Champagne Life

by Nicole Bradshaw

  “She said that?” Jeremy asked. “I’ve only just met her but she doesn’t strike me as the type to say something like that.”

  “She wasn’t always the holy roller she claims to be now,” I told him. “According to her, she was a woman and couldn’t be bothered anymore. One night after dinner, I caught her in my room, sitting on my bed, reading my diary like it was her right. When she looked up and saw me in the doorway, she looked at me with such hate it made the devil look like a saint. She had read my entry about Derrick.

  “Ouch,” he said. “But didn’t you like him first?”

  “That didn’t matter to her. When she started dating him, even though she knew I liked him, I wasn’t angry because she was my sister. I loved her, regardless. I thought it would be the same for her, but it wasn’t. I’ll never forget that night. She whipped past me, practically knocking me over, and headed straight for my parents. She told them everything. She must’ve memorized the entire thing, too. She rattled off how many dates I had snuck out to, how many times we Frenched and told them how many times we had sex. She even detailed the times we had it—when my parents went out to dinner for their anniversary, the time we came back from the beach, you name it, she told it. She even read that Derrick and I had crossed the state line and gotten married. The legal age in Georgia is sixteen and I was only fifteen.”

  “You were married before? What did your parents do?”

  “It was ugly. I had never been beaten before, but my father whipped off his belt and beat me for ten minutes straight. They had the marriage annulled and I was grounded for a month. I didn’t care about any of that. It was when they said I could never see Derrick again that tore me apart. The entire time, my sister sat there and watched with an evil grin on her face.”

  “Wow. That was bad.”

  “That wasn’t even the end of it,” I told him. “The last night Cara was home, I picked up the phone to call my girlfriend, but instead of a dial tone, I heard my sister’s voice. I listened to her beg Derrick for another chance, promising him that she would ‘give him some’ like he’s never had it before.”

  “What did he say?”

  “Derrick told Cara he loved me.” I smiled at the sweet memory. “He said someday he was going to marry me…again, and no one would be able to do anything about it. She was so angry that she promised him that he would never see me again. I couldn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth. This was my sister, my blood, and yet, the way she spoke about me, it was like I was her worst enemy. All this for a guy she didn’t even care about.”

  “Didn’t matter,” Jeremy said. “You had something she wanted.”

  “I never told her I had heard her on the phone, begging Derrick for a second chance. As soon as she went back to school, I continued sneaking around with him.”

  “I thought your parents had you on a tight leash.”

  “Never underestimate a girl in love. They were busy working all the time, so I pretty much had free reign to do as I pleased.”

  “So what happened?” Jeremy asked. “Why aren’t you two together anymore?”

  “About a month later, I found out I was pregnant. When I told Derrick, we decided to keep the baby and get married. We told my parents in the hopes of getting their blessing. Plus, I was still underage and needed their consent.”

  “Did you really expect them to give you their blessing?”

  “I hoped, but, of course, that wasn’t to happen. They called the cops and because he was eighteen, Derrick was arrested for statutory rape. He spent two weeks in jail and eight months on probation.”

  “What about the baby?”

  “My parents dragged me to the clinic for an abortion, three days after his sentencing. That was the beginning of the end. I haven’t seen Derrick since.”

  “Did your sister ever find out you were pregnant?”

  “Hell no. You see how she’s acting after all these years and that’s just about Derrick. Put a baby into the equation, and it’s World War III.”

  “Does your husband know about all of this?”

  I shook my head. “He knows Cara and I aren’t cool, but he figured that was just sisters being sisters.”

  “Why did you tell me?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess because with you there’s no judgment. You accept something for the way it is and move on.”

  “I’m glad you feel that way,” he said. “I want you to trust me. It’s imperative that you do.”

  “Imperative?”

  Jeremy leaned forward and kissed me. When he realized I didn’t resist, his lips parted and he stuck his tongue inside of my mouth, but then he pulled back. “Imperative as in I think I’m in love with you.”

  “Well, well, well, it looks as though my little sister has spun her web and trapped another unsuspecting fly. Poor thing,” Cara said, standing in the back patio doorway. She had a plate full of pasta in her hands and was daintily pecking away at it with a plastic fork.

  “Why are you even listening to my conversations?” I asked. “You really are some piece of work, aren’t you?”

  Cara turned to Jeremy. “Which girl did she steal you from? A best friend, a co-worker maybe?”

  “Why don’t you let up?” Jeremy said. “That was so long ago. She’s your sister.”

  Cara raised her brow and switched her attention back to me. “She’s pulling the confiding card so early in the game? You must’ve screwed her already. Good for you, although, that small feat doesn’t take much effort.”

  “You do not wear bitter very well, Cara,” I said.

  “Bitter? What a joke. If anyone is bitter, it’s you.”

  “And why is that?” I took the bait, hook, line and sinker.

  She narrowed her eyes and gave a crooked grin. “Cousin Salina mentioned you aren’t with DeRay anymore. Looks like you’re single too now, huh?”

  “It’s DeShaun,” I corrected. “And so what? That’s none of your business.”

  She turned back to Jeremy. “Don’t let her pathetic eyes and innocent face fool you. While she was confiding in you, did she give you the sad puppy dog look?” She turned back to me with so much hatred in her eyes, I felt like she would plunge a knife into my chest if she felt like she could get away with it.

  “Get out of my face,” I warned. I was beginning to feel sick and felt like I wanted to throw up.

  “Gladly.” She turned and went back inside the house, slamming the screen door behind her. As soon as she did, I bent over and let it fly. Vomit splattered all over the place. I threw up three times and when I thought it was over, I threw up again. This time, I remained bent over until the dizziness subsided. When I caught my breath, I slowly stood up.

  Jeremy put his hand on my shoulder. “Are you all right?”

  I nodded. “That’s what happens when you’re pregnant. I suppose I should get used to that.”

  “What do you mean you’re pregnant?”

  Oh God! I wasn’t even thinking. The words just slipped out and now it was out there. Before I could explain, I was doubled over again, releasing a mixture of deviled eggs and bile—not a good combination.

  DeShaun and Jenn

  DeShaun hugged the curve doing forty-five. He was eager to get back to Jenn’s house; the uncomfortable silence in the Range Rover was deafening. The trip to the restaurant had only been thirty-five minutes, but the ride back seemed twice that.

  During the meal, Jenn made small talk, like it was the first time they met. She asked how the business was going and what his plans were for the future. He took offense to that and only gave curt answers, like a pouting child would.

  Yup, nope, maybe, I don’t know.

  He turned onto the Herjavecs’ winding driveway and pulled up to the garage. As soon as he put the vehicle in park and pulled out the key from the ignition, Jenn reached for the knob on the passenger side.

  “You act like you don’t care,” DeShaun said, before she opened the door.

  She pulled the door
close and sat back, listening.

  He finally had her full attention. “You barely said anything to me at dinner, Jenn. Then you give me the silent treatment all the way home. What’s up with you?”

  “Me? I was trying to talk to you all through dinner and you kept brushing me off, so I gave up.”

  “Gave up, huh?” DeShaun said. “Yeah, you’re good at that, aren’t you?”

  She threw her hands up in the air. “What do you want me to do, DeShaun? Tell me. What would make you happy?”

  The truth was, he wasn’t sure what he expected from this relationship, but one thing he knew for damn sure, he didn’t want it to end so soon. “I don’t know.”

  “How about I leave Berti, and you and I run off together,” she said. “Is that what you want? Where would we live? I highly doubt Berti would give me the house so we could live happily ever after. What would we do for money?”

  “Sounds like you already thought this through.”

  “It doesn’t take a lot of pondering to figure out there is no way we could have that happy ending you’re looking for, DeShaun. I don’t want it to end so quickly either, but my husband is moving out of the country. I need to go with him.”

  “You don’t need to go with him,” he said. “You want to go. You don’t want to lose all your fancy clothes and cars and all that other bullshit.”

  She laughed, which only angered him more.

  “You think this is funny?” he asked, his lip curled up in irritation.

  She gently ran her fingertips up and down his arm. “No, actually it’s sad. It’s incredibly sad that I have to leave a man that I’ve grown to enjoy. It’s sad that we’ll never know what could’ve happened with this relationship. I’m also sad that you’re hurting, but so am I, DeShaun.”

  His gaze dropped to the gray speckled car mat underneath his feet. “Are you ever coming back?”

  “That’s the good news,” she said. “With the sale of the house pending, I’ll be back next week to tie up loose ends. We’ll be able to see each other then.” She cradled his head in her cupped hands. “I promise.” She leaned over and gently kissed him on the lips. “I will call you the minute I’m back in town.”

  He looked into her green eyes in search of the truth, but he couldn’t find it. With Naomi, every time he looked into her brown eyes, he felt her truth, and realized that she was sincere. With Jenn, he couldn’t read her expression.

  She opened the door and hopped out the car. “We have one last night to spend together. Let’s make it good.”

  “Where’s your husband?”

  “He’s in Japan waiting for me.”

  “Why is this our last night then?” DeShaun asked. “I thought you weren’t leaving for another two days.”

  “As much as I would love to spend the next few days with you, I have packing I must get done.”

  “I can help.”

  She grabbed his fingertips and kissed the back of his hand. “No distractions. You’ve already set me back a few days. Besides,” she added, “I thought you were servicing a party tomorrow night?”

  He completely forgot about Kitty and Craig Nielson’s party in Olde City he had scheduled a week ago.

  “I know what you’d like,” she said, quickly changing the subject. “I recently bought this incredible bottle of wine I want you to try. You’ll love it.” She went around to the driver’s side, grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the car. They headed toward the house, but suddenly, her hand released his and fell to her side like limp spaghetti. She stopped walking, and stood there, stiff as a board. Her tanned skin had turned ashen. DeShaun followed her gaze and immediately understood.

  Under the dimly lit chandelier porch light, Berti stood there with his arms crossed and an irate expression on his face. “Where in the hell were you all day?”

  Naomi and Jeremy

  “I was going to tell you,” I told Jeremy. “But there was so much going on. Plus, I wasn’t sure how you would react about the entire situation.”

  “I have to ask this,” he said. “But—”

  “I’m not sure who the father is,” I interrupted. “I was with only you and DeShaun.”

  “So there is a chance it could be mine?”

  I nodded, carefully watching the expression on his face. His brows were raised, but there were deep frown lines buried in the corners of his mouth.

  “There’s always that chance, but I don’t know,” I admitted. “I thought those times I was feeling sick had something to do with it.”

  “I remember that day at lunch when you passed out,” he said. “Were you pregnant then?” Like I had earlier, Jeremy was calculating his chances.

  “Not according to the doctor. When I found out, I was only about six weeks pregnant.”

  “That’s after that night in my car.”

  I nodded. “Yeah.”

  “So, you broke up with your husband soon after,” he cautiously remarked. “Did you—”

  “One time.”

  “Where does this leave us?”

  “Honestly Jeremy, I don’t know.”

  He let out a long, exasperated sigh. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “I don’t expect anything from you,” I reassured.

  “What do you want me to say to that?”

  Before I could respond, my mother called from the kitchen.

  “Yes, Mom, I’m coming.” I turned back to Jeremy. “What are you going to do?”

  He shrugged. “I’m going to go back to the hotel, I guess. I need time to think. I’ll take a cab and leave the car for you.”

  “You take the car. I’ll find a ride.”

  He stared at me blankly. “Okay. Tell your mother ‘bye’ for me.”

  I went back into the house while Jeremy headed back to the car. I wouldn’t have been surprised if I got back to the hotel and found his bags gone.

  Mom and I sat at the kitchen table. Everyone had left and the house was completely quiet. Cara was dropping off a few of our cousins that lived nearby, so she would be back soon. I wasn’t looking forward to that.

  “So how is life in PA?” Mom asked.

  “It’s going okay.”

  She dipped her tea bag into a cup of hot water. “That’s good. I hate the circumstances, but I’m glad you’re here, you and your sister.”

  I nodded, not wanting to get into a conversation regarding Cara.

  “She missed you, you know,” Mom said, taking a sip of her tea. “When she calls, she always asks when was the last time I heard from you.”

  “Are you sure she meant me? Why?”

  “I just told you. She misses you.”

  She was probably only monitoring how many calls I made to Mom and Dad and trying to top that. Then she would be the good daughter while I was the ungrateful brat she always claimed I would turn out to be.

  “Your father used to brag about you all the time,” Mom said, taking another sip. “He kept telling people how proud he was of you.”

  “For what?”

  “He bragged about Cara too, but there was a glow on his face whenever he talked about you. The day you came to us and said you were moving to Pennsylvania really hurt your father.”

  I had no idea. “Really? What did he say?” My father was a quiet man. I was sure he had many secrets. Not bad, life-changing ones, more like secrets that made me see him in a better light and realize why he did some of the things he did. There was so much I never knew about him but wished I had when he was alive. Him being proud of me was one.

  “He never said anything to me,” Mom said. “It was more like the way he walked around the house, sad and depressed. He even took a few days away from his practice.”

  “Daddy never took days off, even when he was sick.”

  “I know. That’s how I knew he was hurting. He never did admit it to me, but I knew.”

  A single tear fell from my eye, but I quickly wiped it away with the back of my hand. “I miss him.”

  “So do I.” Mom gave me
a hug. “No more depressing stuff.” She reached across the table and slid a plate of a half-eaten sweet potato pie in front of me. “Tell me about this new guy, Jeremy, right?”

  I took the large slice she had cut for me. “Yes. He’s nice, too.” I shoved a forkful of sweet potato goodness in my mouth. That’s really all I wanted to say about him, considering an hour ago, he may have walked out of my life for good.

  “Are you ever going to tell me what happened with DeShaun?” Mom asked, taking a bite. “I thought you two would be married forever.”

  “You hated him. You should be happy he’s gone.”

  “I didn’t hate him.” She took an extra long sip of her tea. “I simply thought you could’ve done better.”

  “Same thing.”

  “So what happened with him?”

  “We made bad choices—that’s all.”

  “Well, Jeremy seems like a good guy who really cares about you.” She paused to shovel in another large bite of pie. “I like him almost as much as I like this pie.”

  “But?”

  “DeShaun loved you so much. That man would’ve died for you. He looked at you the way your father looked at me. There was so much love. I can’t imagine what happened to break up the two of you.”

  “He’s not the only man that can love me like that. DeShaun has changed. He used to be so strong and confident and now…” I picked up the remaining pie crust and shoved it into my mouth. “It doesn’t matter. That chapter is over. DeShaun doesn’t feel that way about me anymore.”

  “What about you?”

  “Of course I don’t feel that way anymore. It’s over. Way too many things were said and done that can’t be taken back. He’s moved on and I most definitely have moved on.” I avoided my mom’s stare. She was in psychologist mode.

  “I’ll pray for you,” Mom said. “I’ll pray for you both.”

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  I really appreciated her saying that. Something told me I was going to need something short of a miracle to get through this.

  DeShaun and Jenn

  DeShaun continued up the walk, fearing that if he left now, Berti would be suspicious. Although he didn’t want Berti to know about his relationship with Jenn, he would find out eventually. DeShaun planned to continue corresponding with her while she was in Japan. He meant no disrespect, but it is what it is.