by Remi Wild
My brave Alley cat bursts, sobbing and babbling incoherently as I pull her into my arms.
“I’m so sorry, Mellie,” I stroke her hair, holding her tight, until she calms and pulls back.
Wiping her tears, she sniffs, trying to catch her breath. “Can you call Leo?”
“Of course. I haven’t told anyone, didn’t want to…” I stop, my eyes searching hers. “Leo?” my voice cracks as I say his name and she begins to sob harder. I nod, pull it together, and pat her hand. “I’ll go call him, now. Do you want me to tell him?”
She nods, closing her eyes as the tears pour from her, and she gasps between sobs.
“I’ll be right back.” Stepping into the hall, I approach the nurses station and ask to use the phone.
He picks up. “Dr. Lamberti.”
“Leo, it’s me. Um, I’m at the hospital, fifth floor…with Mel…she…miscarried.”
“I’m coming,” he says as the phone goes dead. I’m standing at the nurse’s station, wondering if I should wait or give Mel a few minutes when Leo comes racing down the hall. He must have still been in the hospital.
Grabbing my arms, he looks into my eyes, desperate. “Take me to her.” Nodding, I rush away, and he follows, busting past me and into her room the minute he sees her. I remain on the other side of the threshold, watching as he takes her cheeks between his hands and kisses her tenderly as they both sob.
I didn’t see it before.
How did I miss it?
Any of it?
I’ve been blind, but it’s clear as day—they’re in love. Leo has never looked at anyone like that and Mel, oh my god, she loves him.
Despite the shitty circumstances, I smile. It makes perfect sense, and I couldn’t be happier that they are together. Clearing my throat, I interrupt. “I’m going to head home. Let me know, call, if either of you need anything. I love you guys.”
Leo waves his arm for me to approach and then pulls me into a hug.
“Thank you,” He’s crying, I’ve never seen him so emotional. “If you hadn’t been there when she passed out…”
Nodding, I know—the what ifs that I don’t want to entertain.
This is one moment that I thank God, I wasn’t a shitty friend.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Driving home, thinking, I am aware of everything—it’s the kind of clarity found during moments of loss, grief. The things I should have been thankful for, I am now so incredibly grateful for and promise myself not to lose sight of it again.
My Mel has lost a life—a precious baby. There is no measure against that. She’s devastated, Leo’s devastated. Who wouldn’t be?
Things have been insane, more than I realized. I’ve been obsessing over Fiona, oblivious to my best friend’s pregnancy, never mind her secret blossoming relationship with Leo.
I never even saw that coming. Did I? Because at this exact moment, the two of them together makes perfect sense. They’ve been friends since college, they hang out all the time. The more I think about it, the more I’m certain that this is fate—they belong together—friends that morphed into something deeper.
They love each other.
Love.
I was too focused on Fiona to see past her, to see the truth, what I know in my heart.
I know Eric. He has always been a pussy cat. Even in college, he never played around with the hearts of the many women who tossed themselves at him. He wanted me, love, our love.
He wants me now, even after having the steak.
Gasping, I tilt my head as it truly hits me. What I needed to know, what I needed to feel.
I’m the steak.
Oh.
My.
God.
I have been so stupid.
So, stupid.
He never meant it to happen.
I know it, in my heart and soul.
Had he been in his right mind, sober, it wouldn’t have happened.
I have no doubt.
He loves me.
Fiona can wave it in his face all she wants.
He doesn’t want it, he doesn’t want her.
He wants me.
And I want him. No one else. Ever.
“Fiona,” I whisper. Saying her name doesn’t even make my skin crawl anymore. “Fiona, can just go fuck herself.”
I’m free, her name holds zero importance. Those that matter to me are who I need to hold dear—they will be my focus.
Eric meets me at the door. It’s almost two in the morning and he works tomorrow, but he waited up. As I walk up the path, my eyes connect to his, and I force a smile.
“Hey, Babe.” He sounds sleepy.
“Hey,” I say, my voice cracks and I burst, sobbing as I fling myself into his arms.
Stroking my back, he coos, holding me, waiting for me to speak. Pulling back, I gaze into his eyes and nod towards the house. He wraps his arm around my shoulder and guides the way. We settle on the couch, he yanks me into his arms as I continue to cry, trying to pull it together. At some point, the tears stop, we sit silent, I don’t know what to say, where to begin.
“Did you lose a patient?” he says, reaching out to hold my hand.
Shaking my head, I look over and into his eyes, sighing. “I wasn’t in surgery.” He eyes me, not angry, just patiently waiting for the rest of my confession. “Mel miscarried…”
“What?” Taken aback, he pulls away and turns to me, intent on hearing me out.
“I went over to her house because she hasn’t been returning my calls—since the bar-b-que—she answered the door looking awful and then she started to hemorrhage…”
The look of horror on his face tugs at my heart. Swallowing hard, he asks, “Is she alright, Becky?”
“She’s devastated, but she’ll be okay…there’s more,” I say, looking past him at the wall. Part of me wonders if I should say anything, but I’m sure Leo and Mel would be fine with me telling Eric. At least, they won’t have to.
“Hello?” He shakes my hand, jarring my attention back to him.
“Leo was the father—they’re…together.”
Eric’s jaw drops, and he tilts his head as if processing something. “It makes sense.”
“That’s what I thought…Anyway, I stayed until Leo got there, but then I left. They should be together, right now.”
Nodding, he rises and tugs on my hand. “Come on. Let’s get to bed. You’ve had a long day.”
“You have, too. Thank you for waiting up,” I say as we make our way up to bed.
Laying in the dark, snuggled in his arms, I feel safe, calm, at peace. Given everything that has gone down, I find myself more grateful than ever. Just holding me, silent, is worth more to me than anything he could possibly say at a time like this.
His presence is everything.
Content as I am, there are words that need to be said—I owe it to him, to our marriage. “I forgive you,” I whisper. “I don’t think I’ve ever been more in love with you than I am at this exact moment.”
He sniffs behind me, breaking down and sobbing into my neck. “Thank you,” he gasps as he kisses my head. Turning to him, I wipe his tears and kiss the tip of his nose.
“Just saying the words, just feeling them is an incredible feeling.” I smile, leaning in to kiss his trembling lips.
Nodding, he pulls back and turns me back to little spoon position. We snuggle in and fall asleep, content, repaired, whole.
Our love has won and will continue to grow.
I’m woken up by Eric nudging me. Groaning, I open my eyes a slit, not willing to move. I’m too comfy.
“I don’t have to go into the office until noon,” he says, nudging me again. “Wake up, sleepyhead. We need to go see Mel.”
Mel. The events of the night before crash to the forefront of my mind. My eyes pop open, and I move to get out of bed. The need to check in on my bestie is top priority.
When we arrive at the hospital, Leo is still there. Mel is asleep, so he joins us and we move to the waitin
g area. The three of us hug, hanging on, crying.
Leo pulls back first and takes a seat. His bloodshot eyes are so full of worry that my heart aches for him, for Mel. “It just sort of happened,” Leo says, sighing and leaning his head back against the cushion. “We didn’t plan for it, but both wanted it…”
“Leo, buddy, you don’t have to justify anything to us,” Eric says, taking a seat next to him.
I join them on the other side of Leo. “We’re family, Leo. We’re here for you both, anything you need?”
Shaking his head, Leo sucks in a calming breath. “Mel was really excited about the baby, I was too. We were going to tell you at the bar-b-que, but then…”
“I’m sorry…” I say, reaching out to take his hand. “I was so wrapped up, consumed. As Mel says, I’ve been a shit friend, but I swear to God, I will be better.”
Leo turns his head, intent on me. “You aren’t a shit friend, you’re the best kind. Mel and I are both so grateful that you checked in on her…So don’t be so hard on yourself. None of this is your fault, if anything you saved Mel.” He grins. “That will probably get you off the shit list…”
Nodding, I move on. “How is she? What did the doctor say?”
“She needed a transfusion, but she’ll recover and can try again…”
Nudging him, Eric grins. “Will you be trying with her?”
Leo nods and an adorable smile crosses his lips. “Yeah, man. I love that woman—she doesn’t take any of my shit, you know? She’s it…”
“Well, we’re here for you both. Just let us know what we can do to help,” Eric says.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to see her,” I say.
“Go ahead. She’s been asking for you.” Leo yawns, stretching his arms out in front of him. He’s been up all night and is probably drained.
Mel is awake when I enter her room. “I wondered where Leo went,” she says.
“He was just filling us in and gave me a few minutes to see you…How are you?”
Nodding, she smiles—it’s weak, she’s visibly struggling to hold it together. “I’m hanging in there…I was just so excited…”
“Of course, you were. I’m so sorry, Mel.”
“So…Leo and I…”
“Leo said you two are making a go of it.”
“It happened a little over a month ago,” she says, shaking her head. “We just…it was like a switch flipped, and then I found out I was pregnant. He and I talked and we…well, we realized we wanted to be together…I think I’m in love with him,” She huffs as a sheepish half-smile crosses her lips.
“I think he’s in love with you.”
“Can you even imagine?”
“Absolutely!”
She breaks down, I move in to hug her, stroking her back until she calms and pulls away. “It’s just a lot…”
“Eric and I will be here for anything you need. I promise I’ll be the bestest friend ever.”
“Thanks, Becky. You saved my life. You are a the bestest friend ever—I didn’t mean to make you feel otherwise.”
“You were right, though,” I say, reaching up to wipe her cheeks. “Anyway, none of it matters anymore. Fiona is a non-issue for me. There are more important things in life…”
“I never imagined I’d understand that, so completely. I never thought I’d find someone, let alone have a family, but now I want that more than anything.”
“Me too,” I grin and take her hand. “Our babies will grow up together, and we’ll be there for each other, every step of the way. Deal?”
“Deal.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
It’s been over a month since my last office visit, since Fiona cornered me in the bathroom. As I approach Sharon to announce my arrival, Fiona walks past, arm linked with Ethan—they’re laughing and completely ignore me.
Perfect for me. I guess she’s finally given up. I could care less because I know that she won’t get anywhere. Eric and I are more committed than ever.
He emerges from his office, grinning—god, I love that smile. “Ready for lunch? I booked our table at Carinas.”
“Perfect,” I say, smiling knowingly.
Today, the love of my life turns twenty-eight. We’re celebrating later with friends and family, but I wanted to spend some alone time with him before the party. Every second we spend together is precious. I’ve realized this, and since Mel’s miscarriage, I have done everything to keep those important to me close.
We make our way to the restaurant, hand-in-hand. It’s fall now, and the temperature is about as perfect as any day could be. The sun is shining, people are everywhere, enjoying the less than tropical weather.
When we arrive in the restaurant, we are taken to our table, and I slide into the booth beside Eric. I hate sitting across from him, right by his side is where I am most comfortable. Aromatic Italian deliciousness wafts through the air, but as I close my eyes to indulge, inhaling long and slow, I catch a hint of Eric’s cologne, and I smile. Both scents have such a calming effect.
“So, is everything ready for tonight?” Eric asks turning himself in the booth to face me.
Opening my eyes, my head tilts slightly as a sly smile curves my lips. “Yes, everything will be perfect. Happy birthday, my love.”
“And you didn’t tell Mel anything?”
“Nope. As far as she knows, this is a birthday party, just for you. It will be a surprise…I promised.” Our secret is safe until later.
The waiter arrives with a bottle of sparkling cider and pours our classes. I called ahead to ensure they knew it was Eric’s birthday, knowing full-well he’d book a table. “Happy birthday, sir,” the waiter says with a slight bow before leaving us to it.
Leaning in, Eric kisses me, slow and sexy—this man…
Blessed—that is what we are…
“You thought of everything,” he says, pulling away, eyeing me. His eyes sparkle, and he smiles, rubbing his hands together with excitement. “Ok, where’s my present?”
“What makes you think I brought it with me.” I smirk, arching a brow.
“You didn’t?” He knows I did…I’m always excited to surprise him, but I’m also predictable. I hate waiting to see his reaction—it’s like food for my soul.
“I did.” My smile spreads. He rubs his hands together some more. Laughing, I shake my head. He loves presents and the look on his face is like a kid at Christmas. It’s epic, I take a mental picture, willing my mind to never forget this moment.
It’s taken me weeks to get his present ready—I can’t wait to give it to him.
Reaching for his hand, my eyes fill with happy tears as I place it over my abdomen. His gaze darts from my eyes to my belly and then back to my eyes. He’s blown away, speechless.
“Wh…Becky? Are…you sure?”
“Quite sure. About eight weeks sure…” Swallowing back tears, I whisper. “I’ve known for weeks, but I wanted to surprise you—I wanted to make sure...” I don’t have to tell him that I fear a miscarriage, every new mother’s worst fear. “I don’t want to say anything to Mel, not yet, and especially not today.”
Nodding, he yanks me into his arms as his lips take mine. When we finally come up for air, he says, “Best gift ever, Becky.”
A huge smile crosses my lips—I’m so deliriously happy, so excited for what is to come.
“I haven’t told you the best part,” I say, my smile now hurts my face. “Twins…”
His face blanches and his jaw drops. Recovering, he nods his head, silently laughing. “Twice the fun—we will love them no matter how many there are…and you know I’ve always wanted a football team.”
Laughing, I shake my head. “Well, this is a good start—let’s not get greedy.”
“Do you feel okay?” The concern is evident in his tone.
“I feel fantastic.”
After lunch, I walk Eric back to the office. We haven’t stopped laughing, talking, planning for our exciting future. We’re going to be parents—there re
ally isn’t anything that could possibly top it. We are right smack dab in the middle of our happily ever after. With Eric, I feel like a princess, swept off her feet by a charming prince.
As we approach the elevator to take up to their floor, I catch the sound of heels clicking along the tile behind us. The hair on the back of my neck prickles—it’s Fiona. My smile fades, I refuse to look back, but as the elevator opens, I find myself increasing my pace, hoping she won’t follow us in.
Fiona steps on to the elevator, Eric and I exchange looks. It’s just the three of us, trapped in a box, together. Awkward isn’t enough of a word to describe the situation. As the elevator moves, I lean into Eric, and he places a protective arm around me. Fiona cocks a perfectly plucked brow, clears her throat, and then focuses on her phone, pretending to ignore us.
Before I know what happening, Eric’s free arm reaches out and punches the stop button. He straightens, still holding me close. I have no idea what to say, what he is going to say.
He smiles, his eyes fixed on Fiona—she looks up for a challenge. “Fiona, I wanted to share the news with you—I wanted you to know how happy we are—we’re expecting twins.”
“Congrats,” she says, almost choking on the flatness in her tone, dictating just how much she cares. Still, there is a slight change in her expression…disappointment?
“I want this pregnancy to be as stress-free as possible for Becky. Are we clear?” His tone is pointed and sexy as hell. Swallowing hard, I smile up at him.
“Please.” Fiona rolls her eyes, and glances at her phone. “I have places to be, can we speed this up?”
“Fiona…” he drawls, the warning in his tone demands her compliance.
She huffs. “Fine. I wish you all the best. But please know, I have moved on to greener pastures—I couldn’t be bothered with either of you, if we’re being honest.”
Eric hits the start button and seconds later we step off onto the office floor. Fiona struts towards the bathroom as Eric guides me towards his office. I halt, he stops and eyes me.
“I’ll be right back,” I say, looking towards the bathroom. For a second, he looks as though he might argue my intent, but then nods and walks towards his office.
