I heard my mother’s soft sob as she wrapped her arms around him. “You can’t shut me out, no matter what happens.” I stood, silently crying in the kitchen as my parents made promise after promise.
“This project, it just drove me insane. It’s not worth it. Jesus, baby, what did I do? I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. God, I love you. I’m so sorry,” he whispered as both my mother and I cried together in separate rooms.
“I should have listened, Seth,” my mother said as he held her face in his hands.
“Never again, it’s not worth it,” he said as his mouth descended in a kiss. “You’re all that matters. This family is everything.”
“I know,” she replied in a soft whisper and held him tightly to her. “Love me, Seth.”
“I’ll never stop,” he whispered back as I made my way up the stairs, snack-less but with a huge smile on my face.
My parents would never truly know how much influence they had on me in the romantic sense. Maybe one day I would confess to them just how much they’d moved me, just how much they’d shaped my heart. I had them to thank for the leap I was about to make. They had their timeless story, and I was ready to fight for mine.
I had no real plan but to show up in hopes that seeing me in the place he loved the most, in his world, would make a sort of difference in his outlook. I wasn’t sure what it would take to convince him of my love, but I knew I had to try.
Because I was no longer the only one who needed him.
I was going to have his baby.
When the GPS told me I’d arrived, I parked quickly in the first available space and gave myself a good once over in the rearview. I’d spent the morning pampering myself at the spa and salon. It seemed I’d made a few permanent changes of my own. I looked over my carefully applied makeup, straightened my sweater dress, and noted my Chucks were still tied. I’d never be the woman who suffered four-inch heels in lieu of comfort. I was comfortable in my own shoes. The warm dress I’d bought was blue with gray flowers that reminded me of Jack’s eyes.
I was six weeks pregnant and neither of us had noticed, too involved, too busy trying to race back to each other. Even in his absence, I hadn’t even blinked at my missed period or the new fullness of my breasts. It had only occu
rred to me when I began getting sick a few days ago to take a test, and when I did, I felt nothing but elated. Shocked but elated… and fearful. Jack and I had barely had the chance to get to know each other. I had no idea how he would react to the news or if he still wanted me.
Pushing my shoulders back with a deep breath, I ran my manicured hands through my blowout, thankful for the modern day weapons to battle the ever-present frizz, especially on a day like today. I realized I hadn’t looked at my surroundings once since I’d arrived downtown but ignored my disappointment. I had tunnel vision, and its name was Jack Sawyer. I scanned his building and jerked back slightly in surprise to see Jack on the balcony a few stories above me. He was staring into the distance, completely oblivious to me underneath him. I watched him for a few moments, admiring his rugged good looks as I sat there trying to come up with a good opening line and praying for some small reprieve from the relentless cold rain. The building was as old as New Orleans, that much I could tell, but had been newly renovated. Jack had told me New Orleans was magical and that the city itself couldn’t be explained but needed to be experienced. Even in the dreary setting, I believed him. Or maybe it was the optimism I felt from just looking at him.
“I love you,” I whispered as I watched him and a slow smile spread on my face. Seconds later, a beautiful woman appeared behind him. She had long auburn hair and a stunning figure, and seemed way too intimately familiar with him. They said a few words and I saw Jack’s slow smile, my smile, light up his face.
“No,” I whispered then shouted as he looked back at her with… love in his eyes, and she folded him into her arms. I’d never been a jealous woman, not in all my years, but somehow that had changed with loving Jack. I would have to get a hold of it at some point and bitch slap the hell out of it.
I moved quickly, unable to do anything else, and exited the SUV with a large lump of fear in my throat. I pounded up the steps, covered up to my ankles in the residual rain. I was soaked by the time I reached the doorstep and began to pound on it like a woman possessed.
I waited a full minute with no response and felt the vibration of music through the door. Minutes later, my soul crushed and hope evading me, I was about to take my leave when a woman who looked like she’d just stepped out of Whoville greeted me.
“Hi,” I said, taking in her bright green pants and purple… shirt, if you could call it that. “You must be Rory.”
“Rose,” she said, yanking me into the house and ripping my purse from my arm. “You should go upstairs.”
I looked at her oddly.
“I saw a woman,” I said as a lingering question. “He’s with her up there?”
“My nephew is good looking enough to make you crazy, I know,” she said, grabbing my hand and lacing our fingers as she led me up the stairs. It was odd holding hands with her like that, but I couldn’t say Jack hadn’t warned me about her. She was an unusual person, as he’d described. We stopped at the doorway, and I instantly wanted to be anywhere else, but froze when Rory announced my presence.
“LOOK!” she shouted at the top of her lungs as an entire table full of people glanced our way. Jack’s eyes met mine. He stood up slowly from the long, full dinner table.
“I’m so sorry,” I said to Jack as heat spread throughout my face. “I should have called, but I wanted to surprise you.” I looked venomously at the woman who was seated next to him and made my excuse. “Maybe you can call me when you’re done here.”
Jack walked over to me as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing, and the woman followed behind him while the rest of the table remained quiet. I didn’t want to meet her. Why didn’t Jack stop her?
“You just got here, why would you leave?” Jack said as he gave me the same damned smile he gave her moments ago. I wanted to slap it off him.
Hormones, Rose.
“You’re entertaining, apparently,” I said unable to keep the bite out of my voice. Jack laughed as he grabbed the hand of the woman who was ruining my life and squeezed it. “Told you she had a temper.”
“You haven’t a clue,” I pushed out with pure contempt.