by Jamie Knight
“You could put it like that way…”
I still couldn’t believe that happened. Of course, the first thing we did upon reuniting was have angry, passionate sex. I wouldn’t expect anything less from Aiden.
“Was he good?”
“Marnie!” I gasped.
Talking about this kind of stuff at work always made me nervous, but it was a good kind of nervous.
“Wait, which ex is this? It can’t be someone you’ve dated since we’ve met, none of those guys had the money to open a club like that. And we met a while ago.”
I met Marnie back in college. So, we’d known one another for some years. I’d seen a few people while the two of us were friends, but none of them lasted. And Marnie was right, none of them had the capital to open a club like Aiden.
Her eyes lit up. “Wait a second. Was it—”
My phone rang and cut her off. I picked it up and saw it was a phone call from my son’s school.
“I’m sorry. I have to take this.” I swiped the screen and put it up to my ear. “Hello?”
“Miss White. We need you to come pick up your son, Bobby. He’s been suspended for the rest of the day.”
“Um, of course. I’ll be right there. Thank you.” I didn’t even need to hear the reason why. They would tell me when I got there, but I already had an inkling as to what happened. My guess was that it was another fight. “I have to go, Marnie. It’s Bobby.”
“Yeah, of course. Go get your son. We can talk about your crazy night later. I always have time for you.”
“Thanks. I’ll make it up to you. I promise.”
I said goodbye to my friend before going to grab my bag from the locker room. Bobby’s school wasn’t too far away. I got lucky with my work placement. It was smack dab between Bobby’s school and our home. Now, if only I was as lucky with my son.
Chapter Seven - Reagan
I got to the school in about ten minutes and ran into the office. Bobby was sitting in one of those little chairs, his head down. The sad part about all of this was he always seemed to feel genuinely bad about what he has done. I knew deep down he was a good kid, but something was just not working right now for him.
“Hey, Bobby.”
He looked up at me, tears in his hazel eyes. He let out a deep breath, picking up his bag before getting up and walking over to me.
I turned to the secretary. “Is there anything else?”
“Just sign him out.”
“Yeah, okay.”
As I signed Bobby out from school, I worried that we were getting to the point of needing to have another meeting. We’d already had a few with other parents when Bobby was initially getting into fights. And then we had them with his teachers. I could tell the principal was getting frustrated.
“We’ll talk about this when we get home,” I told my son as we were walking out.
He nodded, and the two of us head towards the exit. When we got outside, I stopped short. Aiden was standing at the gates.
My initial response was to hold back my son. How did my ex know we were at the school? He must have followed me. That’s the only way. Unless he knew more than he told me. Confusion had me stuck to the spot, but I couldn’t just stand there all day.
I grabbed Bobby’s hand. The two of us walked towards the gate, and a meeting I never thought would happen.
“Hi, Aiden. This is Bobby.”
Aiden nodded to the boy. “Hey.” Clueless as to what was going on, Bobby nodded back.
My heart was beating a mile a minute. What was I supposed to say to Aiden if he asked about Bobby? Could I lie? It was what I’d been doing for the past few years.
“What are you doing here?” I kind of already knew, but I needed to double-check.
“I was following you because I felt like our conversation from last night wasn’t over. I have a lot more questions now.” He glanced over at Bobby. Was he going to notice? Aiden was always super observant, but if he didn’t suspect, then maybe he won’t put it all together.
“What questions?”
“What are you doing here?”
“Um, I had to pick up Bobby.”
“Why?”
“He’s my son.”
“I gathered that. Why are you picking him up early?” Aiden wasn’t going to let me get by easily. He’d keep pestering me until I confessed.
“He’s been getting into a few fights at school, talking back to teachers. Since it’s been happening for a while, I just have to pick him up whenever he’s misbehaving.”
“He’s been getting into fights?” Aiden turned his attention to Bobby. He walked over to him, kneeling down, so they were at about the same height. “Hi.”
Bobby looked up at me. I nodded, letting him know it was okay.
“Hello.”
“Your mom tells me you’ve been getting into fights.” Bobby nodded. “Why?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“I see.”
They continued to talk while I had an internal panic attack. Seeing them side by side, it was so apparent that Bobby was a mini version of Aiden. The word 'fuck’ was running through my head on a loop. I wasn't paying much attention to what was being said, but I should have been. What if I missed some crucial bit of information! I just had so many emotions running through my head.
Maybe running away from Aiden all those years ago was rash, but it had felt like the right choice. The only option, really. Most of the people in his family hadn’t liked me, especially his mother. There was never one moment I could point to that would explain all the hatred. I was always polite and gracious whenever Aiden had brought me around — which was rare, I only attended the occasional bar-b-q or dinner.
My guess was that it all boiled down to the fact that I wasn't one of them, the rich. There was nothing I could do to change that fact. Aiden knew a little bit about his mother's disdain for me, but he never realized how deep it ran.
She actually offered me money to leave him. I had thought she was insane, but that didn’t stop me. I’d never forgot that moment, and it played back in front of my eyes like a cursed movie.
Aiden's mother never wanted to talk to me. She avoided being in the same room as me as if I carried the plague or something. I'd learned to ignore it, for the most part anyway. It still kind of hurt when she so obviously left a room because I was in it. That’s why when she asked to speak with me privately, I thought something absolutely horrible was about to happen.
“Hello,” I knocked on the door but didn't go in. Mrs. Harris intimidated me so much.
I didn't really think she called me there to murder me, but the thought had crossed my mind, and I wasn't able to totally banish it from my thoughts. She had this presence that made me shrivel. My body was on edge, knowing that we were about to be in the same room alone for an indefinite amount of time.
“Come in,” a voice beckoned. Doing as I was told, I pushed open the door and entered her office. “Please, take a seat, Reagan.”
“Okay,” I said more to myself. I scurried into the seat across from her on the other side of the grand, carved wood desk.
“So, I'm sure you're wondering why I asked you here.”
“I, umm…”
She rolled her eyes and sighed, which made me think I wasn't there so we could bury the hatchet. “I'd rather not dilly dally. I'm willing to offer you a significant amount of money to stop dating my son.”
“What?” I literally started shaking at that point.
Did she just offer to throw money at me to go away? I thought that type of thing only happened in the movies. The concept was absurd, but I wasn’t about to say that. Putting it more delicately would be best.
“Yes, we can negotiate the exact number, but, just so you know, I'm willing to crack six figures.”
“I don't want your money!” I bristled at the thought of leaving Aiden. The love I had for him was priceless. It didn't matter how much money his mother
offered me.
“You say that now, but did Aiden tell you that he was going to be disowned if he continues seeing you? And, once I disown him, he doesn't get to change his mind about it later. I don't make these decisions lightly.”
She was going to cut him off, and he knew? Why didn't he tell me? This should have been something my boyfriend came to me about. Or maybe he needed more time to tell me.
“That doesn't mean anything.” I was trying to put on a brave face, but my insides felt like jelly. It was just that morning that I had found out I was carrying his son.
“Why? Because of true love and all that bullshit? You're two dumb kids experiencing puppy love, and, when the shiny façade falls away, Aiden will miss his money and wonder why he threw it all away for some girl.”
Mrs. Harris managed to hit one of my biggest insecurities. I'd seen the girls Aiden had dated. They were all rich and put together and so pretty. I was a girl who happened to bag his groceries one day. What if I was just a phase? When he got tired with me? He'd toss me aside without a second thought. I knew Aiden loved me, but love could fade. I was starting to feel that it wasn’t a matter of if but when.
“I mean, did Aiden tell you we had Victoria over the other night for dinner?” He had dinner with Victoria? “From the expression on your face, my guess is no, he didn't tell you.”
Victoria was the ex that gave me the most anxiety. She never did anything to me, but the feelings were still there. Plus, Aiden's mom loved her, so there was that. And she fit into his world so perfectly. They were the perfect wealthy couple. They had that look that me and him would never have. I just knew it.
I never told Aiden about these feelings, but he still knew. He did his best to make me feel loved, and I did. I thought I had gotten rid of my jealousy regarding Victoria, but it reared its ugly head with zero hesitation.
“Do you really think he'll leave me?”
She nodded. “Honey, I hate to be the one to tell you, but it's the truth, and you'll have to face it eventually. Sooner is better than later, no?”
Mr. Harris convinced me to take the money and leave. She never knew about the child I was carrying. I wanted to say goodbye to Aiden, but his mother wouldn't let me. She said I needed to make a clean break. I wrote a letter that she dictated and tried to never look back.
But life had other plans for me. A few weeks later, as my belly started to show. I thought about contacting Aiden, but he hadn't tried once to call or see me since I had left. It was so easy for him to forget about me, so I needed to do the same.
Clearly, I never really did.
“What are your plans for the rest of the day?'’
“Huh?”
Aiden was standing now, and both him and my son were looking at me with identical hazel eyes. “Do you two have any plans today?” he repeated.
“Oh, um, I have to take Bobby home and give him lunch.”
Though that was something I pulled out of my ass, it was getting close to lunch, meaning Bobby needed to eat soon.
“Let me treat you guys.”
“Oh no, you don't have to do that.”
“I want to, and it is no trouble.”
“Aiden, it’s fine.”
“Reagan, it’s just lunch.” The look he gave me told me otherwise. Lunch could lead to so many other things. I didn’t want to have lunch with my son and his father, both of who knew nothing of the other. It would be me in the middle with enough knowledge to drive myself crazy.
“Mommy, he said we could go to the diner...” Bobby pulled on my shirt, pleading to go. Even though he had been acting up lately, I still had a hard time saying no to my baby boy. I knew he was acting out for a reason. Maybe some diner food would do him some good.
“Okay, we can go,” I smiled down at my son before turning to Aiden. “We'll follow behind you.”
Chapter Eight - Aiden
I was about to have lunch with Reagan and her kid. For some reason, I was nervous as all hell. It was literally just a lunch. I was going to take them to the local diner. But there I was, freaking out in my car while Reagan followed closely behind me.
“It's not a big deal. Calm down, Harris.”
We got to the diner, and the three of us walked in together. Bobby ran over to a red, vinyl booth with a wooden table before one of the waitresses could seat us. He looked back with an excited smile. The kid practically glowed.
“This is his favorite place to eat out. We have a regular booth,” Reagan explained and then immediately went to join her son. Looked like I picked the restaurant well.
When I got over to the booth, Reagan had already slid in next to Bobby. It was an obvious hint that I was meant to sit on the other side. I took my seat.
“So, what's good here?” I asked, holding up the menu.
I used to come here with Reagan sometimes when we were younger. I wasn't so conceited to think that she came here with Bobby because of our connection to the place. Plus, it had changed quite a lot since we were last here together. It was basically a brand-new restaurant. Only the name was really the same.
“I always get the chocolate chip pancakes. They stack them up and cover them in syrup!” Bobby pantomimed by raising his hands up high and then bringing them down with a bang. “I always ask for extra chocolate chips, and they give me this little bowl,” he made a little circle with his hand, “and fill it with the chocolate chips. It’s the yummiest.”
He was clearly enjoying himself. If the boy wanted chocolate chip pancakes, I was more than prepared to get him his pancakes. There was something about his enthusiasm that warmed my heart.
“Should we ask for a super tall stack? We can put yours on top of mine.”
Bobby’s eyes went beyond wide with excitement, and he practically hopped in his seat. “Yes!” His mother looked scared at the prospect, but the plan was already in motion, and there was no way I was going to take away the joy in that little dude’s eyes. “Can we Momma? Can we?” He was bouncing tall at this point. It was like a sugar rush without the sugar.
Reagan sighed and let her shoulders drop. “Yes, you guys can get whatever you want. My friend is treating us, so it’s really up to him.” She deflected to me, but my mind was already made up.
“Let’s do it, then.”
I called over the waitress and put in two orders for chocolate chip pancakes with the caveat that we wanted them double stacked. She seemed to catch my drift. Reagan ordered the soup of the day, and we waited for our meals. Booby quickly got distracted by the crayons on the table and started drawing a picture.
Reagan seemed to have calmed down. I had calmed down, as well. We were both probably just overthinking this whole thing.
“How are you feeling?” I asked her.
“Good,” she shrugged then glanced down at Bobby’s doodle. She had a proud motherly smile on her face. A sure sign of contentment.
“Really? You seemed a little anxious earlier.”
“Was it that obvious?” She leaned forward and whispered. “I guess it’s been a lot dealing with Bobby’s outbursts.”
“What does he do?”
“Oh, he sometimes gets ahead of himself. He’ll challenge the teachers or pick a fight with one of the students. I know he’s trying to be good, but I don’t know, something’s been going on. I’ve tried to get him to talk, but it’s been an uphill battle so far.”
“He’s got a bit of an attitude?”
She sighed. “That’s one way to put it. This is the second school he’s gotten rude to the teachers. I had him transferred to that one because the counselor is supposed to be one of the best in the state. They’ve been working with Bobby, but it is a slow-going process, given that they have to help all the other students. Also, to be totally honest, sometimes the things Bobby says are true. He’s a smart boy and often says interesting things, but he can be a little snarky. If only he packaged it a little differently.”
“He sounds like someone I know.”
>
Reagan gave me a funny look. “Who?”
“You. I remember a certain someone getting sassy at times when it wasn’t always appropriate.”
She rolled her eyes. “Okay, first off, every time I had an attitude is because the situation called for it, and, secondly, if anything, Bobby is more like his father…” she trailed off on that last word, saying it extra slow as if realizing something. She stared right at me, getting almost panicky.
“What does that mean?”
“What does what mean?” Her eyes fled from my face and to the door of the diner. She was trying to backtrack as if I hadn’t just heard her hint very strongly at something.
“You know what I mean, Reagan. Who’s his father?”
“Ummm…” I could sit here for as long as it took. I needed an answer. “Aiden, I —”
“The pancakes are here!” Bobby yelled. The waitress was over a few seconds later and placed a large stack between Bobby and me. Reagan’s French onion soup was next.
“Is there anything else I can get you today?”
“No, we’re fine,” Reagan shook her head. “Thank you.”
The waitress left, so it was back to the three of us. Reagan turned her attention to helping Bobby with his food. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea to talk about this in front of him. I didn’t know the whole situation. From the looks of it, Reagan was going about this all alone. I didn’t want to blow into this kid’s life and fuck things up, but I felt like I deserved answers. Somehow, I was going to get them.
Chapter Nine - Reagan
That lunch with Aiden was bizarre and came very close to being a tragedy. I almost let the whole truth out of the bag. I couldn’t believe I was so careless. Bobby was right there. He didn’t know anything about his dad. I had done my best to keep him from feeling bad about the situation, but naturally, he had questions. And they had only been getting more and more frequent. Soon, I was going to have to make some kind of choice before the whole thing blew up in my face.
“Are you ready to go?”
“Huh?” The spoon I was holding in my hand slipped into my almost empty bowl of soup. It was enough to knock me out of whatever trance I was in. It also got a little bit of soup on my scrubs. “Dammit!”