AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Shelby
On Wednesday, I decided it was time to head back to reality. I didn’t want to go back to the city, but I knew I needed to. Not only because I wasn’t the type of person to run from a problem, but because I had clients that required me to be there and deal with things. I had been doing everything remotely for the last several days, but now I had to deal with things in person.
While I hadn’t spoken to either Diane or Zeke, I had thought a lot about them. I had finally decided that I needed to come clean with Diane and tell her what I had done and how I was feeling. I knew that it might end our friendship, but I hoped she would forgive me after being so close for fifteen years. Perhaps not immediately. I was sure it would take time, but hopefully, she would.
In all our years of friendship, I had never been even remotely interested in any man she had dated, but Zeke was different.
It wasn’t just what Zeke made me feel physically, either—which was crazy intense. There was way more to it. During the last couple of days, I had rehashed every conversation I’d shared with Zeke, and I realized that we had a more profound connection—almost soul deep.
I wanted that, and I wanted that with Zeke.
So my plan as I drove back to the city was to sit down and speak to Diane and confess everything. I’d tell her what had led up to it and what I had done with Zeke. Then I’d explain to her how I felt about him. I knew it would hurt. I knew she would be upset with me and probably break down crying, but would she forgive me?
I didn’t expect to find both her and Zeke right inside the entrance when I opened the door to the building. I was in no way prepared to speak to either of them at that moment, especially when my typical three-hour drive had turned into almost five due to two major accidents on the highway. I was exhausted and wanted to take a hot shower and get a good night’s sleep.
Unsure what to say to either of them, I brushed past and into the elevator. Unfortunately, they joined me, and the tension crackled in the small metal box. I couldn’t get off of it fast enough.
I expected Diane to follow me down the hallway, and I tried to prepare myself to have this conversation with her. Why did I have to come home today? Why didn’t I wait until tomorrow morning when she would be at work?
I stopped at my door, glancing back at Diane when she practically yelled, “What the hell!” Unfortunately, when I did look back, all I saw was Zeke on the other side of her. My heart ached with the urge to go to him, but I couldn’t do that until after I spoke with Diane.
Like it or not, this conversation was happening tonight. The next words out of her mouth made my head spin, and my knees almost gave out. “I’m pregnant!”
What? I ripped my eyes from Zeke to plant them on Diane. Oh, my god! I had sex with her boyfriend, and now she was pregnant with his child. The air in the hallway felt suddenly electrified. I didn’t know what to say, but thankful, Zeke could string words together.
“Diane, I think you and I need to talk.” He stated rather gruffly.
Diane turned to me, “I’ll come down to see you when we’re finished.”
That was my ticket to leave this show, and I hastily departed, stepping into my apartment and pushing the door closed. I rested my head against it as tears suddenly filled my eyes.
Diane was having his baby. Whatever I thought I might have with Zeke was over and done with now. There was no way I could see the man after this. Would the two of them patch things up? Would he want to be with her now?
I hung up my coat and wheeled my suitcase into the living room, where my eyes went to the sofa. Holy crap! I’d had unprotected sex with Zeke! What if I were pregnant too?
No! That wasn’t possible! I was on birth control. I released the tension that had shot up my spine into my skull and rubbed my temples. I needed a glass of wine and a hot shower.
I was pretty sure that Zeke and Diane would be busy for a while discussing this news. Or perhaps making up and planning the future. Tears filled my eyes, and I clenched my lids closed to stop them from falling. He was not mine to cry for.
I put my suitcase in my bedroom, then returned to the kitchen to pour myself a large glass of wine. I drank half of it before refilling the glass and heading to my bathroom.
I guzzled the entire glass before I got under the hot water and wished like hell that I had brought the bottle with me. As I stood under the water, I let the two tears slip down my cheeks.
Diane was pregnant. I should be happy for her. I should be hugging her and talking excitedly about decorating a nursery and planning a shower. However, I wasn’t. My hand drifted over my stomach, and I suddenly felt empty. Diane was carrying Zeke’s child. More tears slipped down my cheek because I had contemplated the future during my time at the beach. I had pictured Zeke and me together. I had seen us married and loving one another for years to come. I had been able to visualize us with a child. A little boy who was just as handsome as his father. I had seen it, but more importantly, I had felt how right it was deep inside my soul.
I would never have that now—at least not with Zeke.
I let myself cry for a few moments, allowing my pity for myself to rise up and spill out, and then I washed my face, hair, and body and got out of the shower. Instead of putting on my pajamas, I slipped into leggings and a warm sweatshirt. I knew that I’d be having company soon, and it would be a while before I could climb in bed.
Oh, how I wished that I had stayed at my place at the beach. I could be lying in my comfy bed, watching some silly chick-flick and getting ready to get dream one last time about a future that I knew now I would never have.
I turned on the stereo in the living room and played one of the many CDs in my collection. The soft sounds of Tim McGraw floated through the air as I poured myself another glass of wine and took out my computer to look over emails and plan my day for tomorrow.
Somehow I was able to concentrate on what I was doing, and when there was a soft knock on my door, I glanced at the clock on my computer and saw that it was almost eleven. Wow, Diane and Zeke had talked for a long time.
I stood, taking a calming breath before walking to the door to face my friend. How disappointed would she be in me? Would she yell at me? Tell me she never wanted to see me again? Tell me I was the worst friend?
My fingers trembled as they reached for the knob, and the knock sounded again. I flipped the deadbolt, turned the knob, and then pulled open the door. I was startled when I saw Zeke standing on the other side and not Diane.
