Beautiful Mistakes

"What are you talking about?" he asked cluelessly.

"She dropped the coffee because you admitted to fathering this baby," Julie said, pointing to her stomach. "Maybe you missed the memo, but Leigh definitely thinks she's in love with you."

Aaron scowled in response. "Leigh can't be in love with me, Julie."

"Yeah, well… I'm hoping she only thinks she's in love with you, but regardless, thinking you're in love with someone can be equally as dramatic as actually being in love with them, but since it's an illusion and illusions eventually fade, it sucks a lot more. I know this, because I was once that girl hiding in the bathroom crying and hyperventilating because the man I 'loved' was having a baby with someone else. It's what chased me to Chicago in the first place. It's really not a good feeling to have at all, and I think it would be best if you scheduled Leigh and me apart for a while."

Confusion was written all over Aaron's face and she could see that he clearly didn't understand.

Sighing, she tried to think how to relate it to him, to convey to him how Leigh would be feeling and why it would be best for everyone if she and Julie weren't forced together. "Okay, this might… hurt for a second, but for just a second I need you to try to remember how you felt that instant—and the moments that followed—when you found out about Shannon and Matt."

Aaron grimaced, looking up at her. "No…"

Julie nodded. "I'm afraid so. That is how she's feeling right now."

"Well, damn. I never meant to hurt Leigh. I didn't realize…"

"Of course you didn't," Julie said, lightly hugging Aaron. "It's not even your fault, really. It had to happen eventually. Now she can… work on accepting it and she will eventually move on—perhaps because of this, since that's how it worked out for both of us. I moved to Chicago because of mine, and you stayed single while you waited for me and had an unnatural aversion to your brother which caused you to take me in. We would have never met if not for that moment that Leigh is currently having."

"That doesn't make me feel any better if she's crying!"

"Well, maybe she's not crying," Julie lied to appease him. "Either way, she's feeling shitty right now, but unless you secretly love her as more than a friend, this was unavoidable. Do you secretly love her as more than a friend?"

Grimacing, he said, "Only if your definition of 'more than a friend' includes a sister. I don't… see Leigh that way, I've already told you this."

"Well, okay, then this moment had to happen. Now it will propel her forward, so don't feel guilty."

"How can I not feel guilty? You're telling me I just crushed my best friend."

Resisting the light stab of jealousy she felt when he referred to another woman as

his best friend, Julie went on to reassure him. "She'll be okay, it will just take her some time. If I knew any good single guys I'd try to hook her up, but… you know, if I knew any good single guys I never would have dated Jack, so…"

Aaron cracked a smile. "I get the impression that a blow-up doll would be an improvement from Jack."

"And you didn't even get to meet my first ex, the one that ran me out of town. Believe it or not, my relationships got progressively better with each one."

Shaking his head, he said, "That's really sad."

"I agree," Julie said.

Glancing back at the bathroom, he asked Julie, "Are you sure she’ll be okay?"

"I am positive," Julie said with a nod.

Fortunately Leigh emerged from the bathroom only a moment later looking as put together as ever and briskly explained she had to leave because she had some things to do.

Even though it meant working with Debbie and all her fakeness, Julie was still kind of glad to see Leigh go that day.

After closing with Aaron so he could show her how it all went again, Aaron gave her a ride home—since they had worked the same long shift that day—and during the ride Julie's cell phone started ringing. It was Matt, so she ignored it and waited for the voice mail message.

Before she could check the voice mail message her phone started ringing again.

Sighing, she gave in and answered the phone in her most annoyed tone. "Hello?"

"Julie?"

Rolling her eyes, she said sarcastically, "No, it's Martha Washington. Is there a reason you are calling me at this time of night?"