Chapter 20
A New Friend
Savannah
“Thanks for meeting me. You don’t know how much this means.” Savannah raised tired eyes from the cup of tea Katelyn served her. Her eyes swept over the huge living room, barely taking in all the designer furniture and expensive touches. There wasn’t a toy in sight. Everything was so neat and put together. She blinked and the room swam behind unshed tears.
I can’t cry again. All I do is cry.
She’d spent a miserable night and by morning, she knew she needed a friend. She’d texted Katelyn and she’d been happy to move her schedule around. She said it was one of the perks of running her own design business was that she set her own hours.
“We have lots of time,” Katelyn said gently from beside her on the couch. She sipped at her tea, something minty scented, probably because she wasn’t feeling well again. “Isabella is at preschool and Kian is at the shop. No one is going to disturb us.”
“Thanks,” Savannah mumbled. She raised her tea to her lips and sipped without tasting anything. It was hot, but not hot enough to scald her mouth. Her eyes blurred again and she sniffed. She wished she had the token box of tissues in front of her on the coffee table.
Katelyn set her mug down and stared at Katelyn, worry evident on her face. She was dressed nice, as though she was just about to step out to an appointment. Her hair was beautiful, naturally light. It was twirled into a loose bun at the back of her head with tendrils that hung down to frame her face.
“Are you alright?” Katelyn asked the question with uncertainty. She leaned forward, her entire body a picture of motherly concern. She’d do just fine when she had her baby.
“I don’t even know,” Savannah answered, too honestly.
“What happened? Was it something with Mike?”
“Did Kian say something?”
Katelyn blinked in confusion. “No. Why?”
Savannah inhaled deeply, but the sound wavered, somewhere between a sob and a hiccup. It was pretty obvious that it could only be something with Mike. She nodded.
“I… I went over to his house last night. It was supposed to be the first night he had Carter by himself. I was so excited for it. I spent all day getting ready, I mean, packing up Carter’s diaper bag and toys and making sure he slept so he wouldn’t be grouchy. When I got there, it was weird. There was a woman there. They were talking outside on the doorstep. I just got a bad feeling about it right away. I saw her kiss him.”
“What?” Shock rippled over Katelyn’s face.
“Yes. She was there and then she leaned in and kissed him. He made a big production about pushing her away and coming to talk to me, since I was right there. It was just so weird. I didn’t know what to do so I got in the car and left.”
“He didn’t say anything?”
“He said it wasn’t what it looked like or something stupid. Clearly of course it was what it looked like. People don’t just come up to you and kiss you for no reason. He knew I was there. They both did and they did it anyway, like they wanted to hurt me.”
Katelyn sighed. She reached for her tea, but didn’t drink it. “I don’t know Mike well, but I do know Kian likes and trusts him. They’re good friends and that’s a big thing for Kian. He doesn’t trust people easily or lightly.”
Savannah knew it was true. Kian had a hard past. One she didn’t fully know about, but she knew enough to know that what Katelyn said hit the mark dead on.
“It just doesn’t make sense. We were doing so good. We hadn’t talked about the future, really, but it felt like we didn’t need to. I just wanted to feel everything and try not to be afraid. The first time we were together, I knew I loved Mike and that scared me so badly that I left. I wanted this time to be different. I know it’s different. It’s been… uh- amazing between us, but I always thought that meant we were exclusive.”
“It just seems really strange. You said they both knew you were there. Do you think that woman could have been someone from his past, someone who didn’t like how things ended? Someone who was jealous or- I don’t know. She could have showed up there with the plan to cause a scene, just to make you upset.”
“Why would someone do that?”
“I have no idea. It’s possible though, because it’s just too weird. Does Mike seem like the kind of person who would stand outside kissing someone? Just in general?”
“No. Not really. He’s shy. He’s not showy either. He saves that stuff for when no one else is around.”
“Okay, well it seems more likely that this person showed up when she knew you’d be there, just to cause a problem between you and Mike, maybe even to try and break you up.”
“We- we haven’t even talked about being together really. I was just so worried that maybe he had someone on the side since I came out of nowhere. He said he’s always thought about me and I believed him, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t with someone else.”
“Does that seem like Mike?”
“No,” Savannah admitted. “He’s not a cheater, which is also why it doesn’t make sense.”
“Has he tried to call you?”
“Yes. A hundred times. I turned my phone off finally. It’s not the kind of conversation I want to have over the phone. I’m scared he’ll try coming to the house. I haven’t told my parents what happened. They don’t even know Mike and I don’t want them to think badly of him.”
“That’s very kind of you considering you’re upset.” Katelyn crossed and uncrossed her legs. Her dress pants didn’t lose their perfect ironed look. “So, what are you going to do? If he wants to talk and tell you what happened, would you believe him?”
“I don’t know. I guess it depends. I can tell when he’s lying to me.”
“Has he ever really lied to you?”
“No. But that’s why I could tell. I don’t think he’s been anything but honest with me. He’s told me things about his past that I didn’t even know. Things that were… painful for him to talk about and he trusted me.”
“I just think this whole thing is a misunderstanding meant to hurt you both. It certainly seems like someone was acting vindictive and maybe even a little crazy, if that’s the right word.”
“I don’t know. I guess whatever happens, I’ve just been trying to remember that we have Carter now and I’ve always promised myself that whatever happens between us, that he comes first. I don’t want him to grow up with parents who hate each other or parents who are always fighting. If Mike wants a relationship with Carter, then I want him to have one. He’s still his son even if we aren’t together. I want to be that person that takes the high road and tries to forgive Mike, even if I’m still angry and hurt. I know when you have a child there isn’t any room for error. None of this is Carter’s fault and I don’t want to do something that will make him feel like he has to pay for it.”
Katelyn clutched her hands in front of her lap. She stared at them for a long while before she turned to look at Savannah again. “That’s very wise. I think you’ve already figured everything out.”
She laughed a little and Katelyn smiled. “I don’t know. I don’t feel like I have anything figured out.”
“You do. You just have to trust yourself. You’ve sat here and instead of saying the hundred bad things I know you could say, you’ve said only things that are very perceptive and very true. I can tell just how much Mike means to you because even now, when you’re angry and when you’re hurt, you’re still trying to protect him in a way.”
“Am I?” Savannah hadn’t realized that’s what she’d been doing. “I’m just trying to be fair.”
“And that, I think, is the best thing you can be. You have every right to be upset and say all sorts of things you don’t mean or might regret later, but you haven’t. That to me, speaks volumes. I think you need to talk to Mike. Hear him out. I’m sure there is an explanation for what happened.”
“Honestly, I would be way more unfair at the moment, but I just can’t stop thinking about the way he looked when he was pleading with me not to leave. He wanted me to believe him. God, the look in his eyes was heartbreaking.”
“I don’t think Mike would do anything to hurt you and Carter. Like I said, I don’t know him, but Kian does and I trust my husband.”
“Yah…” Savannah reached for her tea and gulped it down. “I should get going. Thank you for having me. I really needed to talk to someone, even if it was just getting my own thoughts out of my head. Since I had Carter, I don’t have a lot of friends.” Her face heated, but Katelyn looked on with kindness.
“I know what you mean. Sometimes it’s hard to make friends, or at least, real ones. I went through some hard stuff in my own life and there was a time when I felt absolutely alone. I’m glad that you and I are friends. I’m glad that you thought of me.”
“Thank you for rearranging your whole day just to hear me out. It means a lot.”
Katelyn waved a hand in the air as though it was nothing. “No problem. I really hope everything works out for you.”
“Yah… me too.”
“Just stick to what you told me. Try and remember that no matter what happens, Mike is still someone who is going to be in your life.”
Savannah nodded. She rose and Katelyn saw her out. She gave her a tight hug which actually did make Savannah feel better.
Back in her car, she pulled out her phone and sent Mike a text. All she had to do was wait for him to respond. She hoped that what she said was true, that he would still be in her life in some way. She wanted to lie to herself and say it was just for Carter, because he needed a father, but she knew better. She needed Mike. She always had.