EXONERATION (INTERFERENCE) (18 page)

Parker showed up at the school, begging for my forgiveness and expecting me to come back. I thought I was going to have to argue with him, but evidently my father and Shane both had other ideas. They were there…both of them together. They came from opposite ends of the school, and neither of them made a move toward me until Parker closed in.

I stared at the three men in my life, angry with all of them for some reason and I left to let them fight it out. I didn’t look back, and as much as I wanted him to, Shane didn’t follow me.

I searched for an apartment all day, but came up with nothing. I stayed out until I was certain Shane had dropped off Shannon and then I headed to my childhood home with my tail between my legs.

“I didn’t find anything I could afford or that would allow the stupid dog. I can’t believe there’s not one apartment out there that I can afford on my own.”

I was discouraged. But, I had made up my mind that I was going to do this on my own this time. I wasn’t going to depend on anyone; not my parents, not Parker, and especially not Shane. I was going to stand on my own two feet, and although I was scared, I was also proud of myself.

As the weeks passed, I found myself missing Shane more and more. I knew I would, but it was different this time. This time, I knew where he was
; before I had no control. I couldn’t run to him and beg him to take me back.  This time I could, and it took all my strength to stay away from him.  I avoided him at all costs.  But, I knew I’d have to see him occasionally, and occasionally, was now.  I had a doctor appointment.  I thought about canceling, but as my hand drifted to my small bump in my abdomen, I knew I needed to go, so I dropped Shannon off at school and was finally face to face with Shane…once again.

We met in the waiting room. I was certain that he was going to try to get me back…but I was wrong. He was only there for the baby. I knew I pushed him away, but I was completely unprepared for his indifferent attitude toward me. He was respectful and made polite conversation about Shannon, and asked how I was feeling, but that was it. The only time he showed the least bit of emotion was when we saw the baby on the screen during the ultrasound.  He was mesmerized by the sight of his child on the monitor. We could actually see a baby now that I was over four months pregnant. Once my appointment was over and I was zipping up my now too-tight jeans, Shane walked over to me and quietly asked, “Can I…touch your belly?”

I nodded and laid back down. I unbuttoned my jeans again, exposing my lower abdomen.  I watched as his shaking hand reached out to touch his unborn child. He started to ask me something, but changed his mind. After a few minutes, he said, “Thank you,” and he walked out the door without another word.

My father found me doing the one thing I swore he’d never see again…me, crying over Shane.

“What’s wrong, Pumpkin?”

“He…he doesn’t want me…anymore.” I was once again sobbing over the man I knew I’d never get over.

“How could he not? You’re very easy to love. I hate to bring this up, but, weren’t you the one who ended it?”

“I don’t know! I guess so. I mean, I can’t trust him now. I didn’t know what else to do. But, I love him, and even though I know it’s over, I always hoped…” I was sobbing again, rocking back and forth in my father’s arms like a child. 

He let me cry until I was cried out and then said, “Rebecca, maybe you should give him another chance.”

“What? But, you said…”

“I know what I said. But, if you really love him, and he loves you, then maybe the rest shouldn’t matter.”

“But, what if he does it again? What if I go to him, and we start a life together with Shannon and the baby…and he leaves again? Then it’s not just me he’s going to hurt. I can’t let him hurt my children. I can’t!”

My father sighed, patted my hand and stood up. “I got Parker to sign the divorce papers today, Pumpkin. You’ll be a free woman
soon.”

I was shocked. “How did you do that?”

“Let’s just say he was in no position to argue. You won’t have any more trouble with him. And, you don’t ever have to see him again.”

“Thanks Daddy. What would I do without you?” I said, drying my eyes.

Two months went by, and I’d finally found a place that I could afford and that allowed
pets. I was elated and I was ready to sign a lease sight unseen. It was a house! A house that I could actually afford. It was owned by a friend of my father, and he was out of the country for at least the next year and needed someone to watch over it for him. My father said it was plenty big and it had a huge fenced yard for the kids, Snowball and Gretchen.

My parents took me to the house, unlocked the door and let me wander. It was beautiful and huge. It was in Shannon’s school district and not far from Shane’s clinic. And only a few blocks from my parents’ house. It was perfect.

“Daddy, there’s no way I can afford this house!”

“Yes, Bradley, how can she afford a h
ome like this working part-time for you?” my mother asked.

I watched my fath
er take a deep breath and said, “Well, the house comes with a roommate.”

“What? I don’t want a roommate. Thank you, but I won’t feel comfortable sharing a house with a stranger.”

“He’s not a stranger.”

“He?
Bradley, what are you talking about?” my mother asked.

Just then we heard a car drive up.

“Sit down. I um, I have a few things to tell you…all of you.”

My mother and I looked at each other, both of us searching for answers neither of us had.

There was a knock on the door.

My father walked over and answered the door. “Mr. Brigham? What’s going on? Is Rebecca okay…Shannon?” Shane asked.

“They’re fine. Come in.”

I stood up and faced him, the man I loved, but couldn’t have. “Dad, what’s going on?”

“Meet your roommate,” my father said, and then asked Shane to sit down.

“Dad, you’re talking crazy.”

“You two belong together, Rebecca. I’ve known it for a while now, but I was too afraid to admit it.”

“You’re not making any sense, Bradley. What’s going on?” my mother asked.

“Dad, you know I can’t…”

“Yes, you can. You love him, and he loves you. I was wrong…so wrong. I’m sorry. I know that’s not enough, but it’s a start.”

I watched my father pace the living room, looking more nervous than I’d ever seen him.

“Dad, I know you’re trying to help. I understand that. But, I can’t get over…” I looked at Shane, and then back to my father, “…he took the money. I can’t forgive him for that. I’m sorry Shane, but I just can’t.”

“I paid it back! It was just a loan…for your ring!”

“Stop it! I don’t care about that money! I’m talking about the hundred thousand dollars!”

“What?” he asked, actually looking confused.

“The hundred thousand you took from my father. The money he paid you to leave me! How can you expect me to trust you again after that?” I was crying.

“What are you talking…?” he stopped talking and turned to my father. “What is she talking about?” Shane stood up and faced my father.

“I’m sorry. I lied! I thought you were no good for her. I believed you stole the money from the tire store…once a thief, always a thief.”

My father turned to me with tears in his eyes and said, “I don’t ever expect you to forgive me, but I swear I only did what I thought was best for you.”

My mother stood up now. “Bradley, what are you talking about?”

“He never took a bribe from me. I lied.”

“But, I saw the cashed check…with his signature,” I said.

“And, the money was gone from our account,” my mother added.

“It was a forged check and I transferred the money to another account to make
you both believe he’d taken the money. I swear to God, I thought I was protecting you…”

“Protecting me? How could you…Oh, God, how could you do that? You made me believe…” I looked up at Shane. I didn’t know what to say or what to do. All the years I believed he took a bribe to leave me, and I find out that all along his biggest crime was borrowing money for my engagement ring. Money he immediately returned.

Bradley?” my mother said, looking for some insight on her husband’s deception.

“I saw the video of him taking the money…” my father stammered, “I was going to give him a chance to explain. But, then I saw the other videos.”  He was openly crying now.  “She’s my baby! He promised he wouldn’t…touch her.”

“Oh, Bradley…how could you?” my mother scolded.

“I couldn’t get the pictures out of my head. I swear I didn’t watch much, but what I saw was enough to make me go through with Parker’s plan.” He turned to Shane, “You swore you wouldn’t touch her!”

“Hayes convinced you to frame me?” Shane asked calmly.

“Yes, he’s the one that brought me the videos.”

I was in shock as I watched and listened to my father go on about how he’d ruined my life. I stared at him, not saying or doing anything…in utter shock.

“When I found out you were innocent, she was already married to Parker. I figured it was just better to let sleeping dogs lie, but when you came back and I saw the light come back into Rebecca’s eyes, I knew I had to do something.”

“He’s been back for months! Why didn’t you say something before now?”

“Pumpkin…”

“DON’T CALL ME THAT! Answer the question!”

“When he showed up at the club I was shocked. I had actually convinced myself that you were happy with Parker. He said you were finally working things out, and you were working on another child. I know it was wrong, but I had just always had this image of you and Parker and I thought you were finally in love with him.”

“I’VE NEVER LOVED PARKER!”

“I know. I’m sorry. But, when Shane came back and I remembered Shannon telling us she saw you kissing at the park…those…images from the video came back
, too. No matter how old you are, you’re still my baby!”

“I’m a grown woman!”

“You weren’t then!”

“I loved him. We weren’t doing anything wrong!”

“I felt betrayed.”

“You felt betrayed?! You ruined my life! You kept him from his daughter…his own flesh and blood…for what?
Because you saw a video of us making love? We loved each other!”

“I know. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. If I could take it back, rewind…I would. I’m begging you, please forgive me! I swear I’ll never butt in again.”

“You can’t be serious! I don’t ever want to see you again! You’ll never see Shannon…”

“Rebecca!” Shane snapped.

“What?”

“Don’t. Don’t say anything you’re going to regret.” He looked at me and then I followed his eyes as they traveled to my father. He was completely broken and I could see the terror in his eyes that he’d lost everything from something he’d done seven years ago.

“You can’t expect me to forgive him! You can’t tell me
you’re
going to forgive him?”

“I have a daughter now.
I guess I have some insight on how he feels.”

“He lied! All these years he made me believe…I can’t forgive him. I won’t!”

“Come with me, please.” Shane walked over to me and grabbed my hand. He led me down the hall and into one of the bedrooms. “Rebecca, he loves you.”

“I know…but he…”

“I know. I’m not saying you can’t be angry with him. I sure as hell am. But, you have to let it go. He’s learned his lesson. He couldn’t feel any worse. Don’t allow this to get in the way of your family. Please, forgive him. I know he truly believed he was protecting you.”

“How can you be…I’m so sorry! I never wanted to believe you took the money. I didn’t believe it at first. All these years…” 

“Please let it go. Don’t let it eat at you. He could have chosen to never tell us. We may have never known.”

“NO! Eventually, it would have come out. He was just saving his own skin! How could he do that?” I walked to the window, staring out at nothing.

“If I can forgive him, then you should be able to.”

“But, you didn’t do anything wrong…all that time in jail…for what?! You missed our wedding, the birth of your daughter and the first six years of her life.”

He stood behind me and whispered, “I’m here now, and I’m never leaving you again. Can you finally believe that?”

I turned to face him. “Can you forgive me for not believing in you? I don’t blame you if you can’t. I wouldn’t forgive…”

He kissed me, softly at first, waiting for me to return the kiss. He didn’t have to wait long. I clung to him, wanting to do much more than just kiss him.

“Um…sorry to interrupt,” my dad said from the doorway. As usual, Shane pulled away from me out of respect for my father…respect he didn’t deserve. I was furious and so hurt by his deception. But Shane squeezed my hand and looked into my eyes, begging me to forgive him.

“Pumpk…sorry, Rebecca, can we talk…please?”