I just stared at Charles and then at Jen; wondering what he was doing here. I knew I was a few minutes late for the appointment but I thought Mike was supposed to bring her not that sleaze bag.
“Jen, can we talk?” I asked her and looked at Charles, “In PRIVATE.”
“Sure baby,” Jen smiled and looked at Charles and at the doctor, who I’m sure was feeling the tension. “Do you mind?”
“Not at all,” Charles said and handed Sara to Jen before he and the doctor quickly stepped out of the room. Once they were gone I sighed and sat down on the chair next to the examination table where Jen was lying.
“I thought Mike was bringing you,” I told her and took Sara from her. She shrugged and leaned her head back on the pillow.
“I was going to call but then Charles…” Jen began but I cut her off.
“You need to watch what you say around him Jen,” I said and looked her in the eye, “He likes to run his mouth off especially to Johnny and…”
“Is that why you hate him so much?” Jen asked and I could tell she was a bit hurt. I winced. “Because he admires our relationship so much?”
“Is that what he told you?” I asked and nearly choked. Wow, she really was delusional. I should ask the doctor to check her or something. “He does not admire OUR relationship at all baby. He told Johnny about the baby!”
“What?” Jen asked; I could tell this shocked her because we’d vowed not to tell our managers until we were sure this would go smoothly. “He didn’t. He wouldn’t!”
“He would and he did,” I told her and squeezed her hand; she pulled it away from he and sat up.
“You’re lying,” she whispered and I shook my head. I knew how much she liked Charles but the dude was a snake.
“Why would I lie to you Jen?” I asked her and she gave me a skeptical look. “Ok. So I know me and him haven’t been the best of buddies but this is not something I would lie about ok? Really.”
“I thought you would be different once we found out about this baby,” she snapped and glared at me. I was shocked, why was she so mad at me? “It turns out you aren’t.”
“Jen!” I protested but she shook her head at me and I knew what she was going to say.
“Just go J,” she said and turned away from me. I could hear the tears in her voice. “I’ll get Charles to drop me home.”
“Fine,” I snapped and stood up. “But Sara’s coming with me.”
“Now that’s going a bit too…” she began and I looked at her.
“No it’s not,” I said calmly and picked up Sara’s things. “She’s my daughter not his.”
By the time I got home I had stopped listening. Jen had decided to high tail it away from Charles and come home with me; trying to talk some sense into me. I couldn’t believe she had refused to listen to me!
“Are you listening to me J?” I looked up from my white shoes and stared at Trace who had been babbling in my ear ever since I walked into his door a few hours ago.
“Sorry no,” I sheepishly admitted. Trace sighed and rolled his eyes. “Was it important?”
“Important?” Trace asked and looked as if I was crazy. “Dude! I am trying to tell you what YOUR wife said to Sheila today and you’re spacing out on me?” He shook his head and took a sip of his drink. “She must not be that important to you.”
“What do you mean?” I asked angrily and stood up. I did not want to hear how pathetic I was especially from my best friend. I could not take another person I cared about hating me. “I do care about Jen.”
“Really? Is that why when I was trying to tell you about how she is falling for Charles you decide your shoes are more important?” He asked and eyed me suspiciously.
“SHE WHAT?” I yelled, I was sure my face was going red.
“She feels as if she’s falling for Charles,” Trace repeated calmly. “Because she feels you’re never there for her.”
“Never there for her?” I asked and found myself pacing the room. “Wasn’t I there for the ultrasound? I have always put her, Sara and the baby first!”
“Really?” Trace asked and stood up so he could be eye level with me. “Is that why you’ve been working 24/7?”
“I need to work 24/7!” I yelled and ran my hands through my hair; almost ripping out a few curls. “I have to support them!”
“Yes but support comes in many forms,” Trace replied and grasped my hands; slowly prying them away from my head. “Work is not the only form of support. You need to be there for her when she needs you. As in physically be there for her not by sending her a big ass check every week.”
“I don’t..” I began but Trace cut me off with a shake of his head.
“I know you don’t it’s just a figure of speech,” he explained. “Now go home ok? Go be with her. Take a few days off and spend some time with her and Sara.”
“But what about…” I started.
“I’ll talk to Johnny and explain the situation to him ok?” he said and looked me dead in the eye. “Don’t worry man I got your back.”
“Jen??” I called but there was no answer. I sighed angrily and ran up the stairs two at a time. “Jen?”
“Shh!” Jen stepped out of Sara’s room as soon as I got to the top of the stairs. I sighed with relief and jogged over to her. “I just put Sara to sleep.”
“Oh good,” I nodded and hugged her; I felt her pull away slightly and look up at me all confused. “Uh, we need to talk.”
“Ok,” she nodded as if she knew what I wanted to talk about. I gulped and took her hand, leading her towards our bedroom. This was going to be one long night.
Jen stormed out of the room and I let out a long sigh. That did not go as planned. After I told her about Johnny and his attitude towards the baby she just went crazy. Called me a liar and said I only was trying to cover up my lying ass.
It took me a few seconds to realize that she was really angry when I heard the front door slam; causing me to bolt out of bed and charge down the stairs. I swung the front door open and saw the sight I had dreaded to see. Jen’s black SUV pull out of the driveway and into the darkness of the night.
Incomplete
angel_from_africa is the author of 31 other stories.
meganj2007 is the author of 1 other stories.
This story is a favorite of 5 members. Members who liked Downgrade also liked 462 other stories.
meganj2007 is the author of 1 other stories.
This story is a favorite of 5 members. Members who liked Downgrade also liked 462 other stories.
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