The Only Answer

by Magan Vernon

  Wes scooped her up and pressed her to his chest. “It’s okay, Sophia. It’s okay. Daddy’s got you.” He rubbed her back as she sobbed uncontrollably into his chest.

  Valerie offered a small smile. “Sorry. She’s really shy.”

  Sure. That’s what it was. Or they just didn’t want me to feel like an idiot. How was I supposed to raise a child when I didn’t even know how to talk to them? I hadn’t really been around kids much. My oldest brother had a daughter but they lived on the east coast and we rarely saw them. She was also only a few months old so she was basically attached to her mother’s chest half the time.

  Maybe I needed practice. But I couldn’t even think about that because we were being called over to a gazebo for the start of the rehearsal.

  Monica took my hand and we followed Valerie, Wes, and the sniffling Sophia over.

  John and Melanie stood under a large gazebo. The two polar opposites somehow fit together and never looked happier. She was talking to one of her bridesmaids, smiling and carrying. Even though people were talking to John, his eyes always flickered to Melanie and every time they did, he smiled like he knew with her was where he belonged.

  I wondered if Monica looked at me the same way that John looked at Melanie. Even after all of this time, did she still unconditionally love me? I’d been a jerk only caring about the election and not even thinking about our future.

  “What do you think about a summer wedding?” I whispered.

  “Huh?” Monica replied, raising an eyebrow.

  “Maybe August. It’s less than a year away but the baby would be about four months old. We could have Tripp push him in a stroller down the aisle.”

  Monica shook her head. “I don’t know. I guess that could possibly work.”

  I frowned. Did I say something wrong? I thought she would be thrilled to finally talk about the wedding. We’d been so wrapped up in the campaign and the baby that we hadn’t even begun to talk about it.

  “Are you okay?” I whispered.

  She finally looked up at me. “Does it seem like everyone is staring at us?”

  “What?” I blinked then glanced around. People were looking from their phones to us, instead of at John and Melanie. No one was saying anything, just staring.

  “I don’t think they are,” I said, trying to sound like I was completely sure of myself. Dad had wanted us to bring guards to the event, but I told him that was a huge overkill. We didn’t need to worry about paparazzi at a friend’s wedding and I didn’t think of us as any kind of celebrities, but maybe I was wrong.

  Valerie waddled over to us and tugged on Monica’s arm. “Monica can I talk to you for a quick sec?”

  “Is everything okay?” I raised my eyebrows.

  Valerie snapped her head in my direction, her fluffy blonde hair flying wildly. “I don’t know, is it, Trey?” She narrowed her eyes. “Is there something that you want to tell Monica or the rest of us?”

  I shook my head and raked my free hand through my hair. “I’m not sure what you’re trying to get at, Valerie.”

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “Really? Are you sure there isn’t something you want to tell us about? Maybe a new friend at work?”

  Wes came over and gently tugged on Valerie’s elbow. “Val, honey, come on. Let’s not all jump to conclusions. I’m sure it’s just some sort of tabloid story anyway.”

  “I don’t know. He got one girl pregnant, so why would it be any more surprising to hear that he knocked up some intern?” Valerie spat.

  My heart sunk in my chest. All the air escaped from my lungs. It wasn’t exactly the words I would have used to describe a situation, but the veracity of them hit me like a truck.

  “What...what are you talking about?” I managed to squeak out.

  Valerie pulled her phone out of her pocket and shoved it in my face. The picture was of Chastity holding up a pregnancy test and the headline underneath it read “Governor’s son has another love child”.

  I shook my head profusely. “No. This isn’t true. Not at all.” I stared at the picture. The smug smile that Chastity had. She held the test up as if it were some sort of a magic wand that would cure everything. Which is exactly what she probably wanted. That’s why she had been trying so hard to get to me. I wasn’t about to let her win.

  I handed Valerie her phone but kept my eyes on Monica. This conversation was about us. This whole thing was about us and it always was. “You know I’ve never been with anyone but you and I never will. You know this is someone trying to get a free ride out of us and their name in the press. I would never do anything to hurt you. Ever. And if I have hurt you now or I do in the future, then I’m sorry. I’m sorry for all of it and I wish I could do something to change the it and make it better, but I can’t.”

  Monica opened her mouth to speak but before she could Melanie ran down the gazebo and was at her side. “Mon.” She turned to me. “Sorry, Trey, this is important.”

  She handed her a phone. “Your mom called me, she said she couldn’t get a hold of you and John gave me grief for having my phone, but I think it’s important.”

  Monica took the phone, sliding it up to her ear and keeping her eyes on me. “Hey, Mom.”

  Her face fell and she didn’t say anything for a long time. A single tear slid down her cheek. “We’ll be right there.” She hung up the phone and handed it to Melanie, her eyes still locked on mine.

  “Is everything okay?” I asked, even though I was afraid of the answer.

  “My dad had a heart attack. He’s in surgery now.”

  I took her hand and didn’t even think about the scandal or the rehearsal. Just about the fact that I needed to be there for her.. “Let’s go.”

  Chapter 20

  Monica

  My dad had never exactly been a healthy guy. He enjoyed his cigars and a few beers while watching the game, but I didn’t think that would lead him into a hospital room.

  I hadn’t spoken to my parents in weeks and now the first time I was going to see them was in the middle of my dad’s surgery. And when I was noticeably pregnant with the child they wanted me to get rid of.

  On top of all of that, another freaking scandal erupted with some blonde who worked in Trey’s office. I recognized her picture. She looked like one of the bimbo girls that used to follow him around campus. My old roommate used to call them “The Republican Barbies”.

  It was all too much to take in and my head had been pounding the entire car ride to the hospital. I leaned over the seat and rubbed my temples. Trey’s hand was immediately on my back, rubbing small circles over it. “Are you okay?”

  I shook my head slowly. “No. No I’m not.” I sighed. “This is a lot to take in.”

  “I wish there was something I could say or do to make it better, but I know that nothing will really help.”

  I sat up slowly. “Just having you here helps. Knowing that you’re supporting me.”

  “I’ll always be here for you, Mon. You know that.” He gripped the steering wheel, clenching and unclenching his jaw so that his cheeks hollowed. “And you know that thing that Valerie showed you, you know I would never be with anyone else, right?”

  Did I? He was always working late and the sex had definitely been lacking. The last time we’d been intimate was at his parents’ house weeks ago. I didn’t feel like doing anything. Not even kissing. All I wanted to do was sleep and not be touched with how sensitive every part of my body felt. No one would blame the guy if he was getting some action on the side.

  “Yeah. Of course I believe you,” I said, even though I knew it lacked conviction.

  “Monica, I meant what I said back at the hotel. I’ve never been with anyone else but you and I never will be. You’re it for me. You always have been. Since the first moment I met you I knew there was no turning back and I’d never be with anyone else again.”

  There was such passion in his words. There always was. Just hearing him say it brought tears to my eyes. “You’re it for me, too, Tr
ey. I believe you, completely.”

  “As soon as I can, I’m going to talk to Dad about all of this and deal with Chastity myself. This is beyond ridiculous.”

  I couldn’t help but smile. “Is her name seriously Chastity?”

  “Yeah, why?” He raised an eyebrow.

  “That just sounds like a stripper name.”

  His face fell. “Speaking of strippers...I should probably also tell you that there was a stripper at John’s bachelor party who danced on me. I didn’t enjoy it and it was a onetime thing and I left her as soon as you called me. I’m sure the media is going to find a way to twist that one, so better tell you now.”

  I laughed at his shear boyness. Especially the fact that he rattled it off and blushed when he said it. This wasn’t the type of guy that would have an affair with anyone. And deep down I think I knew that all along. “I’m fine with that. I know it didn’t mean anything and you probably freaked out and asked her what political party she belonged to.”

  “I did not do either of those things.” His face grew crimson.

  “Uh huh, sure you didn’t, Mr. Chapman. I’m sure your poker face won’t give anything away when you’re interviewed on the nightly news.”

  He shook his head a small smile crossing his lips. “It’s good to see you haven’t lost your humor in everything.”

  “Sometimes laughing is better than crying.”

  He grabbed my hand, squeezing it lightly and glanced over. “I don’t want to keep seeing you cry.”

  “Well, I’m a very hormonal pregnant lady who is in the middle of a political scandal and just found out her dad, who hasn’t spoken to her in weeks, just had a heart attack. I think I should be allowed some water works.”

  He nodded, clenching his jaw. “Duly noted.”

  ***

  I hated hospitals yet I knew I’d be spending a lot of time them with my due date in the spring. It didn’t help that now I was in one for a much less happy reason.

  I didn’t know how my parents would react to seeing Trey and me. I almost wanted to turn around as soon as the elevator doors opened to the cardiac floor, but I kept moving. It was like I was on auto-pilot and Trey was just guiding me along, his hand firmly gripped on mine.

  I was familiar with the hospital since my mom had been a pediatric nurse forever, but this wasn’t like all of the times I used to bother her to borrow the car in high school. This was something completely different.

  We rounded the corner and turned toward the open door of the waiting room. It was supposed to make people feel comfortable with the big screen TV and blue cushioned chairs, but to me it looked like an awaiting prison cell. Especially when the only two people in the room were my mother and little brother, Jordan.

  Mom slowly looked up and I had to hold back a gasp. The woman who always looked so fierce was like a shell of her former self with her short hair in disarray and dark circles that even her glasses couldn’t hide.

  “Monica,” she said and stood up, keeping her hands at her side.

  Jordan followed suit, standing beside her and towering over her. He didn’t look nearly as disheveled as she did, but his eyes still darted back and forth between me and Mom.

  “Hey, Ma, how’s dad?” I asked.

  Her eyes roamed over my stomach and she swallowed. “He’s doing well. The doctor came in and said he’s out of surgery and resting now. They put two stents in. No open heart surgery. Thank God.”

  I nodded, biting my bottom lip. “That’s good.”

  We stayed in silence for what seemed like forever before Jordan finally spoke. “Well, this is awkward as hell, isn’t it?”

  “You’re telling me,” Trey muttered.

  “You know it doesn’t have to be,” Jordan added. “This whole thing has been utterly fucking ridiculous.”

  “Language, Jordan,” Mom chastised.

  He shook his head. “Ma, don’t try and change the subject. You’ve been avoiding talking to Monica for weeks. Why? Because her fiancé who obviously loves her got her pregnant? Yeah it sucks that they aren’t married but they’re together and they’re going to stay together. They’ve lasted this long and if you and dad had a problem with them being together you would have said something sooner. We all know you adore Trey and this would have happened sooner or later anyway.”

  Jordan then turned his gaze on mine. “And you, Monica, the phone goes both ways. You could have at least called me for fucks sake. I’m your only brother. The kid’s my only niece or nephew and I need some kind of ally for all the craziness. I don’t just want to hear random shit about you when I open up Facebook. I want to hear it from you.”

  I wanted to applaud my brother, but that was hardly appropriate. The kid barely said anything and now he was finally taking a stand. And he was right. For once.

  “I’m sorry, Jordan. I should have called you.” I took a few steps forward and hugged my little brother, who wasn’t that little. The kid was about 6’3” and definitely had put on some more weight since he started playing football in community college.

  He patted my back. The kid wasn’t much of a hugger, but he still took it reluctantly. “It’s okay, Mon. Just don’t let it happen again.”

  I let go of him, nodding and took a step back. My eyes shifted to my mother who was intently focused on me. She shook her head slowly. “I’m so sorry, Monica. So, so sorry about everything,” she whispered, her bottom lip trembling.

  I sighed. “I want to say it’s okay, Mom, that it doesn’t matter, but I’m really hurt. You disregarded your grandchild and disregarded my feelings.”

  “I know. It was stupid of me. I didn’t think of any of that. Your father and I just went by our gut reactions and didn’t think about you and Trey like we should have. I’ve tried to pick up the phone a million times to call you, but I didn’t know what to say.” She let out a deep breath. “Then after seeing all the things on the news and in the tabloids, I knew you were going through enough and I didn’t want to make it worse.”

  I took in a deep breath. This wasn’t word vomit. This was exactly what I wanted to say. “Sometimes it’s not about everything else. Sometimes I just need my mom and being pregnant with my first child is scary. Not only is it scary being pregnant, but having to do it in the spotlight is even scarier. I needed you more than ever. Just someone to talk to that knew what it was like to go through all of the crazy pregnancy hormones. I know you might not have supported our choices, but I hope you do now and I hope you’ll be in our lives because this baby really needs another grandmother.”

  The tears welled up in her eyes. “I’m so sorry, Monica. For everything.”

  I nodded, taking a step forward. “I know you are and I hope we can move past this for all of us.”

  She didn’t answer and she didn’t need to because she enveloped me in a huge hug that I hadn’t had since I moved home from Taylor, crying my eyes out. She didn’t ask questions or say anything. She just took me with open arms and sometimes that’s all a girl needs.

  “Mrs. Remy?”

  I let go of Mom and stepped back as soon as I heard the voice. She wiped the tears from her eyes and looked up. “Yes?”

  I turned and saw a man in a pair of green scrubs. “Your husband is out of recovery and can have visitors now.”

  We all started toward the door then the man held his hand up. “We do ask that there only be one or two visitors at a time.”

  Mom nodded. “Okay.” She put her hand on my back. “Monica, why don’t you and Trey go first?”

  I raised my eyebrows. “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure.” She offered a small smile.

  I sucked in a deep breath, wondering if it was a good idea to see a man who just had a heart attack, especially a man who I hadn’t talked to in weeks and the last time we saw each other we fought.

  “I’ll be right there with you, Mon.” Trey squeezed my hand.

  “Okay.” I turned and we followed the doctor down the long hallway to the ICU.

 
“He’s right in there.” The doctor nodded toward an open door. You could see the whole room through the glass doors and there laid my father on a white hospital bed with different wires hooked up to him as if he was more machine than he was man. It wasn’t how I wanted to see him.

  “I don’t know if I can do this,” I whispered.

  “I know you can. You’re strong. The strongest woman I’ve ever met. I also know that he wants to see you. You might not think he does right now, but I know he does,” Trey said, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze before motioning me toward the open door.

  I stepped in slowly. The only thing that was keeping me upright was Trey holding onto me. My world was spinning and my mouth felt completely dry so I licked my lips, thinking what to say.

  Dad’s eyes slowly opened. His chest rose and fell as he stared at me. He didn’t smile but he didn’t frown either. “Hey, Mon, good to finally see you again.”

  “How are you feeling?” I slowly took a few steps toward the bed. I was afraid to get too close. Afraid to touch him. I’d been in hospitals before, but never for an actual family member.

  And I’d never seen my dad so weak.

  “Like a man that just had a heart attack.” He let out a breathy laugh but only ended up coughing.

  I scrambled to the bed and grabbed his hand. It was so cold and the instant I touched it, his eyes flickered to mine. “Monica...I...I’ve been meaning to call you and talk about...” His eyes trailed down to my stomach. “Everything.”

  “It’s fine, Dad. I talked to Mom.”

  He squeezed my hand and shook his head slowly. “No. It’s not fine. I was selfish, only thinking about how it would affect us and not how you felt about it. You’ve always given me shit politically and given me quite the run for my money in our debates. I shouldn’t have doubted you when you told me that you thought about your decision and it’s what you wanted to do. I should have listened and not judged. Then I wouldn’t have gone so long without talking to you and not getting to help you with whatever you need.”