Authors: Suzan Battah
“Put me down.” She struggled to keep the towel around her, resisting the urge to wrap her arms around his neck. “Chris, let me go.”
Chris wasn’t smiling now as he ignored her struggles and headed for her bedroom. “I’ve just got to tell you something, real quick.”
She had not expected the evening to turn into such a fiasco. Settling her on her bed, he looked around the room, finally pulling over the square cushioned stool to sit next to her bed.
She began to move uncomfortably, making sure she was decent, fidgeting with the towel wrapped around her.
“What’s wrong?” he demanded.
“Nothing.”
“Is your knee bothering you? Maybe we should take you to the hospital,” he said, heading for the door.
“No! No, it doesn’t matter,” she reassured him, gesturing for him to come back. “You wanted to talk, so let’s talk. I was going to tell you something also, but you go first.”
His smile faded. “I’m kind of seeing someone, Julia. There might be pictures in the magazines or on the news and I didn’t want you to find out that way. We met in New York and have been out a few times.”
Her eyes watered. She tried to keep smiling, but it was as if she was frozen and all her breath had been sucked from her lungs. Swallowing back the bitter taste in her mouth, she couldn’t look at him and she felt her lips tremble.
“I’m so happy for you,” she gritted out, trying to infuse some warmth into her voice. She played with the rumpled quilt beside her, feeling as if she had lost a whole part of herself. But it was her own fault. She had waited too long. Now her ears felt like they were going to pop, her mouth went dry, and she clicked her mouth shut. She kept attempting to plaster on a smile, but the muscles in her face were frozen.
When Chris reached out to brush aside a part of her dripping hair, she stopped his hand. She held it against her cheek, but he was quick to pull away from her.
“We have to move on. It’s painful, but you don’t want me and I can’t be with someone who doesn’t love me back, especially now, after I’ve just lost my father,” he spoke softly. “I want someone to love only me, want only me. So we, we can’t.”
I do love you! I want you! I need you! But the words stuck in her throat.
“What’s she like?” She desperately needed to know and didn’t know why.
“Julia,” he chided, gently. “That’s not important. Now what did you need to talk about?”
She couldn’t say the words she had meant to express. Julia couldn’t destroy his happiness. She didn’t want to take that away from him despite the fact that her fingers tingled to touch him, hold him, and bring him back into her embrace. He was seeing someone else. It was exactly what they both needed. He deserved to be happy. She deserved to be alone.
“Oh it’s nothing,” she said brightly. “Can you send Randy in to help me get dressed? Then we’ll have dinner,” she added, tamping down the emotions wanting to burst forth.
He frowned, searching her face. “You’re upset. Why are you upset?”
“I’m not upset!” she responded, a little too forcefully. “We are both adults here. It didn’t work out between us, so you’ve moved on. I hope she makes you very happy.”
After that, they were silent. For the first time, it was awkward between them. She felt like crying, but didn’t want to show how much his being with someone else affected her.
He muttered in a rush, “We met in New York and we’ve had dinner a few times. It’s just that the media might mention it in the papers. I didn’t want you to find out that way.” He couldn’t even look her in the eye. “I didn’t want you to think that it’s more, we’re just seeing each other.”
“No, no, you don’t have to explain yourself to me. Whatever you do with your life is your business.” She took a deep breath.
He frowned now, his eyes darkening as he stared back at her. She couldn’t look directly at him, fearing she’d burst out crying like a foolish girl in love. She had such hopes for this dinner. Now that he was seeing somebody else, everything had changed. She felt like her heart had been pulled out of her chest and jumped on a couple of times.
“I don’t know why you’re so quiet. We’re not together. You seem to be having a great time.”
“Aren’t we all enjoying happy families.” Julia tried to hold back the sarcasm, but his eyes immediately locked with hers.
“And you have this habit of dropping one-liners that makes no sense at all. I bet you got that from your friend, Boric,” he snapped, irritated even more.
“I really should get dressed. Could you ask Randy to come in and help me, please?”
He debated for a second, but then fortunately he got up and shut her door with a loud click. She let out the tight, painful breath she had been holding in. She looked down. Her arms were shaking from the news he had just landed on her.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Randy walked into her room, an excited look on his face, and went right to her closet. “Are you back together?” he whispered, pulling out some of her clothes, holding them up for her approval.
“The floral print dress, and no. He’s seeing someone else.”
Randy’s mouth dropped in shock. “What! Who?”
Julia waved her hands at him to lower his voice, trying to pull on a bra he had thrown over to her. Wincing when her knee buckled again, she doubled over.
She sank down on the bed. “He knew, Randy. He knew I was upset. He’s moved on. I left him and now he’s gone.”
“You should show some pride,” Randy declared sharply. “Go out there and pretend everything’s okay. Trust me. You’ll feel better tomorrow. If you’re meant to be, you’re meant to be and nothing will get in the way.”
She knew he was right. Pride was the last thing she cared about now, but tomorrow, it would matter again. She rose slowly, balancing against the bed. “Just get me dressed.”
Randy encouraged, “Good girl,” and continued to assist her getting dressed. He left the room for a second to get her knee brace and crutches, and then helped her get into the knee brace, clipping the straps into place.
“What did he say about this woman? Maybe they’re just friends. Where did he meet her?”
“I don’t know. He said he met her in New York,” she moaned, lying back on the bed. “I’m such an idiot.”
Randy ignored her dramatics, saying in hushed tones, “He is meant for you. There is no doubt he’s still in love with you. You should have seen his face when you screamed in the bathroom. He turned white, really white. I thought I was going to have a situation on my hands. Now let everything take its natural course.”
She pulled her hair up into a pony tail, wringing out the water from her tumble in the shower. “I just don’t know how to let him know.”
“Be yourself, Julia, and when the time is right, you’ll know how to tell him.” He stood back and surveyed her, finally nodding his approval. “Okay, gorgeous, let’s go have some Thanksgiving turkey.”
Her friends and family had already arrived, and the apartment buzzed with music and chatter. Randy brought out the beer and wine, eager to fill everyone’s glasses. Cole and
Andreena
were a surprise show for the dinner, having only just come back from their honeymoon.
Julia was pouring a glass of wine for her friend, but
Andreena
shook her head. “Jules, could I get a juice instead.” She came around the counter of the kitchen.
“Sure.” Julia noted the way
Andreena’s
cheeks glowed pink with excitement. She had been so busy watching Chris she hadn’t seen the difference in her friend until now. “What’s going on?”
“Gosh, I have so much to tell you. First, I have some good news. I’ve been to the doctor. Cole and I are pregnant,”
Andreena
announced, rubbing her slightly rounded tummy.
“Congratulations,
Dreena
! We’re going to have a baby in our family soon. I’m so excited.” Julia pulled her friend in for a hug.
“Baby?” Chris demanded, coming into the kitchen, having heard only part of the conversation. His voice rose. “You’re pregnant? Is that what you called me over to talk about?”
“Chris…”
He cut her off. “Am I the father or is it Randy?”
“What!” Julia and
Andreena
burst out in unison.
Everyone had stopped what they were doing. Julia shook her head. Into the silence, Boric squealed, turning on Randy and giving him a hearty shove. “You’ve been doing the dirty with Julia. But I’m your boyfriend!”
Chris looked from Boric to Randy and then back at Julia, shocked. “You’re sleeping with his boyfriend? Randy’s gay?”
Playing on Chris’ confusion, Boric, always irrepressible, turned on Julia, crying out in a dramatic display, “Slut! Well, if you want him, you can have him. I’ll be expecting step-mother rights.”
Cole and
Andreena
burst into laughter, while Boric pretended to be deeply hurt.
“Yes, I’m gay, Chris, and this imbecile is my boyfriend,” Randy muttered, slapping Boric on the back of the head for continuing to play out his theatrics.
“I’m not pregnant,” Julia announced to make her point clear.
Chris murmured, “But you said…” He fell silent, realizing he clearly had misunderstood.
In the awkward silence,
Andreena
looked between the two of them and burst out, “Surprise, I’m pregnant!”
Everyone gathered around
Andreena
and Cole to congratulate the newlyweds on their happy news. The tension eased as the attention shifted away from Julia and Chris’ embarrassment.
Chris was looking at her, his expression relieved, his cheeks slightly red. Julia saw hope there, and his reaction to the situation pleased her. Maybe he wasn’t so involved with this new woman for him to be so jealous. She wasn’t sure how he had managed to misinterpret her living situation, and how he hadn’t noticed that Randy and Boric were together. But maybe his jealousy had blinded him. She liked that idea, that Chris was jealous.
As they all sat down together at the table, Julia tried not to make it obvious that she was watching Chris. He sat down next to her mother. She wondered what her mother kept whispering into Chris’ ear. Randy knocked his glass with his fork to gather everyone’s attention, which had been focused on the heaping of food on every plate.
“I hope everyone is enjoying their meal and thank you all for coming today. On behalf of Julia, Boric, and I, we are all so grateful to share your company tonight.”
Boric, beaming brightly, reached out and touched Randy’s hand lovingly. Julia rolled her eyes, rubbing Randy’s back for the kind words. Boric shot her a look of mock outrage.
“After all we’ve been through this year, let us go around the table and say what we are thankful for. Julia,” he said, turning to her on his right.
Julia took a long sip of her wine, smiling to the expectant faces staring back. But when her eyes connected with Chris’, she felt the sadness between them and wanted to take it away.
“For the strength and support of my friends and family after the accident, I am thankful. I’m thankful for being fortunate enough to have been loved and be in love again.”
When she said those last words, Chris looked up at her sharply. Randy pulled her in for a hug. Julia blurted out rapidly, “Now you,
Dreena
.”
Andreena
took her turn. “I am thankful for my beautiful husband, Cole, and the new family around me.”
Cole took her hand, planting a kiss on her knuckles. “I am thankful for my beautiful wife, and the prosperity in my business.”
Glenda took her turn, giving Hilda a big hug, expressing thanks for her
neighbor’s
kindness in her life.
“Oh, Glenda, and I am just as thankful for your company as well. I am also thankful for my daughter’s chance at a new life,” Hilda said, holding Glenda’s hand in hers.
It was Chris’ turn and everyone waited expectantly. He took a sip of his beer and looked directly at Julia. “I am thankful for… things going well at work. Sorry, that’s it.”
Julia tried not to show her hurt at this. As they continued to go around the table, Chris’ cell phone started to ring. He excused himself to answer the call, talking low. He finally came back, approaching Julia.
“I have to go,” he said. “Thanks for the dinner,”
She couldn’t hide the disappointment. “Really, so soon? Stay for dessert.”
“I can’t. Karen has flown in from New York and is waiting for me at the Augustine.”
“I’ll see you out.” Julia pushed back a little to get up, but he stopped her.
“No, stay. I’ll see myself out.” He lean
ed
down, kissing her cheek, lingering for a just a moment. “Happy Thanksgiving.”
Everyone watched as Chris left. The silence stretched a little too long for Julia’s liking. She rubbed her forehead as they all stared back at her. She knew they were wondering who this Karen was who had summoned him away from dinner.
“Don’t ask,” she groaned. “I don’t want to talk about it.”