Chapter 29

Joe

I didn’t sleep at all last night, I just kept looking over at Ella and thinking about how she just told me how she feels, that she loves me. But what would happen if she finds out what I’m doing. She wouldn’t be proud of me, but I need that ring. It’s the principle, it’s what the ring represents, which is, how much I love her.

When we’re married I’ll tell her the story. It will all seem funny by then… I hope. If she even agrees to marry me, that is. What if she can sense all the deceit? What if she knows?

I need to get up. I can’t lay next to the woman I love, the woman who is carrying my child, knowing that I’ve lied to her, over and over again. I get up and quickly get dressed, leaving her another note before I head down the stairs and straight to the door. Like that’s just going to fix everything.

“Ahem,” I hear Marnie from behind me.

“Uh, sweetie, what are you doing up?” I ask her.

“Cartoons and cereal,” she says, the loud crunch of her breakfast echoing around the silent room.

It’s almost like she knows something she shouldn’t.

“Where are you going?” she asks.

“For a walk. Before work.” I shrug.

“It’s the weekend, Daddy,” she says, as she narrows her eyes at me.

“I’ve got some extra stuff to do. Make sure you look after Ella okay?”

I turn to go and Marnie doesn’t say a thing for a moment, but the second I put my hand on the door knob, Marnie gets up and walks over to me.

“You’re not doing anything to ruin it are you?” she asks, looking up at me sincerely, like she knows something bad is about to happen.

I kneel down and try to reason with her, “Look, Marnie. I’m just going to meet Julia, but trust me, it’s for a good reason.”

“No! La, la, la, la! I can’t hear you!” she shouts, covering her ears and launching herself back onto the sofa, “If I can’t hear you I’m not in the middle of it! And Ella says being put in the middle of things like this is really bad for my development, so she told me to ignore anything either of you try to tell me over the next couple of days because I’ve already heard too much and don’t know what’s a secret to who anymore! La, la, la, la, la!”

Well, I can’t fault that logic, can I?

“Alright Marnie,” I try to say, but she continues singing, “Marnie!” I snap and she stops, “Everything is going to be alright. Okay?”

“Okay,” she nods, turning back to her cartoons.

I’m going to have to take her on a vacation to make up for all this.

* * *

“Joe! You made it!”

Julia sits up and attempts to hug me.

I ignore her, sighing heavily and sitting across from her in a booth in the restaurant.

“Julia.”

“Well, that wasn’t very polite.” She sits again. “I’ve thought up a list of things I want you to do for me, before I can even think about giving you that ring.”

I sigh, dropping my head into my hand. Is this worth it? I’m starting to have second thoughts, but I want things to be perfect for Ella. Just see it through, she can’t do any real harm… surely?

“Fine, what would you like me to do?”

“Well, for starters I’d like you to stop sighing every time you say my name.”

“Noted.” That’s no easy task.

“That money you were sending me every month—I’ll be needing that to start again, my landlord needs the rent for my penthouse, and I’m not about to be kicked out on the streets.”

“Fine.” I grit my teeth and pretend to smile.

“Next, I’ve got a few parking tickets and things that I need someone to pay for me.”

“Of course.”

“And speaking of bills, my car insurance is due as well.”

“Is that everything?” I ask through my fake smile.

Julia laughs almost hysterically, “Of course not, Joe! I’ve still got plenty to go through! Which of course includes this lovely meal. Get whatever you want Joe, it’s on you… like everything else!”

“Julia, come on…”

“You know, I was thinking about asking for Marnie on the weekends. There are a lot of single moms who get sympathy from the guys that go to my gym. I could use Marnie’s help.”

I crack my knuckles and try to calm down.

“Which reminds me, I need you to pay my gym membership.”

“And if I refuse?” I ask.

“Oh, come on Joe. You’re in the public eye, all of the time! I could easily ruin you. I’ve got numbers for the tabloids and I think they’d love to get the inside scoop on what it’s like to be married to you. Don’t you think?”

“You can’t be serious. Do you think they’re going to believe you?”

“No, but they’ll write whatever gets them more readers, regardless of the truth.”

“I can do damage control, I’ll sort it out. Why should that matter to me?”

“Do you want reporters sniffing around Ella and Marnie? What if somebody realized that you weren’t good enough to look after her?”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“Like I’ve told you before, Joe, I’ve got many connections. But I also need money, so… I’m sure we can help each other out.”

“How are you helping me? How is you being here a help to me? This is blackmail.”

“Call it whatever you like. I call it me not having to work for a living,” she grins at me while sipping her drink.

I can’t imagine what I ever saw in this woman. She’s been a constant strain on my life, a leech on everything I’ve ever worked for.

“Okay, fine. So I pay for everything for you and reinstate your monthly allowance.”

“Come on Joe, it’s not an allowance, I’m not ten years old.”

“You act like you are! Anyway, as I was saying, I give you money every month and pay for everything on your list, and you’ll leave me, Marnie and Ella alone.”

“I suppose that sounds like a deal to me.” She purses her lips and folds her arms trying to decide what it is that she doesn’t like about it. I know there is always something with her.

Julia snaps her fingers, summoning a waiter to our table. One comes over, looking apologetic. I can’t stand the way she treats people who work in hospitality.

“Sorry Madame, what can I get you?” he asks.

“I’ll have a steak, the biggest one you have. Make it medium rare… and get him, oh I don’t know, get him the same, but well done… and a few sides for the table.”

I roll my eyes. She is doing this to spite me. She knows I don’t like anything well done.

* * *

“I really can’t believe you would do that. You are literally impossible!” I shout as I leave the last shop on Julia’s list, dragging her by the arm into my limousine.

She cackles away as I stuff her into the car and slam the door behind me.

“So, I think that was the last place,” Julia says, when she finally stops laughing.

“Well, it definitely is now. People are going to stop letting you in if you keep acting like that.”

“You’re treating me like a child, Joe.”

“Once again, you’re acting like one.”

She continues to laugh at my expense and I stay silent for the journey home. Annoyingly, she requested to be dropped off after me because she wants to have a proper look around my neighborhood. I look down at the hundreds of bags containing things that she made me buy for her.

The last place was the worst, as she decided to make a complaint about literally everything.

She ordered the staff around like they were her own personal servants and then, right at the end when she was finally going to pay for it, or at least get me to pay for it, she decided that she didn’t actually want anything anymore.

I’m surprised we weren’t thrown out!

I’m glad to finally be going home. The day has been exhausting.

The look on Ella’s face when I get down on one knee and show her that perfect ring will be worth it, I tell myself.

I get out of the car and Julia starts to follow me to my door.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I ask her.

She shrugs, “I thought I’d come and see the lovely house that you’re cozying up with that home wrecker in.”

“Julia, she is not a home wrecker. You were long gone before I even moved here.”

I fold my arms and glare at her.

“Look, you’ve done enough today. Just give me the ring.”

“Oh, but Joe, I have it right here!” She takes out a small box and opens it, showing me the ring I so desperately want.

I reach forward to try and take it, by she snaps the box shut and pulls it away.

“Well, you know everything you have to do to get it don’t you? I guess I’ll be coming in for some quality time with my family?” She grins wickedly and laughs to herself, knowing that she’s gotten her way and the second that she steps inside that house, my relationship with Ella is over.

“No, you know what Julia? This is enough! I’m not going to jump through your hoops anymore. Just give me the ring. I’ve done everything you asked for in the agreement. Please, just stop!” I don’t really know if I should be shouting or bringing attention to the fact that my ex-wife is standing on my front porch, but I’ve had enough.

She’s gone too far this time.

“Alright,” she shrugs, “You’ve bested me. You win.”

Wait, what? “Seriously?” I say.

“I only have one more, teeny tiny request of you.”

I roll my eyes, “Oh for God’s sake, what?”

“Kiss me,” she says, plainly.

“I’m sorry, what?” I’m completely floored.

“You heard me. Kiss me. Right here, right now. On the lips. Like you mean it. Show me how much giving this tacky ring to your girlfriend means to you,” she grins.

Dammit. God dammit! Crafty bitch! If I don’t, I don’t have the perfect ring, if I do? I’m risking it all! Risking so much, just to have a chance at everything I’ve ever wanted.

“Come on, Joe.”

“Give me a minute!” I snap.

Is the perfect ring really worth risking everything I have with Ella? I’ve already broken the trust and I might be able to fix that, but if she finds out about this, she’ll never forgive me.

Julia raises her evil eyebrows at me, awaiting her answer.

If Ella finds out we’ll be finished!