Chapter Sixteen
Brianne
“You did the right thing sweetheart.” My mom says to me as soon as Jaxon leaves, “That man loves you, and he would do anything for you.”
I know she's right, Jaxon is one of the good guys. “What are we going to do about Sabrina? I can't believe she's pregnant. What is everyone going to think, the both of us pregnant at the same time?”
“She's about as pregnant as Sister Francis is,” Livie says, and I can see mom’s face start to redden as she tries to hide her laughter. Sister Francis is a nun that lives across the road from mom and dad.
“Livie, that doesn’t help. What if she’s telling the truth?” I’m starting to panic now as I realize the severity of this situation. What am I supposed to tell my babies when they start school with their brother or sister?
“Get out of your head Bri; we will cross that path when we get to it. There’s no point getting yourself into a dither when we don’t have all the facts.” Mom says, instantly calming me.
“Momma B’s right, there’s no point in getting yourself worked up. That skanky bitch is lying, and the day the truth comes out, I’ll be there to kick her ass!” Livie is mad, and I know that she’s mad for me. She hates that I’m hurting and wants to do anything she can to protect me, that and she hates Sabrina.
“Olivia, is that really necessary?” Mom scolds her, and I smile, this is what I need, this normality. I love that no matter what happens I can count on my family to be there for me and help me through the rough times.
“Yes, Momma B it is, that bitch is trying to sabotage Bri and Jaxon’s happiness, and I won’t let that happen!” Livie vows, and I walk over to her and give her a hug, one in which she returns, but of course she can’t hug me properly. She side hugs me, keeping well away from my bump. “Those Satan’s babies hate me, and anytime I’m in close proximity they start to kick me. When they’re born, I’m gonna have to start sleeping with one eye open.”
“Livie, you’re not getting anywhere near these babies once they’re born. Knowing you, you’ll have someone performing an exorcism on them or something.” I’m going to have to keep a close eye on not only her but Carson too. They both like playing pranks on people, and I have no doubt in my mind that they’d use my babies in one of those pranks.
“Bri, the question is do you trust Jaxon to know that he will do everything he can to make everything okay?” Mom says trying to get back on topic.
Do I trust Jaxon? “Yes mom, I do trust Jaxon to do everything he can to make everything okay.” She beams at my response, “But I also know that if Sabrina is pregnant, he’ll do right by her and knowing Sabrina she’ll do everything in her power to abuse Jaxon’s kindness.”
“If she is pregnant, there isn’t anything that you can do about it. All you can do is be supportive of Jaxon and be there when he needs someone to talk to. Not to judge or bash Sabrina, but to offer love and support.” Mom has a point; if Sabrina is pregnant, I have to come to terms with that and be there for him when she gets bitchy because she will. Sabrina hates not having things her own way and her and me being pregnant at the same time won’t be what she wants, and I know that she’ll want to have Jaxon to herself.
“Look, that hussy isn’t pregnant. But if and that is one hell of a big if, she somehow is I doubt it’s Jaxon’s. Anyway, that bitch is going to make Jaxon’s life a living nightmare; you have to be prepared to pretend that everything's going to be okay. You’re going to have to be best friends with the bitch.” Livie gets to the heart of the matter. Whether or not I stay with Jaxon, she’s going to make him miserable. Do I want him going through that alone because I’m scared of what could happen or do I stand beside him and be his shoulder to lean on when things get rough?
The bell above the door sounds, and in walks Ethan and Shyanne, Ethan looks as though he’s gone ten rounds with Tyson. Livie lets out a whistle at seeing that bruise on his face. “Look what that Neanderthal did to me and you want him to be the father of your babies instead of me!” God, he still thinks that my babies are his. I walk over to him, not wanting a shouting match.
“Dude. That is some shiner; damn Jaxon got you good.” Of course, Livie has to make matters worse, she can’t just leave things alone.
“Shut up Olivia!” He bites out at her, and I bristle, how dare he talk to my best friend like that. He turns back to me, and I can tell I’m going to hate what he’s about to say, so I steel myself for it. “Brianne surely you can see that Jaxon isn’t the right man for you and those babies. I mean he’s gotten Sabrina pregnant, that has got to show you that he’s a player.”
For the first time in a very long time, I lose my temper and let loose everything on Ethan. I point my finger at him “Firstly, don’t you dare tell Livie to shut up! You don’t talk to her like that ever.” His cheeks start to heat.
“Secondly, I’m almost seven months pregnant. Work it out Ethan; we hadn’t had sex in the last two months we were together. So, these babies aren’t yours.” Realization hits and he looks down at his feet.
“You want to know how I know these are Jaxon’s? The night I walked in on you and Shyanne, I bumped into Jaxon on the beach, and I wanted to forget, I wanted to feel something than utter hate and humiliation. I wanted to feel as though I was good enough and you know what?” I hear my mom and Livie say my name and I know that they want me to know that they would have been there for me that night, which I know is true, but I’m lost in this verbal diarrhoea, and nothing is off limits. It’s as though I’ve unleashed my inner thoughts and I can’t stop talking.
“Jaxon made me feel as though I was the only woman in the world, he made me feel sexy and wanted. He made me feel like I mattered and more than that, he showed me what love is.” Wow, that felt good to get off my chest, and I can tell that he finally understands that he isn’t the dad and that we’re never going to get back together.
“Bri…” He sounds ashamed as he should be, he made me feel humiliated. “I’m so sorry.”
I haven’t quite finished with him yet though; he needs to understand that his actions have consequences and what he’s been doing since I’ve been back have caused a lot of hurt. “It isn’t just me you should be saying sorry to. Since I’ve been back, you’ve hurt Shyanne a lot. You’ve been trying to get back with me, and that is never going to happen.” I hear a gasp, and I close my eyes in dread, how the hell did I forget that she was here?
I carry on as though she’s not here and let him know how much of an ass he has been to her. “Jaxon taught me what it was to be loved and I know that you taught Shyanne. The way you both look at each other proves that. I don’t know if it’s because you’ve gotten scared that your relationship is the real thing or if you’re really just an ass, but you need to realize that you need to change tactics or you’re going to lose her.”0
I don’t give him the chance to say anything as I walk away from him and toward mom and Livie. “Bri, wow. I don’t think I would be that civil to any of my asshole exes.” Livie tells me, and I can just imagine if she were to bump into any of her exes. She’s hell on wheels at the best of times. The doorbell goes off, and I don’t turn around to see them leave. I’m just grateful that they’ve left, I don’t want them in here any longer.
“Bri, I’m so proud of you. You proved that you are a bigger person, most wouldn’t help the woman that they’re boyfriend cheated on them with. You’ve grown into such an amazing woman; your father is so proud of you too.” Mom tells me and tears spring to my eyes.
“Is dad proud of me?” Carson’s voice has me spinning around and facing not only him but Jaxon too. “And what has saint Bri done?”
“Bri baby, are you okay? You look as though you’re going to cry.” Jaxon’s over to me before he’s even finished his sentence.
“I’m fine, what are you two doing here? I thought you had to work?” I’m so confused as to why they’re here right now.
“Yeah, we were but the guy I had asked to clear the front of the salon called and said he couldn’t do it and no doubt that’s down to the gossips. You’re the most talked about person in town, and this salon is a no-go zone.” Carson tells us, his anger coming to the forefront. He turns toward Ethan who is still standing in my salon with his arm around Shyanne. “This is all your fault. You caused all this mess.”
“Shit Bri, I’m sorry. I’ll pay to have the window cleaned, and both Shyanne and I will let everyone know that Sabrina is lying.” Ethan sounds sincere in his apology, and I’m not going to turn down his offer of paying for our window to be cleaned.
“Shyanne, you’re friends with the she-devil. What the hell is her problem?” Livie asks, and I inwardly groan, she-devil?
“Um, what do you mean?” Great, Shyanne’s not going to tell us anything.
“Don’t play stupid with me. I know that Sabrina vandalized our salon, hell I wouldn’t be surprised if you were involved too.”
“I didn’t; I wouldn’t do that!” She sounds shocked that she would even be accused of doing it.
“Don’t act surprised! You’re so far up Sabrina’s ass that you can’t see clearly with all the shit in your eyes.” Livie tells her, and I try so hard to keep my laughter inside, unlike Carson who can’t quite contain his laughter.
“No, I’m not. Hell, most of the time I can’t stand Sabrina.” That’s a shock, although not that unbelievable as Sabrina is a bitch.
“If that’s the case then tell us what the hell she’s up to!” Carson shouts at her causing both Shyanne and me to jump.
“Sabrina and Loretta have a grudge, and they won’t stop until they get what they want and that’s Jaxon out of your life,” Shyanne says as she glances toward Jaxon.
“Why the hell is my ma doing this?” I reach out and take his hand hoping that I can offer him some sort of comfort. He takes and squeezes my hand as though I’m his lifeline. “What does she think she can accomplish by doing this?” That is something I don’t know. I don’t think I can ever understand how she can hurt her son like this.
“I know why. Loretta thinks if you and Sabrina get together, then Sabrina’s father will leave her mother and Loretta and he can be together.” Shyanne fills us in on Loretta's stupid plan.
“Have I stepped into some sort of alternate universe? Why the hell are you standing in my sister's salon acting as though she’s your best friend?” Carson looks so confused right now, and I don’t blame him. Usually, Livie would be threatening bodily harm by now.
“No, I realized that Bri and Olivia hadn’t done anything to warrant my hatred,” Shyanne explains, not telling him that I made her realize that I’m no threat to her and Ethan’s relationship.
“No, they haven’t. But you, they have every right to hate you. You slept with Bri’s boyfriend.” Of course, Carson has to bring that up.
“I know, and I’m so sorry that you were hurt because of our actions,” Shyanne tells me, and if she hadn’t slept with Ethan, I think I would have liked her.
“Is Sabrina really pregnant?” Livie asks Shyanne, and I’m filled with instant dread.
“I think so, she showed me the pregnancy test, and it said pregnant.” At Shyanne’s answer, everyone’s mood instantly plummets. Emotion overcomes me, and I burst into tears, I turn and run toward the back room.
What the hell are we going to do now? This is a nightmare! The one thing I do know is Loretta and Sabrina aren’t going to come between Jaxon and me.