Page 36 of Trash Talk

Mr. Kohl had contacted me a few months before I graduated and asked that I meet him at his office to go over my parents’ wills. The majority of mom’s money had gone into a trust for me to use however I wanted once I turned 18. Gramps had access to it if I should need anything before that date. It wasn’t a lot; enough to pay for private school, my truck and anything my scholarship didn’t cover at Clemson. My dad’s will stated that I wouldn’t inherit anything until I was 25 or I’d finished college, whichever came first. He’d played professional basketball for a few years and invested his money wisely, so there was a sizable bit more.

After retiring from the NBA, dad had opened an accounting firm. He met mom at a conference in Hawaii a couple years later. They dated long distance for a while, then he persuaded her to marry him and live in his small hometown of Willow Creek. He’d promised that they’d visit at least twice a year, and he’d pay for her parents to fly here whenever they wanted (family was important to her). That’s where they were going when their plane went down somewhere over the pacific. The search had gone on for weeks, but nothing was ever found. My Gramps and I buried empty caskets a month later.

I really only see my mom’s family once every couple of years when I make the trip out. I have a shit-ton of cousins. They all live on the family pineapple plantation on Oahu. It’s huge, hundreds of acres, row after row of sweet, spiky plants, surrounded by miles of white sandy beaches and brilliant blue waters; it’s gorgeous. Tropical paradise. I have no idea how my dad convinced my mom to leave. She must’ve really loved him. I can only think of one person that I’d leave that much beauty for. And it’s not the sobbing mess in front of me right now. Jesus, I wish Brit wasn’t so damn dramatic. I can’t believe I ever saw anything in her.

“I’m sorry,” her sobs drying up. “Oh, God. This is going to sound so bad. I really wasn’t thinking at first. It was just a little lie to buy me some time you see. I was dating this guy Tim, and according to both of my parents, he was not marriage material. I thought he’d prove them wrong. We’d start a family. We’d be fine in a few years once I got my inheritance. But when I found out I was pregnant and told Tim, he broke up with me. Accused me of sleeping around and trying to trap him. He left. I was devastated. Pregnant and alone. My parents threatened to cut me off, disinherit me if I didn’t tell them who the father was. I couldn’t. We got in a huge fight.

“I went to a party that night to blow off some steam. No one knew I was pregnant yet, and then I saw you. You kept talking about Ruby. I had always been jealous of her. An idea formed. A crazy, awful idea. You were depressed as hell and only home for Spring Break. I was desperate. I thought if I could convince you the baby was yours; I’d have a chance at a normal life. The baby would have a chance at a normal life.

“You’re a good guy, Knox. I knew you’d do right by me and the baby. I also knew you had enough money to support us and it wouldn’t be a burden. I mean you were basically about to inherit nine million dollars.” I hear Ruby loudly suck in air, thankfully, Brit doesn’t because she’s all consumed by the story she’s telling. “So, I had a plan. It was selfish and shitty. You were so drunk, you passed out. I took your clothes off and laid down next to you so when you woke up, you’d think we'd had sex. I told my parents that we had gotten back together, and you were the father. Well, they were over the moon. You know how much they’ve always loved you.”

She pauses for a minute lost in her memories. Her parents were a little obsessed with me actually. It never really made any sense since my parents weren’t politically connected or part of the same social circle of the Lennards. By all rights, I should have been the non-country-club member they looked down on. But I wasn’t. I think it was all due to my dad’s celebrity status. And that he invested money for half the country-club-lunching sect.

“Well, the first half of my plan worked beautifully, but I didn’t exactly think everything through. Once I got you to agree to let me move in and get married, I was trapped.” Yeah, well so was I. She didn’t think about me at all in her plan. “So, I formed a new plan. We’d still get married, but when I turned twenty-five, I’d get my inheritance, and tell you the truth. We’d both only lose a couple years. I knew you’d hate me, but I had to protect myself and the baby. Then mom started planning a summer wedding and you asked for a DNA test and things started moving too fast.”

“What happened to the baby, Brit?”

“I really did lose her. I went to my parents that morning to talk to them about moving into the pool house. I told them we were looking for more space, and it was just too crowded in your loft, but that was another lie. Tim had come back the day before. Said he’d been an idiot, and he was ready for us to be a family. I figured I’d move home, break things off with you, have the baby and marry Tim— I adapted the plan, again. By the time she was born, my parents would be too in love with her to fight me on anything and in a couple years I’d get my inheritance, and all would be well. Everything was going smoothly until Tim met me in the driveway in a jealous rage. He thought we really had something going on.

“My dad came out to yell at him to get off his property and Tim yelled back that I was his girlfriend, and this was his baby. I was so upset; I just wanted to get away. I ran toward the pool house, but the patio was wet. I slipped and fell and noticed I was bleeding. Dad helped me to the car and drove me to the hospital. Where they informed me, I had lost the baby. I officially had nothing. My lies had destroyed everything. With all my plans out the window, the only thing I could think to do was leave. I knew there was an opening at my dad’s firm in Chicago. I begged him to let me have it. I needed space. A fresh start.”

Brit always has a plan. I guess it never even occurred to her to tell me the baby wasn’t mine. I've mourned that child for years.

“I’m sorry I did that to you Knox. I knew you had a ton of money and honestly thought we wouldn’t be a burden. You’re such a good person, and I destroyed your chance at happiness. You didn’t deserve that. I didn’t think about anyone but myself, and I’m sorry.”

My mind is spinning with all this information. She lied. Brit lied to me. She fucking used me! How many times have I imagined myself as a dad? Playing with a little girl or boy who in reality was never even mine. I’m so angry, there’s red mist blurring my vision. My first coherent thought is: How many years did she rob from Ruby and me? Years that we could have been together; had our own children? That night at the bar, she’d come to see me, wanting to get back together and I told her I couldn’t because my baby came first. Now come to find out, that baby was never even fucking mine.

“Brit, I’m glad you’re coming clean about the past, but I’m pissed. I’m so fucking mad about what you’ve taken from me. Do you even realize what you’ve done?”

“Yes. And I’m so sorry, Knox. I’ve been so selfish. I knew something was going on with you and Ruby. But I thought after I was out of the picture, y’all would work it out and get back together.” Shows how much she knows.

“Yeah; well, Ruby can hold a grudge.” I hear her guffaw, and I’m almost certain Brit did too. “For a long ass time. But that’s beside the point. How do you know this baby isn’t mine?” I ask pointing at her stomach.

“I just can’t seem to stop fucking up. I was single for years, but before moving back here, I started a relationship with one of my father’s clients, Dimitri. We met at the firm. He had businesses in New York, Atlanta and Chicago, so he traveled a lot. I only saw him while he was in town. We both wanted to keep our relationship quiet because I’m not supposed to date clients, and he didn’t want to tarnish his friendship with my father. So, we dated in secret for about a year and talked about getting married. Once I moved home and the time was right, we’d go public with our relationship.

“I got sick about a month after I got here; it dawned on me that I could be pregnant. I took a test. I was ecstatic. I was going to start a family with the man I loved. The man that as soon as I told him our good news, informed me that he was married and already had his own children. I felt so stupid. Even more stupid after I googled him. He lied. He lied about everything. I thought he was just a wealthy businessman; he’s Russian Mafia. I panicked. I couldn’t tell my parents. My dad had warned me to stay away from certain clients; he didn’t want me handling their cases. Dimitri was one of those people. I thought my dad was worried about me getting into a relationship with him, because he had a reputation. But now I know, he’s terrified of him. Of his whole family.”

“Oh, fuck, Brit.” I don’t like where this story’s going.

“I confirmed my pregnancy with a doctor the day after, and she guessed that I was only about four or five weeks along. I left the next day for the wedding. Shit. I’m not proud of this, but I put Benadryl in your drink at the reception. It was just supposed to make you drowsy. But you just kept dancing, so I put more in your second drink too. You’re so big; I didn’t think it’d knock you out. I practically had to drag you to your room from the elevator. I spent the whole night awake making sure you were still breathing. I felt so bad, Knox.”

“Not bad enough to put a stop to your plan though, right Brit?” My tone is less than friendly, and she flinches.

“I’m sorry. I know it was wrong.” She turns away, like she can’t bear to look at me while she says the next shit. “I took off your clothes, tore a condom wrapper open and left it in the trash can, where I figured you’d see it. You slept so late the next morning; I was just going to take a shower, write you a note and leave. But when I’d gotten out, you were up. I thought I didn’t have another option. I was so scared, Knox.”

I’m speechless. I cannot believe I ever dated someone capable of such deceit. Such fucking malice. What in the fuck kind of soap opera am I in right now? Fuck! I can’t stop saying fuck. “You’re like 30 now. Why haven’t you inherited enough money to just say fuck it all? Leave everything behind. Raise this child on your own.”

“I’m not married. I won’t get the money until I’m thirty-five if I remain unmarried. My grandmother was an eccentric bitch. I have some money saved up, but not enough to hide from the fucking Bratva. I needed money. Dimi wants nothing to do with me or the baby; he threatened me. He has a life of his own. He told me I’d be sorry if anyone ever found out he was the father. He offered to have it taken care of, but I want this baby, Knox. I’ve lost one already. I won’t lose another one." She takes a deep breath before finishing. "As soon as I could, I showed up on your doorstep. I knew you had money. I figured I could pay you back once I came into my own in a few years.”

She’s fucking nuts. And possibly watches too much day-time television. But I can tell she’s also terrified. If she’d just come to me and told me the truth, I probably would’ve helped her.

“It had to be you, Knox; you were my only option. I could name you on the birth certificate as the father. I knew that if Dimi got to me; if anything happened to me, my child would be taken care of by someone who isn’t evil. Someone capable of caring for another human being. I didn’t want him to have any ties to my child. Any way to adopt him or raise him as his own. Poison him. Create a monster just like he is.”

It makes way more sense now. And although I can sympathize with her, I don’t think I can forgive her. “Millions of dollars can’t buy happiness, but it could hide us for a few years. Honestly, my main concern was my safety and the safety of my son. I thought we could get some money together, leave town and disappear. We could live our whole life in hiding if we needed to. We may have to.”

How did Brit manage to get involved with this guy? How am I the only decent guy she’s ever dated? And if she trusts me so much, why not tell me the truth and ask for a fucking loan and some discretion? Exactly how dangerous is this Dimi person? Does he know she’s here? Is she in danger? Am I? Is Ruby? I will protect her ‘til my last breath. No one will harm a hair on her head as long as I live.

God, is Brit really this fucking crazy? I’m cursing the day we met, and I fell for those big green eyes and long legs in her short cheerleading skirt. What a fucking idiot. But not anymore; if I ever see her again, it will be too fucking soon. But I can’t just send her on her way if she sincerely thinks she’s in danger.

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