Tyler kept his promise, for a while.
But, then I got pregnant, and everything I’d thought would change, didn’t.
My man’s life was a continual night out. Like one big party. I had fun at first, trust me, they’d been the best times of my life so far, but now I was about to give birth and my partner was still working crazy night hours. The music pounded up through the floor from downstairs all night. I was restless, and the baby would be here before we knew it.
This wasn’t how I’d been raised, and I had no intentions of raising my child on the second floor of a nightclub filled with drunks and mamacitas. Okay, that was cold and heartless. I’d worked in the club and knew they weren’t awful people. There had to be a middle ground somewhere, though.
It was the middle of the night when I decided I’d had enough. Marching downstairs, I cornered Tyler in the employee room and threw a fit.
“Tyler, it’s three a.m. and you’re still down here with the fucking music so loud I can’t sleep. You’ll get home at five, when the sun is rising, like you usually do, but what about me? I’m exhausted and the baby hasn’t even been born yet. Are you sure you want this life with me, or do you prefer your club life? Tell me now, because I’m losing my mind upstairs. I’ve been crying all by myself for weeks and it’s gotten old.”
“Wait, what? Bekka? What’s going on?”
He seemed clueless what I was talking about, which only made me madder. Where was the Tyler I’d first met and fallen in love with? The one who always knew what was best for me? The man who used to care for me so much he’d thought I was a princess.
“Are you blind, Tyler?” The tears were back and I couldn’t get the words out without feeling pain in my throat. “I’ve been trying to talk you into viewing a nice house that’s on the same street as Nix and Levi. I’ve been wearing earplugs to bed for weeks and they don’t work. The music, the noise outside, everything is draining me and I… I just can’t do this anymore. I can’t.”
“What is that supposed to mean? You ‘can’t do this anymore’?”
It was clear my words were hitting him right where I wanted. Being subtle wasn’t working anymore. He needed straight up facts, and I had just shoved them right in his face.
“It means that I’m going to my parent’s place for a couple of days.”
“Hell, no.” His foot stomped the floor. “You aren’t. You’ll talk to me and we’ll fix this together.”
“Tyler, I don’t know what to say to you anymore. You’re in a bubble lately, lost in your own mind. I’ve tried talking to you numerous times but you don’t hear me anymore. It’s like, when it’s just us, you don’t want to be with me, but when we’re out with our friends, you’re the old Tyler again. It’s so confusing. I don’t know what I did wrong, but one thing I do know, I need sleep, and here, above the club, I’m not getting any.”
Falling further apart in front of him wasn’t an option, so I turned around and started walking toward the exit with my bag of clothes. Tyler would never let me reach the door I was sure, but when I got to the door, then opened it and stepped outside without being stopped, my heart broke. Tyler was letting me walk out of his life without a single word or a fight. He could be a hot-tempered and prideful man, I knew, but I never expected he could be this stubborn. Thinking I was going to be a single mom, Tyler’s action were pulling me deep into the darkness.
“Rebekka Fleischer, you aren’t leaving.” The music was silent now and the lights had been turned off. Keys jingled, followed by the click of a lock. “We’re going home.”
I spun around. “Don’t you get it? I don’t want to stay here, Tyler, because tomorrow, it’ll start over again. You’ll sleep part of the day, wake up and spend an hour or two with me, and then the whole night at the club. Look, I know the club is our main income, and a big part of your life, but this kind of lifestyle isn’t fit for me or a baby.”
“Bekky, please. We’ll go to a hotel for a couple of days, if you want. You’ll be able to sleep all night and day. I’ll take more days off. Let me make this right for you,” he begged, his eyes desperate as they searched my face.
“A couple of days won’t fix the issue, Tyler. A baby needs peace and calm, not a constant party below his bedroom. I’ve been telling you this for months, but you’ve refused to listen. So, I’m going. You stay here and do your thing, just like you’ve been doing lately,” I spat in his face while trying to unlock the door of his Porsche. “Don’t worry, you’ll get your baby, I mean your car back tomorrow. Now, I’m exhausted and I need to get going.”
To make my life even more miserable, my car had died last week, taking away my liberty. When shit hits the fan… well, the shit goes everywhere. Even where you don’t expect.
“For fuck sake, will you stop one minute? I can’t buy you the house of your dreams at four in the morning. Give me a few days to try and make you happy again.” His words trembled as they hit my ears. Ty looked so scared. “Please, baby, don’t go.”
“Right now, I just need a bed, and quiet, because I’m too tired to argue.”
“You will be in a bed within ten minutes, I promise.”
Too emotional to push our discussion further right now, I nodded and let him open the passenger door for me. I dropped into the seat with tears sliding down my cheeks. Tyler had the car going seconds later. He had nothing but the clothes on his back as we pulled away.
One hand on the steering wheel and the other one on my lap, he said, “I’m sorry, Bekky.” I stayed silent. “I’m scared I won’t be up to the challenge of being a good father.”
“Well, I can’t say you’ve even been a good boyfriend lately. I think it’s time you put on your man pants.” I wanted to add I’d reached my limit with him, but he should have gotten that hint already; it was clear.
“I will. I’ll fix everything in the morning.”
I wasn’t sure how, but at least Tyler seemed intent on doing something this time.
As promised, he checked us into one of the nicest hotels in Seattle, booking our room for three nights. My luggage in hand, Tyler led the way to the elevator and pressed the button for the fourth floor. The silence between us was starting to feel heavy on my shoulders.
Am I selfish for making him get a hotel room so I can sleep? Did I have a right to make my own personal comfort a priority? Regrets were already plaguing my mind, but I was on the verge of giving birth. Everyone kept telling me to save up my energy for the big day, right? Maybe I was hormonal.
“Our room is four twenty-five,” Tyler murmured as we stepped off the elevator.
We walked down the hall to the room, keeping a safe distance between us the whole way. He unlocked the door and held it for me then placed my bag on one of the couches.
“Get to bed. I’m going back home to get a few things and close up shop properly. I’ll be back in a bit.” He paused. “Will you be okay?”
“Yes. Don’t stay away for too long, okay?”
“I love you, and I’m sorry for what I’ve done.”
Please don’t cry, I begged myself. “I love you too, Tyler. I’m sorry if I’ve hurt you, but something had to be done.”
“I know, Bek, I know.” He kissed my forehead then left.
Standing alone in the hotel room, I now had the peace and quiet I’d wanted so bad… but at what cost to my relationship with Tyler? Grabbing a loose t-shirt from my luggage, I undressed and put it on. Tears were making my vision blurry but I didn’t want to cry. I rubbed my eyes and hurried to bed.
I will not cry.
No sooner had my head hit the pillow than I fell asleep. My body gave in and rested for all the nights where the noise had kept me up.
It was magical.
* * *
“Bekky, it’s three in the afternoon, and we have to head out by four. Wake up.”
“Why?” My voice was muffled by a yawn.
“Kyle is coming over. He’s going with us to visit that house on Levi’s street.”
My eyes flew open. “Wait, What?”
“You heard me.” Tyler chuckled. “It turns out the house does have good potential. I could see us living there with our family. Kyle knows a lot about this stuff, so he’s tagging along.”
Tossing the bed sheet back, I got up as fast as I could—which meant it wasn’t quick at all. With my pregnant belly, everything happened in slow motion. My whole life could fit in a Bay Watch reel right now.
“Let me take a quick shower to ensure me I’m not dreaming.”
“Babe, I can assure you, you’re not.”
Taking a minute, I looked at him. Dark circles, messy hair, cheeks covered in two days’ worth of old beard… none of this was a good sign. “Have you slept at all?”
He shook his head then shrugged. “I had a lot on my mind and just as much to do. I’m planning an early night.”
“Perfect for me.” That meant we could be in bed together—at the same time—cuddling included. Heaven.
Tyler blinked at me, long and seductive, like in our early days. I’d tried staying away from him then, but never could. The attraction between us had been too damn strong. It still was.
Excitement over seeing the house powered me through my shower. This could be where we raised our child. Nix and I would be within walking distance for visits. Later on, our kids could play together, like we had back in the day.
I was beyond thrilled at the possibilities.
Out of the shower minutes later, I dug my comfortable pregnancy clothes out and wrestled them on. Being pregnant was fun, but the third semester was proving harder than the first two had been. Running out of breath had become a constant issue, and dealing with clothes was exhausting. I huffed out a breath and waddled over to Tyler.
“Okay, I’m ready.”
“You hair is still wet and it’s cold outside today. Here, I’ll help you.”
Tyler went to the bathroom, and I followed. Plugging in the blow dryer, he grabbed my hairbrush and untangled the tips of my hair. “This’ll take five minutes and then we can go. Can’t have my girl getting sick.”
He proceeded to dry my hair. My dark and mysterious man had always loved my hair. Tyler claimed he liked brushing it or trying to braid it. Sometimes, at night, we laid down on the couch and he played with it. A simple activity, it always relaxed us both.
“Okay, now we’re good to go.”
Sweet music played in the car, and I wiggled in my seat, feeling more energetic than I had in a long time. It must’ve been the uninterrupted stretch of sleep I’d gotten. Bubbling with anticipation, I tried to control my emotions. After all, a few hours ago, I’d been planning on running to my parents’ house for a break. Last night, I’d been selfish, but I had talked to him so many times, and he’d had yet to do anything regarding my needs, or those of our unborn child. I was raised in a beautiful, quiet home, and wanted the same for my family. Was that too much to ask? It wasn’t sane to live over a club with a baby. Is it so wrong of me to think so? I didn’t think so, but still felt a little bad that Tyler was taking action because I’d forced him into a corner.
“And… we’re here!” Tyler parked the Porsche then helped me out. Kyle’s car was already here, plus one more, which I assumed belonged to the real estate agent. “Can I ask a favor, babe? Please let Kyle and me handle the real estate agent. They can be pushy sometimes, and I don’t want to be pressured to buy the house if it has problems or won’t fit our needs.”
There was nothing I wouldn’t like about this house; I already knew from studying the pictures of it I’d saved on my phone. It was gorgeous. Still, I agreed to his request.
Kyle opened up the door when we stepped on the porch and greeted us, “We have the house to ourselves. The agent is waiting outside, so, no pressure.”
With a nod, and a huge grin, I walked into the house I hoped to call mine. Right off, I noticed a difference from the pictures I’d gotten to know so well. In fact, it looked nothing like those. They had changed the paint color on the walls and the floors looked new.
“It’s been renovated. Maybe they invested in the house because it wasn’t selling?” I wondered out loud.
“They did. It looks a lot better now,” Tyler said and proceeded to inspect the windows, floors, and plumbing with Kyle.
They were checking the technical stuff while my eyes were glued to the other aesthetic upgrades the owner had done. It was even more gorgeous than before, true, but one issue stood out. I liked to watch renovation shows on TV and, to me, it looked like this house had been “flipped.” In addition to the fresh paint, furniture had been arranged to give more life to the house, the windows sported new, modern treatments, and faucets and drawer pulls had been replaced in the kitchen and bathrooms. Now, I wasn’t so sure buying remained a possibility. They had done too much for the house to still be affordable. Tyler made good enough money, but I wasn’t making much, and what I was making, he was paying me. Tyler had put me in charge of accounting, because I liked to play with numbers, but I no longer worked the bar which meant the days of generous tips were gone. After the baby was born, my plan was to find a good job with my communication degree. It would all work out in time.
Disheartened, I lowered myself onto the couch in the living room and took a heavy breath. My interest in the house had evaporated to the point I didn’t even want to bother with the second floor. “Can we go now?”
Both men stopped talking, and looked at me.
“Why? What’s wrong?” Ty rushed over to me.
“This house isn’t ours, Tyler. Can we go back to the hotel?”
Both of their faces dropped. “I thought this was the house you wanted,” Kyle said, and he was right. I did want it.
We don’t always get the things we want.
“They remodeled the whole thing. The price has to have doubled, or worse, tripled. We can’t afford that.”
Tyler was quiet for a moment, then said, “Why don’t we go check out the second floor? If we don’t see the entire house, we’ll never know if the price is worth it or not.” He reached for my hand. “Come on, babe. I’ll drive you back to the hotel after we finish looking.”
Holding back my tears of disappointment turned out to be too hard for me, and I started weeping. I was a pregnant, hormonal woman having a mental crisis, and Tyler, well, he was so damn sweet. “Fine, we’ll go look, but I’m still sure it’s out of our budget.”
“Let me deal with that type of stuff, okay?”
I nodded, and Tyler helped me up. My belly had gotten so big I couldn’t get up from the couch by myself anymore; it was embarrassing. Taking one stair at a time, I made my way up to the second floor. Of course, it was as stunning as the downstairs, and my heart sank further.
“There should be three bedrooms and two bathrooms up here,” Kyle read from a description sheet.
“I know. One bath is attached to the master bedroom, and the other is between the two smaller bedrooms,” I answered and stepped into the master.
The bedroom had everything needed for using the space except for the bed, which stumped me. There were two dark, wooden night stands with lamps sitting on one them and two matching dressers. It looked like good quality furniture.
“With everything else in place, why would they leave the bed out of the staging?”
“No clue. It does look kind of strange, doesn’t it?” Tyler laughed. “I’ll ask the agent about it if you want.”
In the middle of the room, on the polished wooden floor, was a large, white rug made of fluffy fabric. Walking over and crouching down to touch it, I’m amazed how soft it is. “I love the carpet, though. I can envision a bed right here. It would look great.”
The second bedroom, while all cleaned up, was empty. It did little to get my imagination going, and I said as much.
“This one is kind of boring. I hope the third bedroom looks better, otherwise I’m sticking to my guns that this is all too expensive.” Of course, I could talk until I was blue in the face because Tyler would have the last word since he’d be paying for most of it. While I hated the feeling of depending on him so much, at the moment, I didn’t have much choice.
Kyle announced he was going to go check out the second bathroom so Tyler led me to the last bedroom where he gave me a small kiss before pushing the door open.
A pale yellow paint covered the walls, the same color I’d picked for the baby’s room. Broadening my gaze to take in all of the room, realization started to creep in when I recognized the nursery furniture I’d chosen online.
“Tyler?”
“Yeah?”
I’d started to feel weak and my legs were about to give in. “What does this mean?”
“It means the house is ours, Bekka. I’ve been trying to work on it for the past month as a surprise for you. It’s almost ready.”
“Oh, Tyler.” Even my immense joy couldn’t overshadow how bad I felt now, for what I’d done to him. “I’m so sorry about last night.”
“Don’t be. You were right. I didn’t listen to you. Yes, I wanted to keep the house a surprise, but in doing that, I neglected you. That wasn’t okay. I’ve hired professionals to help finish, but for the next few days, you and I will be staying at the hotel. If you don’t mind, that is?”
“Are you kidding me?” Laughing and sobbing at the same time, I was a mess. “Thank you. It’s perfect.”
“It’s a nice house with a solid build. I changed a couple things, because it was obligatory under the financing contract, but soon, it’ll be ready for you, me, and the baby. You’ll have to thank Kyle, because he helped a lot. Oh, and Levi, too.”
Kyle had caught up to us by then, and I hugged him. “Thank you, K.”
“Jesus Christ, girl, that baby can stop growing now. You’re gonna pop.” Everyone laughed.
“I wish, but at least it means the baby is healthy.”
It had been a long night and a wild morning. After the big surprise, my heart was palpitating, so I sat in the rocking chair in the nursery and tried to calm down.
We have a home. It was hard to believe even when I was sitting inside one of the rooms.
“Am I dreaming?” Pinching my arm told me I wasn’t dreaming at all. My dream had become a reality. All those nights where I’d wished to get something to call our own, I never expected such a precious gift from my man. I’d have to add mischievous to his mysterious and dark.
“No, Bekka, you aren’t dreaming. I take it you’re happy?”
“I am, but I’ll never forgive myself for putting you in that situation. I was ready to leave everything we had when all you were doing was putting extra hours into our future.”
“I was never mad at you, you’re forgiven already.” He leaned down to kiss me. We kissed for a long time. “I can’t wait to christen every room in this house. Our house.”
“I think if we have sex, it’s going to put me into labor. Not that I would mind. The doctor said the baby is already seven pounds.” I couldn’t get my head around the fact that a seven or eight-pound human would be going through that part of my body. It didn’t seem possible.
“You’re going to be all right. You are strong, and you’ve been exercising every day during the pregnancy, so that will help. Tiff said so.”
Tiff had put together exercise routines for me to follow during my pregnancy and after. Most days I did it, and my body felt pretty great—if I ignored the heartburn, swelling, and constant need to pee. After the baby was born, a new routine was on the schedule. I had no intention of keeping this baby fat. It would take time, of course, I knew that. The weight wouldn’t go away in a week. Besides, my love for food would never allow me to starve myself to death.
Being pregnant had come with cravings. Nothing too weird, but I liked salty things now, and the occasional pickle, rather than my usual preference for sweet treats. My current favorite snack was vinegar and salt chips.
“Do we have snacks here?” I hadn’t eaten yet today in the rush to see the house, and my stomach was reminding me of that fact.
“No, we don’t, but we can go get something to eat.”
Glancing around the nursery, I didn’t want to leave yet. “Can we invite our friends over for dinner?” I asked my man. “I love the idea of it! All of our friends here, for a last dinner without babies around.” It sounded like the perfect plan.
“Sorry, but we can’t yet. The pipes aren’t functioning in the kitchen, and we’re missing a table and chairs. I did plan an evening of fun for you tomorrow night, though.”
“You did?” I got up to join him in standing by the crib, and was surprised how easy I stood. “Why are you doing all of this, Ty?”
“Because you and the baby are worth it. I want you two to be happy, safe, and comfortable. The club is fun and entertaining, and while the result of many years of hard work for me, my family, my child, should have their own space far from the late night partying. Sorry I didn’t see it that way at first, but you were right. Of course.”
Which I knew.
What Tyler had said showed how good of a man he was, though. He always had been. My lack of sleep had put my mind in a dark place, and I’d almost given up on the one person who would never give up on me. Not in millions of years. One moment of extreme exhaustion and panic had almost broken everything between us, and it was hard not to hate myself for that.
“You’ve spoiled me big time. I’ll never be able to say thanks enough.” Unable to stop smiling, I leaned closer to kiss him. The feel of his warm lips touching mine was magical. Especially now. In our new home.
Quick-kissing me one more time, Tyler pulled back grinning. “There’s one more surprise.”
“What else could you possibly give me right now?” I asked laughing.
“That car in the driveway? It’s for you. A safe car, big enough for all three of us. The Porsche won’t be very practical with a baby, so we needed a family car.” Each word was punctuated by a kiss. The action added a lot of romance but made it hard to take it all in.
A car? Did he say he got us a car? On top of getting a beautiful home, we had a new car. Oh, my god! I didn’t care what type of car it was, or the color, what mattered was that’d he’d gotten it for us. Tyler had thought of everything.
“Thank you,” I whispered. My voice wouldn’t come out, struggling as I was with my emotions. “Thank you, babe,” I tried again, and it came out louder.
Ty suggested we walk around the house together again, this time to talk about the things I wanted or disliked. Everything about the house made me smile, but it did lack the personal touches which represented us. We would need to add more life to the house. I had no clue how Tyler had done it, but my tastes were reflected throughout the house in every wall color, or most of them, and upgrade he had done.
Tyler was my king, and I sure as hell was his queen. Forever and ever. And now, we had our castle.
Maybe it was a small castle, but the size didn’t matter. We could build a life here with our child. Who knew, maybe other children, too, or a cat or dog, perhaps a fish? One thing was certain, this house was ours for many years to come, and I couldn’t wait to move in.
A new life awaited.