Unexpected (The Unexpected Series) (18 page)

I
t’s been three weeks since I gave all of my love and trust to Walker and we are, yet again, walking into the school with all eyes on us. You would think that after the hallway display four weeks ago that the parents and students would stop making Walker and me the topic of their gossip. Walker can just let it roll off his back but he is getting increasingly annoyed with how much I’m letting it bother me. No one can seem to get over the fact that a teacher, who they all knew to be happily attached to a man named Robert, was now knocked up by a new, younger teacher, who just so happens to work in the same department.

My hands feel clammy wrapped inside of Walker’s as we make our way into the brick building. I feel his fingers tightly grip mine and I look at his reassuring expression. “It’s fine, baby. You really need to stop caring so much about what others think or say.”

He tries to ease me a little bit, but I’ve heard what they are all saying behind our backs. Apparently, I was the one that hired Walker, and in order to get the job he had to sleep with me, and now his job won’t be secure unless he sees the pregnancy through and sticks with me. Another story is that I cheated on Robert with him, though his infidelity is what led me to meeting Walker. I’m also faking the pregnancy, or so a few students who didn’t hear me walk into the bathroom believe, from what their parents have told them.

Emma isn’t helping my nerves either. Any chance she gets she touches him or laughs at something he says, pushing her most likely fake breasts into his line of vision. I’m starting to feel enormous and she looks skinnier than ever. He doesn’t lead her on but I’m still pissed.

Every day we walk hand in hand to show a united front, but as soon as we enter my classroom I drop his hold and stomp my way to my desk, tossing my bag across it with a thud.

“My God that is so embarrassing,” I huff out, turning to find a look of annoyance spread across his face.

“What’s embarrassing, Erin?” He grinds out through his clenched teeth.

Looking at him in disbelief I motion to the door. “That. People staring at us and talking about us like we can’t hear them! When is it going to stop?”

I don’t have time to even see him coming but he is there, nose to nose with me, instantly.

“What are you embarrassed about, Erin? Me? The baby? What? Because me....I’m relieved that they all know that you are both MINE. Why can’t you just let it go?” He seethes and then turns to leave.

“Because I can’t, ok? I just want them all to stop!”

“I don’t want to deal with this again. It’s not going to stop and I’m starting to get frustrated so I’m just going to go.”

Before I can get his name out of my mouth he is gone. Picking my bag back up, I start to unpack it. My students start to file in. I feel terrible, and know I have to make it up to him. I just don’t know how.

Three classes later and I’m feeling pretty crappy about myself. I should have gone after him and apologized. I don’t know how I would feel if Walker said he was embarrassed about people talking about or staring at us. I don’t know if he realizes I didn’t mean it how he thought, but either way I need to tell him I’m sorry.

Running to the teacher’s lounge to grab a cup of decaf, I stop just inside the doorway, catching Emma with her gaudy claws on Walker’s bicep. His back is to me and even though she is facing me, she is obviously distracted because she doesn’t see me.

“Walker, I don’t understand. I would never be mortified to have you on my arm even if you are way younger than me.” Her aggravating voice filters through the air and all the blood rushes to my face.

As I quickly whirl around to leave I get dizzy and grab onto the door frame for support.

He told her what happened? Emma out of all people? She would use anything she can to get what she wants and I know, from the lady boner she walks around with when he is near, that she wants him. I don’t know what I hate most...that he talked to her about it or that he didn’t come back and talk to me.

Knowing I’m now going to be late for my fourth period class, I get my bearings and walk away seething with every step.

I manage to avoid Walker the rest of the day but since he is upset with me as well, I don’t think he notices. I scurry out to my car thanking God I drove myself. Noelle is still complaining I spend too much time with Walker, and to soothe her a bit I’m having girl time dinner with her while he is meeting some friends. I leave before he does, grateful that I won’t have to face him until later tonight.

~~

“E
rin, seriously. I get that your hormones have you crazy but if I have to Lysol our couch one more time because you and Double T can’t make it to the bedroom, I’m going to kick you out. Why can’t you spread your love juice on his couch?” Noelle, not so discretely, asks me in the middle of our favorite Mexican restaurant.

When I met her at her office I kept what happened today pretty quiet. I’m not sure I’m ready for her to know. She hates Emma just as much as I do but I want to figure out what to do on my own without any outside influence. With that said, she decides that the topic of conversation should be my extremely active libido. For the past three weeks I can’t get enough of him. We walk in the door and I have to have him then and there, but afterwards we always end up cuddled under my blanket in my room talking. We’re still in the honeymoon stage where we are getting to know one another. That stage might be ending very soon after what occurred earlier in the day.

“Can you lower your voice Noe and what is Double T?” I ask before grabbing a salsa filled chip and shoving it into my mouth.

“Thunder Tongue.” The nonchalant way she says it has my mouth gaping open. “Seriously Erin. Close your mouth. I don’t want to see where you store his cock.”

“NOELLE!” I yell a little too loudly and giggle. I don’t think her brain to mouth filter is working lately. Ok, well, ever. “Keep it down.”

“Why should I when you don’t? ‘Oh Walker do me now. Our daughter wants you to poke her in the head with that huge dick of yours.’”

I am mortified. Looking around I see business men but no children. Thanking God I don’t have to apologize to pissed off parents, I gaze farther across the restaurant and my heart starts racing as I see Anna sitting alone at a table.

“Oh my God, Noelle. Anna is here,” I say while placing my hand over my eyebrows hoping she doesn’t see me.

“That bitch that Robert cheated with? Where?” Noelle’s voice reaches an octave higher than usual.

Trying to discreetly point over my shoulder in Anna’s direction I realize that this won’t go down quietly. Noelle won’t stand back when the opportunity presents itself to confront the trash before us. She shoots straight up out of our booth with her eyes zeroed in on her target. I’m trying to figure out how much bail money I’ll need to take out from my savings account, when she immediately sits back down with fear in her eyes.

“What?” I ask turning to see what has her in panic mode. Before I can make it all the way around her hand is on mine, causing me to whip back to face her.

“Erin. Uhm, before you look, I just want you to know that I can take them both. You don’t need to be fighting while you’re pregnant.” Her wide eyes are scaring me.

Her hands tremble and my body starts to imitate them. Dread consumes me knowing that most likely when I turn around I will find Robert with her. My stomach is queasy and I just want to get the hell out of there. I’m not ready to face him and I surely don’t want to see him with her again. The images of them the last time I saw him flash before me. The betrayal stings, but a quick caress of my belly and I know I wouldn’t have my daughter or Walker if he didn’t.

I motion for the waitress to bring our bill and tell Noelle that it’s time to go. My curiosity gets the better of me and I stand up and face the windows where Anna sits, but I don’t find her with Robert. No. It’s much worse. What I find is Anna’s hands on either side of Walker’s face, smiling wide. His hands are lovingly holding her around her back. The nausea I felt minutes before returns and I have to sit.

“I’m so sorry Erin. I didn’t want you to see that. I was going to tell you...”

My hand flies up to stop her from finishing. I know she would have told me eventually, but her keeping it from me at the moment pales in comparison to what I just saw. Even Emma’s touches and his divulging information to her is just a blip on the radar of my anger.

Screw this.

Practically mowing over the server, I barrel towards the woman who has caused me way too much heartache so I can rip her arms off her body. Thoughts of having my baby in jail run through my head as I imagine her blood sprayed all over the floor. And Walker? Well by the time I am done with him, he won’t be able to have the three other children he so desires.

With Noelle flanking me we must come into their peripheral view because two sets of eyes come into contact with my livid ones. They separate from one another and I zero in on Anna.

“You fucking bitch!” I scream as loud as my voice will go, hoping there really aren’t any kids around. “One wasn’t enough? You had to go for two? Can’t keep your fucking hands to yourself?”

“Erin!” Walker’s deep voice radiates through my body as he tries to grab a hold of my arm.

“Don’t touch her Walker.” Noelle's warning comes from behind me.

“And you!” I shove my index finger into his chest. “You told me you were nothing like Robert and here I find you with your hands all over the same fucking woman! So much for going out with your friends, huh?”

“What are you talking about?” His tone is confused and he gestures over to a table of guys. “I am out with my friends, Erin.”

I quickly glance at the two men staring at the show in front of them.

“What am I talking about? I’m talking about you screwing around on me.” I direct my finger in a pointing gesture towards Anna. “First she fucks Robert and now you! Do you just go around collecting his sloppy seconds? Jesus, I thought you confiding in Emma was bad but this? This is bullshit.”

His eyes go wide looking from me and then to Anna and then back to me.

“Shut up Erin,” Anna finally chimes in. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“Oh, I don’t huh? I catch you in my boyfriend’s apartment and in my boyfriend’s bed taking it from behind and now I see you with your disgusting hands all over my new boyfriend. Who else have you fucked? Maybe I should give your husband a call. Let him know he should get tested, you skank!”

“No need,” an unfamiliar voice speaks out from behind me. “I can hear it perfectly fine from right here.”

“Oh shit,” Noelle says griping me by my upper arm.

“Erin,” Walker quietly calls my name. “This is my cousin Anna...and this is her husband Bruce. I was here drinking beers with the boys and saw Anna. I haven’t seen her in a while.”

“Cousin?” I ask making sure I heard him right.

He nods. “Yes, cousin.”

The entire restaurant is silent as the soap opera unfolds before them. A furious pregnant woman accusing her boyfriend of sleeping with his cousin? Yea, we’ll be on Springer in no time.

Reality sets in as I put pieces together. I just caused a scene in one of my favorite restaurants, used foul language, accused Walker of something he didn’t do, and called Anna out in front of her husband. The last part doesn’t bother me as much as the rest, but the situation kinda sucks.

“Let’s go Erin.” Noelle tries to pull me towards the exit.

“Cousin?” I ask again hoping it’s still true but feeling so fucking stupid.

“Yes, Erin! My cousin...,” Walker says.

“And her soon to be ex husband,” Bruce calmly proclaims before turning to leave the group.

Anna calls out, running to keep up with him.

“Oh my God. I’m so sorry,” I say, allowing Noelle to take me this time, leaving Walker staring after us, not bothering to follow.

The car ride is silent and Noelle takes me straight home instead of returning to her office to retrieve my car.

I blew it. Walker is going to hate me. I didn’t trust him and to top it off I may have set off divorce proceedings. Bruce deserved to know, but it still saddens me that I’m the one who told him in a not so discreet way. I’m a terrible person.

I can’t believe Anna is his cousin.

I sit straight up in my seat. “Fuck!” I yell.

Noelle slams on the brakes. “What?”

“If Anna is Walker’s cousin that means she will be this baby’s second cousin.”

T
he next morning I feel like I drank a whole bottle of tequila despite going to bed early from exhaustion. My head is pounding and every time I woke up last night to use the bathroom I would feel as though I spun in a circle for five continuous minutes. Deciding that I not only needed a mental health day, but also a “don’t want to face Walker” day, I call in and arrange for a substitute for my classes.

My body feels heavy as I head to the bathroom for the tenth time in as many hours but stop halfway as my mother’s ringtone screams from the nightstand.

“Good morning, Erin.” Her singsong voice carries through the phone. “I wanted to catch you before work.”

“I’m not going to work mom. I feel awful.” I sigh just a bit too loudly. “I have a headache and I’m dizzy and I just feel like I need to rest. Did you need something?”