The Webster Grove Series

by Puckett, Tracie

  I jolted awake at one AM to the sound of something banging on the window. I flipped the lamp switch on the bedside table. I rolled off the bed and tossed back the curtains to find Isaac frantically beating a closed fist against the glass.

  “Steph,” he said hurriedly. “Steph, let me in. Please, this can't wait.”

  I threw up the latch and cracked the opening.

  “Isaac? What are you—“

  “I need your help.”

  “Why can't you people just use the freaking front door like normal human beings?”

  “You have to come with me.”

  “Are you crazy? I'm not going anywhere with—“

  “It's Bridget. She needs you.”

  “Whatever it is can wait until tomorrow,” I said, starting to close the window.

  “No. She's been locked in her bathroom crying for four hours and she won't come out. Her parents are out of town and I don't know what to do. The only reason I know she's alive is because she lets out a few loud dramatic sobs every half-hour.”

  “You don't have a clue what’s wrong with her?”

  “Steph—“

  “Let me grab some shoes—“

  “Hurry up. I doubt we should leave her alone this long.”

  I stepped aside and slid on a pair of flip-flops. Isaac and I rode to Bridget's house together in silence. We pulled into the driveway minutes later. I threw the door open and ran inside and up the stairs.

  As expected, the bathroom was locked and the only sound coming from the other side was Bridget's dramatic sobbing.

  “Bridge?” I knocked. “Hey, let me in.”

  “Steph?” she asked, sniffling. She cracked the door and stared at me through a small opening. After verifying that it was me, she opened it wider and pulled me in. Bridget threw her arms around my neck and hugged me, crying into my shoulder.

  “I got into Yale,” she said, gasping for air between each word. “I'm not on the waitlist anymore. Today I opened up the mailbox and ta-da! A big, welcoming, acceptance letter to Yale University addressed to Bridget Wright.”

  “Oh thank God,” I said, returning her hug. “Bridget that's wonderful news—“

  “It's terrible!”

  “I don't understand-“

  “I'm pregnant, Steph.”

  My stomach seemingly turned inside out. “Um…“

  “I kept waiting for the envelope to show up and tell me that I'm not good enough for an Ivy League school.”

  “How would that make a difference?”

  “Them rejecting me is one thing,” she started. “Me rejecting them... I can’t imagine—“

  “Wait. Start over. You're—“

  “Pregnant,” she said again. “Do you want me to spell it out for you? Pee on another stick so you’ll believe me?” She sat down on the closed toilet seat.

  I knelt beside her and took her hands.

  “Bridge,” I started, lifting her chin. “Have you talked to Isaac?”

  She shook her head. “I don't want to ruin his future—“

  “He's having a baby. You can't keep something like that from him.“

  “Isaac is leaving next month for California. I can't ask him to put his life on hold for me—“

  “I'm going to get him,” I said, standing up. “He needs to be part of this conversation.”

  “No, Steph,” she begged. “Please don't say anything. I'm not ready—“

  “You were ready to have sex,” I said, turning back to her. “You were ready to be an adult, make big-girl decisions, and not consider the repercussions. You and Isaac need to talk. Tonight. He's worried to death about you.”

  “I—“

  “No. You're telling him.”

  She nodded. “Please don't tell anyone else, Steph. I can't face the rumor mill in our high school. I’m so humiliated. What is everyone going to say when they find out I’m carrying such a big secret?”

  “Everyone has secrets—“

  “You don't—“

  “I do,” I said adamantly.

  “A secret I don't know?” she lowered her eyebrows. “Like what?”

  “Well,” I started, taking a deep breath. “I'm in love.”

  She looked up and stared at me for a few long moments. “With the guy that Nate has been covering up for all this time?”

  “Huh?”

  “How naive do you think I am, Steph?”

  “Um...”

  She lifted her eyebrows and wore a coy smile. “Honey, I love you, I do. But come on. You can cut the sexual tension between you and Mr. Rivera with a knife.'

  I took a deep breath. “You know?”

  “Yup.”

  “You’re not mad?”

  “For what? Keeping a secret? Heck, no. Besides, I don't think anyone else caught on. In a way, I felt like I was in on it all along.”

  “My relationship with Alex is—“

  “Relationship!” she screamed. “I thought it was just a crush! You're actually seeing him?”

  “Bridge,” I said, trying to stay calm. “We're in love—“

  “Are you sleeping with him?”

  “What? No.”

  “Why the hell not? Have you seen him? What are you waiting for?”

  “Well, for one,” I looked at her stomach. “I don't need one of those—“

  “Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Rivera,” she said dreamily. “Gotta hand it to you, friend. He’s a keeper.”

  As if I needed someone to tell me…

  We sat in silence for a few long moments. We finally met each other's' gaze and shared a small smirk. The smirk turned into a smile, which turned into a full-blown attack of laughter.

  “Your life sucks worse than mine,” she said, seemingly thankful. “When did we become so pathetic?”

  “Bridge,” I finally managed to say through the laughter. “You'll be a great mom—“

  “And your brother will be an incredible father.”

  “He told you…about… he told you?”

  “He tells me everything, honey.”

  “Then don't you think you owe him the same?” I asked, putting my hand on her belly.

  “Yeah,” she said. “I do.”

  Chapter Five

  Monday May 21

  “Tell me again,” I said, closing my eyes.

  “The fashion industry will be taken by storm. Your designs are going to flood red carpets all across the globe. The fascinating and one-of-a-kind Steph Ghijk will be flashing on marquees from sea to sea. And when you're rolling in cash and signing autographs for poor little people who envy you, I'll be able to reflect on today and say yeah, I dated her when she was a nobody.”

  “I'm not a nobody,” I retorted. “And you're not dating me. That last sentence was chalked full of inaccuracies, mister.”

  Nate laughed and stroked my hair as he leaned back in his seat, keeping himself planted on the furthest end of his front porch swing. I had my head resting in his lap and my feet dangling over the side as we swayed to and fro.

  “Can you believe graduation is merely around the corner?” he asked. “It doesn't even seem possible.”

  “What that you're graduating, or that it's happening so fast?”

  “Oh, Miss Ghijk, you're so funny,” he said sarcastically. “I'll have you know, I've never failed a single class during my thirteen years of public education.”

  “Probably because they enforce a heavy work ethic in detention, and we both know you spent your share of time serving afterschool hours—“

  “Geesh,” he said, roughing my hair. “Wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?”

  “I'm just teasing,” I giggled and patted his knee.

  “Questio
n.”

  “Oh boy,” I mumbled.

  “Are things still pretty solid with you and...him?”

  “I thought we agreed we weren't going to talk about this.”

  “Wishful thinking...”

  “Keep wishing, babe.”

  I closed my eyes and rocked in silence as Nate continued to stroke my hair. I heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway next to Nate's and shot up.

  “Gotta go,” I said, jumping off the porch and starting toward Alex's house. By the time I reached him, Alex was fumbling with his keys and working to unlock the deadbolt.

  “Hey, stranger—“

  “Steph,” he said, not looking back. He opened the door and walked in without any further acknowledgment.

  “Everything okay?” I asked, following him in.

  “Perfect.” he mumbled unconvincingly and moved to the kitchen.

  I could tell by his tone that he was anything but perfect.

  I followed him and watched as he retrieved a bottle of water from the refrigerator.

  “Are you okay?”

  “We need to talk.”'

  I nodded. “So it seems. What's up?”

  He pulled a chair back from the table and sat down. The cap remained sealed on the water bottle as he tugged at the paper edges, avoiding eye contact. I slid into the seat next to him and waited for him to say something. He bit his lower lip, but in frustration as opposed to his normal endearing habit.

  “Well?” I finally asked.

  “I've risked a lot for you, Steph,” he started. “Sometimes I don't think you realize how much.”

  “I do,” I assured him.

  “What's going on with you and Nate?”

  “...Seriously? This is what you want to talk about?“

  “Is it presumptuous to assume there's a lot more between the two of you than you're willing to admit?”

  “He's my best friend--“

  “That's not what I'm seeing.“

  “Then adjust your vision, Alex—“

  “Steph, I'm not in a place in life where I can deal with someone who wants to play games. If you're heart isn't in this, we need to stop while we're ahead.”

  I dropped my head. “I guess I'm confused—“

  “I tried to ignore what happened when you two were sitting out on the porch a few weeks ago. I have no way of knowing what his note said, but his intentions were quite clear. I want to think you're oblivious to the fact, but your friend bends over backward to make sure I see him with you at every given chance. He's sending a strong message, Steph. He wants you, and sadly... I think you thrive off of it.”

  “Alex,” I said, trying to control the cracking in my voice. “I love you. Only you.”

  The tension in the room was thick and heavy. Neither of us spoke again for a few long seconds. His eyes welled up with tears and his knuckles turned white as he squeezed the bottle in front of him.

  “You have no idea how much I want to believe you,” he finally mumbled.

  “But... you don't?”

  “No,” he answered quietly, pushing himself away from the table. “You should probably leave.”

  Arguing would be pointless, so I reached into my purse, pulled out a crinkled envelope, and slid it to him.

  “You need to read this,” I said. ''When you're ready to apologize, you know where to find me.”

  Saturday May 26

  After weeks of ignoring the envelope, I finally caved and read Isaac's note.

  Steph,

  You've already proven you're your mother's daughter by running from the truth. Now prove you're your father's daughter, and have a forgiving heart.

  -Isaac

  I reached into the envelope and retrieved a faded photo of a younger Caroline, holding a beautiful blonde-haired baby boy and standing next to Nick, smiling down on a brunette, infant version of myself.

  I wiped a tear as I stared at the photograph.

  I tried to look past the sadness in my eyes as I gazed into the mirror. It had been five days since Alex had attacked me with his assumptions before asking me to leave. No contact would have been better than what I'd been living with since Monday evening. Unlike I expected, he hadn't been avoiding me at school. Worse, he treated me exactly the same as he did every other student.

  I'd spent the days reliving our conversation, wishing I'd spoken up and defended myself against Alex's accusations. Losing him wasn't worth the lies. The truth was so much easier.

  I wanted to confide in Nate, but I was worried he'd find pleasure in my pain. I didn't want to give him any reason to view this as an opportunity to swoop in and make good on his intentions.

  So, I did what any girl would do and turned to a gal pal. Bridget, though, had other things on her mind. The pregnancy was finally starting to take its toll. The mood swings were astronomical, but not much different than her norm.

  “You look gorgeous, sweetheart,” Adriana said, walking in and staring at the reflection in the mirror.

  I sat in front of the Rivera's famous grandmother as she pinned a stray curl to the back of my head.

  “Thank you for doing this,” I said sincerely.

  “I'm honored,” she said, with a twisted smirk.

  I wanted to smile, but the effort was too much.

  “Alexander is an emotional time bomb, always ticking, and always ready to explode,” she said, spraying my hair in place.

  I stared at her reflection. “I guess Cal told you—“

  “Honey,” she said, smirking. “I've known about you two longer than you have. The day he called to ask me to meet you, I assumed you were already wearing a ring. He mentioned that you applied to the summer program and raved about your remarkable talent. He went on and on about how beautiful and full of life you are. The poor boy failed to mention you were one of his students, sweetheart.”

  “Oh—“

  “So,” she said, taking a seat next to me. “You wanna tell me what's been going on with you two?”

  “Nothing—“

  “Try again.”

  I smirked and shook my head. “I never meant to fall in love with your grandson, Adriana.”

  “That's why they call it falling, sweetheart. It happens when you least expect it.”

  “He's risked a lot for me. His reputation, his job, his future... he thinks I'm ungrateful.”

  “Relationships are hard work,” she assured me.

  “Yeah—“

  “And if it's not hard, you're not doing it right.”

  “That's what she said,” Cal yelled loudly, swinging the door open and making his grand entrance.

  “Calvin Rivera,” Adriana snapped. “You march your butt out of this room right now. This is no-man territory.”

  “Well, Nate is waiting downstairs--“

  “She'll be down when I say she's good and ready.”

  “I figured as much,” he said, turning on his heels and leaving the room.

  “Steph,” Adriana turned back to me. “He'll come around eventually. Between the two of us, Alex is as moody as a pregnant woman. I bet he could give your red-headed friend a run for her money—“

  “How do you know about Bridge—“

  “I know everything honey.”

  She smirked and offered me a hand. With her help, I stood from the chair and evaluated the finished product.

  I twirled once and watched the long, white princess gown sweep the floor.

  “Adriana,” I started. “Can I tell you something... without repercussion?”

  “Always.”

  “I'm flattered that you're giving me the chance to come to Paris this summer—“

  “But?”

  “I'm reconsidering my enrollment in the progra
m.”

  Adriana took a step back and sat on the corner of the bed. “Come here,” she said, patting the empty space next to her. I walked over and joined her. She took my hands and leaned forward. “What's this about, Steph?” I didn't answer her question, but sat silently staring at the diamond studded bracelet clasped around my wrist. “Do you really want to give up everything? Does it make sense to throw away your talents, dreams, and future... for what I can only assume is the love of a man?”

  I closed my eyes. “Alex and I belong together—“

  “What's meant to be will find a way,” she said. “But that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice the things your heart most desires. Besides, the program is only three months.”

  “Right.”

  “Think long and hard before you make a definite decision, sweetheart. Love is a tricky, tricky game.”

  I nodded and stood up. “I suppose I should go—“

  “Knock 'em dead tonight,” she said, standing tall and giving me a swift pat on the butt.

  I wrapped her in a hug. “I couldn't ask for a better friend.”

  “Right, then,” she said quietly, returning my embrace. “Go on. You have memories to make!”

  Chapter Six

  Saturday May 26

  The room looked much like it had for homecoming, only heavily decorated in hearts and red decor to hold true to the theme of True Love. Bridget and Isaac owned the dance floor. The way she moved, you'd never guess Bridget was carrying a tiny little baby. Nate and I, on the other hand, exhausted our dancing shoes four songs into the night.

  “Hey guys,” Rachel Canter said, bopping along to the music in the background. She wore a hot pink dress that hugged every curve on her body. Though I'd never admit it out loud, she looked like a gorgeous, human version of a Barbie doll. “Steph, would you mind if I borrowed Nate for a dance?”

  “Go for it,” I said.

  “Nate?” she asked. “You wanna—“

  “Yeah,” he nodded. “Steph, are you sure?”

  “Go,” I urged him.

  He pressed a quick kiss to the top of my head and moved into the crowd with Rachel as a slow, melodic song began to play.

  “Did you know that teachers are allowed to participate?”