“No, no... I can manage,” Sam said as she valiantly tried to walk straight. Seeing that her friend would find it difficult to find her room, Kendra insisted.
“Give me your keys,” Kendra asked her but she ended up rummaging her bag for them. It was a bit tricky trying through maneuver through the hotel with a slightly drunk companion. After several minutes, Kendra was able to safely deposit Sam in her room.
She woke her up to ask the time of her flight. She planned to leave instructions with the front desk staff to call Sam’s room to wake her up by nine in the morning once she learned that her flight was at twelve noon.
She was about to head out of the hotel when her eyes caught the reflection of the mirror. In the quiet corner of the hotel’s bar, she thought she saw a familiar profile. With heart pumping, she turned towards the direction to get a better look. The sight left her blood cold.
It was Tyler who was talking intimately with Bianca. It was as if they were in their own little world. Dumbly, she just stood there in the middle of the hotel hallway and stared at them. Bianca threw her head back and let out a sultry laugh then reached out to caress Tyler’s forearms, the very same ones that had embraced her the previous night. They looked good together, she thought to herself.
Not quite satisfied with touching his arm, Bianca reached out for a lingering kiss right on his lips. Tyler did not exactly resist her advances to her utter dismay. She felt blood drain from her face and felt lightheaded. It was one thing to think about the possibility of the two getting back together now that Bianca was in town but seeing them in such an intimate setting was devastating.
When she felt the tears were about to spill, she made a sudden turn and rushed out of the main lobby. By the time she was out of the hotel, the tears came hard and fast, blurring her vision.
Tyler caught the sudden movement from the reflected of the mirror in front of him. He was only able to catch her back but knew it was Kendra.
He drew in a harsh breath and suddenly stood up, completely taking Bianca by surprise. “I need to go,” he drew his wallet and fished out a couple of hundred dollar bills and hurriedly left.
What had he been thinking? Meeting with Bianca was a mistake. She called up earlier sounding distraught and asked him to keep her company. She just lost a big contract, which was a large setback in her modeling career. With Tyler’s sudden marriage and the blow to her career, Bianca was distraught and needed someone to talk to. Tyler knew how much she had dreamed of getting a good break and it seemed like things were not going her way. He naturally felt sorry for her.
He recalled what she must have seen from where she stood. There was no doubt in his mind she had seen Bianca lean forward and kiss him on the lips. With his face hidden from view, she could not have seen the scowl on his face or how he pulled back.
Tyler was well aware of Bianca’s ploy to win him back. She had made countless attempts to convince him to go up to her room. In a way, Tyler knew her ego was just badly bruised and getting in bed with him would somehow salvage what was left of her pride.
Tyler had no illusions Bianca was in love with him. She was far too in love with herself, he snorted at the thought. When he reached the parking lot, he scanned for Kendra’s car. As he had expected, it was already nowhere in sight.
“I had to take care of something important,” his words went through her mind like a broken record, like a knife stabbing her again and again. The pain was unrelenting. She’d never thought it could hurt this bad.
She struggled to clear her head as she drove around the city in circles. She did not want to go home, especially not in the state she was currently in. Brushing off the tears that fell persistently, she weighed her options. She had nowhere to go, she realized. She had her apartment leased and she could not imagine pouring her heart out to any of her friends.
She had to stop on the side of the road after a few minutes of driving because she was sobbing uncontrollably. Her sobs wracked her body and the sound of her cries seemed foreign to her ears. Out of nowhere, the shrill ringing of her phone penetrated her pain-fogged brain. Her eyes were already swollen and she had to squint to check who it was.
Just as she had suspected, it was Tyler on the other end. She simply allowed her phone to ring incessantly. She had no intention of answering his call. Her mind was racing as she tried to weigh her options. She continued to drive aimlessly as she planned her next move. She had decided to stay in a hotel just outside the city proper.
It was four in the morning when sleep finally claimed her. She felt physically and emotionally drained and numb. Right now all she wanted to do was lick her wounds in silence and salvage what little dignity she had left.
Tyler continued to call her phone, until she impatiently switched it off. If she had her way, she didn’t want to see him ever again. She was too angry and hurt to deal with him right now and or anytime soon.
She stayed holed up in her hotel room over the next five days. She only stepped out to buy toiletries and food. Her phone was still turned off. As far as she was concerned, she had cut herself to the rest of the world and it suited her just fine.
Unknown to her, Tyler was close to calling a search operation to find her. The past several days had been pure hell for him. His mind had gone over what transpired several nights ago as well as the events during the past couple of months just to torment himself.
He had also talked to Peter and told him what happened. Just as he had expected, his friend berated him and in a number of colourful ways, he had told him he had been a total ass.
On the fifth day, Kendra resurfaced but her anger had not abated. She went straight to Tyler’s home and packed her bags. She made sure he was not around when she went there.
It was Martha who opened the door for her. “Oh Miss Kendra! I’m so happy you’re back. Sir Tyler had been worried sick...” She allowed her words to hang unfinished.
Kendra tried to summon a smile. “Is Sophie awake?” she asked politely, deftly evading the issue.
“Ahh yes, she is in her playpen. The little one also misses you,” the nanny’s eyes mirrored her concern.
Kendra headed straight to Sophie’s bedroom. She found the little girl sitting in one corner of her playpen, busy playing with some colorful blocks.
“Hello, baby...” Kendra quietly approached her so as not to startle the little girl.
Upon recognizing her, she shrieked with delight and scampered towards her as fast as her pudgy legs could take her.
Kendra scooped her up and hugged her close. The sweet smell of talcum and milk assailed her senses. This is probably one of the things she will miss the most when it’s time for her to leave. She was fully aware the custody hearing was scheduled for tomorrow, which meant she had no choice but to come out of her self-imposed hiatus.
Given the circumstances, she had no choice but to stay on until the custody case was resolved. However, the knowledge did not stop her from packing her things. While she was busy going through her clothes, Martha had called Tyler to inform him of Kendra’s presence. Tyler arrived while she was in the middle of packing.
She didn’t have to turn around when she heard the door knob twist. She sensed his presence the minute he opened the bedroom door.
“Ken...I... we have been looking everywhere for you...” he softly chided as he stood there in the middle of the bedroom. His eyes took in the clothes that were strewn on the bed.
“I’m just here to see through the custody case,” she replied coldly.
“Sweetheart, look at me...” Tyler approached her and reached out to turn her towards him. She immediately stiffened at his touch. “Please don’t leave...There’s so many things we need to sort out.”
Kendra turned to him and looked at him with dead eyes. “There is nothing to discuss. Let’s just cut the theatrics, Tyler. I’m just here for Sophie and that’s it.”
Her biting words cut him to the core but it did not exactly surprise him.
“Please Ken...you had it al
l wrong, please let me explain,” Tyler implored, his eyes were shining with undisguised desperation.
“As I said, no need to explain although I would have preferred that you have been a little more discreet with your affairs. After all, no one likes to be made a laughingstock especially in a small town such as ours,” she said dryly.
“There is nothing between Bianca and me, I hope you believe me,” he continued to explain. “I just had to be there for her as a friend. She just suffered a major blow in her career and to be honest, the news about our marriage made things worse.”
“Right,” Kendra replied with sarcasm. “Really Tyler, there’s no need to explain. I just wish...” her words trailed off.
“What?” Tyler asked, eager to make amends. At this point, he was just about ready to make her stay and start all over again.
She looked him straight in the eye and coldly replied, “I just wish I had known when to walk away. But silly old me, I have always been known to overextend myself and be there for everyone else. All my life, I have given so much of myself to everyone around me. But I’m all dried out, Tyler. I’m done. I hope you know I’ve tried my best to be there for Sophie.” Instead of lashing out, her words remained calm and controlled but Tyler clearly read her message between the lines. She was fuming mad and it seemed there was nothing he could do to make her think otherwise.
He remained quiet as he tried to wrestle his frustration. For days, he had tried to go through their conversation in his mind but things were clearly not going his way. He watched her fold her clothes in silence for a couple of minutes then quietly walked out.
Tears brimmed as she heard him walk away. She inhaled deeply as she bravely fought for control. Walking away was difficult for her despite the pain but if she did not do it now, she would eventually lose herself.
When she finally stepped out to the living room, she was informed that Tyler had already left for the office. The house felt empty and bereft, which reflected exactly how she felt. She planned to stay in a motel room while she looked for an apartment.
Martha quietly helped her move out her bags. Kendra spent another hour with Sophie. The little girl had no clue what was happening. Kendra knew she would grow up to be a well-balanced and well-loved kid, Tyler would make sure of it.
Somewhere down the line, Kendra would love to still be a part of the little girl’s life one way or another. God, she loved this child as much as she would have loved her very own.
Before she left, she contacted Peter and asked for a meeting. She wanted to know what exactly was expected of her and just how long this custody would case take. Hopefully, during tomorrow’s hearing, the judge would dismiss the case and they could all just get on with their lives.
She could hear the relief in Peter’s voice when he answered her call. He asked her to meet him for dinner and offered to help her with her bags right after, if her mind was fully made up.
She assured him she was decided and that nothing and no one would make her change her mind.
“We’ll see about that,” her lawyer friend replied cryptically.
Chapter Twenty
Peter was already seated in the back corner of the restaurant they have agreed to meet. Since it was weekday, there weren’t many people out and about.
He stood up as she approached their table. “You look awful, darling,” Peter greeted her with a small smile.
“Thanks. I was aiming for horrible,” Kendra replied sardonically. Trust Peter not to mince his words, she thought wryly. She knew better than to take offense. In the short time that she had known him, she knew it was his absurd way of showing his concern.
“So tell me, where have you been? Tyler nearly lost it, you know,” Peter asked quietly. His tone revealed he was dead serious.
Kendra shrugged in response. “I checked in at a motel just outside the city.”
“You could have called me, you know,” he chided softly.
“I wouldn’t want to place you in an awkward situation. Besides, Tyler is your friend, too. You’d find it difficult not to tell him about my whereabouts,” she evenly pointed out.
“You do have a point there,” he admitted sheepishly. “The man went through hell when you suddenly disappeared, you know.”
Kendra only raised an eyebrow in response. She found it hard to believe Tyler in such state. He was always in control.
“Anyway, the reason I asked to meet you is because I have to tell you something very important. You can hate me for this and trust me, I would perfectly understand,” Peter said, looking quite uncomfortable.
Kendra furrowed her forehead in confusions. She had a hunch she was not going to like what she was about to hear. “What is it?” she asked suspiciously.
“Well, Mel’s aunt, Mrs. Beatrice Cavendish has already dropped her custody claim,” Peter said cautiously.
“Really? Oh my God, that’s great news, Peter!” she exclaimed. That would mean Tyler got to keep Sophie. It also meant Tyler would no longer need her to stay on. Despite the good news, she could sense something wasn’t quite right. There was something else Peter was not telling her.
“What is it? Is there another problem?” Kendra asked anxiously as she leaned forward to study Peter as he seemed to squirm and fidget before her.
“No, no... There are no complications. Tyler can keep Sophie. No one is contesting his legal claim for custody,” he reassured.
“Then why do I get the feeling there is more to this than what you are letting on?” Kendra’s eyebrows furrowed quizzically. “C’mon, Peter. Spill it,” she added impatiently.
“Ken, the thing is, she withdrew her claim several weeks ago,” he related quietly.
Kendra gaped. “You mean, you have already knew several weeks ago there was no outstanding case?” she demanded.
She felt royally duped and betrayed by someone she had come to regard as a trusted friend.
With a sigh, Peter looked at her looking embarrassed. “Yes. And so did Tyler.”
His words were like ice water that was unceremoniously dumped on her. She stood dazed and shocked at his revelation. For several seconds, she did not utter a word.
When she finally recovered, she viciously lashed out, “How dare you! How low can you two get?!”
She was seeing red. In her mind, Tyler and Peter had worked to deceive her into this farce of a marriage and take advantage of her weakness. They had blatantly preyed upon her good graces and unrepentantly flaunted it.
For days, she had tried to remain calm all throughout the ordeal. She could have lashed out and gave Tyler a piece of her mind and probably used her right to call him names, but she refrained. With this latest revelation, however, she could not take this sitting down. The man she slept with and secretly loved unapologetically had exploited her in every sense of the word.
Damn him! Dam Peter! Right now, she was done playing fair and reasonable.
With full blown anger, she angrily stood up and grabbed a half full glass of water and unceremoniously threw its contents at Peter. “That’s for pretending to be my friend.”
She then walked out without looking back. There were a couple of people who had no doubt seen what happened, but she was past caring.
She drove straight to Tyler’s house. She wanted to demand a full explanation.
When she got there, the door was already open. The living room was dark but she could make out Tyler’s silhouette. He was sitting still in the living room, seemingly lost in thought. At the sound of the door, he turned to face her.
“Come in,” he invited her.
Kendra remained at the doorway. She had to inhale deeply several times before she could talk. Tears were already streaming down her face.
“You... how dare you! Peter already told me the truth! What is this, some sort of a game for you? You’re sick, do you know that?!” She could barely control her anger.
“I don’t have any explanation for it,” he said quietly. “It was my idea. I hope you can find it in your heart t
o forgive Peter.”
“Why?! Is this your sick idea of a prank? It’s not even remotely funny!” Kendra let out all her pent up anger. “How dare you play with my feelings and take advantage of me like that?!”
“I’m sorry, Kendra. I really am,” Tyler said. “I know you may have thought I was merely taking advantage of you and maybe I have.”
Not satisfied with his explanation, she stepped forward to stand face to face with him. Before she could think through her actions, she pummeled his chest with both fists, trying to somehow inflict the same pain she was going through. “Damn you! Damn you! You’re a beast!” She was sobbing uncontrollably.
For weeks she had kept her feelings tightly reined in. Tonight the dam finally broke free. She poured out all her confusion, frustration and anger.
Tyler just stood there and allowed her to beat his chest to her heart’s content. When all her energy was drained, he held her close to him. His arms wrapped around her as he tried to absorb her pain and anguish.
It tore at his heart to hear her broken sobs. He had done this to her. In his fear to commit to a real relationship, he had forced her to settle for an elaborate charade, an arrangement that made a travesty of their marriage.
“Why?” her anguish was evident in the despondent tone of her voice.
Tyler was silent for a couple of minutes.
“Because it was the only way I could think of to make you stay,” he said tonelessly.
Kendra continued to cry in earnest. The meaning of his words seemed lost to her.
“Kendra, darling listen to me,” Tyler tilted her chin so she could look at her. “I love you. I have fallen irrevocably in love with you and I could not bear the thought of losing you,” he said harshly. “I know I may not have done enough good in this world to deserve someone like you, but I am willing to try, that is, if you’ll have me.”
Kendra searched his face for any trace of mockery or deception but could only see love shining through his eyes.
Accidental Parents Page 13