Fat Cat Liar

“I know.”

Chapter 25

Greer

I twist my hands to stop the shaking as I brace for my friends’ reactions. It’s no surprise that Jonas and Enrique’s expressions are hard as stone, eyes steely and angry at the news Lawson is in the house. Jenny’s face is blank, giving me no indication of her thoughts. Bessie is staring at the ground, picking at the hem of her sweater.

The room is too quiet.

A ball of nerves tumbles in my stomach, and I think maybe this was a bad idea. Then a wave of irritation sparks inside, and I stop fidgeting.

“Say something!” I command, crossing my arms and tapping my foot impatiently.

My demand is met with more silence.

“I know this may come as a shock, but I invited him and I expect you all to be civil.”

No one responds.

An uneasy feeling washes over me as I stare at my best friends. We stick together through everything—the defeats and the triumphs. It’s an unspoken bond that our support has no bounds. But, right now, I feel isolated and alone.

“He’s a motherfucking asshole. A dickhead. An arrogant, pompous, wanna-be elitist that used you. He doesn’t deserve one bit of the kindness you’re showing him. Kevin’s going to fucking flip his shit when he finds out you’ve invited the enemy inside. I personally wish he’d followed through on his threats to kill the bastard.” Enrique’s face burns with hatred.

I gasp in horror, the words hitting me like a physical blow as I rock back on my feet. My hands go to my stomach, where a slice of pain cuts through.

Jonas balls his fist at the same time Bessie’s head shoots up. Her eyes pop out in surprise.

“Enrique!” Jenny screams, shoving him hard and rushing to me.

“Don’t get mad at me. I’m the only one with the balls enough to say what we’re all thinking.”

“Right now, you’re the one who’s a motherfucking asshole.” Bessie stands firm, slicing her eyes in warning. “You may be one of my best friends, but don’t you ever try to speak for me again.” Her voice is laced with acid and rage. When she whips her head to me, I grip onto Jenny’s forearm for support. Instead of facing the wrath, her expression grows soft, and her eyes are glowing with love.

She takes the few steps to me, covers my hand with her own, and links our fingers. “I want you to be happy. He makes you happy, so therefore, I approve. I hate what he did, I’ll never forget it, but I will forgive if that’s what you wish.”

I choke on a sob and fall into my friend, feeling the warmth of her support soaking into me. Jenny embraces us both quietly, whispering her owns words of encouragement.

“What the fuck is happening here? Are you forgetting what he did?” Enrique snaps, commanding our attention.

I sniff, releasing my friends, and wipe the tears from my cheeks. I peek behind to ensure Lawson isn’t around then turn to Enrique, steeling myself for his next reaction.

“Enrique, I love you. I appreciate your concern and respect your feelings. However, you need to know something.” I look between him and Jonas, who is now on alert.

“There is no doubt Lawson broke my heart. His intentions were sinister and evil, and when I learned of his betrayal, I walked away. But it doesn’t change the fact that I love him. My wounds have started to heal, and he’s doing everything in his power to prove he loves me, too.”

“You can’t believe that shit! He’s a manipulator, a conniving liar. He’s using you—”

“Stop.” I throw up a hand.

“I can’t ask you to trust him. Let me rephrase that; I won’t ask you to trust him. But I will ask you to trust me. I’m a smart woman and can make decisions for myself. There’s no telling what’s going to happen in the future because I don’t have a crystal ball. We are taking things slow. Over the past few days, we’ve talked about things we should have been discussing all along. I’ve learned about his family, his friends, and about his life. He’s unwavering in his pursuit of my forgiveness, and I’ve made the decision to forgive him.”

Enrique opens his mouth again, but I beat him to speaking.

“Like I said, I don’t know what is going to happen in the future, but I do know this. Lawson is the father of my baby, and I’ll never take his child away from him. Therefore, he’s going to be in my life in some way.” I shelter my stomach protectively.

The blood drains from Jonas’s face as he stares at my stomach. Enrique sways as his own skin pales. He stumbles to the side, knocking into the wall in stunned silence.

Jenny and Bessie start to laugh until one of them leans into my back for support.