EXONERATION (INTERFERENCE) (13 page)

My face went sheet white and of course it didn’t go unnoticed by my mother.

“Rebecca, are you alright?”

I turned to face her, thankful for the distraction from the other side of the room. “I’m fine, Mom.
Just tired.”

We all sat down and Parker ordered Champagne for the table and a bottle of sparkling cider. When the Champagne came, he filled four glasses with Champagne and two with cider. I watched him, wondering what he was doing. He handed one glass of cider to my sister and the other one to me. He smiled at me and I realized…he knew.

“A toast to my sister-in-law and my new niece or nephew,” then he turned to me and said, “And to my wife,” he looked down at my stomach, “and my new son or daughter.”

“How did you…?”

“I saw the test in the bathroom. I couldn’t be happier.”

“Oh, Honey! Both of my girls are giving me new grandchildren?” my mother said, hugging me tight.

My father was the next one to pull me into his arms for a congratulatory hug. I wondered if they’d still be this excited if they knew who the father was. I glanced up at my sister and she saw right through me. She gave me a soft smile, knowing I was torturing myself.

“When were you going to tell me?” Parker asked, pulling me down next to him after my parents were through hugging me.

“I um, I just found out…today. You um, you didn’t give me time.”

“So, when’s the big day?”

“I um, I don’t really know…yet.”

“What big day is that?” Shane asked, standing at the head of the table.

I looked up at him and I was suddenly angry. He did it to me again. No, I let him do it! I was, once again, carrying his child…and once again, I’d have to do it alone. I managed to hug my daughter and then I said, “Stay with Grandma, I need to talk to Shane for a minute.” I looked up at him, anger evident in my eyes.

“Okay. Let’s go,” he said, grabbing my arm.

“Get your hands off my wife!” Parker seethed, but knew better than to lunge at him this time.

“Relax, Hayes
, she just needs to talk to me. I’ll keep my hands to myself.”

“See that you do!”

I walked him to the door and said, “I told you to meet me at the door at six!”

“I was at the door at six. It’s now 6:20.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize.”

“What’s wrong with you? Why did you come to see me today?”

“I told you, I needed you to bring Shannon here.” I was shaking and he could see it. He started to reach out to me and then stopped. The next thing I knew,
he leaned down and kissed me. I started to pull away but found I couldn’t. He wasn’t holding me to him, obviously remembering his promise to keep his hands to himself, but I was holding him.

When he pulled away I was crying. “What is it?  Rebecca…?”

“I’m sorry. It’s nothing. I can’t talk about it right now.”

“Meet me tomorrow morning after you take Shannon to school. I’ll move my appointments to the afternoon.”

“No, it’s okay.”

“Rebecca, we need to talk. I can’t go on like this anymore. I love you, and I know you love me.”

This enraged me. Here he was professing his love for me, kissing me and all the while he was carrying on with Annette Williams. “You love me? Really? Because you have a really strange way of showing it! You left me…alone and pregnant seven years ago. And now, you’re sleeping with Annette. I don’t want to do this alone again! I can’t!” I sobbed.

“I’m not sleeping with Annette! Are you crazy?”

“I’m not stupid, Shane. I saw her come out of your apartment, straightening her dress…”

“She used the restroom in my apartment. The clinic restroom is broken! I didn’t sleep with her. She came on to me, but I told her to leave. I have absolutely no interest in her whatsoever! I love you! I always have and I always will!”

He looked so sincere. I wanted to believe him, I needed to believe him. I didn’t realize it, but my family was standing behind me. He knew it and he didn’t care that he professed his undying love to me in front of them.

“You can’t fall for his crap again,
Beccs!” Parker said, grabbing my arm.

“Don’t call me that!” I turned on him. “I hate that nickname.”

“I’m sorry…it’s habit. You’re tired. You need to rest. Let’s go home, okay?” he said, putting his arm around me and leading me away from Shane. But, I wasn’t done. I needed to know something, and now was as good a time as any. I pulled away from Parker and faced Shane. “Why didn’t you come back for me when you got out of jail? Why?” I cried.

“I did. That’s the first
thing I did. But, you were already married. I didn’t want to believe it, but when I saw you in your yard…you looked so happy. I didn’t want to ruin it for you.”

“I wasn’t happy. I haven’t been happy since the day you left.” I knew Parker heard that, but I couldn’t lie anymore.

“But, you were happy. You were planting seeds and I watched you sit back on your heels and smile.”

“I was planting wildflowers. I plant them every spring.”

“Wildflowers?”

“Yeah, you gave me wildflowers the first night you came to dinner at my parent’s house. I’ve loved them ever since.”

“I thought you were happy with your life. I didn’t want to hurt you again.”

“You didn’t come to me. You just left me wondering what I did wrong.”

“I wrote to you…every day for a year! You never wrote back.”

“Rebecca, let’s go!”

“Shut up, Parker! This doesn’t concern you,” I said, and then turned to face him, “Or does it?”

I turned to my parents. “Did I get letters from him?”

My mother looked away, refusing to say anything. She was a dead giveaway. I glared at my father. “You kept them from me? Why? Why would you do that? How could you do that?”

“He was a thief, Rebecca.
A liar and a thief!”

“They were my letters! Where are they?” I was still crying.

“I threw them away…” he said.

“Not all of them. I still have some,
Honey. I’m sorry. I didn’t want to keep them from you. You were just…so fragile at that time. He’d hurt you so badly, I didn’t want to see you suffer anymore.”

“So you lied to me? I want the letters!
NOW! Tonight!”

“Okay. I’ll um, I’ll dig them out.”

“Rebecca, this is crazy. You saw the video. You saw him take the money with your own eyes.”

I turned to Shane. “Can you explain that?”

“I…”

“H
e’s a liar! You can’t believe anything he says!”

“SHUT UP PARKER! I need to hear him say it!”

Parker was fuming, I could see it, but he did as I said. I turned back to Shane.

“I borrowed three hundred dollars that night. I had my paycheck, but I didn’t have time to go to the bank
and
the jewelry store. I was going to make the deposit in the morning and replace the money from my check when I cashed it.”

“The jewelry store?”

“Yeah, I picked up your ring that night. I had the money, Rebecca, I just couldn’t make it to the bank before the jewelry store closed and I couldn’t propose without the ring. So, I borrowed the money.”

“You went to jail because of my ring?”

“No, I went to jail because someone had it in for me…and set me up.”

“Who?”
I asked, completely oblivious.

“Does it matter?”

“You heard him, he explained. Now, let’s go home, Rebecca!” Parker said, pulling me away.

“STOP pulling on me!”

“You’re my wife! We’re leaving…NOW!” he ordered, pulling me along.

I was confused. I turned back around. “What about the money?”

“I told you…I was just borrowing it!”

“Not that money, the money from my dad?”

“What? What money?”

“He’s a liar, Rebecca. He’s only telling you what he thinks you want to hear. Let’s go! You’re carrying my child now, and you shouldn’t be getting so upset.”

He said it on purpose to hurt Shane. I closed my eyes.

Shane stepped toward me. “You’re pregnant?” he was looking deep in my eyes for confirmation. 

“That’s right. She’s carrying my child! MY CHILD! Now, get the hell away from my wife.”

“Rebecca? Is that true?” Shane asked, looking crushed.

What could I say at that time? I had to lie. I was so confused. I nodded and let Parker lead me out of the club to his car. My mom took Shannon at Parker’s request and somehow I made it home and to my room. I was so tired…exhausted. I didn’t want to think anymore. Parker was talking non-stop, but I didn’t hear a word he said. I remember climbing into cold sheets and then I drifted off to sleep, a blissful slumber, allowing me to forget everything and dream of happier days…in Shane’s arms.

The Truth Hurts!

I woke up naked in bed with Parker…who was also naked. I sat up, not sure what had happened or how I had gotten into that state of undress. But, I didn’t have time to think about it for long, because once my head came off the pillow, I had to run to the bathroom and throw up. I retched until my stomach was empty and then I reached for a towel and draped it around me, only to find myself back in front of the toilet for another go round.

“Are you okay?” Parker asked.

“No, Parker. I’m not. I’m scared…and confused…and sick.”

“You’re not sick love, you’re pregnant. I’m sorry you have morning sickness, but they say it’s a good sign that the baby is going to be healthy.”

I glared up at him. “Thanks!” I snapped; irritated by everything he said.

I showered and got dressed and met him downstairs for breakfast. I needed to talk to him, find out what he knew about Shane’s arrest.

“Good morning. Are you feeling better?”

“I’m not sure, yet.” I sat down next to him. “Parker, what do you know about Shane’s arrest? Please, tell me the truth.”

“I don’t know much, really. I um, I just heard that he was stealing. It wasn’t just once Rebecca. I know he told you it was just once, but there was a lot of missing money. He stole time and time again. That’s why they put the cameras in.”

“Why did they put one in his room? What could he steal there?”

“I don’t know. Maybe they were looking for evidence…money lying around. I don’t know.”

“Money lying around?
I was there Parker…a lot. He never had any money lying around. He never had any extra money. He saved everything.”

“Well, maybe he stashed it. But, he stole a lot over the course of six months.”

“Really ? And just how do you know this?”

“I told you, I heard about it. I was trying to protect you. I didn’t trust him, Rebecca. I was looking out for you.”

“Did you set him up?” I asked, certain there was more to the story.

“NO! I didn’t have to set him up,
Beccs! He’s a thief and a liar! When are you going to realize that?”

“For the last time, my name is not
Beccs!”

“I’m sorry. I love you, Rebecca. I swear I didn’t set him up. They caught him stealing on video. You saw it!”

“I saw the one time.”

“And you believe him? That he bought your ring that night?
How convenient.”

“He did buy my ring that night…well, half of it
; my engagement ring.”

He reached down and picked up my hand. “Yeah, but this is the ring you’re wearing! This is the ring that’s important. I bought this ring…I didn’t steal it!”

I looked down at the three carat rock on my hand and knew I’d give anything to replace it with the small band of sapphires.

“Rebecca, I love you. You’re everything to me. I’d do anything for you.”

“I know Parker. I know.”

I tried to force some breakfast down, but nothing was sitting well. I found myself back in the bathroom, throwing up what I had just ingested. Parker sat by my side, holding me and rocking me in his arms. I was too tired and confused to fight him. I let him rock me like a child and I cried in his arms.

“It’s okay. I love you. It’s okay. We’re going to be fine, Beccs…Rebecca. Sorry.”

“Why do you love me when you get nothing in return?”

“I have you, and soon we’ll have our baby.”

“And Shannon,” I said, looking up at him.

“Of course, and we have Shannon. I love Shannon, you know that.”

“Do you?”

He hugged me close. “Of course I do.”

“But, not
as much as this child?” I said with my hand on my belly.

“That’s not fair. It’s not the same. Shannon’s…his. This baby’s mine.”

“And what if this wasn’t…your baby?” I asked, looking up at him.

“It’s pointless to talk about this.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” I said, trying to tell him gently that I wasn’t carrying his baby. I didn’t want to hurt him.