Confusion now mars his flawless face.
“My pregnancy test, Nate. They found it, like the dumbass I am, I left it in my bag. Anyway, they came looking for me on campus. They got the Dean to pull me from class, so they could talk to me without you knowing.”
The more I talk, the angrier I can see him getting. He's trying to hide it, but I can see it, because I've only ever seen him.
“That day was the day my life changed. When I left class; I was told to go to the career’s office. When I walked in, they were there waiting for me, loaded with my pregnancy test, they had taken from my bag.”
As I tell him the rest, the memories from that day come full force…
“Argh here she is, the dirty bitch who thinks she can trap our son with a baby."
The venom drips from Nate's mom as I enter the careers office. My stomach is in knots and the sick feeling that comes with it hits me tenfold.
“W… W… What are you doing here?” I manage to ask. Why I ask that first, I have no idea, but seeing them here was the last thing I was expecting.
“We are here because of this…”
The woman who couldn’t hate me any more if she tried, pulls a plastic bag from the inside of her purse. Inside it is my positive pregnancy test. My heart slows in my chest and I can feel any color I had in my face, drain away completely.
“How did you get that?” I ask, no-one knows about that, only Sammi.
“You really shouldn’t leave your things lying around and open when you leave my sons room little girl. Things just might end up in the wrong hands.”
“You’re a right bitch, I’ve done nothing to make you dislike me so much. Yet you can't even stand to look at me, can you?” I fire back. “This has nothing to do with you, it’s between me and Nate. We’re both adults.”
His dad just stands there and says nothing, secretly I think he agrees with me, but because he loves his wife, he’s going along with her.
“That’s where you’re wrong! It has everything to do with us. He’s our son and we want what’s best for him. We won’t let him ruin his future for a poor, shitty choice he made in college. It’s up to us that this all goes away…. That you go away and that thing goes away.”
She flicks a finger in the direction of my stomach, causing me to place a protective hand over my flat abdomen. With bite in my tone I reply.
“Me and my baby aren’t going anywhere, you can’t make us.”
Stepping up to me, so she’s right up in my face, she spits.
“Oh yes I can and if you refuse, then there are always other ways of getting rid of you both.”
Clicking her fingers like she owns the place, the door behind me opens. When I spin around, there’s two hulk like men standing there, both screaming danger. Even more so when they pull their jackets back and I see they both have guns.
“Now what’s it gonna be, Eliza? You can either break it off with Nate and give the baby up for adoption. Or you can both end up in disappearing permanently.”
Fear like no other takes over my body, she’s got me backed into a corner and there’s no way out.
“Either way, by the end of the month, you will no longer be a part of Nate’s life.” The witch whispers in my ear.
“I’ll fucking kill them both.” Nate screams and slams the bench as I tell him the last bit of the day both our lives changed.
“Nate, you can’t. It’s not worth it. I dealt with it the best I could. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you back then, but I couldn’t. Also, they’re your parents…”
“Argh, I get it. You didn’t tell me because you thought I wouldn’t believe you and take their side. Well thank you very fucking much, El. You really had a lot of faith in me, didn’t you?”
“No. It wasn’t like that; I just did what I thought was best. You have to believe me.”
I’m practically begging now, but there’s no use, I can see it in his eyes that he’s done and checked out on me.
“Fuck this shit.”
Before I can stop him, he’s up from the bench and running towards the exit of the park.
“Nate…” I scream at the top of my lungs until they burn. He doesn’t stop or answer me; he just leaves me there feeling more broken than I did eight years ago.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Nate
Leaving my car where I parked it, I run more than I’ve ever ran before, to the point where I can’t see straight. I’m standing outside Dean’s apartment building, trying to get my breath back. I swear to god if he’s known all this shit the entire time, I’ll break more than just his nose this time.
Once my vision has cleared and my breathing is under control. I march up the steps and yank the door open that hard, it hits the wall and bounces back, when I’ve walked through it. As if for once today things are on my side, the elevator opens up just as I approach it. Within seconds, I’m being taken up to Dean’s floor. Reaching his door, I don't bother knocking, instead I just let myself in and stand there staring at what seems like an empty apartment. That is until Dean comes out from the spare bedroom that he’s converted into his home office. Startled to see me stood there, he stops and looks me up and down.
“Everything okay, knob face? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I… is it all true? Don’t even think about lying to me.” I somehow manage to ask him.
He sucks in a breath as if he’s been punched in the gut, which tells me he knows something and he knows exactly what I’m talking about. Holding his arms out to his sides, he takes small steps in my direction.
“I heard the rumors, but I never asked any questions, it wasn’t my place to. Her and Sammi have always been secretive. I had my suspicions, but no hard facts to come to you with and fuck you up any more than you already were. I thought if she ever wanted to tell you the truth she would. I’m guessing the rumors are true then?”
“I need a beer.” Not confirming what he’s asked me.
“I’m on it.”
While he goes over to the kitchen and grabs me a beer, I sit my ass on his couch, rest my elbows on my knees and my head in my hands, pulling on my hair in anger. When Dean comes back in and hands me my beer, he has sympathy written all over his face. I don’t want his sympathy, I want answers. My parents had no right to do what they did. The way they treated Eliza is disgusting. Threatening her and our baby’s life like that, it took two of us to get her pregnant. All this time, we could have been a family and they took it away from me… from us.
Placing the beer bottle between my lips, I practically drain it all in one, before slamming the almost empty bottle down onto the coffee table in front of me.
“I need to see them; can you drive me to The Palomar?”
Placing his own beer bottle on the table Dean stands from the couch.
“Say no more dickface, let’s go get you the answers you deserve.”
Guilt at pulling him in my crap again slips in slightly.
“Just give me your keys, I’ll drive myself you’re clearly busy.”
“Don’t be fucking stupid, I’m working on a drug smuggling case, but it’s nothing that can’t wait. This is more important right now.”
Picking up his jacket that’s thrown over the armchair, he walks past me and heads to the door, grabbing his keys off the hook.
“Come on then, douche. I haven’t got all day wait for your smelly ass. Let’s go sort this shit out once and for all.”
It’s times like these, the tough real-life shit, I’m glad that Dean is still my best friend. He’s just as messed up as me in his own way, but he’s always there for me and is willing to drop everything for me. Him and Sammi, even Eliza, since we reconnected are the only people that treat me like I’m a regular Joe. Not someone who plays for one of the country’s most famous baseball teams. Getting up and following him out of the door, I give him a pat on the shoulder. My way of saying thank you, without saying the words.
“
Will you slow the fuck down, you’re gonna get us killed.”
I’m holding on to the dash of Dean's car as he swerves in and out of the traffic at a rapid speed.
“Stop your whining you little bitch, do you want to get this sorted or not?”
Flipping him off, I continue to hold on, until he arrives at the hotel, mommy and daddy dearest are staying at. Parking the car right out front, he throws the valet his keys when we both approach the entrance.
“Look after her, she’s my baby.” He warns the poor guy who is about to drive his car. Leaving him to give the valet the stink eye, I rush to the hotel reception and ask what room I can find the very delightful Mr. and Mrs. Michaels in. I didn’t call ahead to let them know I was coming; I thought the element of surprise was so much better. If I had called, I know I wouldn’t have been able to contain myself and I would have blown it with them. No… this has got to be done in person. I need them to see what they’ve done to me, to Eliza and the daughter that we have not had the pleasure of ever knowing.
Finally, Dean catches up with me just as I’m battering the shit out of the elevator button.
“Calm down, dude, I know you’re pissed off but you going in there like this, won’t do anyone any good.”
Just as the elevator doors ping open, I give him side glance and say, “You’re either coming with me to be supportive or you can stay here and let me deal with this shit in my own way.”
“Fuck me.” he says under his breath and I step onto the elevator cart.
“What’s it gonna be douchebag?”
Giving him an I dare you mess with me look, he mumbles, “I’m gonna regret this, but someone’s got to keep your ass out of jail,” as he gets in with me.
All the way up to their floor, I’m a bag of furious anger. So, when the elevator stops for us to get off, I storm off down the long corridor to their room. I bang on the door until either one of them answers.
“Okay, okay. I’m coming.” I hear my Dad shout out from the other side of the door before he opens it up.
“Nate. We weren’t expecting you son…” he abruptly stops talking when he registers Dean standing behind me.
“Dad.” my tone is clipped. “Are you gonna let us in? I need to talk to you and mom. It’s kinda important.”
“I’d say it’s important.” Dean grumbles.
“Of course, son. Please come in.”
Opening the door wider for us, we all go further into their hotel suite, leaving Dean to close the door behind us. The room is clean and modern which surprises me, for them they usually go with something that screams we have money. There’s a couch under the floor to ceiling windows, with a lamp situated on an end table. A flat screen TV screwed onto the wall and a coffee table with two chairs next to it.
“We thought you were busy this evening, so please forgive me for being a little surprised that you’re here. Not that we’re happy to see you, because we are.”
“Stop with the bullshit talk dad, where’s mom?” I ask him, my temper now starting to get the better of me.
“I’m here, Nathaniel.”
My mother steps out of the adjoining sliding door, that must lead to the bedroom, looking like she’s going for afternoon tea with the fucking Queen of England.
Fuck me… are these people really my blood?
“Why? Why did you do it?”
I’m straight to the point with my questioning and judging by how their usual put together composure drops; they know exactly what I’m on about. Yet I know they’re gonna lie through their back teeth about it.
“Don’t bother lying to me either one of you, I want to know why and I want to know now.”
My mom’s face pales in color underneath all the shit she wears on her face. My dad drops his head as to not look me in the eyes.
“She told me, she told me how you threatened her. How you made her choose her between keeping them both alive or giving our child away. She told me everything.”
My whole body is trembling as I speak. The urge to strangle them both and not feel guilty, is starting to become overwhelming. When they don’t answer me, I push past them both, take the lamp that’s on the end table, snatching the cord from the wall and throw it against the wall.
“Why,” I scream, making everyone jump at the sound of my voice and the smashing of the glass lamp, that’s now in shards on the floor.
“Nate…” My mother whimpers.
“Son…”
“No, Dad. You don’t get to call me that when you interfere with my life and take away the people who were supposed to be my whole world. You don’t get to cause the shit you have and expect me to still want anything to do with you both.”
“Nate… please, just listen. She’s no good for you. She would have ruined you before you had even started your career. We did it for you, everything we’ve ever done is for you. I’m your mother, it’s my job to protect you from the likes of her.”
The anger that’s flowing through my veins, turns into hysterical laughter at her audacity.
“Protect me? No, Mom. The only thing you were protecting was your reputation, your image. All just so that the company you keep at the country club wouldn’t whisper behind your backs, well congratulations. You’ve both just lost the one thing that you’re supposed to love no matter what… me. You are no parents of mine; I have a child out there somewhere. A child I’m never going to know, because you took her away from me. How could you?”
Through all of this Dean stands back and lets me get on with it. Clearly, I’ve not been as violent as he was expecting me to be. Shoving past my dad, I stop and turn around, without even thinking about what I’m doing, my fist connects with his face. Causing the bone to crunch and blood to splatter all over his face.
“That was for Eliza.”
Heading for the door, my mom comes barreling over and pulls on my arm to stop me from leaving.
“Please, Nate. Just let us explain to you why, you don’t know the full story, not really. Yes, we did those things and yes it was to protect us as well as you, but there is another reason we did it. Just give me five minutes to tell you and if you still feel the same then you can leave.”
Looking at Dean, I’m torn. Do I stay and listen to more bullshit that comes from them or do I leave? Dean sees the conflict I’m under.
“It can’t hurt, the damage is already done now.”
“You have five minutes and not a minute more.” I snap at my mom. My dad is still standing in the middle of the room with both hands covering his face.
“If I don’t like what she’s about to say, you’ll be getting more than just a broken nose from me. Understood old man?”
Nodding in agreement with me, I pace the floor and prepare myself for what the woman who gave birth to me, has to say. Taking a seat in one of the chairs, she sniffles and pulls a tissue from the sleeve of her sweater, before dabbing at the few tears she’s managed to squeeze out. My mother could be an Oscar winning actress right now.
“Stop with the poor me act and just tell me, will you? Times ticking away.”
A visible shudder runs through her body as she looks to my dad for confirmation that she’s doing the right thing.
“Go ahead sweetheart, tell him,” he says to her from behind his hands that’s still covering his face.
“Here Mr. Michaels, take this.” Dean hands him some tissues from the box on the coffee table and my dad thanks him sheepishly.
“Okay, well just so you know we never wanted you to find out like this, if at all. When I met your father I was just like Eliza, young and impressionable. I knew how she felt about you, because I felt the exact same way about Jimmy Thompson. I saw it in the way she looked at you and I had only met her once. Anyway, Jimmy was my high school sweetheart, he was the boy from the wrong side of the tracks so to speak. Whereas I grew up in the life of luxury, Jimmy came from a trailer park in downtown Chicago. With a drunk for a father and his mother turning tricks
to keep food on the table. My parents, your grandparents found out and stopped me from ever seeing him again. They even locked me in my room at one point, but that didn’t stop me. I would climb out of my window just to see that boy. Anyhow, a few months went by and I still continued to see him behind their backs, that was until I got pregnant.”
Oh fuck me.
“Shit.” Dean whistles out.
My dad goes and sits next to her and takes her hand in one of his, while his other still holds a tissue to his nose.
“Carry on, darling. Tell him the rest.”
Blowing out a breath she continues, “Our housekeeper, Mrs. White found the pregnancy test I had taken in my room when she was cleaning one day and gave it to my mother. By that point I was too far gone to terminate, because I had kept it a secret for that long. I was scared at what my parents would do. I was only eighteen at the time, the same age as Eliza and I was all set to leave for college that fall. Instead, after I had a beating from my father for disobeying him and his rules, I was shipped off to Texas, where people are apparently always wanting to adopt. I was forced to hand over my baby girl to people I didn’t know. After that, I came back and I was enrolled into college in New York. After I graduated, I had an arranged marriage to your father. My own father had planned it all for me, my life, my future and for all the same reasons you think I did it for you. So, there you have it, I went through what she did. I get how she felt and I have no excuse for my actions. I should have learnt from my own mistakes and let you both deal with it your own way. Only I couldn’t, my own upbringing and family beliefs are ingrained into me. I dealt with her the same way my family dealt with me.”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing, this just gets more fucked up. If that’s even possible.
I have a sister.
Us Again Page 17