Tangled Web
Page 20
“How, Alan, how?”
“Whatever my wife wants me to do.”
“Alan.” His mother-in-law approached. “Make it right, son. I know you’re a great husband, despite what has happened and you’re a great father. You two are young. You can get over this.” She hugged him.
His eyes wide. He didn’t know how to respond. Although, she was never nasty to him, until Tonya came into the picture. He does blame himself for everything. It was all him. He should have said no, the first time and got his ass out of Tonya’s house.
***
Pastor Beauridge, understood the football player’s hectic schedule and worked with Alan on Pastoral counseling when possible. He took Alison’s suggestion to have the counseling. If he was home for a week, he went at least two times. The pastor, dedicated, to Alan’s absolution offered phone check-ins and daily scriptures emailed.
“You want me to journal?” Alan flinched. “That’s girlish.”
“Alan.” The pastor words were slow. “You would enjoy it. Nothing girlish about journaling. Jot down what has happened. Then look back on what you wrote?”
“Pastor, sound girlish to me.”
The Pastor laughed. “Indeed. Take time to meditate on what you wrote. Note how you feel.”
“Journaling can’t hurt. If I have to include this in my redemption, then so be it. I have been here for weeks now and I realize, Pastor, my actions were based on hurt. When Alison told me, she didn’t want a baby and then I caught her taking her birth control pills, I was upset.”
“And you felt going outside your marriage was the way to handle your anger?”
“Well.” He glanced at the floor. “At the time being angry, it was. Yes, I was attracted to the other woman.” He kept Tonya anonymity.
“How do you feel about it now.”
He shook his head. “Oh, I feel terrible. I could have given Alison a disease. She may have left me. Not fair to her. None of this was fair to her.”
“Alan, you have to apologize to the other woman and find a way to be a part of the baby’s life, with Alison. She must be included.”
“I will Pastor.”
Alan stood, extending his hand. “Pastor, I will be in church as soon as my schedule allows, with my family.”
Chapter 41
Alison
“Alan come here please.” She yelled into the family room.
Alison busied herself about the kitchen. A skillet on the stove held an inch of water with sliced baby carrots. She measured out a cup of brown sugar, two tablespoons of salted butter, and half cup of orange zest.
“Hey, baby, what’s up?” Alan held a black notebook.
Wiping her hands on the white apron, trimmed in red, with her initials in gold letters centered in the middle, she smiled. “How are you doing? How have your counseling been going?”
“I love it. Pastor is great. A few more sessions and—”
“I want you to move back in the room with me. I believe it’s time to be a family. A real family.”
Alan hugged her. “Thank you, baby.”
“But first, we need to discuss Tonya.” She turned to the boiling carrots. “We have to be adults and accept what has happened and move on.” She sighed heavily.
“I know baby, I know. This won’t be easy for you. I truly am sorry for what I did. I am thankful that you didn’t leave me.” His hands slipped around her waist.
“No, this won’t be easy, but we will get through it. She put a colander in the sink and drained the carrots. “Alan.” She dumped the sugar and rest of the ingredients into the skillet and stirred. “After dinner we will call Tonya and talk about this.”
“Of course, baby. Whatever you need me to do, I will.”
She continued to stir the mixture and gave Alan a sideways look. “Thank you, baby.”
Alison dropped the carrots into the hot bubbly mixture and coating them well. She sat the steamed broccoli, and baked fish on the table. Once the carrots were done, she put them in a serving bowl and drizzled the remaining sauce on top.
After looking in on a sleeping Adanna, Alison returned to the kitchen. Alan stood behind her chair.
“After you, he pulled the chair out.”
Alison took the apron off, tossed it on the counter and took her awaiting seat. “Thank you, sir.”
They smiled. Alison was quiet. She gave Alan her undivided attention as he rambled on about his discoveries in journaling. She took hold of his hand.
“I love you Alan. I’m sorry as well.
“Why are you sorry?”
“I know I may have been a little unpredictable with my attitude, mood swings, or selfishness. I should have been more open with you about having a baby. I left it open ended, so naturally, one would assume that their desire would be met. Sorry.”
“It’s okay. Let’s enjoy dinner. Thank you for this.”
***
“Hello, Tonya, how are you?” Alison dryly said.
“Alison? Oh, I’m well.”
“Tonya, you are on speaker. Alan is here too.”
“Hey, Tonya.”
“Alan.”
Alison took lead. “We are calling to discuss what we can do with Alan and I participating in the baby’s…his son’s life.”
“I…I never thought that you would want to be a part of this.”
“Really, Tonya. Alan is my husband and we are doing this together. He’s not leaving me and his daughter. I’m trying to be an adult about this. You are a single mother raising two children now. I know it’s hard. Even though, what you two did was wrong, the baby shouldn’t have to suffer. Alan, will take care of his financial responsibility.”
“I’ve told Alan, he doesn’t have to be a part of this baby’s life. You know, if he could from time to time help out. I don’t want to cause any more problems.”
“Too late for that.” Alison looked at Alan. “Adanna has a big brother…by a few months.” She gasped. “They need to know each other.”
Alan chimed in. “Yes, Tonya, Bradley need to know his sister.”
Tonya’s sniffles echoed. “Thank you, Alison…Alan.” A baby’s cry, softly, crept in.
“This will be work for all of us. And Tonya.” Alison then looked at Alan. “We will work this out for visitation as well. Us visiting you, you visiting us. I’m definitely not saying this will happen overnight.”
Now, the distance cry was louder. “Thank you, both of you. I have to feed Bradley. Thank you.”
“We will talk later. Take care of the baby.” Alison said.
“Kiss my son for me.” Alan looked at Alison. She looked away.
She grabbed the baby monitor. She took Alan’s hand. They sat at the lighted Koi pond. The night air was cool. Quietness swept through the misty grass. Leaves fading colors, rustled on the trees.
“I love you Alison.”
“I love you too, Mr. Perry. I love you too.” Alison leaned toward him.
Their eyes searched back and forth. Alison kissed her husband. She listened to Adanna’s intermittent sounds through the monitor. She was happy. You only live once and you have to make the best of it.
The End