Perfect Storm

by Erica Marselas

  There isn’t any more to say. What more can be said, anyway? We are going to be parents. I could run for the hills, scream, be pissed, but Lola is my forever, and nothing is going to change that. Though I fear when Lola's father gets back from Afghanistan, and finds out about us, and that I knocked her up, I’m going to have hell to pay.

  I push Lola down to the couch after discarding her shirt and leaving her in only a blue bra. I nuzzle her creamy chest, inhaling her when my phone rings in my back pocket.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I groan, dropping my head not being able to ignore Peyton’s ringtone in my back pocket.

  Lola had been right. Leave it Peyton to ruin the perfect moment.

  “Can’t you ignore it?” Lola pants, reaching up and tangling her hand in my hair.

  “I would, but it could be about Georgia.” I sigh and sit up, pulling Lo up with me. No matter how much I don’t want to talk to Peyton, I never ignore her when she has Georgia. It would be my luck if I didn’t answer it’d be the one time something would happen to Georgia. It’s a promise I made to myself.

  I snatch my phone from out of my back pocket and Peyton’s house number lights on the screen. She doesn’t usually call me from this number. I have no idea why she even has a house line in the first place.

  “What is it, Peyton?” I answer roughly, keeping the line on speaker for Lola’s peace of mind. We haven't spoken since she hung up on me last night in her tantrum. I’d hoped to keep it that way till it had been time to pick up Georgia.

  “Daddy,” Georgia cries through the line, and I’m instantly on high alert.

  “Peanut. What’s wrong?”

  “Daddy, I had a nightmare.” She sniffs. “Can you come over?”

  “Georgia…”

  “Please, Daddy,” she begs, “please. You and Lola are the only ones that can scare away the bad man in my dreams.”

  “Of course, sweetie, I'll be right there. Okay? Just remember nothing can hurt you. It was just a dream. Where's your mom?”

  “Downstairs, I think. I'm calling from her room because she wasn't in here, but I want you anyway.”

  “Alright. It's going to take me about ten minutes to get there. Can you hang tight? Maybe get a glass of milk? I'm sure Mom can comfort you till then…”

  “I don't know,” she whispers.

  “Don't know what?”

  “Nothing,” she answers quickly. “Can Lola come?”

  Lo grabs my arm, obviously overtaken by the sentiment. I look back over at her and smile.

  It would be the quickest way to lay it out to Peyton we were together, but Georgia doesn't need to see that shit storm. She's already dealing with one nightmare.

  “No, baby. It wouldn't be a good idea, but she sends her love.”

  “Yes, bug, I love ya,” Lola calls out. “I had so much fun with you today at the zoo. Do you have the stuffed Panda I got for you today? I hear it helps with bad dreams.”

  “I don’t have it,” she sniffs. “I thought I had it when Mom picked me up, but she says she never saw it. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay. We will just have to go again and get another one.” Lola glances up at me, I’m sure the same thought running through her head that Peyton probably got rid of it.

  “Really?” A sound of hope perks up in her voice.

  “Yeah, of course.”

  “Who you talking to Georgia?” Peyton's voice echoes over the speaker.

  “Daddy,” her voice shakes. I hate how scared she sounds when moments ago she was finally relaxing. “He's coming here. I had a nightmare.”

  “Oh, well, good.” I roll my eyes at how pleased Peyton sounds.

  I lean over and kiss Lola, telling her I'll be back, not wanting to hang up with Georgia.

  I’m in my car in seconds and zipping out of the driveway. I asked Georgia to tell me more about her day, to keep her mind off her nightmare and Peyton. I’m not even through Georgia getting off the bus at the zoo when she mentions Lola’s name, and Peyton takes the phone from her.

  “Dean, let me get her back in bed,” Peyton says in a rush and then hangs up on me.

  “Fucking bitch.” I toss my phone down, and for the first time, I’m thankful Peyton doesn’t live far.

  When I arrive at Peyton’s house, I don’t even have to knock before she’s opening the door. “Dean, come in. Georgia is upstairs.”

  I don’t say anything and storm pass her to my daughter’s room. If I did say something to Peyton right now, it wouldn’t be pretty.

  I crack open Georgia’s door and poke my head in. She’s tucked under her covers, with a stuffed dog under her arm, looking at the blank white wall.

  Peyton has lived here for about a year, and Georgia’s room isn’t decorated—at all. It looks more like a prison, with only her bed and desk. There are no colors, not even curtains—nothing showing Georgia’s personality.

  “Peanut, it’s Daddy.” She turns over, a broad smile creeping onto her face as I step into the room. I sit on the edge of her bed and push her hair back. “How are you doing?”

  She shrugs and then wraps her arms around my neck. “Can you read me a story?”

  “Will that help you go back to sleep?”

  “Maybe two.” She holds up three fingers instead of two.

  “That’s not two.”

  “Okay, so three.” She places her hands together, begging wordlessly, along with the doe eyes this dad never says no to.

  I’m going to be in a heap of trouble when my next kid picks up on her techniques.

  “I can do three. Where do you keep them?”

  “In my desk.”

  I pat her leg and tell her to hold tight while I find a couple of books that will hopefully lull her back to sleep. “I think we need to add some color to your walls and maybe some pictures.”

  “Mom says I can’t because we won’t be staying in this house forever.”

  “Is that right?” I mumble under my breath as I pick out a collection of fairy tales.

  Once Georgia is fast asleep, I place a kiss to her forehead and move out of the bedroom. As soon as the door closes behind me, Peyton steps in front of me. She’s changed and is now wrapped in a red silk robe that barely covers her goods, holding a glass of whiskey.

  “Thought you would want a drink?” she purrs, batting her eyelashes.

  “No, thanks. I just want to go back home, Peyton.” Home to my newly pregnant girlfriend. God, Lo was right, maybe she should’ve waited to tell me when there wasn’t so much Peyton drama because damn if I haven’t had a chance to wrap my mind around it.

  I move to go around her, and she grabs my arm. I shake her off, not wanting her to touch me. “What do you want?” I grit out between my teeth.

  “I thought maybe since you were here, I could apologize for the way I’ve been acting. And help you understand how lost I've been without you.”

  “That doesn't sound like an apology.” I pinch the bridge of my nose. I swear my brain is going to explode if I hear her explain how lost she is one more time. What she needs is some damn help.

  “Let's talk, and I promise not to make a pass at you.” She pushes the glass of whiskey in my hand. “Please.”

  “Fine,” I huff, swiping the glass from her. It might not be a perfect time, but since she wants to be so fucking persistent, I'm telling her about Lola tonight.

  She follows behind me as we make our way to the living room. I plop down on her little white floral couch I once remember being in her mother’s house.

  “Before you start babbling on about whatever it is. I have something I need to tell you.” I throw back the whiskey and enjoy how good the oak flavors burn on the way down my throat.

  “What?” She spins around on the ottoman in front of me.

  “I should’ve told you the second it happened, but you are also keeping things from me—especially now. I guess I didn’t want to hurt you or have you—” Go crazy. “upset. Anyway, I’ve been seeing Lola, and I’m in love with he
r.”

  Peyton looks away from me, taking a deep breath and smoothing out the tie on her robe. “Oh, I guess I shouldn't be surprised,” she mutters and slowly turns her head back to me. “With the way Georgia talks and with her always being there, I should've known. I guess in a way I think I did. How long?” She chokes back tears. “Before we separated?”

  “No. It didn't happen till after. We’ve been seeing each other for about eight months, but I had fallen for her way before that. I can't deny it. We spent hours and hours alone, Peyton. It was impossible not to grow close to her.”

  “So you emotionally cheated on me.”

  “You weren't around, Peyton. For fuck’s sake. You didn't give a shit about me, and I'm sick and tired of explaining it to you over and over again. You were doing the same thing to me. Karen told me about the other guy you were with.”

  “You talked to Karen?” Her fists clench to her side. “Why?”

  “Because I needed information. I should’ve done it a long time ago. You are just as guilty as I am with dating someone.”

  “He was just a friend,” she snips and stands from the ottoman. “I told you I made a mistake with leaving you alone. I was so lost for a while. The meds made me feel foggy. I had thought I needed my friends and to be free. That I was trapped with being married...You know after I had Georgia how hard it was for me.”

  “I did,” I cut her off. “It was hard for me too, but I stood by you. Let you do what you needed to do to help you. But the thing is there's only so much I could take before I cracked.”

  “So you leaned on a child.”

  “She's not a child!” I bark. My chest heaves, and I can only think lately my girl has been more mature than the woman in front of me.

  “She is, Dean. She was our student, our babysitter. For fuck sakes we watched her play next door out on the lawn and saw her go through puberty.”

  “I wasn't watching that damn closely, Peyton. Don't try to make this into some sick fantasy. If you fucking came home, I would have been there with you. But you didn't want me. Lola did.”

  “Wait till I tell Kiki about this.”

  “She already knows,” I say smugly. “I only didn't want to tell you because I didn't want you to use it against me.

  “She's no good for you, Dean. We have something perfect.”

  “Perfect? Hardly, Peyton.” I sigh. “Listen, I'm not trying to hurt you. But I can no longer lie about this, and you need to move on. I want you to be able to move on and be happy too.”

  She scoffs. “Happy? Happy? When everything I had is erupting in my face?”

  “It’s not erupting in your face, Peyton. You can still start over.”

  “No, I can’t. I can’t,” she cries as she makes her way to the kitchen and digs around in a drawer.

  “What are you doing?” I stand, but I feel woozy and fall right back down. I rub my forehead, hoping to shake off whatever the fuck is wrong with me.

  “I’m doing what I should’ve done a long time ago,” Peyton growls, placing a hand on my shoulder. My eyes open and she’s staring down right at me, her mouth hovering over mine. “I’m sorry it had to come to this, Dean. I’ll be a better wife this time.”

  “Pey—” I groan. There's a sharp prick in the side of my neck, and my vision begins to blur. Peyton pushes her hands through my hair, and I try to pick up my arm to push her away, but it falls back to my side.

  “Don’t try to move, babe. Sleep now.” Her words come out like a slow drawl, and the world around me starts to haze. “In the morning, we will be a family again—”

  Then everything goes black.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  LOLA

  Where the fuck is he?

  It's six o'clock in the morning, and Dean hasn't returned from Peyton's house after he rushed over there for Georgia's nightmare. I've sent countless texts and they have all gone unanswered.

  I'm somewhere between worried and angry but leaning more towards worried.

  And there's nothing I can do.

  He more than likely fell asleep trying to calm Georgia back to sleep.

  It's not like he doesn't have to go to work this morning.

  Figuring I'm useless hanging around here, I decide to head home. I have my Psychology class this morning, and we’re having a major test. I’m not ready for it, so I need to do some last-minute studying.

  He’ll call me when he gets in.

  He will.

  He doesn't.

  Now I'm fucking pissed.

  It's ten a.m., and there still hasn't been any word from him. On my way to school, I drove past Peyton's house, and his car wasn't there. Maybe I should've gone by when I woke up, but I was trusting him. I am still putting faith in him, but why hasn't he at least texted me to say hi—or anything.

  If it weren't for this stupid test, I would have just stayed home because I feel like coming here is a bad idea anyway.

  I haven't been able to concentrate. I'm pretty sure I bombed my test, and any time my professor asked me a question, I looked at him like he had grown three heads, the words going right over my head.

  What if he's avoiding me? The baby news had been a huge shock, and we didn't actually talk about it before Georgia called.

  Maybe he doesn't want it and doesn't know how to tell me? I mean, he is thirty-four. It isn't old, but he isn't young either.

  As I walk out of class, I try to give Dean a call, hoping to put my mind to rest. Like I deserve some sort of answer—even if it’s talk later or not now—because this cold shoulder and blowing me off is pissing me off more by the second.

  I pick up my phone and dial his number, ready to ream him. The other end doesn't even ring when I'm met with a female robot voice:

  “The person you are calling is unavailable.”

  “What the?” I redial his number and I'm met with the same thing. I go to text him, and unlike this morning the message doesn't send and comes back undeliverable.

  Did he block me?

  This has to be a mistake.

  Tears prickle in the corners of my eyes and my stomach twists. This can't be happening.

  You were just going to lose him anyway when he found out what you’ve been hiding for years.

  My fellow students file past me on the lawn as they make their way towards their classes, and I'm stuck in the middle of the grassy field not sure of what the hell is going on.

  It honestly makes no sense.

  None.

  Everything inside of me feels unsettled as I start to make my way to my car. I could go down to Applegrove High where he teaches now, but I doubt they will let me in.

  My heart rate spikes and the hair stands on the back of my neck when I spot none other than Peyton standing at my car smiling smugly. Okay, now this really doesn't make any sense. What the fuck is she doing here? Especially when I haven't heard from Dean.

  I’m tempted to just run and not deal with the looney bin right now, but she’s blocking my car and all I want to do is go home.

  “Lola,” Peyton yells, waving at me to come over. Stealing a breath, I walk over to her.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “We need to talk.”

  “What is it that you want?”

  “Dean came over last night, and we had a very interesting conversation.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Yes. About you. Never thought you would be a husband stealing—” she sucks in a deep breath, obviously steadying her choice of words, “but I guess I should also be thanking you.” A sly grin now forms on her face leaving me confused.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Well, you know it gave Dean and I a chance to say goodbye and in doing so, rekindle something we’ve both been missing. Now that we have done so, we can push back the divorce and work even longer on ourselves.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Oh, would pictures help?” She pulls out her phone and swipes to her photo gallery. The ima
ges on her phone make my stomach roil, and I’m doing everything in my power not to lose my lunch on her designer shoes. Her fingers flick through picture after picture of her and Dean in an embrace. A naked embrace.

  “You’re lying. There’s no way these are from last night. Dean can’t stand you.”

  “Dean and I have history. A history that was filled with lots of passion, desire, and attraction. There’s something about that one last time, that can help spark everything again.”

  “You’re full of shit.” I spit, my heart thumping out of my chest. I’m doing what I can to keep my cool and not tackle her to the ground. I’m tired of this woman breaking my heart. Now she’s doing it in the worst way possible.

  “I’m not full of anything. The only thing that Dean had forgotten was when you’re separated, and you sleep with your spouse, it cancels the separation. That’s why I made sure I got proof.”

  Twisted fucking bitch.

  “You’re full of shit. Does Dean even know what’s going on in those pictures?”

  “Of course he does.”

  “Well, I’ll be sure to ask him about it.”

  “I mean you can, but has he even talked to you today?” She grins, but her eyes are filled with nothing but venom and hatred. The pure evil look makes me gulp, and my racing heart drops to my feet. “He mentioned cutting things off with you too. Now that the separation is canceled, he’s going to take things seriously this time. And you should’ve seen Georgia, how happy she was to have all three of us putting her to bed last night. We are a family, Lola. That doesn’t include you. You’re just the trashy babysitter that got in the way.”

  Trashy? My fists clench to my side, and I feel my face heat. She might be some crazy devil, but I can’t let her win. I can’t let her affect me.

  I’m not going down without a fight.

  “The thing is, Peyton, I have plans to stay in the way. It’s going to take more than your crazy ass to keep me away. Now if you don’t mind, I have to go. And shouldn’t you be going to pick up your daughter? I think it’s time you focus on being a mother for a fucking change.”