Chapter 55: Chapter 55

The shadows of the night hide his rage. I can feel it emanating from every pore of his body. His hand doesn’t rest on the headrest and his foot sits heavily on the gas pedal as we speed back to Port-harcot forty kilometers an hour over the speed limit. We just turn onto the 401 when Scott’s phone lights up and vibrates with his BFF’s name on it.

Scott answers, “Hey Jer... She’s not!”

“Bro!” his voice booms, “Lara’s in Labour! I’m going to be a father any minute! She’s screaming for Isabella! Get your asses here!”

“We’re on our way,” he answers.

Lara screams Jeremy’s name and then we lose our connection. Scott turns off at the next exit never slowing down. Our best friends need us.

“It’s going to be a long night,” he comments under his breath. It’s the first thing he said to me since we left his mother’s house. He parks the car and we walk into the hospital holding hands out of habit. The old man at the information desk with hearing aids in both ears directs us to the Labour and delivery department. He says that when we get there, they will tell us which room Lara is having her baby in. We don’t have a moment to waste. Scott and I walk briskly down the hallway when we see Jeremy hugging his father in the lobby. I freeze for a brief second as I catch sight of Michael standing next to Jeremy.

Scott senses my hesitation, “Go to him if you want,” he boils over with jealousy. Michael is maturely dressed in a fitted black suit and tie that does more than just flatter him. He is sharp, bordering on hot. His shoes shine and his hair is cut short, almost like Scott’s. I’m stunned, he looks so different, professional. I acknowledge Michael with a swift nod and a smile I know Scott won’t see before hugging Jer, “Congratulations dad! Is it a boy or a girl?”

“It’s a girl Isa, Lara named her Frankie. I think it’s her hormones, go in their and talk to her. The poor kid is going to be teased relentlessly the rest of her life.” His father nods in agreement with Jer.

“Is it okay to go in now?” I ask politely. “The sooner the better!”

I push the door to Lara’s room open and hear Jeremy greeting Scott behind me, “Hey bro, I thought you guys were never going to make it.”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Scott says feigning happiness.

Lara lights up when she sees me, “Isabella!” she whispers.

I walk up to her and lean in kissing both her cheeks, “Lara! You look so beautiful!” I whisper back. I’m not lying, she looks pale, exhausted and gloriously happy, but I guess that’s what all new mothers look like after having a baby. I try not to envy or be jealous of her but it’s hard. I imagine myself where she is holding Scott’s baby, the look of happiness in his eyes.

“Check her out!” Lara encourages.

I walk over to the glass bassinet and admire her precious bundle. Franky’s features are cute, her skin is so pink. All you can see is her tiny little face, the rest of her is snugly wrapped in a warm hospital blanket with blue and pink stripes on it.

“She’s beautiful,” I admire. A while ago, Scott actually slept with Lara when Scott and I weren’t together. She didn’t know at the time that I cared about Scott. She actually was knocked up by him, but terminated the pregnancy, it’s water under the bridge now, but hard to forget.

“Are you cold?” Lara notices my shiver. She studies the despondent look in my face.

“No, I’m not cold.”

“Don’t worry, one day it will happen to you guys! Your back with him, aren’t you? Jeremy told me that Scott picked you up from the airport and apologized to you.”

“It sorts of didn’t work out well,” I try to explain.

“How so?” Lara asks. “Didn’t he apologize to you? You know he loves you, right?”

“I told him I can’t go back to him as partners or husband and wife, I can’t let him hurt me like that again.”

“How do you know he’s going to hurt you?”

“I just do.”

She looks at me skeptically, “You never struck me as a coward!”

“He ignored me for three months, I lost thirty pounds and wanted to die.”

“His ego is bruised, he’s a proud guy. He didn’t know how to cope with his jealousy. Surely you can forgive that?”

“He told me just now to go back to Michael if I want.”

“He didn’t! I thought Michael left. “she said forgetting to whisper. “Yup, they’re both out there with Jeremy and his dad.”

“I hope they’re not fighting.”

“You would hear it if they were.”

“Scott’s already furious with me because I told my mom that his mother slept with Dad when he was alive.”

“You what? Why did you do that? You’re only hurting your mom by telling her.”

“Because Scott’s mom had the nerve to talk about trust to me after what she did with my father. She said Scott should get our apartment in Port-harcot after he promised it to me.”

“What happened with your parents is in the past. Don’t let it ruin your relationship with Scott.”

“Either way I’m not going back to him.”

“Like I said, since when did you lose your spine.”

Lara is starting to ruffle my feathers. Who is she to judge whether I have a backbone or not? She has everything I ever wished for, a beautiful baby and a great guy. The baby starts squirming. I look over at Lara, “Do you want her?”

“Please.”

I carefully lifted the baby cradling her in my arms. The door opens, Scott and Michael step in. I look up meeting Scott’s gaze. I see a flash of warmth pass over him before he turns stone cold again. We are locked onto each other. I step towards the bed and only break my gaze as I place Franky in Lara’s arms. I glance at Michael who nods his head in my direction curtly, “Isabella.” “Michael,” I respond politely. I can’t help noticing how much he’s changed. He looks so good.

“I hope you two aren’t fighting out there,” Lara says.

“There’s nothing to fight over,” replies Scott callously. His malicious comment is uncalled for a brings a wave of nausea with it.

Michael glances casually at Scott and then me, “Trouble in paradise?”

“None of your fucking business asshole,” Scott hisses at him.

Lara’s brows furrow in a scolding glance directed towards Scott, “Not in here boys.”

Michael never removes his eyes from me, “Marriage or partnership?”

“Both,” I confess.

“The tabloids are going to find out, I can schedule a press conference with both of you present to answer questions, or it can leak out. I’ll give you guys 48 hours to decide.”

“Get the fuck out of here before I break your jaw, again,” Scott warns.

Michael reaches into his pocket and pulls out his card handing it to me, “48 hours.” He walks up to Lara and kisses her on the forehead before turning to leave. There is a tap on the door and it slowly opens, it is Jeremy. He peaks his head in and lights up when he sees Lara holding the baby. That’s when I notice there is no Anna or Andy since we arrived, “Where’s Anna?”

“They went to get something to eat. They’ll be back. Did you talk to her?” Jeremy asks me to refer to the baby’s name.

“I sort of like it,” I whisper in his direction. “I think she’s hungry,” Lara interrupts.

“We’ll leave for a few minutes,” Scott offers. “Thanks,” says Jer.

Scott directs me out of the room with his hand on the small of my back, “Are you hungry?”

“Starved,” I confess. I haven’t noticed how hungry I am until he asked. I start looking around for directional signs to the cafeteria, “You?”

“Ya, let’s get some food.” “Hospital cafeteria?”

Scott shakes his head, “We might bump into Anna and Andy, I’m not in the mood for conversation.”

“Sure, we’ll go wherever you want,” I say trying to be easy.

We drive in complete silence again. I assume he’s emotionally spent. He pulls up to our favorite McD’s and orders our usual. “Love Me Like You Do,” comes on in the car and he shift into park, but he keeps it on accessories so we can listen to the music.

He grins at me, “Do you really like the name Franky for a girl?”

I smile back at him, “It suits her. She’s really cute,” I say wistfully.

We chow down like savages. Scott finishes his burger and stares into my exhausted eyes, “You looked beautiful holding her in your arms. It’s the first time I ever saw you carry a baby,” he whispers. His eyes fill up.

“It wasn’t long ago I wished I was carrying yours,” I reflect getting all choked up.

“Are you sure about all of this, it’s not too late to change your mind about us,” he says with a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

‘You said it yourself, there’s nothing to fight for,’ I quoted.

“Michael was in the room and I get pissed off. I keep imagining him touching you. I’m not going to beg you,” he warns.

“I don’t expect you to,” I say respectfully, “I’m sure.”

He tosses what was left of his food back into the bag appearing to have lost his appetite, “We better get back to say our good-byes, so I can drive you to Port-harcot.”

“What about the press release?”

“Call him and tell him we’ll do it, at least that way we can maintain some sense of control over what’s being said about us.”

I pull my phone out of my purse with the card Michael handed me in the hospital and dial his number. Scott watches in silence as I wait for him to pick up. I put him on speaker so Scott can listen, “Hello Michael?”

“Isa?” There is a moment of uncomfortable silence. Scott’s pained expression returns to his face, I can notice it even while sitting in the darkness of the car, his eyes are blackened with sadness, making him appear lost.

“Scott and I will do the press conference,” I inform him.

“It’s the right thing to do,” Michael consoles. “I’m sorry I had to give you an ultimatum.”

“Are you?” I doubt.

He ignores my question, “Does this Monday evening work for both of you?

We can meet at the Nigerian Skating Association around six?” I look at Scott, he nods, “That’s fine,” I answer.

“Hang up,” Scott orders quietly.

“I have to go now,” I say into the receiver.

“I’ll see the two of you then,” Michael says almost triumphantly. There is a clicking noise and the line goes dead.

Scott rakes his fingers through his hair out of frustration before starting the car. We head back to the hospital to make a final appearance before going home. When we arrive at Lara’s room, Anna and Andy are there. They speak to us like they are walking on eggshells Lara filled them in.

I take a seat next to Anna, “What are you going to do?” Anna whispers to me. “Your guess is as good as mine,” I answer cluelessly.

“Don’t take him back no matter how much you love him,” she advises. “I’ve never seen you as broken as what he did to you.”

“I know,” I say finally feeling understood. “Lara doesn’t get it. She thinks I’m spineless.”

“You’re not. I know exactly where you’re coming from,” Anna confides. “If you go back to him and he breaks your heart again, I don’t know if we’ll be able to pick up the pieces.”

“You won’t.”

Scott’s brooding eyes land on both of us, “I’m right here you know. I can hear everything you’re saying.” Shit, I shift uncomfortably in my seat.

“With friends like you,” he glares at Anna.

“Don’t mind her,” Andy defends. “It’s taking the heat off us having a baby.

Lara has one and they all want one,” he complains.

Scott chuckles.

“Its pretty amazing,” Jeremy defends Anna’s maternal desires. He looks at me with concern, “Are you going to be all right?”

“Ya, just tired.”

“You guys go home get some shuteye,” Lara coaxes. “You’ve all had a super long day. Jeremy and I are so happy you spent it with us.”

I speak for Scott and me, “We are too. Congratulations!”

Anna gets up and takes Andy’s hand, “Do you need anything before we go.” “No thanks,” Lara says.

We kiss her good goodbye the boys shake hands. When we leave the room Anna and I hug before going our separate ways.