Authors: Vivienne Harris-Scott
“
Where do you think she is?
”
Julian asks in a whisper.
“
That depends on how hurt she is, and her
state of mind. I just hope for both our sake, you haven
’
t forced her to retreat completely because
if that
’
s the case, my people won
’
t find her, and I doubt yours will either
and you can truly kiss that baby goodbye... I need to make a few phone calls in
the morning, and I
’
ll let you know.
”
He sighs, knots in the stomach as he thinks
of her.
“
E?
”
Julian hesitantly says.
“
Hmm?
”
he grunts.
“
Thanks.
”
Julian says, lowly.
But Ethan
‘
s voice is icy cold when he replies,
“
Don
’
t Julian, because I swear to God, if she
tells me she is done and doesn
’
t want you in her life. You will be out of it.
”
And, he disconnects the call.
Julian looks at his phone, thinking this
is the second time tonight that he is hung up on.
Once again, in so many hours, he recalls
her last words, and his stomach tightens even more.
((~~!~~))
Julian and Vi
“
All set.
”
She says, smiling and giving him the last
of her bags for him to take downstairs to the car. She turned her Blackberry on
and booked a ticket just a few minutes ago. She is taking the red eye and will
be in Boston in just five short hours.
As she is flicking the light switch off in
her doorway, her cell phone rings and she answers it without checking the ID.
“
Vi, hear me out,
”
he pleads when he hears her voice.
“
Julian, I have somewhere to be. Sorry, but
I have no time for fake apologies and half explanations.
”
she retorts sharply, locking the door.
“
Please! You
’
re pregnant with my child!
”
he says, his voice rising.
“
That I am.
“
she replies, calmly, pushing the button
to call the elevator.
“
Sweetheart, I
’
m sorry about earlier
…
I never meant to hurt you. She tricked
me! I don
’
t know what I was thinking
…
.
”
he rushes apologetically.
She notices his Australian accent is
getting more pronounced as his voice gets animated, which bring an involuntary
smile to her face.
“
Really?
”
she cheerfully asks,
“
This has got to be a new one! You didn
’
t seem incapacitated when your cock was in
that woman...
”
she laughs, adding caustically,
”
Stop defending yourself! It
’
s beneath you! Beneath me! I do get it
Julian! You are a man, you have needs and it is your birthday
…
Really, you deserved a one on one birthday
present
…
Frances was there, I wasn
’
t
…”
her voice trails, as the elevator doors
close on her.
He
’
s silent, surprised by the violence of her
words under the cheerful tone.
Breathing heavily, he says slowly with
greeted teeth,
“
I do not care about Frances!
”
“
Oh? Let me guess? This is the part where
you tell me you are in love with me, right? That I
’
m the only one for you?
”
she asks brightly, her voice laced with
contempt.
“
Yes.
”
he murmurs,
“
It
’
s the truth.
”
he says seriously.
“
I love you. You are the woman I was always
meant to love, and I thank God for the twist of fate that brought you into my
life
…”
his voice
breaks.
“
Julian, it
’
s very, very, moving
…”
she chortles lightly,
“
It
’
s moving me right out the door
…”
and she slides her phone shut, as the
elevator doors open into her building
’
s lobby.
James is waiting at the front to take her
to LAX.
Something
gotta
give
…
Vi and Lily
“
So, you are back!
”
I say, happy to see her, as I walk into my
lit kitchen, returning from the hospital at 3:45 am.
“
So I am.
”
she grumbles, a Voss bottle in her hand.
“
How are you?
”
I say kissing her cheek.
“
I
’
m still standing.
”
she says with a small smile.
“
Are you going to tell me what happened?
”
I ask while uncorking a bottle of red
wine.
She smiles, saying,
“
God Lil! This is the perfect time for me
to have glass of Cabernet
…”
her lips
pout.
I grin,
“
One glass, as doctor recommended
…”
I say, handing her a 3/4 full glass.
She sips and moans in pure pleasure.
I look at her and ask, grinning,
”
So, how high are you now?
”
She erupts in laughter, protesting,
“
I
’
m not high Lil!
”
As she calms herself down, she says,
sadder,
“
I didn
’
t
know
one could
be so elated and so upset at the same time Lil. When I left Sydney, I was sad
because of E, but I was so happy because I knew I would be with Julian
…
I wanted to surprise him for his birthday
with my return as a gift, as a start of our new life
…
Well, the joke was on me!
”
she wails.
“
Look, you are angry, -I really wonder what
the fuck that man was thinking! -, but eventually, you
’
ll have to talk to him and I won
’
t even mention when E. hears about this
…”
my voice trails off, my meaning needing
no extra words.
“
I
’
m not angry Lil, really I
’
m not. Disappointed surely, a little bit
irritated, but I
’
m all talked out, so if it
’
s all the same
…”
she replies softly.
She looks pensive, a finger drawing
circles on the rim of the glass.
“
Vi? What are you thinking?
”
I asked as I can see the frown on her
forehead.
“
I
’
m thinking, maybe I should have stayed in
Sydney with E.
”
she chuckles,
”
You know Lil, there
’
s nothing sexier on this planet than a
committed husband, and E. looks the part right about now. When I was pregnant
with Luca, he was great to me
…
and truth be told I couldn
’
t get enough of him
…
and the past few weeks we just spent
together were
…”
As she notices the utter shock on my face,
she stops talking, and then says,
“
What? Lil, it
’
s E., you
’
ve got to admit the man is fine as hell!
“
licking her lips, making an moaning appreciative
noise, she takes another sip.
She grins further as my eyes widen even
more, but holds her hand up as I open my mouth, and says,
”
Never mind Lil. I am here, and E. and I
said our goodbyes
…
I don
’
t know what I
’
m saying
…”
She drinks the last of her wine.
Looking straight at her, I say,
”
Vi, seriously though, will you go back to
Ethan if Julian keeps being an ass?
”
She smiles, and surprises me with her
answer, when she declares,
“
That
’
s the thing Lil, neither of them can see, there is a 3
rd
,
and 4
th
and a 5th choice here! I don
’
t have to be involved with either of them,
have either of them in my life, baby notwithstanding.
”
“
Give it some time.
”
I say softly, hoping she will.
“
Been there, done that. I, better than
anyone, know there are wounds time can
’
t heal. Don
’
t tell me about time, Lil.
”
she says in a tight voice, her eyes,
glowing.
“
So, what will you do then?
”
I ask, because I know she
’
s right.
“
I don
’
t care we technically weren
’
t together. While I was saying goodbye to
E. as he basically forced me to, - which incidentally was one of the hardest
thing I ever had to do -, the bastard was entertaining his dick in Palmers
sauce. And now, he claims his love for me!
”
“
Doesn
’
t he
know you can
’
t have love without trust? And I don
’
t trust him! I trust E. more than I trust
Julian! That
’
s saying something!
”
I don
’
t answer because I kind of feel the same
at this point.
As she look at her empty glass, she says,
virulently,
“
Fuck that Lil, I just want to be left
alone. I was fine on my own, without any man to distract me, to make me feel
…
to break my heart
…
to get me pregnant
…”
I raise my eyebrows.
Vic doesn
’
t like being alone
.
Never has. Which is not to say she
doesn
’
t
do it well. Very well.
“
There
’
s nothing between us, not anymore. He can
bounce back and forth between whomever he wants, this woman right here is
removing herself from the equation. Permanently.
”
She concludes.
“
Vi, aren
’
t you a bit harsh? You are bearing his
child
…”
I try to
temper a decision I think she
’
ll regret.
“
No Lil, I
’
m not. He can have visitation rights to
the baby, just not to me.
”
She takes a swig at her Voss water and
states,
“
I want to go home.
”
“
Home?
”
I ask, puzzled.
“
Yes, home. I
’
m not going to let them try to weasel their
way back into my life at all costs, I deserve better. I
’
m spending some time with you, then, I am
going home Lil.
”
((~~!~~))
Lily and Ethan
Vi has gone to bed, while I
’
m still perusing some patients
’
files. When the home line rings, I pick up
without thinking, because I think it
’
s the hospital; only a few people have
this number, and who else is going to call me at 4:35 AM?
“
Is she with you?
”
he asks before any greeting.
“
Hello to you too Ethan!
”
I say, and answer,
”
And yes, she is with me. I assume, you
’
ve been apprised of the latest
developments, hence your call?
”
“
Yes, he called me in the middle of the
night! He
’
s a fuck-wit for letting this happen at
his own party
…”
he
snorts,
“
Anyway, I
’
m worried about her
…
I rang, her phone was on voicemail...
”
his voice trails away.
“
She is pissed Ethan.
”
she laughs.
“
Well, I am just glad she is with you. How
is she? How is the baby?
”
he asks, concerned.
“
She is fine. Upset, but nothing that hot
chocolate and a few days with me won
’
t fix.
”
He remains silent, so she asks,
“
What are you thinking Ethan?
”
“
Lily, I
’
m thinking, I should fly over, take care
of her
…
If this thing with Julian isn
’
t panning out, then someone needs to step
up and be there, I told her I
…
-
”
he declares, his tone driven.
I interrupt him,
“
Ethan, hold your horses, this just
happened! I don
’
t think it
’
s a good idea for you to come here, not a
good idea at all. That will be additional stress added to a situation that is
already borderline
…”
“
You
’
re right.
“
he quickly relents,
”
Now, is not the time to have her stressed
out
…”
he seems
to have another thought, and asks,
”…
but Lily?
”
“
Yes?
”
she wonders what else he
’
s going to come up with.
Say what you want Ethan is always driven
as far as Vi is concerned.
“
She
’
s on the second trimester, another couple
of weeks, and soon she will not be able to fly. Are you keeping her in Boston
with you or, will she return to LA? All this time in the air can
’
t be good
…”
She is surprised he
’
s already thinking of this. He always was
attentive when she was pregnant with Luca.
“
I
’
ll keep her here for as long as I can
Ethan. I am concerned too.
”
she replies gently.
They remain silent, each thinking about
her, until he says,
“
Ok, well, please let me know if there
’
s anything
…
and tell her, I
’
ll call her in a few days.
”
“
Will do, and Ethan?
”
“
Yes?
”
“
Thanks for calling. I
’
m glad things are better
…
between the two of you.
”
she ends the call, thinking, maybe Vi is
right: there
’
s nothing sexier than a man genuinely
concerned with your well-being.
((~~!~~))
Ethan and Julian
“
She is in Boston. At her best
’
s friend. Lily. Here
’
s the address,
”
he says.
Then adds, seriously,
“
You better take that James guy or someone
else she
’
ll trust with you. Just don
’
t go there alone, or she
’
ll have you for breakfast!
”