Broken Series

by Dawn Pendleton

  I led them to my rented SUV, since my Jeep was still in Maine and we all climbed in. I turned on the radio and right away, all three kids started singing along with whatever pop song was on. I felt decades older than I was as I sat there for a second, listening to them sing. Katie was directly behind me and I smiled at her in the rearview.

  “Don’t forget your seatbelt,” Annie reminded me from behind the passenger seat. Austin was tucked between them in the seat, since not a one of them was old enough for the front seat. I felt more like a chauffeur than an uncle/dad as I buckled in.

  I wasn’t sure exactly where the Chuck E. Cheese was, since I hadn’t been in ages, but a quick search on my phone gave me the address and then I plugged it into the GPS, just in case. After making sure all three of them were buckled, I kicked over the engine and put it in drive, ready to go.

  An hour later, we were all having a blast. Between pizza, soda, and games, I lost all track of time. My phone rang in the middle of a Terminator game and I gave Austin a sympathetic look before I answered it. I even managed to keep my gun aimed at the screen.

  “Hello?”

  “Wolfe? It’s Mandi. Where are you guys?”

  “We’re at the Chuck E. Cheese on East Avenue,” I told her, almost dying in the game.

  “Pick it up, Uncle Wolfe!” Austin impatiently nudged me.

  “Okay, I’ll be there in ten,” Mandi rushed and then clicked off.

  Something didn’t sound right, but I didn’t have time to worry about it, since a swarm of terminators encircled us and I had to get back into the game, with only a second to drop my phone back into my jeans pocket.

  After the game, I found Katie and Annie, who were winning enough tickets to get any of the prizes on the redemption counter. It surprised me, but they had both perfected how to get the most tickets from a single game, and they each took turns getting no less than one hundred tickets at a time. It was almost phenomenal to watch.

  “Look, Daddy, I got all these tickets!” Katie turned to me.

  My heart dropped, a feeling of pride settling over me. We’d only spent a few hours every couple of days together over the last two weeks, but she was already comfortable calling me Daddy. It was the best day of my life. I gave her a little hug.

  “I see that! You girls are doing a great job,” I said, trying to hold back the tears that threatened.

  “Wolfe!” I heard Mandi call from nearby.

  I turned to look for her. Just inside the entrance of the place, there she was, with Gabby by her side. I sucked in a breath at the sight of my ex-wife, who looked amazing. Her long hair was pulled back, and she looked like she’d been traveling, but she still looked great. Mandi walked over to me.

  “Give her a little time to explain some things,” she suggested. “I’ll watch the kids.” She gave me a little push in Gabby’s direction, since my feet were planted in place.

  I walked over and she turned toward the exit and I followed her. Outside, the air was warm, not unusual for Florida in January. I hadn’t seen Gabby in weeks, but she didn’t even look like she’d been in an accident, something I was grateful for.

  “Babysitting?” she asked, clearly not having witnessed Katie calling me Daddy.

  “Something like that,” I told her. “What are you doing here?” It wasn’t my intention to be rude, but it came out that way, only because I was so curious.

  “I had to come see you, tell you the truth myself. I also wanted to know what kept you from coming to the hearing last month,” she started.

  “It was personal,” I answered. It was honest, but I still felt like an ass for not telling her the whole truth.

  “I see,” she replied, looking at her hands.

  I took a moment to take her in. Her body was covered with a sundress, the cotton smooth against her skin. She wore a pair of flip-flops, her favorite accessory in the warm Maine summer, and she even had a bit of makeup on, which surprised me. Gabby didn’t need an ounce of makeup on her flawless, sun-kissed skin.

  “Are you feeling okay? I heard about the accident,” I told her.

  “Oh, so now you care?”

  I sighed. “I know. Things have been hectic here, Gabby. It’s been my plan to move back to Maine in another two weeks or so.”

  Her eyes flew to mine. “Why?”

  “I like it there,” I chuckled. “I also have friends there.”

  “But you’ve talked about moving back to Florida for forever.” She looked up at me, her eyes hopeful.

  “I never wanted to move back to Florida permanently, Gabby. I tried to tell you, but you wouldn’t listen.” I took a deep breath. “Timing has been horrible, with me coming back here, especially so soon after you told me about what happened to you. But I want you to know that I am so sorry for what you went through, and although I wish you’d told me sooner, I completely understand that you had to deal with it by yourself. I’m glad you finally told me, so we could move on with our lives.”

  I closed my eyes against the pain of what I knew had to come next. “I also understand why you continued with the divorce. I wasn’t understanding when you told me, and I’m sorry for that. But you mean so much to me, and I didn’t know how to deal with what you told me. Honestly, I wanted to go right out and kill the bastard who dared to put his hands on you. I was so angry, nearly raging inside, that I couldn’t think straight. And by the time I realized you needed comforting, it was too late.”

  She shook her head at me. “I didn’t need comforting, Wolfe. I just wanted to know that you still loved me, that we still had a chance. Then you were gone, back to Florida where I always assumed you wanted to be, and things got even more complicated, with Baker, with the accident, with me …”

  “You’re okay, aren’t you? They wouldn’t have let you out of the hospital if it was something serious, right? Luke said it was just a concussion,” I muttered, cursing my friend for not telling me more about the accident and cursing myself even more for not asking enough questions.

  “I’m fine, Wolfe,” Gabby quelled my fears. “There is something going on with me, though.”

  I waited while she gathered her wits. We were interrupted by Katie.

  “Daddy!” she called, the name music to my ears. I turned away from Gabby and toward my baby girl. I never thought I could love this much, but I did. My heart was full.

  “Daddy?” I heard Gabby whisper in horror.

  I scooped Katie up and turned back to Gabby. “I want you to meet someone, Katie.” Something felt wrong, introducing them this way, but I couldn’t change the circumstances. “This is Gabby. Gab, this is Katie, my daughter.”

  Gabby forced a smile, but I could see the heartbreak behind her blue eyes. She was horrified by the situation. Her breathing was labored, her chest heaved. She closed her eyes and a few tears slipped out, dancing across her cheeks.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Katie,” she managed. She looked at me. “I’ve got to go. This was a mistake.”

  Gabby turned away, her dress flowing behind her as she ducked into a rented car and spun away, out of my life. For now.

  “Who was she?” Katie asked me.

  “She’s my wife,” I answered, willing my answer to be the truth at some point. I couldn’t live without her.

  “Does that mean she’s my new mommy?” Katie asked, giving me an evil stare.

  “If you want her to be,” I replied, not really sure if Katie would be ready for a new mom.

  “I do.”

  “Me too,” I confirmed, squeezing my little girl.

  In less than a week, we would be back in Maine, but for the moment, I decided to go rip my sister a new one, since my baby was outside, alone. I planned on letting the management staff hear from me, too.

  17

  Gabby

  He’s a father. The thought repeated in my head during my trip back to Maine, the flight long and annoying. I sat next to a woman who was older and had a penchant for talking her head off. I tried to be polite, but she wouldn’t sh
ut up. Eventually, I pretended to be asleep, my head lolled against the window, and she got the message. I kept my eyes closed, but inside, I was wide awake.

  I didn’t understand it at all, but I knew, immediately, that Wolfe wasn’t unfaithful to me. The little girl who called him Daddy was at least four or five, and Wolfe and I had been together for just over three years. There was no denying that Katie was his child. With her silver eyes and dark hair, she was nearly the spitting image of him. I wondered silently if he was back together with Katie’s mom and if that’s why he returned to Florida.

  His reply to my presence had been startling, since really, there was little to no reaction. It had been my intention to tell him about the pregnancy, but it seemed like he already had a lot of his plate. Whatever the situation was with Katie, Wolfe was out of my life. I accepted it even as tears slipped from my eyes to trail down my cheeks on the plane. I swiped at the furiously, gritting my teeth against the formidable pain that seeped into my heart and tore it apart.

  The plane landed without a hitch, something I was grateful for, and Mallory and Luke awaited me at the airport. I dropped my bags and ran to Mallory, losing myself in her embrace. Luke picked up my duffel and absently rubbed my back. When the hiccups started, I had to take deep breaths to calm myself.

  They led me out to Mallory’s new SUV, tucking me into the back. Mallory climbed in the back with me and I was surprised to find Baker sitting in the passenger seat. Luke got into drive, and I figured now was as good a time as any. These were my closest friend, the people I loved most in the world.

  “I’m pregnant.”

  No one said anything at first. We were still in the parking garage and they were stunned. No one asked who the father was; they already knew.

  Mallory hugged me. “Gabby, that’s great.”

  “Congrats,” Luke and Baker said from the front seat, their voices unsure if a congratulatory attitude was necessary.

  I gulped. “I’m alone for this, guys. All alone.”

  “Wolfe didn’t offer to help?” Mallory looked shocked.

  “I didn’t exactly tell him.”

  Luke turned around to look at me. “What do you mean you didn’t tell him?” His voice was angry.

  “It’s complicated,” I muttered, trying not to let myself break down again.

  “Complicated or not, he deserves to know, dammit. I thought you were going to Florida to try to get him back?”

  “I was,” I got out before he interrupted me again.

  “Fuck that, Gabby. I’m happy for you and this baby, but Wolfe is a damn good guy and he shouldn’t be left out of the situation just because you’re too much of a chicken to tell him,” Luke shouted.

  Mallory put a hand on Luke’s arm, the gesture calming him. I held it together until Baker looked at me, his voice deadly calm.

  “He does deserve to know, but what made you change your mind about telling him?”

  I blew out a breath in the warmth of the SUV. “He has a daughter.”

  “You already know it’s a girl? Seems a little early to me,” Mallory said with a confused look.

  “No, he has a daughter, like from before he and I were together. I don’t know the whole story, but I talked to his sister, told her I was pregnant, and she wondered aloud if now was the right time to tell him. I didn’t know what she meant at first, but then little Katie came running out of the Chuck E. Cheese, throwing her arms around his neck and calling him Daddy. My heart broke and I couldn’t tell him.” I took a deep breath. “So, yeah, I was a fucking chicken and I’m not sorry. Obviously, he has bigger problems,” I huffed, anger replacing the overwhelming sadness I’d been feeling.

  Mallory was the first to speak after another full minute of silence. “Wolfe has a daughter.”

  Luke looked worried. “I get it, Gabby, I really do. But if I know Wolfe, he had to have not known about his little girl for him to just get around to telling you about it. I doubt he would have hidden that from you during your marriage. So I hope you didn’t get too upset with him.”

  “I didn’t, not really. I freaked out, but that was when I was alone in my rental car, in the airport car rental lot. Then I calmed down, got on the plane, and decided not to tell him right now. He’s got too much going on and I don’t want to spook him.” It was true, mostly.

  I wanted Wolfe to want to be with me, but it was obvious he had been dealt a shitty hand recently, and I didn’t want to add to it. My pregnancy was going to shock him, I think, and I didn’t want him to be angry with me, especially since it was so close to him getting in touch with Katie.

  I believed Luke was right, though. There was no way Wolfe would have hidden a child from me during our marriage. He was too honest, too open about everything. He would have told me. Now that we were divorced, though, he apparently felt no pull to tell me anything anymore. We hadn’t even texted in weeks, which, during our marriage, was something we did on a daily basis.

  I missed him so much. The way he made me laugh, the way he held me close at night, I missed everything about him. And being pregnant, my emotions were rolling high, which meant I was even more susceptible to tears and craziness. I leaned back against the seat, relaxing while my friends drifted into a companionable silence as Luke drove us home.

  I woke up when Luke stopped in front of my house, the house I’d lived with Wolfe, where we made so many memories. Mallory helped me get my stuff into the house, one of her famous looks keeping Luke and Baker safe in the SUV. She dropped everything in my bedroom and led me to the couch.

  “Are you going to be okay?” she asked, concern evident in her eyes.

  “I’ll be fine, Mal. I promise,” I told her, not entirely sure of myself.

  “If you need anything at all, just call or text me, okay?”

  “I will. You’re a great friend. I’m glad you came back from Boston,” I said, feeling weepy and grateful for my friend.

  She smiled. “I am too. I found my happily ever after here, and I know, deep in my soul, that you will, too. It just takes time to see the full picture,” she explained.

  I nodded but silently disagreed. I was stuck in a rut now, my plans and dreams ruined the day Wolfe went through with the divorce.

  “Okay, be safe and don’t be afraid to call, day or night,” she said again, hugging me and then leaving the house.

  Once I was alone, I went into my bedroom, crawled under the covers, and cried, letting go of all the heartache. I cried until I couldn’t cry anymore, until tears refused to fall, until I was completely dried up. And then, in the stillness, the loneliness of the house, I fell asleep.

  I was walking up a hill, almost to full-term pregnancy. I was lost and alone, feeling frightened and worried over the life of my child. I kept a hand on my wide belly while I made it up the hill. When I crested the top, my water broke. I looked for someone, anyone to help, but I was utterly alone.

  As the contractions started, I slowly made my way to sitting in the grass on the hill. I took deep breaths, trying to mentally control the spasms that wracked my body. It was painful, but the most dominant emotion in my mind was fear. This unborn child and I were hardly safe out in the wilderness. I leaned back, closing my eyes, and when I opened them, the sun was setting, the magnificent colors meshing together in the sky. Reds and oranges and purples and pinks all came together to create an image so beautiful, it took my breath away.

  “Gabby!” I heard someone yell.

  Looking toward the bottom of the hill, I saw Wolfe, running to me. His hands were outstretched and he looked as worried as I felt. But seeing him brought a calming sense of joy to me. I relaxed, smiling at him.

  “Daddy!” I heard next. Wolfe was halfway up the hill but he paused to look back. Behind him, at the base of the hill, was Katie. She looked worried, her silvery eyes wide with innocence and fear.

  Wolfe glanced back at me, caught up in the pain of a contraction, and I saw the indecision in his eyes. He wanted to come to me, but Katie was important to him, too.
With a gulp, he gave me a sad wave and then raced down the hill, picking Katie up and then starting back up the hill. His eyes were fierce, letting me know that I mattered to him, too.

  Just as he neared the top, a volcano erupted nearby and huge amounts of lava fell onto the hill, landing between the two of them and me. Wolfe stopped short, just barely missing the flowing lava. Instead of making a path down the hill, though, the magma flowed sideways, forming a circle around the top of the hill, effectively cutting me off from Wolfe.

  It was too wide for him to jump over, especially with Katie in his arms, and Wolfe’s eyes met mine. His sadness was heart-wrenching, and I mimicked it. Tears slipped from my eyes; gasps replaced my attempt at steady breathing. I stared into Wolfe’s eyes and we both realized, in that instant, that this was the end for us.

  His eyes flew skyward and I followed his gaze. Above me was a hurling, fiery rock. There was no time for me to move, to even attempt to get out of the way. I heard a massive roar from Wolfe. He set Katie down safely and leapt over the moat of lava, his feet barely touching the grass on the other side. Just as he was about to reach me, the rock hit us.

  I woke up screaming. I sat up, the scream still sounding from my throat, and clutched the blanket to my chest. My breathing was labored, the dream so real. I sat there for a minute, waiting for my breathing to calm.

  Pregnancy dreams were a pain in the ass, I decided. Once I was breathing normally, I decided to just lay back down and let myself assess the dream as best I could. Obviously, Wolfe wasn’t going to choose to be with me and our new baby, or maybe that was just my subconscious feelings about it. The truth was, I had no idea where Wolfe and I stood. He didn’t know about the baby yet, and I was sure he would want to be involved, at least somewhat, in the raising of his child. But that didn’t mean I would be included in the situation. He was more likely to ignore me completely and focus all of his attention on our child.

  The thought was worrisome, but I told myself it was okay, that I would survive, just as I had for the last year, dealing with so many issues. I grabbed my phone off the nightstand, just as Mallory sent me a text.