Chapter Eighteen
Brianne
Two weeks have gone by, and they have been two of the worst weeks of my life. I’ve had to deal with the fact that Sabrina is also pregnant along with having people stare at me wherever I go as if I’m some sort of circus freak. I dread leaving my house now because I know that I’ll be stared at, pointed at and whispered about. Hell, the best thing about all this shit is that our salon is booming, new clients are coming in just to see if they can get any gossip to spread around town.
Sabrina has been telling anyone and everyone who will listen that I’ve ruined her family. That I’m standing in the way of her baby to have a relationship with its father which is total bull but she’s making me regret promising Jaxon I’d stick by him. It’s becoming way too much for me to handle especially on top of my own pregnancy along with trying to keep my business afloat. Something is going to have to give and right now the only thing I see that I can let go of is Jaxon and all the drama that follows.
I hear a truck pull up outside my house and I smile, my dad’s here. He called me this morning and asked if I’d have lunch with him and of course I said yes. My life has been so hectic lately that I haven’t really spent much time with him, although he knows all the drama that has been happening as mom has kept him in the loop.
“Hey princess, you ready?” Dad asks as he walks into my house with a smile on his face.
“Yeah, dad I’m all set. Where are we going? I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.” But that’s nothing new, I’m always hungry these days, and I should probably slow down as I’m gaining weight quickly. I think it’s a comfort thing, eating when I’m upset, and that’s what I have to stop.
“Patty’s, where else do you think we’d be going. Like you and Carson eat anywhere but Patty’s. So, we better hurry up, wouldn’t want you to start gnawing off your own arm.” He does a full belly laugh at his own joke, and I shake my head at him, it wasn’t that funny.
I walk past him and out of the house as he tries to regain his composure, as I get to his truck I realize that I’m going to need help getting into the truck. “Umm, dad I’m going to need help,” I shout and hear his laughter yet again.
“Having a problem there princess?” I hate that he finds this so amusing, he effortlessly helps me into his truck and by the time I manage to put the seat belt around me he’s in the driver’s side.
“How’s mom?” I ask when he starts driving; I know that this has been hard on her, having our family ripped to shreds by gossiping bitches. She’s had her friends turn their backs on her because they believe the lies that I’m a home-wrecking whore.
“Princess you know your mom, she’s like a volcano ready to erupt at any moment, and when she does I want to be there, and hopefully Mount Claire erupts around Loretta.” Dad makes out everything's okay, but even I know that it hurts to have people lie about you. “Trust me, she’s okay, and this shit storm will pass as soon as everyone realizes that Sabrina and Loretta are lying.”
“I know dad, but what I don’t understand is why they are doing this to me in the first place. I’ve never done anything to either of them for them to hate me.” I understand that people can dislike someone for no reason, but this amount of hate is personal, and that is something I can’t wrap my head around.
“Sometimes princess, they do it because they are bitches, end of story.”
“I know dad, it just sucks. I’m being targeted because I’m pregnant.”
“I know, as I said they’re bitches and I’ve never laid a finger on a woman in anger and I’ve been pretty tempted to hurt Loretta lately! That woman is a grown ass woman and should know better!” Wow, dad’s pretty pissed, the last time I saw him this mad was when Carson totalled his 1965 Camaro SS convertible. That was a nice car and Carson ‘borrowed’ it for the night because he had a date and ended up crashing it into a damn pole, totalled completely and Carson broke his arm. Dad was more concerned for his car.
“That’s what I like to see. You’re smiling, what’s got you so happy?” I didn’t even realize I was smiling.
“I was just thinking back to the last time I saw you this mad and when Carson totalled Betty.” Yeah, he named his car Betty, my family is weird.
“Oh, I wanted to tan that boys hide so badly! Your mom told me I needed to calm down and remember that Carson is hurt. He had a broken arm; it wasn’t like he was having surgery or anything. Geez, Carson is such a momma’s boy!”
“Dad!” I chastise him but there’s no point, dad says what he wants and what he says is true.
“It’s why you’re my favorite; you’re not a suck-up or a damn menace. Carson always has something on the go, and it tends to always end in disaster. Like that dinner, he cooked you and Jaxon, what the hell was going through his mind? I’m positive Claire dropped him when he was younger, no one can be that dense otherwise.”
“Dad, you can’t say that he’s your son.” This is what I needed, being around dad has already pulled me out of the unhappiness I’ve been feeling for the last week or so. He parks across the street from Patty’s and I’m going to have to wait for him to come around to the passenger's side to help me get out. Stupid truck!
“That’s exactly why I can say it.” I can only imagine what dad says about me. Thankfully I know that he doesn’t mean any of it.
He comes around and helps me down, and I can instantly smell the aroma of coffee and pancakes and my stomach starts to make noises. “Damn, we need to get you some food,” Dad says, and he starts to chuckle to himself.
We take the first available booth, it’s smack bang in the middle of the damn restaurant, and I feel the stares from every angle. “Dad, maybe this was a mistake,” I start to move but dad grabs my hand.
“Nope, sit your ass down. Nobody runs my baby out of a damn restaurant because they’re nosey fuckers that need to get a life.” He says it so loud that anyone who was watching quickly ducks their head or looks away. “Now, we’re both hungry, and we’re going to eat.”
He’s right; I shouldn’t have to run and hide just because people are talking about me. I can’t do anything about it; they’re that sad and pathetic then that’s on them, not me. The waitress Brandy comes over and doesn’t even look at me. Funny seems as anytime I’d be in here before she’d be sitting beside me, and we’d catch up on the latest gossip, Sabrina and Loretta have a very big pull with the people of this town. They managed to turn one of my high-school friends against me.
“Hey Mr Bentley, what can I get you today?” She’s not even that friendly to my dad! What the hell? My dad has nothing to do with this.
“Brandy. Can I get the double bacon cheeseburger and fries and a chocolate shake?” Damn, not even a please from dad. He definitely noticed the chilly reception we received from her.
She stares at me while hitting her pen on her notepad; she doesn’t even ask me a question. So rude, “I’ll have the same please.” She looks at me in utter disgust and flicks her hair as she saunters away.
“What the hell is wrong with people nowadays? When I was younger, you’d respect your elders.” Dad shakes his head as he looks at me; “What’s happening with you and Jaxon?”
“What do you mean?” I’m confused; I’ve told everyone that me and Jaxon are together no matter what, so why would he be asking me this?
“This is me you’re talking to princess, I can read you like the back of my hand. So, what the hell is going on with you and Jaxon?”
“I don’t know dad. I love him, but I’m so stressed. Lately, everyone thinks I’m either a whore or a homewrecker, and my babies’ grandmother pretends that they don’t exist. It’s too much, and sometimes I wonder if being with Jaxon is really worth it.” I really do love him. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be with him right now, but sometimes love isn’t enough and I’m constantly wondering if this is one of those times? Before dad can answer me, Brandy’s back with our shakes.
As soon as she leaves dad reaches over and takes my hand. “You know what princess? You need to do what’s right for you and those babies. If that means taking a step back from Jaxon, then that’s what you’re going to have to do.”
“The hell it is! Bri, whatever is going on we can get through it together!” Shit, I turn to see a devastated Jaxon and Carson standing just behind me, how the hell did dad not see them?
“Jaxon sit down Bri’s had enough of people staring at her, and she doesn’t need you to make things worse,” Dad tells him, and Jax slides into the booth beside me, and Carson sits beside dad. “Here was me thinking I was going to have a quiet lunch with my favorite chi...daughter but then you two show up!”
“Dad, I thought we had this discussion earlier? You can’t say that!” Poor Carson looks so confused, and now I’m wondering if he was dropped on his head when he was a baby?
“I told you that he’s my son and I can say what I like! Now you too need to have a serious talk, but it’s going to have to wait until after we’ve had lunch.”
“Sounds like a plan Papa B, we’re going to need to have a long talk. Seems Bri has been keeping things from me.” Shit, he told me if I ever felt like I wasn’t coping that I could always talk to him.
“Jaxon…” I don’t know what to say to him.
“What the hell are you doing here? I thought I made myself clear the last time I saw you?” The anger that dad has radiating from him has me scared to turn around and see who he’s talking to. I look at Carson who’s sitting there looking like he’s seen a ghost.
“Forrester, you did, and I know what I’ve done was wrong, and that sorry will never be good enough. But I really need to talk to Jaxon.” Wait… that can’t be? I turn around and come face to face with Ben Carter, Jaxon’s father.
“Did it ever cross your mind that I don’t want to talk to you?” Jaxon’s face is blank; he’s lost all emotion. I instinctively reach out and take his hand, offering him my support. He doesn’t reject it, in fact, he tightens his hand around mine.
“Oh, for fuck sake, can I not have my meal in peace? What is this the Carter’s reunited?” Dad shouts making everyone turn and stare at us yet again, I look past Ben to see Loretta and Sabrina making their way over to us, great, just what we need.
“You have some nerve showing up here! What the hell do you think you’re doing? Don’t you think you’ve caused enough trouble already?” Loretta screeches at Ben as Sabrina stands beside Jaxon who hasn’t let go of my hand yet.
“I’m here to see Jaxon; it’s time he knew the truth, Loretta! I’m sick of everyone thinking how fucking magnificent you are; when in fact you’re the town’s old rusty bike!” Ben shouts back, and dad, Carson and half of the customers in here start laughing.
“What is it that you need to talk to Jaxon about. There isn’t anything to be said.” Whatever it is, Loretta sure doesn’t want it to happen, that’s for sure!
“You don’t want your dirty secret getting out. Jaxon, please can we talk?” Ben implores, and I really want to urge Jaxon to hear him out, but I don’t I stay silent.
“Say whatever it is here, I’m not leaving,” Jaxon tells him, and I can tell by Loretta’s face that whatever it is, it really shouldn’t be said so publicly. “Well, are you going to talk or just stand there, dad?” The way he says dad is so sarcastic and he’s really pushing Ben or punishing him, and I don’t blame him. Ben is an asshole, but he seems different today.
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about... your dad!” Ben tells him just confusing all of us.
“Ben don’t,” Loretta begs looking very nervous.
“Jaxon, I’m not your father. I’m sorry for the way I treated you; I couldn’t control my anger when I should have been. Your mom cheated on me with more than one person; she won’t tell me who your father is. Probably because she doesn’t know herself. I thought you deserved to know and I hope whoever your real dad is, that he treats you a hell of a lot better than I ever did.” Tears spring to my eyes at Ben’s honesty.
“Who is it then?” Jaxon demands, and an ashen Loretta shakes her head vehemently.
“I only know one of them. Mayor Ashwood.” Ben tells us and literally sends our worlds spinning.
That means, Jaxon slept with his sister! How the hell do you come back from that?