The Only Answer

by Magan Vernon

  “It’s fine, Dad. You and Mom will be here from now on.”

  “And we always will be.” He squeezed my hand again and somehow I knew that even though things weren’t perfect, they were as close as they could be.

  Chapter 21

  Trey

  We completely missed John and Melanie’s rehearsal but watching Monica make peace with her parents was worth it for everyone. The happy couple called us as soon as it was done and after Monica explained that her dad was fine, they told her not to worry, that we didn’t even need to come to the wedding if he was bad. And that’s how we knew there was no way in hell we were missing their wedding because any friends that would say that were friends that you’d do anything for.

  “You sure you and The Lib are okay with doing this, man?”

  I stared at John’s reflection in the mirror while I adjusted my tie. “I’m fine. You shouldn’t be worried about me, this is your day.”

  I turned toward him and John shook his head. “I’m always going to be worried about you, bro. You always focus on everything else, trying to right everyone’s wrongs instead of looking at what you’ve got going on and facing it.”

  I cocked an eyebrow. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  He took a step closer. The other groomsmen were busy drinking from flasks or trying to figure out their cufflinks so they weren’t even paying attention to us. “Look, you have all of this going on with Monica and her being pregnant but you’ve barely spent anytime focusing on your future with her. Instead you’ve been so wrapped up in doing everything for your dad, the campaign, and trying to ward off this stupid ass shit that the media puts out. For once, think of yourself, man. Think of your future.”

  I swallowed hard. Not because I was nervous but because John was absolutely right. I always hated to admit when someone else was right and I usually wasn’t at a loss for words, but this time I had nothing.

  John clasped my shoulder. “You’re a good man, Chapman. You’re also going to be one hell of a father if you stop letting everything else get in the way. Enjoy your time and don’t let it break you.”

  I nodded. “Thanks, John.”

  He smiled and then turned toward some of the groomsmen who were ushering for his attention.

  I adjusted my tie, even though I knew it was straight, but I needed something to do. Something other than think too much about what John said. I felt my eyes trail to the clock before I even though about it. There was still time before the ceremony and still time for me to talk to Monica.

  I patted John’s back. “I’ll be right back. I need to go talk to someone.”

  I didn’t even wait for his response before I opened the door and jogged out of the hotel room. I didn’t think about what I was going to say or exactly what I was doing, I just knew that I had to do something.

  I dodged people walking by and turned corners that I thought there were way too many of. Finally I made it to Melanie’s suite. The noise was deafening and I wasn’t sure how the girls weren’t getting complaints.

  Beyonce was blaring from some unknown source and people were talking over the music. I guess that was just par for the course with the girls getting ready.

  Even though the dead bolt was placed so that the door was propped open, I still knocked, hoping someone would hear me. After a few beats no one came to the door, so I knocked again. Still nothing.

  Slowly, I pushed the door open, hoping I wouldn’t’ see a bunch of half naked girls doing some new rendition to “Single Ladies.”

  I kept my eyes shielded as I walked into the room. “Is there any reason I shouldn’t look at right now?”

  A loud group of giggles sounded from somewhere in front of me and I slowly opened my eyes. Melanie was perched on the end of her bed with a giant white skirt pooling around her legs. On one side of her was Valerie and the other side was Monica, looking every bit of happy as she deserved to be. She was in a teal, strapless dress that hit right at her knees and gave the slightest hint to her rounding belly. Her red hair cascaded in loose curls over her shoulder and was partially clipped back by a silver flower piece. But the most gorgeous thing about her was her bright smile that always lit up the room. A smile I had missed seeing for too long.

  “Trey, what are you doing here?” The smile quickly faded from Monica’s face as she stood up and closed the distance between us. “Is everything okay? Did you hear from my mom?”

  I shook my head and slowly took her hand, interlacing our fingers. “Everything’s okay, I just wanted to come see you and I’m glad I did. You look amazing.”

  “Oh, uh, thanks,” she said and looked at the ground instead of at me.

  “Do you mind if we go somewhere and talk?” I asked, running my thumb along the bridge of her knuckles.

  “Um, well I’m sort of getting ready for our friends’ wedding. You know the one that we’re here for.”

  “You’re all ready! Just go talk to the man!” Valerie yelled. “Just be back here in ten minutes or I’m hunting both of you down.”

  I nodded in Valerie’s direction. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll have her back as soon as I can.”

  “If he does anything to make you cry, let me know, Mon. I’ll be out there as fast as my pregnant ass can waddle,” Valerie yelled.

  “I will, Val,” Monica said and her eyes met mine. I didn’t know what was behind them. Fear? Hope? Something different all together? I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I wanted to make sure she didn’t feel anything but happiness ever again.

  I tugged on her hand and turned, not letting go of her hand as we walked out the door and down the hallway. I didn’t exactly know where to go or what I needed to say. I just knew I had to do something.

  Luckily it was her that spoke first. She tugged on my arm just before we reached the elevator and I turned toward her. Her eyes were wide and filled with apprehension. “Is everything okay? Are you sure there isn’t something that you’re trying to tell me?”

  I closed the space between us and put my hands on her cheeks. I looked into her eyes thinking of the right words to say. Hell, thinking of anything to say. But there were no words, so I just let my lips do the work and crushed my mouth to hers.

  She tilted her head back, sliding her tongue against my bottom lip before nipping at it. I moaned and she slid her tongue against mine, making it hard for me to think about anything else but wanting her against me.

  I ran my fingers through her hair, not even thinking if I was going to mess it up. Her arms wrapped around me, pulling me closer. I didn’t want to do anything but strip her out of the dress and be near her.

  “Ahem.” A low voice came from behind us.

  Monica gasped and let go of me, jumping back and straightening out her hair.

  An older gentleman nodded in our direction before shaking his head and walking past us to the elevator.

  Way to ruin the moment.

  Monica swallowed hard, her breathing shallow as she bit her lip then looked up at me. “Did you want to go back to our room?”

  As much as I wanted to hold her in my arms and never let go, I knew I couldn’t do that at that moment. I had to actually talk to her and not let our bodies do the talking. I had to let her know exactly how much she meant to me.

  I ran my finger down her jawline, her eyes trailing my every move. “You’re so beautiful, Monica. I’m so lucky you came into my life and decided to stay. That you fell in love with me. That you chose to be the mother of my child and my future wife. I don’t tell you enough how lucky I am to have you.”

  She shook her head slowly and placed her hand on mine before moving it down. She interlaced our fingers while keeping her eyes on mine. “You don’t have to say all of those things to me. I know how you feel about me. Just because we don’t tell each other that we love each other every minute of every day doesn’t make our relationship any less special. I know you’ve been here for me. You always have.”

  I sighed. “I know that you love me and I’ll never sto
p loving you, but I’ve been a first rate ass lately. Our lives aren’t about my dad’s political campaign or any future election. I’ve let all of that cloud my judgment instead of just focusing on us and our future.”

  I pressed my forehead to hers. “And I promise from now on that I’m going to stop putting so many things before us and our family. Forget the scandals and things that try and get in our way. I just want it to be us from here on out.”

  She bit her lip slightly. “I can’t let you do that. It’s your job to work on your dad’s campaign. As much as I’d love not to be in the spotlight, I know this is what you have to do. Not just for yourself or for parents but for our little family.” She patted her stomach.

  “Yeah, but just because I’m working on the campaign it doesn’t mean I can ignore you or let things get to my head.”

  She let out a deep breath. “It’ll all be over soon and either your dad will be President or he won’t be. And either way, we have to be okay with it.”

  “We will. You and I, we’re going to get through everything. You’ve always been the best thing that has ever happened to me.” My eyes trailed down to her stomach. “But Trey Jr. may give you a run for your money.”

  She smiled. “Or Monica Jr.”

  I leaned back and kissed her forward. “I’ve always loved your resilience.”

  “And that’s never going to change. Hopefully Monica Jr. gets that.”

  I shook my head and turned toward Melanie’s room. “As long as he or she gets your good looks as well, I’m okay with that.”

  ***

  John and Melanie’s wedding went off without any problems. Valerie and Wes’s daughter threw the flowers and didn’t scream at me when she walked by. And at the end of the ceremony John and Melanie were married, which was the most important part of it all.

  The sun set just over that horizon, casting an orange glow over the river. As the sky grew darker, dozens of twinkling lights lit the trees around the garden area and made the whole place look like something out of a fairytale.

  I’d never seen John so happy. There wasn’t a moment that he wasn’t smiling. This was a guy who I’d known since I started college and who I’d watched change from the one with a revolving door to his bedroom to the guy who wouldn’t leave Melanie’s side.

  I searched the crowd for Monica. She’d been pulled away by one of Melanie’s bridesmaid for some sort of photo opportunity and it left me standing on a small bridge near the water. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to sit and socialize with everyone, but there were some points that I just needed to breathe. Needed to get away from the crowds and be able to hear myself think.

  Staring out onto the water, I thought about my future. Mine and Monica’s future. I’m sure my parents expected some grand affair for a wedding and her parents weren’t even thinking as far ahead as our wedding. I barely even had time to think about anything wedding or baby related. I could barely think past the election, but I needed to. I needed to start planning my future with Monica.

  “Something bothering you, Chapman?” A smooth, flirty voice said from behind me.

  I winced, noticing the familiarity of the voice. Slowly I turned around and saw Chastity standing there with a smirk on her too-red lips. She was holding a champagne glass that was half-full and sauntered over to me, her black dress slowly swaying with each movement.

  “Hello, Chastity, what are you doing here?” I asked, trying to keep the annoyance out of my voice. This was a girl that was trying to ruin me and she had the audacity to show up at my best friend’s wedding.

  “You know...I was visiting a friend at my old sorority house at Central and remembered that you were attending a wedding in Princeville this weekend. I thought maybe I’d pop over and see how you were doing. Something outside of the office.” She sauntered over, swiveling her hips.

  “Good to see that your pregnancy hasn’t kept you down. I hope the real father of your child is helping you out.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Oh my god, you’re so much of a cliché, do you know that?”

  I cocked an eyebrow. “I beg your pardon.”

  She stopped only a few inches away from me and put one hand on her hip. “You do this whole ‘golden boy’ shtick and everyone just falls for it. I try and break you out of your little old Republican drone mold and yet you keep to it. Don’t you ever have any fun?”

  I shook my head. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  She huffed. “Look, I took this internship because I saw you on TV and thought, “Hey that youngest Chapman is kind of hot, I bet he has some sort of kinky side hidden under those dress shirts.” Then you ended up just being another lame ass so I had to do something to spice up the office. Luckily you and your little girlfriend weren’t that bright in where you put your pregnancy tests.”

  A lump caught in my throat, rendering me speechless.

  The pregnancy tests.

  We left them on my desks without even thinking about it. I was more concerned about Monica instead of thinking about them. This could have all been avoided if I would have just used my head and threw them away. Of course I didn’t think anyone would actually save them.

  “It wasn’t that hard to point one of the other interns in the direction of the tests and swipe one for myself. I knew I’d need it for insurance in case anything went awry.” She smiled an all too smug smile.

  I shook my head. “You’re a special kind of crazy. Why would you go out of your way to do all of that? Was it really that important for you to ruin mine and Monica’s lives for your own personal gain?”

  She pursed her lips. “How else do you expect a girl to move up in the political world? I’ve already had offers from three different news outlets for my story. Soon, I’ll be all over.”

  “Yeah, all over for being a crazy broad,” a voice said from behind her.

  Chastity turned around only to feel the resounding thwap against her cheek as Monica’s fist connected with it.

  “Ow, you bitch!” Chastity rubbed her cheek.

  “That’s Ms. Bitch to you.”

  I couldn’t help but let a small smile creep on my lips. “Is your hand okay, Monica?”

  She shook it out. “Yeah, it’s fine. I’ve wanted to do that ever since I saw her Barbie head at your office.”

  Chastity rubbed her cheek and scowled. “You know this is just going to look badly on the both of you!” She pulled her phone out of her purse. “I’m going to Instagram this whole thing right now.”

  “Go ahead, do it,” I said and put my arm around Monica.

  Monica looked at me, raising her eyebrows in question.

  I shrugged. “She’d do it anyway and we can’t keep living our lives worried about the next scandal. We have more important things to worry about.”

  She grinned and leaned up placing a light kiss on my lips. “That’s the sexiest thing you’ve ever said.”

  I didn’t see Chastity leave and I didn’t care. All I cared about was that I had Monica in my arms and I finally realized that there was more out there than political scandals or people trying to bring us down.

  Chapter 22

  Monica

  Election Day. The day we’d been waiting for, for months.

  But I had the jitters for a completely different reason.

  “You ready, Mon?” Trey asked, sliding on his coat.

  Chicago decided that November was a great time to have the first snow fall and I hoped that my giant pregnant ass wouldn’t fall on the ice.

  “Yeah. Ready as I’ll ever be.” I let him help me into my coat which I knew wouldn’t be fitting for too much longer and I might have to look in the dreaded maternity section for something new.

  I turned and faced him. Usually Trey was always calm and collected but his nervous smile was clearly showing through. “Are you nervous about tonight’s election party or about the doctor’s appointment?”

  He straightened his tie, his ‘I voted’ sticker still held in place on his lapel. “Ca
n I be about both?”

  I leaned in and gave him the briefest of kisses. “You have my permission to be nervous about both.”

  “Thanks for your permission.” He took my hand, interlacing our fingers. “Ready to find out if we’re team pink or team blue?”

  I let out a deep breath as he opened the front door. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

  ***

  My doctor was on Michigan Avenue, which normally wouldn’t have been too far of a walk, but with the snow just starting to fall it was better to take a cab.

  Truth be told, I was actually happy to be going to a doctor’s office instead hiding in the Chapman’s house and keeping the whole pregnancy thing a secret. It was exhausting.

  By the time we got to the doctor’s office I was a complete bundle of nerves and my hands were shaking. Trey helped me out of the cab after paying the driver. He squeezed my hand. “Are you cold?”

  “No, my body is like a personal heater now.”

  He smiled. “Nervous?”

  “Yeah. A little.”

  He put his arm around me and kissed the top of my head before we walked through the automatic doors into the building. “Nothing to nervous about. Once we see that we’re having a little Trey we can get matching blue cigars for the election party.”

  I laughed. “I think Valerie already has the pink ones on order.”

  Sucking in a breath, I watched each one of my steps as we walked into the lobby of the way too fancy office. This was the doctor’s office that Trey’s mom went to and other politicians’ wives so of course it had to have a fountain in the middle, marble floors, and plush furniture that looked like it probably cost more than the ones in our condo.

  We approached the counter where a woman in pink scrubs sat. She looked up from her computer.

  “Hi, Monica Remy, here for an ultrasound appointment.”