His Unplanned Lesson

by Nickie Nalley Seidler

  After Jake got dressed, we headed out towards the lighthouse. It was a beautiful day, not in a cloud sight and the weather was a perfect eighty. As much as we were settling into fall, I couldn’t complain about the warmth. My mind suddenly raced to a glimpse of our future as I stood there admiring Jake while he paid the lady at the lighthouse booth. I could see us together, but thought of Bobby also still lingered there. I hate how he had such a thick hold on my mind. Flashing back to Jake, I couldn’t help but smile. His tall, muscular shape, shaggy hair that was way overdue for a trim, and a clean shaven face that any woman could gloat over. He was flawless, minus his hair. I tried to remember what he looked like back at that party. Only faint images appeared but from what I did recall, he looked pretty much the same, I just didn’t remember his hair being shaggy like it was now.

  “Babe?” Jake snapped me back to the present.

  “Sorry.” I smiled and shook my head.

  “Everything okay?” He asked, rubbing my shoulders.

  “Yup, perfect.” I leaned on my tip toes and pressed my lips to his sweetly.

  “Ready to tackle the 268 stairs to the top?”

  “The view will be worth it.” I wrapped my left arm around him while we headed to the door that was awaiting our journey.

  I led the way and he followed closely behind me, making me very aware of how close by pinching my butt a few times as I walked up each step. It made me squirm and have to stop to laugh to tell him to stop. Finally, about half way up he did it again and I turned around, wrapped my arms around his neck and forcefully planted my lips on his. He moved back a little in this small enclosed staircase area and hit the wall. His knee pushed up in between my legs and he massaged my tongue with his while his hands roamed my body.

  “If you keep that up, we’re not going to make it to the top and our coffee will be cold.” I laughed, breaking myself away from the kiss. The kiss of temptation.

  He slid his tongue over his top lip while a smile curved at the corner of his mouth, till he full out belly laughed.

  “Do you really think there is coffee at the top?” He asked, trying too hard to not smirk.

  “Um, yes nice hot coffee to greet us from this treacherous stair climb that happens to be quite cold.”

  He looked down and couldn’t help but continue to laugh till his eyes met mine again while I gave him my confused face.

  “What?”

  “I had to tell you something believable for you to make it to the top.” He slapped my ass. “Let’s go tater tot.” He chuckled.

  I turned around to head up, hesitant, then turned back to face him. “So you mean there really is no coffee up there?” My bottom lip poked out, giving him my full out pout face.

  “Nope, keep on trucking.” He laughed.

  “You sneaky ass man!” I pouted. He reached up and kissed me before turning me around to get going on up.

  I headed up, dreading the fact I wouldn’t have fresh coffee waiting for my arrival.

  After another few long minutes, we finally made it to the top and I had to stand there and catch my breath from being so out of shape. My eyes scanned the tiny all white room filled with glass windows, taking in the incredible view of the ocean for miles. I felt his hands wrap around my waist and his chin press on my shoulder while we took in the moment.

  “Wow.” He breathed hard. To my surprise, Mister Muscle Man was out of breath too.

  I turned around and smiled, “It’s beautiful,” looking into his sparkling eyes.

  “Not as beautiful as you.” He smiled back, pressing his lips to mine.

  I took my hands in his and dragged him over to the glass window while we both took in the breathtaking view. The water so far down below was crashing up on the shore. The seagulls out fishing in the ocean and warm sun beating down on the waves were making it picture perfect. I took out my cell phone to snap some pictures and got some selfies with Jake too. All this time I had realized we didn’t have any pictures together.

  “You know what’s crazy?” I asked Jake, while still keeping my eyes pinned on the beautiful scenery.

  “What’s that? Our life?”

  I laughed at his little remark. “My life before I met you, I felt so broken. I felt like I couldn’t move. I was this scared girl embarking on a new life in a new town. I was trying to make friends and fit in with everyone. Step out of my shell. I was uncomfortable in my own skin. Then I met you, and life as I knew it changed that moment. I didn’t focus on my appearance, I didn’t focus on meeting new friends, it was like it all came together just from meeting you.”

  “Our lives have changed. For the better. Who knows where we both would have been if we didn’t meet one another?” He was right. He was more than right.

  “So they call it fate, huh?” I looked up, brushing his shaggy hair away from his face.

  “I’d call it fate, but I’d also call it true love. It’s only true because I feel it. I feel like I couldn’t live without you and I won’t.”

  After taking in the greatest view I’d ever seen, we took more pictures and captured a memory that would last forever. We headed back down the long dreaded flight of stairs and back to the cabin to gather a snack before heading out on the town to find a nice place to eat on a Saturday afternoon.

  Jake swore by this cute little restaurant in town that was highly talked about with good reviews. It was a diner, go figure, but a popular one with real good food, says the town. He was pretty big on diner food, and I didn’t mind. We got in his truck to go around and sight see. I wanted to hit the shops too and see if I saw any baby clothes I could get Ava’s baby. Since we didn’t know the sex yet, I thought I’d get some neutral colors or even a couple toys. If I’m going to be the Godmother, than I had to step up to the plate.

  Riding in the truck it hit me, I never shared my good news with anybody because Jake had taken my mind off it all.

  “I can’t believe I forgot to tell you this.” I shook my head laughing.

  “What?” He kept his eyes on the road.

  “I made manager at the store, and Ava wants me to be the baby’s Godmother.”

  He did a double look at me and the biggest smile stretched across his face.

  “Are you serious? Manager? Godmother? What great titles to have. I’m proud of you babe. That baby is going to be beautiful and you’re going to be a great Godmother and inspiration to look up to.” He squeezed my hand and rested our arms on the arm rest between our seats. Before long, we were in town.

  “We should celebrate tonight.”

  “How?”

  “I don’t know, we should go dancing and make fools out of ourselves. Something we’re both not used to doing.”

  “Clubs aren’t my thing. Sorry.”

  “You haven’t experienced one with me.”

  “Well, then I guess I’ll have to take that offer up and experience it with you.” I laughed as we rolled into the parking spot in front of the busy diner.

  “Let’s eat!” He shouted it like a football chant as he stepped out of the truck and came over to my side to open my door. He was still acting just as much of a gentlemen as when we first met.

  The diner was cute. It was retro all the way. It had steel siding wrapped around the whole thing. The inside was lined with old albums and oldie music played softly through the speakers. There was even a juke box over in the corner that still worked and people were paying money to hear the songs they wanted to hear. A small area off to the right had a pool table and darts center. I figured it had to be a popular hangout for the town. The tile was all black and had sparkles in it. The booths were bright red with sparkles in them as well. It all looked fairly new or just in great condition. A hostess came by and sat us in the one booth available in the back. Her get-up was cute and she was wearing a light pink dress with slacks and a bow in her hair. It was like a trip back to being in the movie Grease. We sat down one on each side of each other and opened the menu, looking at their millions of options to pick from. Literally,
the menu was so large it was going to be hard to decide what I wanted.

  After finally picking something out and Jake practically ordering the entire menu, our food was served. My amazing chicken sandwich with sweet potato fries and a fried pickle was to die for. Watching as Jake stuffed his face with a one pound burger, fries, shake, and onion ring appetizer, was hilarious. This man could eat.

  A family passed by us at the table and the boy that was with him bumped into my knee and politely apologized. I smiled and he moved on to run after his family who was being seated. Jake thought the kid was cute and wiggled his eyebrows. We had a long ways for that. He excused himself and took off towards the bathroom. That left clear view of the family that had passed by. My eyes drifted to them, not being able to focus on anything else. I watched as the woman, blonde hair, beautiful model-like figure sat down with her kids as her husband’s back was to me. I stared, I couldn’t help but stare at the beautiful family and made me think about having one of my own someday. Then things started to get awkward for me. My eyes were just planted and something was off. Really off. I watched them open their menus and I shifted on my elbow to get a better view. When I saw the person’s face turn slightly to the right to smile at his wife, my eyes bulged out of my sockets and anger roared through me. No fucking way, it couldn’t be. My heart sank deep into the pit of my stomach. I started to sweat and I bit down hard on my lower lip as I jet up from the table. My knees buckling, I walked slowly over to their table. Bile rose in my throat, and I started to shake. The diner to me, went silent, because all I absorbed was this family. My ears started ringing and my vision went a little cloudy with the anger that was boiling from under my skin. As soon as I stepped up to the table facing the worst possible nightmare I could have, shit hit the fan.

  I stared hard, almost cruelly so, and if I didn’t close my mouth I was going to drool I was so mad. I couldn’t control the anger and violent shakes my body was going through.

  “Bobby,” I spit out between clenched teeth. His face shot to mine and nobody else in the diner had my attention.

  His eyes burned through mine at our connection. The emotions flowing through them made me see how caught off guard he was. He tried to stand up and my hand forcefully pushed him back down at the table. He was beyond shocked and almost choked for words. “No need for secrets.” I glared at his wife, who looked very confused and frightened, holding her children close to her. Right now I felt like I was a threat. I could very well be. My hands turned cold and I wanted to punch the flat stare he was giving me right off his smug face.

  “Sadie,” he whispered, shocked to see me, desperation in his voice. Desperation to make a plea to me, some bullshit.

  “How could you? How could you do this to me? This is your family?” I looked at them.

  “Charlie, what’s going on?” I heard his wife speak up. Charlie huh?

  “Yeah, Charlie, what’s going on?” I enunciated his name, Charlie, very clearly. My eyes gleamed with anger towards him. I wanted to strangle him, put him in the grave where he was, where he should be after what he did to me. This was a nightmare, I had to wake up now. Nope, I was awake, very fucking awake.

  “Sadie, calm down,” he begged quietly. Pleading with his eyes to not go any further in front of his family. Not to cause a scene that was about to ruin him. He was oh so wrong about me, looked like he didn’t really know me at all if he thought I’d keep my mouth shut.

  “Calm down? Calm down?” I yelled but keeping myself from causing a scene, I lowered my voice. “That’s your name now? Charlie? I wonder how long it took you to come up with that lie.” My hands flew to my hips, still shaking. "Not only did you have me believe you were dead, but apparently even before that you were unfaithful!" My eyes shot over to his son. “You ruined me. You ruined my life. For three fucking years I mourned your death, your death, your fucking death.” I clenched through my teeth, anger searing through my pores. “I went to your grave and prayed for you to give me a damn sign that you were okay in heaven.” I gritted my teeth. I was so angry my face had to be flashing with red. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I knew who it was. “You’re a coward. You’re a pathetic, lying, monster, deceiving ghost I wish I never met, wish I never knew and wished I never loved. You disgust me. Absolutely disgust me. I hope you rot in hell.” I grabbed my purse and took the piece of paper that was crumbled on the top. The piece of paper that ruined my life again after I thought I could move on. It was all a joke. I threw the paper towards his wife and looked him in the eye. “I went to a mental hospital because your fake death tore me to shreds. Now to find that you’re really alive and living a happily ever after with your beautiful family makes my insides burn. Not for you though, but for them.” I nodded in his family’s direction. “It now makes sense though, why we never got to see your body, why the funeral director insisted your casket was to be kept closed.” The anger roared through me. “They don’t deserve such scum.” My eyes darted to his family again while I watched his wife or whoever she was look distraught. Maybe she would question who “Charlie” really was.

  “It was what was best for me, Sadie.” He looked at me then behind me at Jake. “Looks, like you found him after all.” I could see the nervousness in his eyes. I could tell he hated to see me hurting. But it made my insides boil even more because this wasn’t what hurt me. It was the biggest lie of his life, which not only hurt me, but his entire real family. His parents. Me, he obviously didn’t think what would hurt me. This just made me angry.

  I shook my head, “Did you ever think what was best for me? Ever? You wouldn’t know what was best for you if it hit you in the face.” I swung my arm back and slapped him hard across his cheek before I turned on my heel past Jake and flew out of the diner. My whole world, my whole miserable self, was beyond words. I was stunned, my body wracked with anger and I couldn’t believe what had just happened before my eyes. That selfish son of a bitch.

  Chapter 21

  Jake flew after me out of the diner and caught up to me after I ran as fast as I could to the beach. My knees hit the sand and I collapsed. My mind couldn’t even contain what just happened. I saw a damn ghost, a damn man that completely uprooted my life and it was for nothing. Nothing, a damn family, that wasn’t me. It was all a lie, a fake, drawn out lie. A name changing, game playing sick disease. It took over me and I had let myself sink so low thinking that I could have done something. Yet, he’s been living somewhere with a wife and two kids. One looking to be about kindergarten age and other just a damn baby. He was living a happy fucking life while I rotted away slowly, trying to move past something that never even existed. My heart was racing so hard I felt like I was going to pass out.

  “Sadie?” Jake caught up and kneeled next to me, holding me in his arms. “I can’t even…”He started to talk but he couldn’t even filter what was going on. He stood there the majority of the time and heard me say everything. Everything changed now. Everything was a complete disaster.

  “How could someone do that to me?” I looked at Jake, tears pouring out of my eyes, my body violently shaking. Not from fear, but from anger that overtook my feelings. It took over my body so well that it scared me. I just slapped someone for the first time in my life. I just encountered a man that I never thought I’d see again and the filthiest of words flew out of mouth like fire.

  “I don’t know, baby, I don’t know. Let’s get back to the cabin.” He lifted me off the ground and carried me. I couldn’t move my legs, I couldn’t process anything. The only thing I knew was that my life was about to get better.

  He carried me to the truck and let me in. I suddenly felt tired, I was defeated. I was so beyond hurt but so relieved that I could finally put something to rest that’s been eating me alive for far too long.

  The drive back to the cabin was silent. My eyes focused out the window as the road passed us by. Each yellow line blurring as it went past. My hand stung but I didn’t even care. Once we arrived at the cabin I went inside, straight for the bed
and crawled in, covering the blankets over my head while I sobbed. I sobbed that I was let down in the most cruel way a person could ever rip your heart out. If Jake wasn’t there with me, and I didn’t have someone loving me better than anyone else ever did, I’d for sure lose it and wind up checking myself back into the psych ward.

  Jake lay on the bed next to me and held me. Held me for all the unspoken words I didn’t need to say for him to know how I was feeling. I embraced his warm touch and just cried till I couldn’t cry anymore. I was played, I was tortured emotionally, and physically drained. Someone went out of their way to ruin my life and half succeeded had I not run into him. How long would this have buried itself under my skin for if I hadn’t ever seen Bobby again? The thought alone made me fume with anger.

  After two hours of pure crying and emotional madness as Jake lay there quietly not saying a word and not letting go of me, I finally raised the covers over my head. My hair was a mess, my face was full of water from my tears, and my eyes hurt so bad from crying I must have looked like a zombie.

  “Jake,” I said looking him in the eyes. The moment of clarity took over my entire emotions.

  “Yeah, baby? Are you okay?” He held me tighter. The softness in his brown eyes warmed my heart. I didn’t want him to think I wasn’t okay.

  “I’m fine, now. I love you and I’ve never had to witness something so cruel to come out feeling that it was the best clarity I could ever have gotten to know that I’m one hundred percent in love with you. I’m sorry that this entire time I was still holding on to a person who didn’t even cease to exist when I should have been giving my entire, mind, body and soul to you. I’ve wasted my life thinking I couldn’t move on and now more than ever, it’s going to happen and I can’t wait to spend it with you. I was selfishly not giving you my whole heart, when he never even deserved a piece of it. When you told me I was your true love, I didn’t believe it, but after everything that happened today, I know you’re my true love. You’re more than that, you’re my soul mate.”