Jake Understood (Jake 2)

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So much for not rehashing everything.

I needed to just explain it as simply as possible and then be done with this conversation.

“Bottom line, things were rough for a while. Ryan continued to be an impediment, too. But Nina and I could never really manage to stay away from each other. Case in point, she got pregnant with A.J. during that time. And that surprise was the miracle that saved us. The past nine years haven’t gone without challenges, but I feel like our love has only gotten stronger.”

I knew Mitch understood where I was coming from because he and Skylar had certainly had their share of drama. They were apart for five years before they finally got their shit straight.

Mitch nodded and scratched his chin. “Has Nina ever met Ivy?”

“No. I don’t think that would be healthy for either one of them. Nina never asked to meet her, and Ivy pretends my family doesn’t exist. It’s the only way she can handle it when she’s even aware enough to think about it. It’s a coping mechanism.”

Mitch Jr. started crying, so Skylar got up to retrieve him from the playpen.

Mitch pointed his finger at me. “By the way, I think we need to tag team, hunt this Ryan down and beat his ass.”

“Believe me, he didn’t escape my wrath. I ended up beating the shit out of him once when Nina was pregnant. But over the years, he’s apologized enough times that I, at least, don’t want to kill him anymore. It’s hard to avoid him because Nina’s parents are still close to his. Ryan and his wife are at a lot of family functions when we go to upstate New York. He married this really cool chick from Australia named Lisa, who clearly has no idea what a dick he can be. She’s way too good for him, though. They just had a son they named after Jimmy. They live not far from Nina’s parents. He works in law enforcement now for the town.”

Skylar was feeding the baby again. “I just can’t forgive him for everything he did, especially what happened after A.J. was born. That was just unconscionable.”

I straightened in my chair, uncomfortable with where this was going. “After A.J. was born? What are you talking about?”

“When he went to Nina’s parents’ house during the week she was staying there with the baby…when your work sent you overseas.”

My insides were twisting. “Say what?”

“Oh, shit. Nina never said anything to you?”

“Apparently, fucking not.”

“I just assumed she did. I’m so sorry, Jake. Crap. I shouldn’t have brought it up. I—”

“Skylar! What the fuck happened?” It wasn’t my intention to yell, but the fact that she knew about something that I didn’t really pissed me off.

“You know how Nina was really depressed, going through all of that post-partum stuff?”

“Of course, I remember. That was exactly why I didn’t want her to be alone that week. She was constantly in tears. A.J. was only a few months old. But I’d just started a new job that I really needed, and they made me go to Germany for training, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to take the position. I drove her up to her parents’ so they could help take care of her.”

“Yeah. Nina called me a lot during that time. No one understood her postpartum depression. Nina’s parents thought it meant she was unhappy with you because of the situation with Ivy. Somehow, Ryan got wind of it and showed up there that week, basically professing his love for her, saying that it wasn’t too late for them, that he could make her happy, take care of her and the baby.”

My body went rigid. I bit down on my bottom lip, nearly drawing blood. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Immediately taking out my phone, I scrolled down to Ryan’s name.

Skylar panicked. “Please don’t be mad at Nina. What are you doing?”

“I have that fucker’s number. I’m calling him.”

No one should have witnessed what I planned to say or do during that call. I walked into our bedroom and slammed the door shut as the phone rang.

The sound of his baby crying in the background was the first thing I heard when the line picked up. Then, came Ryan’s voice.

“Hello?”

“Ryan…”

“Jake? What’s up? Long time no—”

“The last time I saw you at Sheryl’s sixtieth birthday, do you remember what I said to you?”

“Yeah. Uh, you said, ‘life is too short to hold a grudge.’”

My hand was squeezing the pillow. I imagined it was Ryan’s neck. “Well, forget that. What I meant was, ‘life is too short not to smash your head in.’ Next time I see you, I’m gonna do just that.”

“What? What the hell are you talking about?”

Clenching my jaw, I said, “When I made amends with you, I didn’t know that you tried to break up my family after my son was born. All bets are off now.”

“I need to explain.”

“I’d love to hear how you try to explain your way out of this.”

Ryan let out a deep sigh that I felt in my ear. “I need to try.”

I muttered a myriad of obscenities under my breath.

“Are you listening?” he asked.

“You have one minute.”

He was silent. Then, I heard a sniffle.

It sounded like he’d started to cry.

What the fuck?

“Are you crying, you fucking pussy?”

He sniffled again. There was a long delay before he spoke. “I don’t know if Nina ever told you that when Jimmy died, I was by his side.”