going, that is if you feel okay and this isn’t stressing you too much.”
“No, I think it’s a ton of bricks being lifted off of my shoulders, honestly.”
“Yeah, I can see where that would be true.”
She closes her eyes and then picks up the water jug and takes a long gulp. She doesn’t put it back, but rather places it on the bed beside her. “I couldn’t get in touch with you. Ian continued to take care of me. Things were great...until I found out I was pregnant.”
“Let me guess? The irresponsible ass suddenly wasn’t as charming as he had been?” He makes me fuming mad. I didn’t even love Veronica, but I don’t think I would care what woman it was. I know how badly he hurt Gabby and I can’t stand the thought of him doing that to other people I do care about.
Nodding, she says, “He just flipped out and ran away.” A tear trickles down her face. “Then I was all alone. I thought for a long time I could do it by myself, but then I got scared the closer the time came.”
“So you thought that you could just tell me it was mine and I’d believe you...that we’d just all the sudden be a happy family?” I narrow my eyes. Part of this situation infuriates me. The other part of it realizes I’m not sure I can blame her. “If you and Ian weren’t talking because he ran away, then why did he show up at Gabby’s the day you showed up at my apartment? How did you two figure this out?”
“It’s not what you think.”
“Then tell me what it is because you have to realize how bad this looks.”
“I do.” She looks up at the ceiling. “When I left your apartment, he had been outside waiting on me. He’d followed me to your place. I only knew of Gabby from what I’d heard and seen around town. He wanted to know what I was doing there with her. I explained to him what was going on, and he begged me to give him another chance.”
“And...”
“I told him no.”
“No because you thought you could get me back?”
“Because I don’t know who the father is, and if I have to pick, then I pick you.”
“I’m not available for you to pick...” Keep your cool. The last thing you need is to blow up on her and cause trouble to the baby. You’re getting answers. Keep your cool. I close my eyes and take a cleansing breath. “You don’t get to pick who is the father of your child by process of elimination. It doesn’t work that way.”
“I know that now. I’m so sorry.”
“You keep saying you’re sorry, but you called me and didn’t call him.”
“Bradley, you and I have far more history. Even if we’re not together, you know me well. You are a comfort to me. I would have called you regardless.”
“Is that so?”
She nods. “Yes.”
“So Ian and Gabby. Did you know he was going to her after you left my apartment?”
“No. I swear I didn’t. He just asked me if I loved you, and I told him I did. He told me he wanted me to be happy. Promised he’d take care of everything so I could be with you.”
“Little fucker!” I shoot out of my seat and walk to the bathroom. Calm down. Calm down. Count to ten . I flick the faucet handle and splash cool water on my face. Bracing the sink, I lean into the mirror. I look like absolute shit. I grab a paper towel and dry my face and walk back out to the room. “I’m sorry about that. So basically he thought he could have her and you could have me, and we’d all just be better off?”
“I...yeah.” She shrugs. “I guess. He called me the next day. I didn’t answer. He left a bunch of messages on my machine saying he was sorry and how it had not worked. He said it just made him realize he wanted me even more.”
“You know I was a dick to you, but you were never leftovers to me. That’s fucked up, Roni.”
“He told me before I left your apartment, he loved me. I don’t think he went after Gabby because he wanted her. I think he did it because he wanted me to be happy. He has a tendency to make rash decisions,
“No, I think it’s a ton of bricks being lifted off of my shoulders, honestly.”
“Yeah, I can see where that would be true.”
She closes her eyes and then picks up the water jug and takes a long gulp. She doesn’t put it back, but rather places it on the bed beside her. “I couldn’t get in touch with you. Ian continued to take care of me. Things were great...until I found out I was pregnant.”
“Let me guess? The irresponsible ass suddenly wasn’t as charming as he had been?” He makes me fuming mad. I didn’t even love Veronica, but I don’t think I would care what woman it was. I know how badly he hurt Gabby and I can’t stand the thought of him doing that to other people I do care about.
Nodding, she says, “He just flipped out and ran away.” A tear trickles down her face. “Then I was all alone. I thought for a long time I could do it by myself, but then I got scared the closer the time came.”
“So you thought that you could just tell me it was mine and I’d believe you...that we’d just all the sudden be a happy family?” I narrow my eyes. Part of this situation infuriates me. The other part of it realizes I’m not sure I can blame her. “If you and Ian weren’t talking because he ran away, then why did he show up at Gabby’s the day you showed up at my apartment? How did you two figure this out?”
“It’s not what you think.”
“Then tell me what it is because you have to realize how bad this looks.”
“I do.” She looks up at the ceiling. “When I left your apartment, he had been outside waiting on me. He’d followed me to your place. I only knew of Gabby from what I’d heard and seen around town. He wanted to know what I was doing there with her. I explained to him what was going on, and he begged me to give him another chance.”
“And...”
“I told him no.”
“No because you thought you could get me back?”
“Because I don’t know who the father is, and if I have to pick, then I pick you.”
“I’m not available for you to pick...” Keep your cool. The last thing you need is to blow up on her and cause trouble to the baby. You’re getting answers. Keep your cool. I close my eyes and take a cleansing breath. “You don’t get to pick who is the father of your child by process of elimination. It doesn’t work that way.”
“I know that now. I’m so sorry.”
“You keep saying you’re sorry, but you called me and didn’t call him.”
“Bradley, you and I have far more history. Even if we’re not together, you know me well. You are a comfort to me. I would have called you regardless.”
“Is that so?”
She nods. “Yes.”
“So Ian and Gabby. Did you know he was going to her after you left my apartment?”
“No. I swear I didn’t. He just asked me if I loved you, and I told him I did. He told me he wanted me to be happy. Promised he’d take care of everything so I could be with you.”
“Little fucker!” I shoot out of my seat and walk to the bathroom. Calm down. Calm down. Count to ten . I flick the faucet handle and splash cool water on my face. Bracing the sink, I lean into the mirror. I look like absolute shit. I grab a paper towel and dry my face and walk back out to the room. “I’m sorry about that. So basically he thought he could have her and you could have me, and we’d all just be better off?”
“I...yeah.” She shrugs. “I guess. He called me the next day. I didn’t answer. He left a bunch of messages on my machine saying he was sorry and how it had not worked. He said it just made him realize he wanted me even more.”
“You know I was a dick to you, but you were never leftovers to me. That’s fucked up, Roni.”
“He told me before I left your apartment, he loved me. I don’t think he went after Gabby because he wanted her. I think he did it because he wanted me to be happy. He has a tendency to make rash decisions,
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