The Unexpected Choice (8 page)

 

 

The weekend passed in a blur of sightseeing, hiking, and sex. If nothing else, Stacey had come to realize one very important thing during their time together thus far: Joey was a patient lover. Despite her inability to have an orgasm, everything Joey did felt amazing. But she suspected her lack of completion had more to do with their distant emotional connection. Not once had he said anything that rang true.

Sure, he'd poured it on thick with his fancy words and his fancy bedroom techniques, but when it all boiled down, all that was left between them was simply a shared childhood and a common goal: To provide a mother and father for his baby girl. But what happened when the baby realized her parents were a sham?

The more Stacey thought about it, the more she started to regret her rash decision. Overcompensating for her own loss when the baby would eventually know the real reasons behind their marriage made her worry the baby would grow to regret her and resent them together. And what if Cameron did straighten her life out and decide she wanted a go at her and Joey's relationship again? Stacey had no doubts Joey would divorce her as quickly as he'd married her.
The wistful look in his eye when he spoke of her made the truth reality.
What was it her mother had always said? Once a player always a player? Player was a good description for Joey's college days, and he'd been out of college all of eight weeks.

Stacey prayed for their marriage, for Cameron's health and determination, for the baby's health, and for Joey's peace of mind, whatever that meant in the long run. If Cameron made him happy, then he should be with Cameron.

But of course that brought to mind where it would leave her. She'd be emotionally attached to a child who wasn't hers, married to a man who didn't love her, and left in the same position she'd been in before they'd married.

Alone.

If there was one thing Stacey hated, it was being alone.

The following Monday came after their honeymoon, and waking up with Joey in her bed felt odd in her childhood home, almost like she was doing something wrong. What if Papa could see them from where he was? A blush heated her cheeks, and she was thankful Joey hadn't hinted at getting naked last night. Instead, they'd shared a quiet dinner with his parents at their house, and he'd gone to bed, rolling over and snoring softly within a few minutes. She knew she shouldn't feel cheated, and it would have felt awkward, but at the very least, he could have told her goodnight. But the honeymoon was over, literally and figuratively, and it was time to get down to business. Cameron was due to give birth in only a couple of weeks.

Stacey rose while Joey was in the shower and cooked him a simple breakfast of eggs and toast. She remembered from the younger years he liked scrambled eggs with a touch of mustard in them – weird, but hopefully still to his liking. She buttered the toast and put grape jelly on it. After pouring him some orange juice, she stood back and looked at the first meal she'd prepared for her husband.

Her shoulders sagged. It was pathetic. They'd been gone for a few days so she hadn't had a chance to get groceries like she usually did on Sunday after church. She'd have to make sure she went today so she could make a nice dinner for him to come home to.

Joey exited the bathroom with a towel hung low on his hips and using another towel to dry his hair. Little lines of water still clung to his chest, and she tried not to stare, but really. His body was one of a god, and for the time being, he was all hers.

Looking away quickly, she shoved her glasses up on her nose and sniffed. She didn't want to test the theory of how awkward it would feel to have sex in her childhood bed. Not yet. She'd have to mentally prepare for it.

“Wow, you cooked breakfast.” He eyed the plate and then her as he walked barefoot over to her and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. “Thank you. I usually just grab an apple or banana.”

Lurching toward the table, she stuttered, “I'm… s… sorry, Joey. I didn't know. I can eat it or just throw it away. I thought—”

Joey's warm fingers surrounded her wrists and tugged her close. “Stacey. It's great. Thank you.”

“Do you still like mustard in your eggs?” she asked weakly, hating how she felt in his presence.

“I love it.”

Something in his eyes gave her pause. He seemed to glow, his smile sweet instead of predatory. His eyes took her in, and a small grin graced the corners of his lips. “You're amazing.”

Stacey snorted a laugh. “Just eat.”

Pulling away from his embrace, she moved to the living room and grabbed her Bible. It had been a few days since she'd read anything, and she needed to freshen up on her husband and wife verses. Considering she'd never really felt like those would apply to her, she had to read up on her responsibilities to her new husband.

Husband.

The thought still brought a shiver to her spine. A good one.

A little while later, Joey walked into the living room, his hair still wet from his shower and his amazing cologne preceding him. He tightened his tie and shrugged on his coat. Once he settled, he came over and sat next to her.

“So, this weekend, I'm going to need to visit Cameron at the prison.”

Stacey found she couldn't move. She couldn't breathe or even process the statement. Why? Wouldn't the state notify him
when it was time to get the baby
? Why did he need to see her?

As if reading her mind, he said, “I know it's not the best timing, but I'd like to tell her I'm married now and make sure she knows you're going to be raising Rachel.”

“Rachel?” she squeaked.

“I thought we agreed on what we were going to name her.” Joey's eyes searched hers, but there were no emotions Stacey could place.

“We never agreed on anything.”

“I like that name, Stacey. I haven't seen her yet, but unless we both agree Rachel doesn't fit her, I think it'll be perfect.”

Stacey could feel a boundary around her heart settling in the cold corners. She didn't want him to do this to her.
He was going for an unnecessary visit to see the woman
he freely admitted to loving.

“You can do whatever you'd like, Joey. I'm sure Cameron would like to know, too.”

“Will you go with me?” he asked, taking her hand and kissing her fingertips.

She looked at him and frowned. “I don't think so, Joey. It's asking too much.”

“Why?”

“Because!” She stood and retreated to the corner of the room, a habit of hers when Joey made her uncomfortable. “I'm, like, the
other
woman. She'll hate me once she realizes my role and how actively I planned to take her child. I'd hate me, too.”

Joey stood and slowly sauntered toward her. “It's impossible to hate you, Stacey. I've spent my entire life knowing you and being your friend. I know Cameron well enough to know she might even be appreciative for what you've given up to help me take care of Rachel.”

Stacey's heart pounded. She didn't want to hear this. It was just flowery words meant to woo her and make her see things his way, but the fact was, he'd used her
,
and she'd let him. She was okay with it for now, but she wouldn't be a pushover.

“I won't go with you, Joey,” she said as she squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. This was something she felt pretty strongly about
,
and he wouldn't change her mind.

“I need you, Stacey. I don't think I can go by myself.”

Well, then. The answer was simple. “Then don't go.”

“I need to make sure she knows
she and I are
over.”

Stacey closed her eyes and
shook her head at his callousness. “And what better way than to bring your new wife with you to rub
it
in her face.”

“Stacey—”

“I'm not going with you. End of the discussion.” She slipped away from him and carefully locked herself inside the bathroom. A few moments later, she watched from the small window as he got in his car and drove away.

Reality was settling hard on top of her. What had she done?

****

Joey felt like crying. He wouldn't, of course, but if it had been any other place and any other time of day, he might have just decided to let go and let the tears fall. Stacey was killing him bit by bit. He was beginning to live for those rare smiles and even rarer displays of affection. It seemed the only place he could get those from her was in bed, and since coming home, things had shifted for him. Was it fair to have a sexual relationship with her when they both knew it wasn't for love?

He didn't hear her complaining, but she'd also gone to bed a half hour before him last night. She wasn't asleep when he came to bed, but she made no movement, like a stone statue, and he assumed she was off limits. He would give her time to get used to him being a part of her familiar surroundings. A novice he wasn't when it came to women, and he figured he'd know when she was ready to get back to the physical aspect of marriage.

Of course, the thought had crossed his mind that maybe she didn't like the physical side. There had certainly been no movement forward since their wedding night in the enjoyment department, but he wasn't a sore loser and he was determined. She'd given up so much for him he was pretty sure he at least owed her some good sex. They were married after all.

He drove to work silently, thinking of Stacey, trying to fight the constant nagging that he was missing something with her. But what?

His cell phone rang just as he pulled into the parking lot. He didn't recognize the number.

“This is Joseph McCrary,” he said as he gathered his things for work.

“Mr. McCrary, this is Warden Mitchell at the Prison. We have on record you'd like to be notified when prisoner Cameron Matheson goes into labor. She's being transported to University Hospital as we speak. At last check, her water had broken and she was about five centimeters dilated.”

Joey's heart constricted. He was about to become a father. Rachel would be here soon.

And once he told his boss what was going on, he'd be seeing Cameron for the first time since she told him he was going to be a daddy.

The thought scared him to death.

****

Stacey sat in the waiting room, fidgeting and pushing her glasses up on her nose in a nervous habit. Joey had been in the hospital room with Cameron ever since they'd arrived almost two hours ago. As usual, she sat alone, waiting for a crumb of information on whether or not her
husband
was a father.

Envisioning Joey as a father made her want to giggle. She knew he'd be amazing, but she could still remember him in the “all girls have cooties” phase. Funny how she'd been the only girl he'd still talked to during that time. Of course, by high school, he'd definitely grown out of it and moved on to greener pastures. Pastures where girls like her didn't graze.

But it was okay. Stacey had long accepted she was what many would call a nerd or a Jesus freak. She just wished she could be a little more for Joey because all of his friends would expect that when or if she ever met them. She tried not to feel sorry for herself, but it was next to impossible knowing her husband was with the love of his life, watching their child be born.

Suddenly the double doors in front of her swung open and Joey came rushing out, clad in scrubs and a facemask. “C'mon, Stacey! Cameron agreed for you to be in there, too! She's about to deliver!”

On instinct, and mainly for Joey, she rushed to him. He took her by the arm and practically dragged her down the sterile halls. As they slowed to a door with a prison guard outside, Stacey tried to take it all in.

It was too quiet. She wasn't sure what she'd expected, but calm wasn't it. She could sense Joey's excitement, but as she walked in, she never expected to see the mother-to-be, reclined with legs up, looking at her with sparkling blue eyes.

“You must be Stacey,” she said, extending a graceful hand as far as the handcuff would allow. Stacey awkwardly took it and squeezed gently. She had no idea what to say and couldn't think past the woman's beauty. Blonde hair she figured had once been long and beautiful flowed down to her shoulders but ended in a blunt and somewhat uneven cut. Those blue eyes sparkled with tears and her pink lips gave Stacey a brave smile.

“I hear you've done a great thing for Joe, here.”

Stacey simply stared.
Joe
?

“If you're going to raise my baby, I want you to be here, too.”

Stacey looked to Joey for help. She didn't want to say anything to upset her, nor did she want her to think she wouldn't be a good mother to Rachel.

Joey stepped in front of her and took Cameron's hand. The look on his face told of his undying love and devotion for the beautiful woman. Stacey felt like an intruder on their special moment.

“I don't think I should be in here,” Stacey murmured to Joey.

He turned distracted eyes on her and shook his head. “You need to stay.”

The hustle around her increased, and she found a safe corner out of everyone's way. A nurse prepped what appeared to be a baby bed with a heat light, and the bed Cameron
labored
on was broken down.

“Don't push just yet, Ms. Matheson.”

But even as he said the words, Cameron pushed, graceful even in pain, and the doctor rushed to finish putting on his gloves. “I think we're going to have a baby in a few more pushes!” he encouraged. They waited for the next contraction, and she pushed again.

All the while, Joey's eyes never left Cameron's face. He gently pushed her hair back from her sweaty face and mumbled, “Baby, you're doing a great job. You can do this. She's going to be so beautiful.”

Stacey allowed herself one selfish tear and then sat up straight, watching the miracle of birth. Would she ever be lying on a bed giving birth to a baby with a man who loved her so deeply? Would she ever experience the changes her body was made for?

After two more pushes, Rachel made a screaming debut into the world, none too happy about her cold new environment. She was immediately placed on Cameron's belly, and Joey cut the umbilical cord, just like any other happy father. The nurses and doctor rubbed her down to stimulate blood flow and clean
ed
her off, and then she was whisked away to the warmer where she was measured and footprinted.

Cameron and Joey never took their eyes off Rachel, and occasionally Joey would place a tender kiss on Cameron's temple. At one point, she smiled tiredly at him and placed her
free, uncuffed
palm on his cheek. Stacey
was
the intruder. She wasn't really sure why Joey had insisted on her being present, but now she knew it was a mistake.

Silently and unnoticed, she slipped outside and leaned against the wall outside. They needed their time alone to rejoice in their creation and not to feel guilty over their feelings. Cameron had made some bad decisions, but it didn't mean she was a bad person. If Joey loved her as much as it appeared he did, she couldn't be all bad
,
and Stacey couldn't hold his love for the other woman against him. She'd gone into this with both of her eyes open, and she refused to be hurt over it.

The last few days had gone by like a spinning top, and she wasn't even used to the ring on her finger, let alone the fact she played second fiddle to a beautiful prisoner. It was a place she'd learn to accept so she could experience motherhood, even if only until Cameron got out and came back for Joey and Rachel.

The lone tear she'd shed in the delivery room wasn't enough. She needed to let out her feelings or it would destroy her. Running to the nearest bathroom, she locked the door and let out her sobs, allowing her feelings to run their course so she could be stronger for Joey when the time came… and stronger for herself.

Yes, she'd always been the one who wasn't quite accepted, and her whole life she'd been okay with the stigma. Why did it have to change now? Why did a woman in handcuffs have to bring her to her knees, quite literally, for her to finally realize she'd made a huge mistake when she married Joey?