The Truth Lucy Saw (The Truth Turned Upside Down Book 1)
Page 8
“Do you know the copy machine is down right now,” Alex said, with a worried look on his face. Anne had shaken her head to indicate that she did not, and thanked him while trying to hide her amusement.
Initially, caught off guard by her first text about dinner, he had been under the impression Anne was already dating someone. She had occasionally received large bouquets of plump, red roses at the office, and Alex had once walked in on what felt like a PG-13 phone call, causing him to blush and stammer.
“Oh, I think you would like that very much,” she said, purringly into the phone receiver, looking up at Alex, smiling, and in no hurry to end the phone call.
She denied there was anyone else in the picture on that first date, and there were no indications of another man as time went on. Anne was not, and had never been, secretive when he was at her apartment, and she had not given him any reason to believe their relationship was not monogamous. Even so, the baby had been a total surprise. They had been careful on two counts, her birth control and his condoms, but that’s how life was sometimes with unexpected twists and upside downs.
“I’m pregnant,” she said, casually, and looked up at him, unflinching, and then proceeded to finish her burger.
Alex’s parents had been shocked when he told them about the baby; they had only met Anne a few times in the six months they had been dating, although they seemed to like her right away. His mom cried at first, but held his hands, looked him in the eye, and told him he would be a great father. Alex’s dad needed more time. He left his wife and son in the wake of this news and took a long walk around his stately neighborhood.
“I am going to get some fresh air,” he said, smiling at his son and wife, pushing a mix of angry and disappointed feelings down until he was out of their sight.
On the walk, he let his mind fill with memories of his father and the words he had shared with him when he had first learned of Alex. He did not believe Anne was the right girl for his son. He did not think they should have a baby together, but he was wise enough to know that those feelings belonged only to him and that to share them in light of the new information would only hurt his relationship with his son.
When Alex’s dad returned, he walked up to his son and, with watery eyes, he extended both arms. The two men clasped hands and then embraced warmly. Alex’s shoulders relaxed, safe in the arms and acceptance of his father, who would be there if things went south.
Anne had wanted Alex to be with her when she told her parents about the baby, and he had agreed immediately. Her parents barely reacted initially, which was good because she had decided to tell them in public, at their favorite Italian restaurant, Guidos. Anne set up the scene, almost as if she was going to announce their engagement.
“So, Mom and Dad, tonight is a special night for us, and I wanted to share it with you both here at your special place,” Anne announced as she put down her glass of water and looked up, giddily, at John and Dianna.
Dianna froze with her fork in mid-air and hastily looked at John, and then back at Alex.
“Alex and I love each other very much, and we are going to have a baby together,” said Anne.
Dianna finished her bite of pasta, set her fork down gently on the plate, and turned a confused gaze to Anne. They both sat, motionless, eyes locked on one another, waiting for the other to react first. John pushed his chair, clumsily out from the table, and put both hands on top of his head. Alex was not expecting either one of these reactions, and although he wanted to help, he could think of absolutely nothing helpful to say, so he stared uncomfortably into his lap.
“Are you two going to get married?” John asked, looking straight at Anne, who remained a virtual stone, mirroring the confused look on Dianna’s face. The weighty question hung in the air, unanswered until eventually, a waiter brought them the check.
The car ride home from the restaurant had been very quiet. Alex and Anne sat in the backseat, like two naughty children who were waiting to hear the details of their restriction, while John and Dianna each busied themselves, one with driving and the other in pursuit of something elusive in her purse. Alex decided he should leave and let Anne speak privately with her parents about the matter once they arrived home. Anne decided that she should go too, without any further discussion, and within minutes of her parents’ car pulling in their driveway, two pairs of taillights faded away from where John stood, looking out from his living room window.
“Now you’ve done it,” he thought, silently, “Nobody’s fixing this FOR you, Annebelle, you’re gonna have to face the music on this one.”
“Should we go to her apartment?” Dianna asked anxiously, breaking John’s internal conversation with himself.
“You can,” he said flatly. “I am going to bed.”
When the parents-to-be met up the following day, Anne confided that after they left, her parents had phoned her, and her dad had blown up (typical), and her mom had freaked out (classic), which is why she had wanted him along in the first place. Alex understood that this was a difficult situation and suggested that Anne give her parents time to calm down and process it. Anne said she could care less about what they thought and changed the subject quickly.
“I know we are still getting to know each other Anne, but I do love you, and one day, I hope we will get married, even though I know that’s not what you want right now,” Alex whispered into her ear, as they sat watching a horror movie on Anne’s comfy couch.
“Time will tell,” Anne whispered back, squeezing his hand hard during a jump scare, and she then looked over her shoulder at an Auburn baseball cap hanging on the coat rack beside the front door of her apartment. She glanced back at Alex, who had turned back to watching the movie, and thought about her unborn baby’s future.
She believed that Alex would be a good dad, kind and available whenever either one of them needed him. She did not think he would ever hit her or step out on her with another woman. She trusted he would make enough money that she would not have to worry about bills, groceries, or mortgages, but did he excite her? The honest answer was no, not really. The real question was not if she could marry Alex, but if she could live with so little excitement?
A baby would surely bring other types of excitement, sweet memorable milestones, and long days blurring into occasional, sleepless nights. She would make new friends who were also married with babies, and go to birthday parties with these new families, and that would be exciting! Eventually, she would grow old and drink wine with these married women, who would have ultimately lost all their excitement, too. They would laugh about it and commiserate with each other over dinners at posh restaurants. It was all so normal and evolutionary. She would merely be starting earlier with the mundane existence compared to the average gal, and wasn’t it just like her to be a trendsetter!
Still, if she let herself, she could feel his soft hands, how he gently played with her hair right before they said goodbye. Anne would never get enough of Mark, and if that kind of excitement were still available, no matter how intermittent, she would not marry Alex. He didn’t text her as often as he used to. However, her phone still lit up occasionally, and when it did, the world around her ceased to exist.
“Meet me in half an hour,” the texts would read. “Same spot as last time, I need to see you…”
Baby or no baby, she would find a way to see him. Her addiction to him was more potent than any drug or alcohol, and through the years, she wanted to believe she had developed a hold on him too.
Anne knew Charlotte was aware Mark was having an affair, but she didn’t care. It was not her fault that he wanted her, and she did not feel guilty for being involved with a married man. Life was like that sometimes, and she could take happiness when it came her way. Everyone had parts of their life that no one knew about, she was sure of this, and telling the truth about everything to everyone was just… unnecessary.
Also by Penelope J Bristol
If you enjoyed The Truth Lucy Saw, don’t miss out on
books 2 and 3, both for sale on Amazon.
Last Chance-FREE GIFT
I am thrilled you read the first book in the series, The Truth Turned Upside Down. I want to give you an exclusive bonus chapter as a FREE gift and the opportunity to sign up for my mailing list. I would love for you to be in the know about my next novel, Red Rock Redemption, and connect with you via my blog, social media accounts or email. Enjoy!
Bonus Chapter: A New Baby Girl
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About the Author
I was born in eastern Tennessee and have spent my life moving around the east coast of the United States, first as a child, and then as the wife of a C-130 navigator. This gypsy lifestyle, although not always easy, has provided me with many beautiful memories and enduring friendships.
My sweet husband and I have three children, two boys, and a daughter. They are the loves of my life-each one as unique and different from the other as a fingerprint. Much healing has come from living alongside and loving these four incredible people.
I was born to be a teacher, and it is a job that has fed my soul for the last ten years of my life. I do not plan to give it up, but the call to write this book whispered in my ear for a long, long time. I enjoy writing, and I hope that you enjoyed what I chose to write. I do not know if writing will one day become my career, but for now, I am content to write in the summers when school is out. What comes of it-time will tell, I always say.
My favorite things to do are read, write, take long walks, and practice yoga to clear my mind. I have loved raising my children, and now that they are older, I savor the impromptu fleeting chats with these teenagers. Life certainly moves quickly, and I find myself wanting to go back to relive special moments of my life. I, of course, know this is not possible, but I still long for a chance to do some things again. Maybe this is why I am drawn to writing YA and Sci-Fi, my characters have their whole lives ahead of them.
I hope you enjoyed this book and that life is treating you well. I plan to write more books, eat more birthday cake and live well in between. Drop me a line, I would love to hear from you.
All my best~ Penelope
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