by Rose Harper
The tears fell faster down my face. Brad had never spoken to me like this before. I couldn’t wrap my mind around what was happening. It was like I was thrown into an alternate universe where the whole world—my whole world—was trying to fall apart, and Brad had gone from being the most amazing person ever to this devil that stood in front of me. Paint him red and give him a pitchfork and that’s what he would be.
“Brad, I promise … I did not sleep with your father. He’s like a dad to me, for Christ’s sake.” I wiped my eyes before reaching for him. He back away, which broke my heart even more.
“Don’t. Fucking. Touch. Me,” his gravelly voice barked out as he took a step back. “I do not want to see you again. Ever! Now get the fuck out of here.”
When I didn’t make a move to go, he leaned toward me, whispering in my ear. “You’re nothing to me. Now get the fuck out of here.”
Dropping the picture, I turned and ran away from him. The one person who I thought was my entire life turned out to be nothing more than a fantasy, a fairy tale. I should have known that everything was going too good to be true. Something always comes along and fucks everything up. Not only have I let my heart get broken by him once, but twice. I thought he had changed when we got back together–that nothing would be able to tear us apart.
I was so wrong.
CHAPTER NINE
Racing like a bat out of hell from his driveway, I sped home. The tears got so bad at one point that I had to stop just a short way up the road. Putting my car in park, I let the sobs overtake me. It felt like someone was ripping my heart to shreds. I loved Brad with all my heart, and there was nothing that I wouldn’t do for him. I would go to the ends of the earth to please that man. But in one moment, when I needed him the most, he chose a lie over me. He chose to believe a snake over the woman he supposedly loved.
I’m not saying that the situation didn't look bad, because it did. You would need a serious Photoshop program to get that picture to look like one taken from a camera. I instantly saw where the program hadn’t worked out too well. It was the one small detail that Brad didn’t see that I had. I saw it the moment he handed it back to me. When I tried to explain it to him, he just told me to get the fuck out of there.
If he loved me like he said he did, he would have noticed that wasn’t my body. It was strikingly similar; anyone could be fooled by it. But I wasn’t just anyone. I knew my body better than anyone else, and that wasn’t my body. Where I have full D cups the woman in the picture barely had Cs. But seeing that, if he would have just let me show it to him, would have cleared me of any guilt in the matter.
A knock at my window brought me from my inner turmoil. I looked up through tear-stained eyes to see Henry standing next to my car. I sobbed that much harder, laying my head on the steering wheel. Before I knew it, my door was opened, and I was gathered into strong arms. His hands made small circles against my back in a soothing motion. He cooed at me to get my crying to tamper down.
“Oh, sweetie … We both know it’s a lie,” he exhaled.
I nodded my head. “I do. But B-Brad w-won’t listen t-to me. He h-hates me, Mr. T-Titan,” I cried out between sobs.
“Oh angel,” he cooed, wrapping me in his arms even tighter. “I’m so sorry this happened to you.”
We stood there clutching each other for what felt like hours but was probably mere minutes. I sighed. Stepping back from his embrace, I wiped my eyes. The sobs finally eased up enough so I could drive. My heart still ached from the knife Brad stuck there, probably always would. He’d been my world, then tragedy struck. It’s like that famous Shakespearean play, Romeo and Juliet. Except Romeo doesn’t die, he does the slaying.
“Mr. Titan… I know I don’t have to repeat myself, especially to you. But… that was not me in the picture.”
He chuckled. “I know, Claire. I would recognize that body anywhere. Trust me, dear. I know this is too much information, but I’ve seen that body naked for the last twenty years.”
My eyes jerked to his laughing ones. I was so confused. “Say what?”
His laughter boomed from his lips. “That, my dear Claire, was my wife.” He raised his hands to smooth his hair back into place. “I’ve been waiting for her to pull something like this, but I never expected her to go this far. She’s been all but dying for a divorce. She is a real bitch, that one. Instead of just filing for divorce, she staged the whole thing. Of course, she’s acting like she’s heartbroken and Brad’s playing right into her ploy. But don’t doubt it, the truth will come out.”
I was surprised as shit at what he said. I stood there for several minutes, mouth hanging ajar, just staring at him. He smiled before asking me if I was hungry. I wasn’t really, but I knew that we had more to talk about. Having dinner was the perfect chance to talk without being interrupted. It wasn’t an ideal situation we found ourselves in, but it was what life had thrown at us. Halfway through the dinner is when I’d connected the dots to the box on my bed. It had been from Brad. That’s what my mom had been trying to tell me before I left. Right now I wished I had stopped to see what she wanted before I took off to Brad’s.
After having dinner with him and showing him the letter I got from New York, his face had filled with pride. If for just a minute, I forgot everything that was going on around me. I let the warmth of him being proud of me fill me up. My mother showed me the same enthusiasm as Henry did. He told me to go for it. To get out of this podunk town and make something of myself. With him being a terrific lawyer, I took his advice.
He must have done something right to get to where he was today. His home life was totally fucked up, but he never let anything stand in his way. Nothing. He did what he wanted, meeting every obstacle in his path with vitality and quick wit. I would always remember him. Even if I didn’t step a foot back in this town, he and my mom would always be in my thoughts.
The letter to the university had stated that I could come up early if needed, so I could get settled in and find my way around before the semester started. Since their semester started in mid-July, I knew that now was as good a time as any to get away from here. It would hurt me so bad to leave and know that I was not coming back to Brad, or that he was coming with me. But there was no other choice. Brad has made his decision, albeit the wrong one, he still made it.
Henry gave me an envelope before I left the restaurant and made me promise not to open it until I got to the school. He also made me promise that I would get a cell phone that I could keep in touch with my mother. He gave me five hundred dollars in crisp, one-hundred-dollar bills. He stated that I have no excuse not to now. I laughed. There was always something about this man that caused me to smile.
After I got home and talked with my mother, we both thought it’d be a good idea if I left that night. Since it was only about five p.m. in Cedar Grove, PA, I would drive halfway and get a hotel for the night. Then I’d arrive in New York on Sunday and sight-see and stay in a motel until Monday morning. Of course, she was the one that thought of it; one of many reasons why I loved her and why it was so hard letting her go. She has been my rock for so long. She was the only person, besides Henry, that I looked up to. I would make both of them proud. There would be no doubt about it. I don’t care how long it took me, I would succeed.
“Oh, sweetheart. This is for the best, you’ll see,” my mother stated.
“I know … It just hurts so badly.” I sniffed, lugged the suitcases out of the house and to my car.
After I put the luggage in my car, I turned to her. She threw her arms around me, gripping me to her tightly. “He messed up. Do you hear me, Claire? He believed someone else over the woman he said he loved. Do not let that boy take another ounce of love from you,” she sternly stated in a choked-up voice.
I nodded into her chest and sobbed. I held my mother for the longest time, her swaying me back and forth. Our sobs echoed through the empty street. She released me and dried her tears, shutting the car door as I got inside. I wiped my eyes, put the car in dr
ive, and then I was off. Away from this town, Brad, and his evil mother. I was determined to look ahead instead of keep glancing behind me. It hurt like hell, and I was absolutely positive I would break down multiple times along the way. But I would make my mother proud of me. There would be no failing, especially since she never failed me.
I chewed on my cheek as I came to the last stoplight. The envelope that Henry gave me was in the passenger seat, drawing my attention like a beacon in the night. Curiosity got the best of me and I picked it up. Turning it around in my hands, I opened it. Seeing what was inside, I laughed and then cried. Inside was a check that would cover all of my schooling and housing for the next four years. I wiped the tears from my eyes as the light changed.
I glanced in my rearview mirror, seeing the lights become smaller and smaller with every foot I sped in the other direction. Brad would always be my first love, more than likely my last love. There would be no way I would ever forget him. But the finality of it all tore at my heart. A tear slid down my cheek when the last of the lights left my mirror.
CHAPTER TEN
“Do you always have to work so hard?” Alex, my secretary, asked.
Five years ago, I started at Premier, Inc., a top public relations firm in New York City. I loved it, loved the fast-paced city life. It made it easy for me to forget about all I gave up coming here in the first place. The same day I got hired on here, Alex has been appointed to me. The rest is history. Even though she had the same degree I did, I had more of the killer instinct; whereas, she was a little bunny in comparison.
The main reason I kept her around was because she was my absolute best friend. I only briefly met her in college, but she never stood out to me; or, I just didn’t take the time to get to know her. Hell, we were even in the same graduating class. I felt bad for not noticing her all those years ago, but we made up for the time difference in becoming fast friends. She understood my drive to be the best; she didn’t agree, but she understood.
“Yup. There’s no other way,” I chuckled, scanning over the printouts I had on my desk.
She clucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth and eyed me. I couldn’t see her do it, but I could feel her beady little eyes. “Claire, live a little. My God, you’re only twenty-eight.”
I full belly laughed at her. She was always trying to get me to ‘live a little’ as she liked to call it. I called it a blind date with yet another loser. She hadn’t asked me yet, but it was coming. I could feel it. It was always the same with her. Her favorite saying, one that made me chuckle just thinking about it was: “A cock a day will keep the doctor away.” Man, she was a hoot. I loved her to death.
“I know. Any day now you’re going to be planning my funeral.”
She huffed before walking out of my office. I laid the paper down on the desk and swiveled my chair to look out of the window. Looking down at all the people running around, there were times I missed the small-town life. But then I remember that in a small town such as Cedar Grove there was always a Brad there to tear you apart. Just the thought of it put everything back into perspective—pretty damn quickly.
I closed my eyes and sighed. Thinking things just got people into trouble. There was no time to think about things that no longer mattered. I was the best for a reason, and it wasn’t because I fiddled around; it was because I worked harder than anyone here at Premier. I swiveled my chair back toward my desk and got back to work. I have a huge client coming in for a meeting, and I needed to be ready for when they showed up. Booting up my computer, I got to work on the files I would need.
The next thing I knew Alex was at my door asking about lunch. Looking at the Cartier watch gracing my right wrist, I saw that it was indeed time to go out. I stood, stretching my tired muscles. Grabbing my purse, I shut my door and locked it. Most called me paranoid for doing that even if I was walking down the hall for something. One can never be too careful in life; trust me, I should know.
“Where should we eat today?” Alex asked excitedly, pushing the down button on the elevator.
I chuckled. She was always like this when it was lunchtime. “Anywhere that serves margaritas.”
She giggled. We have what we call a ‘midday-fuck-it-all’ drink. Ever since we started getting lunch together, it just became a thing that we did. It wasn’t professional to drink on the job, but we had to have something to keep us from clawing someone’s eyes out. So far, five years later, it was working amazingly well. Neither one of us has been arrested for committing murder—which is a feat all on its own.
The elevator dinged, signaling its arrival. I checked to make sure that I had everything in my purse, only to find that my phone wasn’t in there. I cursed inwardly before telling Alex that I would meet her down at the restaurant she chose. She nodded in agreement and left me to go back and retrieve my phone. Unlocking my door, I walked over to my desk and saw my lifeline sitting on the desk where I left it.
As I went to pick it up, I saw a blue light flashing on it, signaling I had missed a call. Swiping my finger across the screen I saw my mother tried to call me. I groaned. It was only Tuesday and she was already calling me. More than likely she was calling to gush over her new beau that she’d started seeing a few months ago. It was all I ever heard her talk about. She never would tell me a name—just that he went by Shawn. It was a funny name to call someone her age, but then again, she could be with a man my age. The little cougar. I smiled before dialing her number.
Within two rings she picked up on the other line. “Sweetheart, I’m glad you could call me back.”
I laughed. “Mom, you know I always return your calls. You stubborn thing.”
She snickered over the line. “You forgot overbearing.”
“Yes. I do believe I did,” I chuckled, locking the door behind me on my way out. “To what do I owe the pleasure of a midday call?”
With that, she squealed. I held the phone away from my ear, almost certain she ruptured my eardrum. “I’m getting married!”
I stopped walking, almost causing the mail clerk to run into me. I mouthed an ‘I’m sorry,’ before continuing my way toward the elevator. “Um… Can you repeat that? I seriously think I heard you wrong.”
“Nope, you heard right,” she giggled.
For once, I was actually speechless. To say that my mother hadn’t dated when I was home was an understatement. She wouldn’t even let men calling on her to come over to the house when I was younger. So to hear that she was getting married was a big, big deal. My mouth suddenly felt cotton-filled, and I started sweating. The dating world was so new to my mother that I didn’t want her to make a mistake. Gripping the side of the elevator for support, I let her know my feelings.
“Mom.” I stopped to clear my throat. “Are you sure this is something that you want to do? I mean, you’ve only been with Shawn for a few months now.”
I was supposed to be the child. She was supposed to be the voice of reason. But somehow, I felt like the roles were reversed. I was the one talking her down from her excitement.
“Claire Gabriella James, I’m forty-six. I do believe I know how to make my own decisions,” she shot back in a stern tone.
Damn, she was right. She wouldn’t have made it this long if she was making the wrong decisions. I hated it, but there was nothing I could do.
I sighed. “I’m sorry, you're right. It’s just that… This is a bit new, don’t you think?”
She laughed. “New to you sweetheart, maybe. But to me, I’ve known for quite a while.”
Well, shit. I couldn’t think of anything to say to that besides what any person in her spot would want to hear. “Congratulations.”
“You don’t have to sound so happy about it,” she snapped.
I groaned. “I am happy, Mother. It’s … I don’t know … It’s been me and you forever now, and adding someone to the mix is going to take some getting used to,” I said in a resigned breath.
“Oh, but dear, we aren’t just adding one person to the mix. We’re
adding two. You’re going to be getting a new stepbrother,” she explained excitedly.
Well, fuck me swinging.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
It was about ten years too late to worry about a stepbrother. I mean, I was almost thirty years old. Getting excited over finally getting siblings would be vastly overrated at this point. I sighed into the phone. There was no use in trying to talk her out of this. She seemed pretty set with her decision, so in order to make her happy, I was going to act happy. At least until I met this said stepbrother and stepfather I was getting.
I put on my fakest smile, as if she could see me through the phone. I tried to sound upbeat when I replied back to her, even when on the outside I was dying little by little. “When’s the big date?”
“Well, that’s where we have a problem …” she began, only to go silent the next second.
I was about to check my phone to see if we’d been cut off. Service in New York was terrible, so that was a legitimate possibility. The screen was lit up, showing that she was still on the phone. Putting it next to my ear, I waited for her to reply. Which wasn’t long at all.
“We’re getting married Sunday,” she whispered.
Cocking my head to the side, I strained to hear what she had said. “What was that? I could have sworn you just said Sunday. Are you meaning this Sunday?”
“Um … Don’t be mad. But we’ve been engaged for quite some time now. I just didn’t know how to tell you,” she finished in a hurry.
“How long have you been engaged, Mother?” I asked sternly.
“Do not take that tone with me Claire Gabriella James. Remember, I am your mother.” She ended her rant before speaking in a softer tone. “We have been engaged for two months now. The wedding is indeed this Sunday.”
Well double fuck me swinging. This woman surprised the shit out of me every day. She was so off the wall that she could fart glitter and no one would question it. This was so fucked up. How was I supposed to meet a new stepfather, who was probably my age, and a new stepbrother mere days before the wedding? I mean, come on, this was pretty messed up shit.