my belly. “Oh, Niki, I never imagined it could feel like this, that I could ever be this happy.”
“Come here.” She holds out her arms. “May this baby bring you all the joy and blessings.”
“Aw, you’re going to make me cry.”
“Oh, hells no! Don’t you dare go all hormonal on me.” She pokes at my belly. “I can’t believe the future Mrs. Drew Williams has a bun in the oven.” Niki dances around me, tickling my sides.
“Stop it. Someone is going to hear you.”
“Mommy?” Reece comes in and we both stop. Dead. In. Our. Tracks. “Dr
ew and Daddy are hungry and want to know when the food will be ready.”
“Well you tell them...” I shout loud enough for them to hear.
“What did I say?” Drew pokes his head in.
“Are you sending little girls in here to hound us?” Niki puts her hands on her hips.
“Why ma’am, I wouldn’t dare think of it.” He chokes back the laughter, not quite sure what Niki is capable of.
“Reece, why don’t you get Andie and help your mom and Niki set the table?” Drew asks her sweetly. The way he is with both the girls melts my heart.
“What about Sarah? Want me to ask her, too?”
“Sure.”
“Yay! Andie, Sarah, Drew said you needed to set the table.” She runs out of the kitchen yelling for everyone.
“Oh boy.” I shake my head and Drew leaves the kitchen, but not before grabbing a few dishes to carry them out.
“God I love that man.”
“You better.” She puffs out her belly and rubs it.
Never in a million years did I think I would be here, gathered around the table with my new blended family sharing a Thanksgiving feast.
Drew stands up and taps his glass. “I just want to say a few words.” He clears his throat. “A few months ago, I thought I was about to lose my whole world, but today I stand here with more than I could ever possibly want. Aubrey, thank you. Thank you for giving me your love and showing me what it’s like to be a family.” He begins to choke up. “So right now I want us to go around the table and say what we are thankful for.”
Standing up, I squeeze Drew’s hand. “I’m thankful for Sunday Fundays at the park.”
“And I’m thankful for Reeses really being my sister twin.” Andie turns to give her new sister a high five. “Besties for life.”
“OK Daddy, your turn.” Reece gets excited, wanting them to hurry along so she can have her turn.
“I’m thankful for new beginnings.” Doug leans over and places a gentle kiss on Sarah’s cheek.
“I guess it’s my turn.” Sarah stands up, making it a big production, not to be outdone by Drew. This used to bother me, but I’ve come to realize that this is just who she is and I’ve grown accustomed to her overbearing personality. “I’m thankful for second chances and forgiveness. Without them I wouldn’t finally have this man right here.” She looks down to Doug.
