Wrong in Love

by March, Aisling

  “You drank your champagne, Joccie?” asked her father.

  “Yeah,” she said.

  “I didn’t see you,” he said accusingly.

  “I did,” said Tony.

  “Me too,” said Will.

  Her father looked unconvinced, but he was at a loss. After the glass was cleaned Jocelyn and Will left to tell Will’s family. As they walked out the front door, Anthony whispered, “If it’s a boy, his middle name better be Anthony.”

  Jocelyn turned and smiled.

  “It will be.”

  Jocelyn and Will got in the car and Will turned to Jocelyn.

  “That wasn’t that bad,” he said.

  Jocelyn rolled her eyes at his optimism.

  “We haven’t seen your mother yet. Things are about to get a whole lot worse,” she said.

  CHAPTER 4

  Marilyn Adams spent most of her days in either the kitchen in their enormous home or the one in the bakery that she and her husband owned. As she got older, her habit of sampling the goods caught up to her, and she looked more and more like a puffed pastry every year. Her curly hair, more auburn than Will’s shade of red, was always wild. Wire rimmed glasses were perched on the end of her nose, except for when she was studying a recipe. Then they were pushed back into her hair so that her eyes could be an inch from her cookbook. Her husband, Donald, was a similar shape. He had no hair on his head but a thin gray mustache above his lips. When he smiled his whole face lit up, and he smiled often.

  Will and Jocelyn stood in the kitchen with his parents. Although Will was one of six, none of his brothers or sisters was at home.

  That was probably a good thing, Jocelyn thought.

  The four of them sat around Marilyn’s kitchen table, trying to avoid disturbing the piles of papers and recipes she had stacked. Jocelyn waited anxiously for Will to start.

  “Mom, Dad, Jocelyn and I have some good news to share with you. We got married,” he said. He tried to look excited, but his nervousness made him look insincere, and Marilyn’s eyes widened in horror, her face paling. She turned on Jocelyn.

  “How could you do this? How could you steal my son from me, my baby?” said Marilyn.

  “I didn’t really, I mean, I didn’t-” Jocelyn was cut off.

  “I always knew I didn’t like you, Jocelyn Mendes, but I had no idea you were capable of such treachery!” screeched Marilyn.

  “Marilyn, calm down. Let’s hear them out,” said Donald.

  Jocelyn sat quietly in her kitchen, saying nothing. Will had five siblings; two brothers and two sisters. Although Jocelyn could understand her disappointment, she had hardly cheated Mrs. Adams of seeing her only son be married.

  “Mom, Jocelyn and I did this together. Willingly,” said Will.

  “Are you pregnant?” she asked.

  “No,” said Jocelyn, looking at the floor.

  “She can’t even look at me. She’s so ashamed of what she’s done she can’t even look at me,” said Marilyn to her husband.

  “Marilyn, Will’s a big boy. He can make his own decisions.” Donald looked at Will and then Jocelyn as if assessing their situation. “Congratulations, kids. What are your plans now?”

  “Plans? What plans could they possibly have? He’s thrown his life away!”

  “I’m still moving to Boston this weekend. Now Jocelyn is moving with me,” said Will. He put an arm around Jocelyn’s shoulders and squeezed. She forced a smile.

  “Well, good riddance. Thank god I had five children. Hopefully the other four won’t screw up the way you have,” said Marilyn.

  “Don’t say things you’ll regret later, Marilyn,” said Donald.

  “We’re going to stay in a hotel together until this weekend. I’ll be back every day though to pack up my things,” said Will.

  “That’s it? You go away for a weekend and you come back married, telling me you’ll never sleep another night under my roof?” Marilyn’s eyes were rapidly filling with tears.

  “Mom, I’ll be back to visit. All the time. We both will,” said Will. He got out of his chair and hugged his mom. She held him tightly as though she could squeeze the past weekend out of him. Then she released him and looked at Jocelyn.

  “I will never forgive you. Never.”

  She stormed from the room and Jocelyn looked helplessly at Will.

  “Give her some time. She’ll come around,” Donald said to Jocelyn.

  “I hope so. We’re really happy,” said Jocelyn. She wondered if it sounded as false as it felt.

  Next on Jocelyn’s list of people to tell was her best friend Anna. She decided to go alone to Anna’s apartment in West Palm Beach, near where they’d gone to college. They’d met when they were roommates their freshman year, and quickly bonded, even though Jocelyn’s childhood best friend, Marguerite, and Anna’s Kindergarten friend Tina had gone to school together, it was the bond between Jocelyn and Anna that remained the strongest.

  They were supposed to buy neighboring condos and embark on their careers, Jocelyn as a teacher, Anna as a photographer. Now they would be taking different paths, and Jocelyn was suddenly jealous of Anna’s freedom. She wondered how her best friend would take the news that Jocelyn was married, pregnant, and moving 1500 miles away. The reality of that statement hit Jocelyn like a ton of bricks and she struggled to steady her car. She wished she had told Anna before leaving for Vegas. Maybe Anna would’ve talked her out of it, maybe she would’ve made Jocelyn feel better about the decision. Either way, everything would’ve been better if Anna had known.

  Jocelyn pulled into the gated community where Anna lived. Her father, who was on his third wife since Anna’s mother died when Anna was little, liked to spoil his only child. He had rented this apartment for Anna, to “help give her a start,” as he put it. It was a beautiful establishment, with fountains and flowering bushes gracing the landscape, and several large, glistening pools throughout. It was everything Jocelyn had thought she’d have once she started her job.

  “Hello!” said Anna, opening the door. She was wearing an apron and had a glass of wine in her hand, ready to give to Jocelyn.

  “Hello to you. What are you decked out for?”

  “I’m cooking you dinner,” she said. She brushed her blonde bangs out of her eyes. “Take the wine before I down it myself.”

  “Oh, maybe in a minute. Let me put my purse down first,” said Jocelyn, stepping in to the

  apartment.

  “Suit yourself.” Anna set the full glass on a counter next to one that was half-empty. “I

  hope you don’t mind that I started without you.”

  Jocelyn laughed.

  “Not at all.”

  “So, tell me all about your romantic weekend getaway before the big split. Were there tears? Promises that you’ll write every day?” Anna stirred something in a big pot.

  “Oh, Anna,” said Jocelyn, slumping into a chair. “I have something to tell you.”

  Anna, sensing hearing the seriousness in Jocelyn’s voice, set down her wooden spoon.

  “Is this sitting news?”

  “Maybe.”

  Anna sat in one of her tall barstools.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  “I’m pregnant,” said Jocelyn.

  Anna stared at her.

  “I’m having a baby,” she said.

  “I heard you. I’m in shock. How did this happen? Aren’t you on some kind of birth control?”

  “We forgot,” she said.

  “You forgot? How do you forget? Oh man, Jocelyn, what are you going to do? You’re going to keep it, right?”

  “We got married,” said Jocelyn.

  “You what? You got married? You and Will?”

  “Who else?”

  “Good point. Wow, Joc. Are you happy?”

  “Honestly? I don’t know. I mean, when we found out we were having a baby and Will proposed…I don’t know, it seemed like the only option. But then as it got closer to the actual wedding, I started to wonder if I was
making a mistake. Now it’s too late,” she said.

  “It’s never too late,” said Anna, then was thoughtfully quiet. “When are you due?”

  “April 9th,” said Jocelyn.

  “April 9th,” Anna repeated. “Wow Jocelyn, you’re going to be a mommy. Congratulations!”

  She leaned forward and gave Jocelyn a hug.

  “Thanks.” Jocelyn sat back and thought for a moment. “Do you think I did the right thing?”

  “I think you took the only option that you saw. And I’m not sure that’s wrong. I’m not sure that’s right either, but I guess only time will tell,” said Anna.

  “I guess.”

  “How does it feel to be married?”

  “So strange. The concierge at the hotel we’re staying at called me Mrs. Adams, and I looked around for Will’s mom.”

  Anna giggled.

  “You’re staying at a hotel?”

  “Yeah, until Friday. Oh, that’s the rest of it. I’m moving to Boston with Will,” said Jocelyn.

  “No! That’s crazy!” said Anna.

  “I don’t really have a choice.”

  “What about your job?” asked Anna.

  “It’s easier for me to find another job than it is for Will to get into another law school.”

  “Tell Will to make friends with some hot lawyers.”

  “I take it you haven’t heard from Jonathan in a while?” Jonathan was Anna’s college boyfriend. They had dated from the end of sophomore year until the beginning of senior, when Jonathan had told her that he wanted to be single for the duration of college.

  “No. He’s still with that girl,” said Anna.

  “You know her name,” said Jocelyn.

  “Who cares?” said Anna, and Jocelyn made a face. “Fine, Jenny.”

  Jonathan’s announcement that he wanted to enjoy singlehood, followed quickly by his hooking up with Anna’s sorority sister hadn’t sat well with either of them.

  “If you can’t say her name, you haven’t moved on,” said Jocelyn.

  “Where’s my wine?” asked Anna, ignoring Jocelyn. “Oh, I guess I should get you something else to drink. Would you like some milk?”

  She bent down to talk to Jocelyn’s stomach.

  “Anna, am I doing the right thing?” asked Jocelyn.

  “This is something you should’ve asked me before you eloped,” said Anna.

  “I know,” said Jocelyn.

  “It’s hard to say, Joc. I know you love Will, but did you see yourself marrying him?” she asked.

  “We’ve talked about it, but it’s always been more of a, ‘someday in the really distant future’ kind of conversation,” said Jocelyn.

  “And now that that future is a reality, how do you feel?” asked Anna.

  Jocelyn sighed.

  “I don’t know,” she said.

  CHAPTER 5

  Their belongings beat them to Boston by two days. They had stopped overnight several times, breaking up the trip so as to not stress Jocelyn and the baby. Once they arrived, Jocelyn spent three days putting away clothes, arranging furniture, and hanging photographs, including some favorites that Anna had taken.

  “It really feels like home,” said Will one evening when Jocelyn had set up their dining room, complete with table runner and candles. He wrapped his arms around her and she had to admit that she agreed. It was nice, playing house. She thought maybe she could get used to it. But she had to get a job, and starting the next morning she was going to actively look.

  It was too late for Jocelyn to get a teaching job. She had tried, but the schools nearby had already filled their positions. Jocelyn wasn’t surprised; in a city this big, there must have been thousands of teachers vying for open spots.

  She spent the next week on their laptop, searching through online want ads and e-mailing her resume. She took a walk each afternoon and picked up free career guides that she found all over the city. She looked forward to her walk every day – a chance to get out of the house and see the city. She liked the hustle and bustle going on about her, although she missed the warm, clean Florida air. Still, she knew the exercise was good for the baby girl or boy growing inside of her, and sometimes as she walked, she imagined the places she would take her baby once it was born.

  Jocelyn was returning to their apartment after one of her walks when her cell phone rang.

  “Ms. Adams?” a woman asked.

  “Yes, this is she,” said Jocelyn.

  “Hi, my name is Eleanor Thatcher. I’m with Remington Architectural Firm in Boston, and I just came across your resume. Do you have a few minutes to talk?”

  “Yes, yes I do,” said Jocelyn. She set her bag and keys on the table in their foyer.

  “I received your resume for the Administrative Assistant position and wanted to talk to you about the opening. We’re a small architectural firm, we’ve been in business for over ten years now. We’re looking for an Admin who can make travel arrangements, plan meetings, and do general secretarial work, forty hours a week. Does this sound like something you’d be interested in?”

  Not really, thought Jocelyn. But with teaching out of the question, she supposed this was the next best thing.

  “Yes, definitely,” she said.

  “Fantastic. We’d like you to come in for an interview. How does Friday at eleven o’clock sound?”

  “That would be great,” said Jocelyn.

  “Excellent. We’ll see you then,” said Eleanor.

  She hung up and stood in her new living room. She had an interview. Besides the fact that it wasn’t for her dream job, she was excited. She wanted to tell someone, but Will was at school all day and Anna was at work. If Jocelyn still lived in Florida, she’d at least be able to go over outfits with Anna before the interview. Instead she’d have to settle for texting. She sighed and went to rearrange their new kitchen for the thousandth time.

  Jocelyn knew she had the job at Remington almost immediately. She and Eleanor got along very well in person, and Tim Williams didn’t seem to care very much who his assistant was, as long as she was literate and capable of booking a flight. After being officially offered the job Friday afternoon, Jocelyn called Will on his cell phone to share the good news.

  “You’ve reached Will Adams. I’m unavailable to take your call right now, but leave your name and a telephone number and I’ll be sure to give you a call back.”

  She hung up, not wanting to leave a message. She felt like she never saw him anymore. He was up and gone in the morning before she woke up, and home in time to eat the cold remnants of whatever Jocelyn had made for dinner. She knew law school was hard and he was spending a lot of time studying in the school library, but if their marriage was going to succeed, she needed more time with him. Especially since she was so unsure of her feelings for him.

  During the long days alone, Jocelyn had had plenty of time to think about what those feelings might be. She loved Will. She trusted him, she liked him as a person, she had fun when they were together. But she had never really thought about marrying him – not yet, anyway. She’d assumed he would move to Boston and go to law school, and that she would stay in West Palm and teach. They would visit each other, travel a little, and then, when they were ready, maybe settle down. Marrying him at 23 and moving almost 1,500 miles away with him? No, that had never crossed her mind.

  Jocelyn met the man who would turn her life upside down her very first day of work. A storm blew in that morning, dark clouds threatening her commute. As she emerged from the Park St. train station, the skies opened up and Jocelyn was forced to run, in heels and a skirt, through the city, pushing past people with their umbrellas and their boots and their rain coats. She could feel people laughing at her, the unprepared young girl dashing over cobblestone, getting soaked through, and she wanted to cry. She hadn’t expected this weather, and although it rained all the time in Florida, it was often a quick rain, and, thanks to the heat, everything dried almost immediately.

  By the time she got to her n
ew office, she was drenched. Her shirt stuck to her skin, the collar she’d pressed that morning, limp. Her skirt was heavy, her shoes left puddles as she walked through the revolving door. Large drops of rain rolled off her face and onto her chest. She stood in the corner of the lobby of her new work, shaking off as much rain as she could, hiding her face and feeling overwhelmed. What was she going to do? She couldn’t go upstairs like this, a drowned rat. What a first impression that would be!

  “Some weather, eh?” an Irish voice behind her said, and Jocelyn turned around to see an unconventionally gorgeous man giving her a bemused smile. He was freckled, with dark hair and green eyes and he too was shaking the rain off his nose, straight and strong. He looked up and grinned, and Jocelyn’s insides twisted and turned.

  “No kidding,” she said.

  “I hope you have a change of clothes at your desk,” he said, brushing the water out of his hair and spraying Jocelyn. She noticed his broad shoulders and chest, the way his shirt stuck to him. He laughed. “Sorry.”

  She smiled back, pulling at her clothes to make them less clingy.

  “It’s my first day. I don’t have anything,” she said.

  He laughed again. She liked his laugh a lot, and the way he was looking at her.

  “Come with me. I’ll find you something. Which company are you starting at?” he asked, leading her to the elevator banks. There had to be hundreds of offices in the building, and Jocelyn had to check her notebook, sopping wet, to remember which floor she was on.

  “Remington Architecture. The 17th floor,” she said.

  “I know that floor very well,” he said. He pushed a button and they started to ride up. She kept her eyes on the elevator door, wondering if she looked as bad as she felt. She could feel his eyes on her and knew he was smiling, and it made her quiver.

  The doors opened and Jocelyn stepped out.

  “Thank you for showing me the way,” she said.

  He stepped out too.

  “You’re welcome,” he said. He smiled at her.

  “I know where I’m going now,” she said.

  “Good,” he said. Still standing there. Still smiling.