Page 46 of Baby Me

I shook my head. “Not back then. At least, not the way you mean. There were probably red flags that we weren’t a good match and I ignored them for far too long before Kim came around. She did not take things well after Kim got pregnant, but that was another story altogether. It felt like she was justified in her anger back then and the only really crazy thing she ever attempted was to get me to go home with her and leave the girl I got pregnant to fend for herself.”

“That was red flag enough. Any woman who would willingly ask you to leave your responsibilities, especially a child, behind to tend to her selfishness clearly has problems.”

I chuckled at that because my woman wasn’t wrong. “We weren’t right for one another. The relationship we had back then, it was kids in high school hooking up and in her case, defying her parents and rebelling as much as she was able. When push came to shove and it was time for me to graduate and start working more for the club, she couldn’t handle the club business aspects, me living in a clubhouse where club girls were within easy reach, and…” I stopped there because Vina flinched.

“There’s nothing wrong with club girls. June’s issue was that she didn’t think I would be faithful to her if fresh pussy was on tap outside my bedroom door 24-7.”

“I hate to break it to you, Tripp, but most women would feel that way.”

“Yeah, I suppose they would. You know who didn’t?”

“Who?”

“Kim. She never had issues with the girls at the club because even though we technically got together because I cheated on my then girlfriend, she didn’t think I’d ever step out on her.”

“Did you?” She asked.

“Never. She was right. June and I were pretty much broken up before she left for Europe that summer. Even if we hadn’t had the official talk yet. I had plans to tell her we were done when she got back. Not that it’s an excuse. It’s just how things happened back then when we were young and a whole lot more carefree and less careful than I should have been.”

“I get it. Things seem complicated and fleeting when you’re that age. I’m glad you had Kim in your life and knew happiness with her. It sounds like you were a great match.”

I nodded. “We were and yet we also had to work to stay that way. Relationships are harder than people let on. There are times when you forget how important the other person is and that you need to make time for them. You take things for granted and before you know it, you’re sitting at a distance wondering how things changed so much and why you’re not close anymore.”

“That happened with you and Kim?”

The shocked tone in her voice lets me know that the history of Kim and I that got shared around the club was a version that painted everything as perfect all the time. “Marriage is work. When we realized we were slipping away from one another because of my duties to the club and hers as a mom, it took a while for either of us to really put it together that we needed to make one another a priority again or end up another sad statistic.”

“It’s good that you were able to do that.”

“Yeah, and that’s why we’re going to be honest with one another about what we want and how we’re feeling. Vina, if you need a break, you need to tell me. I was trying to stay at the hospital to be strong for you and our daughter, but it never really occurred to me until Star pushed for us to get some time away today that the thing you needed most was to get away.”

Vina sighed and then bowed her head, as if she was ashamed of herself. “I wanted to be there and be strong for Coral, too. It feels like I’m betraying her every time I have to leave.”

“You’re not, though. The only betrayal would be if you wore yourself down so much that you were no longer able to be there for her. I need you to start taking breaks every day. We’ll work out a rotation for who is there with Coral and it will never be someone you don’t approve of.”

“You’re right. Neither of us can keep going like this without taking breaks.”

“I don’t mean to keep bringing up my former wife, but it was something Kim and I figured out later than we should have. We have to prioritize ourselves, each other, and the kids as if they’re all separate things that need equal attention because they are. In our case, we also have to add in the club and your job, assuming you want to continue to work.”

“I love my job. I love Gloria and Mr. Avery too. They’ve been there from the very beginning with Coral and me. Mr. Avery was the one who took me to the hospital when I went into labor. I can’t… I couldn’t leave him in the lurch. It’s bad enough that I’ve had to take so much time off to be with Coral and then the lockdown because of June. I’m surprised he hasn’t replaced me yet. I make a lousy paralegal when I’m not there to do my job.”

“I think Mr. and Mrs. Avery are doing just fine while they wait on you to come back.”

“How do you know that?”

“I talked to them. Someone had to explain why they had strange people camped out near their office and home. Mr. Avery called the cops a couple times. He thought it was someone he was suing on your behalf trying to intimidate him.”

“Oh no! My mind has been so full of getting Coral well that I didn’t even think of that. And Gloria never mentioned anything when she came to visit either.”

“She probably didn’t want to add to your worry. I took care of it and they’re both on the lookout for June now, so that’s an extra set of eyes.”

“It’s still hard to believe that you have an ex that is this…”

“Crazy?” I finished for her.

“Psycho,” she filled in at the same time.

“It makes me want to kick my own ass for even entertaining a friendship with the woman, let alone the possibility of anything else.”

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