Unexpected Turn

by CY Jones

  The gym is packed today, reminding me why I don’t like coming here on Tuesdays. When I change, Rob is waiting on me looking like perfection and my heart skips. Just like that, I forget about McHottie and my convo with Rob rushes to the forefront of my mind. Shaking my head in an effort to clear it, I ask, “So, what’s on the agenda today?”

  “Since you were in pain, I think it’s time to start holding back on your workouts. We’ll start with your fifteen minute warmup on the treadmill,” he states and I nod, following him. I’m not going to argue. It’s been hell trying to keep up with the same level as I was before.

  As I’m running, he walks over to help another trainer he just hired but is back a minute before I’m done. The rest of the workout, he leads me through easy workouts, maintaining his professionalism and I hate him and love him for it at the same time. I hate him because I’ve gotten myself all worked up at his words and I love him because he’s making it easier for me to stay true to Tyson.

  By the time we’re done working out, he’s standing behind me on the mat, helping me stretch when the gym starts to empty out. Taking my time because you know, pregnancy belly in the way, I stretch both my feet out and bend forward, bringing my fingers as close as I can to my toes. Before I could touch them easily, but now I could barely reach halfway.

  “I think you can do better than that,” Rob says from behind me and I’m tempted to turn and slap him. His fingers gently press my back as his body heat engulfs me, and I quickly change my mind, thinking of other things to do with him instead of committing violence. I’m in a bliss of sensory overload, feeling the touch of his fingers, smelling the scent of man and citrus, and the husky tone of his voice, I can’t stop myself from leaning back and turning my head to him. His own face moves closer to mine and we’re mere centimeters from each other’s lips. I’m lost in his spell, so lost I don’t see Tyson until it’s too late. He grabs Rob with surprising strength, lifts him off the ground like he weighs nothing, and throws him into the rows of hanging mats.

  I’m shocked and my eyes reflect it, but I’m also scared. I’ve never seen my level headed boyfriend loose his shit like this before. Rob rises to his feet and starts rampaging over with steam coming out his ears. He’s pissed from being caught off guard and sees no problem with getting even, regardless of it meaning starting a fight in his very own gym. Tyson rushes to meet him with his teeth bared and quickly I jump to my feet and barrel myself in between them, holding my hands out.

  “Don’t do this,” I cry out. Already, we were causing a spectacle. The few trainers left were already leaving their clients and on their way over here, ready to help their boss.

  “Why not, baby? Here and now seems about right to me,” Rob states with fire in his eyes.

  “I’m not moving, so unless you plan on pummeling me to the ground with him, I suggest you let this go.” Turning to Tyson, I tried to plead with him using my eyes, but he was too far gone in his rage. “Ty, please,” I plead, palming his cheek. His eyes flash to mine and I swear I could see the beast he’s caging within. He’s ready to fight Rob, if I’m standing here or not. Just when I think to try another tactic, he grabs my arm and starts pulling me away. The trainers grab onto Rob, restraining him so he doesn’t come after us, which I’m grateful for. Just like Tyson, he looks like he’s willing to cause war for his woman. But I’m not his, am I?

  Tyson doesn’t say anything to me the whole way home. If the heat from his anger could kill, we’d go out in a blazing fire on the highway. When we’re safely secured inside of his flat, I finally gather the courage to open my mouth, but then I can’t find the words to speak. What can I say to him? Lucky for me, he beats me to it.

  “You know, I knew I had to watch you around Grayson. You two have a history and I prepared myself for that, but never in a million years did I think there was someone else in your life. Is he the reason why you’re being so secretive?” he asks and my heart caves from the overwhelming emotion in his voice. “When you came home from the gym, I could tell something was wrong. What happened, Jade? Did you fuck him and then come straight home and jump on my dick? Am I nothing to you but a quick fuck and a good time?”

  “No, of course not,” I answer, but I can tell he doesn’t believe my words. I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t believe me either if I were in his shoes.

  “Which part, Jade? The fucking him or using me?” His words are harsh, each word shooting venom until he numbs me. My heart is racing, and I feel like I could possibly die if he leaves me.

  “I love you,” I admit and he opens his eyes wide before blinking slowly. I literally can see him pondering my declaration before he does the unthinkable and laughs this laugh I’ve never heard from him before. A laugh more suited to a villain in a movie and not him.

  “You love me? I’m sorry, I’m having a hard time believing that when I know you think about Grayson daily, and as it turns out, you’re into your trainer too. You keep secrets from me, you push me away when I’m trying to help you, you take my feelings for you and throw them away like trash, yet you expect me to believe you when you say you love me. No, Jade, that’s not possible because you don’t even know what love is. If you did, you’d know that I’m the one who has fallen for you like a bloody fool.”

  With that, he leaves slamming the door behind him and I fall to the floor, hugging myself tightly as I cry loud, obnoxious, uncontrollable sobs. I’m not alone long before Vinny comes into the room, trying to usher me to my feet and up the stairs. My whole world falls apart at the same time I fall into the bed where Tyson’s scent overcomes me, making me cry even more. I don’t know when I finally fall asleep. I’m completely numb when darkness takes me.

  24

  Jade

  I’m not surprised Tyson didn’t come home last night. I hate to think what he’s been up to all night long or who he’s been with, not like I have room to talk. I’m the one who was in the wrong here and pushed him, running, from his own home. I wish I would have told him sooner so we could talk about how confused I’ve been feeling. Tyson is the first man I ever told I love you to. I never even said those words to my shitty father, and Tyson just laughed in my face, not believing my words. Maybe he's right. Maybe I don’t know what love is.

  In the shower, I stand under the rain stream and let the water pour over me. What am I going to do about work? If I see him, I’m scared I’ll make a spectacle of myself and throw myself at his feet, begging for forgiveness. How can I prove to him that I really do love him? Making a decision, I get out and wrap a towel around myself. Calling the office, I let them know I’m taking a sick day, blaming a bad bout of nausea as the cause. They don’t need to know I’m past that stage in my pregnancy. Then I call Nichole, arranging for her to pick me up. I know Tyson doesn’t have a tracker on my car, but I rather leave it here, just in case I try to leave town in it. I don’t even know if he wants me to continue staying here with him. What if he’s giving me time to pack my shit and leave? I ignore that thought and instead choose to focus on us both needing time instead.

  Nichole pulls up in her Lexus with all smiles, and I jump in as soon as she unlocks the doors.

  “Morning, Jade. I was surprised to hear from you,” she says in greeting. Today she’s wearing a soft blouse with a cardigan and starched slacks. Her hair is in a neat chiagon and her skin has some color in it, looking a whole lot healthier.

  “I’m playing hooky from work today and thought you’d be the perfect accomplice.”

  She looks at me, raising a perfect brow. “Let’s say I believe that, where are we going on this little field trip of yours?”

  “I thought, since you are so excited about the baby and love to shop, we can combine your two loves and make a day out of it,” I answer, shrugging.

  “You mean to tell me, you want to go baby shopping with me, all day?”

  ‘Yep,” I reply.

  “Something has got to be going on with you. You hate shopping. Please, don’t tell me it’s Grayson.”

>   “Nope, not this time, and before you ask, I’m not telling you what’s bothering me. In fact, let’s make that a rule right now. Not once during this day can you ask what’s bothering me.”

  “Fine. As long as I can buy whatever I want and in what store I choose to shop in without complaint,” she counters. Ever the lawyer this one. Agreeing, we shake on it and she pulls out into traffic, heading towards the shopping district.

  “This is so cute,” Nichole says, holding up yet another onesie. Currently, we were in some snooty baby store where she has already ordered an overpriced crib, changing table, and rocking chair. We came here looking for, in Nichole’s words and not mine, the ‘it’ stroller. Apparently, people pay hundreds for its arrowlight design. I just see a stroller, but whatevs, it’s not like I’ll be the one pushing it, so Nichole might as well get what she wants.

  “It looks just like the other three you picked out,” I tell her, waving to the huge keep pile that was starting to take on a life of its own.

  “Nonsense, this one is three sizes bigger and it has a baby duck on it and not a bear.”

  “Oooh, okay,” I say slowly, rolling my eyes.

  “Hey, no attitude, remember our deal,” she says, reminding me once again. I’m starting to regret using Nichole to take my mind off my problems, at least maybe I should have suggested doing something else besides shopping, like eating. Everyone knows how much I love food.

  Taking pity on me, she gathers her pile and takes it to the register. The overly happy sales clerk then regales her in conversation as she rings up things and gushes over Nichole’s choices. I don’t mind the shopping, it’s just this place isn’t me. What happened to buying onesies with funny sayings on it like ‘I just spent nine months on the inside’ or ‘It’s all shits and giggles’. My kid would totally rock that with a tiny motorcycle jacket and cute jeans, but I guess that’s the point. This isn’t my kid but the Hastings’.

  “Where to now?” I ask once we’re settled back in the car. The bigger things Nichole is having delivered to the townhouse, which I found weird until she explained it’s only until she got the baby room ready. She was waiting to find out the sex before she had her decorator get started.

  “I have one more store I want to go to, but how about we get something to eat first?”

  “Sure,” I agree. Nichole was speaking my language now. I love to eat. Food is life more than coffee even. Laughing at my overly excited face, she drives off. Twenty minutes later, we pull into a restaurant I’ve never been to before. To be fair, I haven’t been to many restaurants. Most of the time, I barely had enough cash to go out at all.

  “How are you feeling? I heard the third trimester is the worst,” Nicholes asks once we’re seated with our drinks. I’m being good, sipping lemonade, wishing it was a tall glass of sweet tea while Nichole settles with a diet Coke.

  “It’s going good so far. I’ve been getting tired more and forgetting a lot, but it hasn’t been that bad.”

  “Do you think you would want to be a surrogate again?” She asks casually and I have to stop to think about her question.

  “Sure it’s fulfilling work, but I don’t think I want to ever do this again unless it’s for my own child, far in the future.”

  “Is it because of us you feel this way?” Her voice has a sad tone to it and I quickly reassure her.

  “No, even if I went about this the conventional way, I’d still feel the same. I want to live my life first, with the person I’m meant to be with, before I put my body through this again. Besides, my experience with my own parents taught me, I don’t know what it is to be a mother.”

  “I wouldn’t say all that,” she says. “We aren’t our parents. We make our own decisions in life. If you feel like they were bad examples, then you know to do things opposite of their teachings.”

  “I guess. But like I said, I’m not ready yet.”

  “Do you think you found him, the one you’re meant to be with? Is Tyson the one?”

  “I thought we agreed not to bring up anything personal?” I say, raising my brow.

  “No, we agreed to not talk about what’s bothering you. I take it it’s Tyson since you’re being so defensive.”

  “Never mind,” I reply, waving her off. “Did you get a chance to go to the doctor?”

  She gives me a ‘I know what you’re doing’ look and I shrug. We made a deal and I’m in no way discussing Tyson with her. He may be the source of my problems, but he’s not all of them. So is her hubby and Rob. I may love Tyson, but ever since Rob inserted the idea in my head that I need more than one man in my life, I want all of them, but I know that isn’t possible. It’s only a greedy dream conjured up by a lost soul with selfish intentions. One is married to the woman sitting across from me and the other two are too alpha male to share.

  “Just what I thought, the flu,” she says, answering my earlier question before changing the subject altogether. “Are you dressing up for Halloween?”

  “I thought about it, but Garfield may have a cow if I show up to work with a costume on. Maybe I can decorate my belly or something since it’s big enough to count as another person. We can be siamese twins joined at the belly,” I laugh.

  “That would be funny, but I doubt Garfield will mind if you dress up. Grayson tells me you’re his favorite. How’s your studies going, by the way?”

  The waitress walks up with our order, and as soon as she sets everything down and walks away, I answer. “It’s going well actually. I really like law. It’s so fascinating.”

  “I’m glad. You look like you love it as much as I do,” she says with a wishful look on her face.

  “If you love it so much, why don’t you go back to it? I’m sure your firm will take you back, and Grayson said you were a really kickass defense attorney. Why stay playing real housewife if you don’t like it?”

  “It’s not like I don’t like being at home. I like having time to myself to do what I want. Yes, I miss being a lawyer, but that isn’t me anymore. I have a different path to take in life now.”

  “Like what?” I question.

  “Like making sure my inquisitive surrogate stays healthy and stress free so she can deliver me a healthy baby,” she answers and I blush at being called out. I guess she was right about lawyers being prone to ask a bunch of questions.

  We eat in companionable silence. When the check comes, Nichole grabs it before I can, pulling out her unlimited black card.

  “Grayson really doesn’t care about how much money you spend?” I ask, more out of curiosity than to be nosy. I never had a relationship like that until now. I didn’t want to mention Tyson’s unlimited card he gave me that was currently burning a hole in my back pocket.

  “No, he doesn’t care. I doubt he’s surprised anymore about how much I spend. We have so much. When we die, our son will still be well off with more money than he can imagine.”

  “I take that as you’re not planning to have another child after this,” I say.

  “No, one is enough, plus I can never get Grayson to do all this over again, nor do I want to. I only want to see him happy.”

  “You’re talking like that’s your last wish. You’re young, you still have lots of time to spend with Grayson and your son.” She gives me a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes and I wonder what’s going on with her. Before I can question her, the waitress comes back with a bag of Nichole’s leftovers and the receipt.

  “I want to go to Babies R Us. Do you think you’re up for that?” She asks and I nod as I follow her out the restaurant.

  Nichole didn’t want to talk in the car. Instead, she turned the music up and I decided to stare out the window, watching the busy city pass us by. I’m not as acquainted with New York as I am with Jersey and not the nice parts either. Nichole talked about having enough money to last a couple of lifetimes. I never had that and never will. Even though I have some money of my own from working for the Hastings and the law firm, I still spend it sparingly. It’s embedded in me
that this isn’t forever and soon my good luck will run out. I’m lucky that even though she doesn’t have to, Nichole takes care of most of my needs and it’s not like I’m paying rent living with Tyson.

  “What are you thinking about?” Nichole asks, breaking the silence.

  “Nothing important, just money.”

  “Do you hate me because of it? I wasn’t thinking when I brazenly answered your question about our finances. Now, the more I think of it, I did sound a bit entitled.”

  “It’s okay. I know you’re used to it. It’s not like you hangout around a lot of poor people.”

  “No I don’t, but you’re not poor anymore. You’re one of the lucky ones,” she says wishfully. “Your circumstances in life have changed. Now you have the tools to become someone better and not the Jade I met before, fighting with her landlord about throwing her stuff on the curb for not paying her rent on time. You’ve been given a rare gift, one I hope you don’t squander. Not many people get a second chance at life.”

  Why do I feel like her words have a double meaning and aren’t just a lecture?

  “I will not pretend to understand your life from before, but I can be your friend as long as we’re in each other’s lives,” she says.

  “I don’t know what the future holds or where I’ll be after I push this kid out, but I’m grateful for your friendship,” I tell her.

  She’s all smiles the rest of the way to the store where she lets me pick out those funny onesies I was thinking of and some normal baby clothes. By the time we’re done, I’m exhausted and can barely stand on my feet. We drop the bags off at the townhouse before Nichole takes me back to Tyson’s. When I get there, I’m disappointed to see he still isn’t here. Maybe he had a late work day today or maybe he’s avoiding me like I avoided going to work and seeing him. I bet it’s the latter.