“You know what, Jason? I do believe that he and I deserve more. I just don’t believe that a lawsuit is the way to get what we deserve. I also believe that in time, Alex will come around and understand that I was never trying to trap him.”
“You’re going to drop this suit, aren’t you?” He wasn’t annoyed any longer. He was pissed. It suddenly set in that he didn’t care if I got any money or not. It was about what he might get out of all of this. The slime ball.
“Yes, I think I am,” I told him. I wanted to smile. He looked deflated and then the anger kicked back in.
He stood up and put his large frame in front of me. It was an imposing stance and I actually think it was meant to intimidate. All it did was make me angrier. Who did he think he was trying to push me into continuing a lawsuit I wanted no part of? A lawsuit that he had pushed me into in the first place for his own personal gain while he tried to act like he was being supportive of me.
“You’re a fool,” he yelled at me. “How many times in your life will you be handed this kind of opportunity?”
I actually laughed when he said that. He’s right. I have been a fool, but what made me one had been trusting him, not dropping this lawsuit. “You call this an opportunity as if it’s a job or winning the lottery. It’s taking money away from a man who worked for it. I don’t need millions to raise my baby. All I need is a good job, desire and love. I’ve got all of that.”
“I can’t believe what an idiot you are and I can’t believe that I’ve wasted all of this time on you.”
In spite of the fact that I realized he was the one in the wrong here and what he thought of me really didn’t matter, the realization that he was only with me because of what he thought he would gain in the end, hurt. “I agree with you. Again, I’m a fool and maybe an idiot as well for trusting you. I’m finished with that. I’m dropping this lawsuit.”
“Good luck supporting yourself and that brat you’re carrying!”
I smiled at him. “Thanks. I’ll do fine and we’ll be fine. I’ll have my things out of here tomorrow and I’ll leave the key,” I said, taking my purse and heading for the door.
“Good riddance!” he yelled, as I went out and closed the door behind me. Good riddance is right. Good riddance to fake relationships and silly lawsuits. Hello to my new life. I rubbed my swollen belly. Our new life.
VICTORIA
I knocked on Liz’s door for the second time that day. When she pulled open the door and saw my face she hugged me and then she invited me in. “Is it okay if I sleep on your couch tonight? I have to figure some things out tomorrow about money but then I’ll rent a hotel room.”
“No, you will not. You’ll stay here like I told you earlier. I’ll clean that room out tomorrow and we’ll set up the day bed. You can sleep on the couch tonight.”
“But what about Gloria?”
“She’s not going to mind,” she said, “And as much as I like her if she did, I’d still pick you. You’re my best friend.”
I had tears in my eyes as I said, “I’m not sure how long it will take me to get back on my feet.”
“But you will. You’re going to have your baby and finish school and become a P.A. who makes a lot of money and makes everyone feel better. Until then, if a best friend can’t help you, who can?”
“I’m not sure what I did to deserve you in my life. Thank you so much. I will pay you back for all of this.”
“Friendship is not about keeping score or keeping a tally sheet.”
I knew she meant that. I might be striking out big time in the boyfriend department, but I did hit the lottery when it came to friends. I hugged her tight and said, “If I didn’t have you, I don’t think I’d have gotten through any of this.”
“You won’t ever have to worry about it,” she said. “I’ll make some decaf tea and you can tell me what’s going on.”
She made the tea and we took it out on the terrace. The rain had stopped and the sky was clearer now and the stars were able to take their stage. Once we sat down she said, “What did Jason do?”
I laughed. Taking a breath in and letting it out slowly I said, “It’s a little more than that, I guess. For one thing, I’m dropping the lawsuit. I talked to Alex today.”
“You did?” she said, excitedly. It was what she’d been telling me to do from day one. She didn’t know Alex and she was angry at what he was doing, but she could see that I genuinely cared for him.