Page 30 of A Simple Love

“He’s working on it. Relationships are complicated sometimes, but I have a feeling Mike and I will be okay,” I explain on a smile, meeting my sister’s eyes in the rearview mirror.

The next morning I get a text from Ben, asking if he could see me. Moments later, a group text from Dean announced that Pauline had delivered the baby and they were ready for visitors. Being the efficient person that I am, I decided to kill two birds with one stone, asking Ben to give me a ride to the hospital to see the baby so I could end things with him when he dropped me back off. I know, not the nicest thing using him for a ride, but I wanted to talk to Mike tonight, so the sooner I got this over with, the better.

Little did I know, the dynamite I would detonate by showing up to the hospital with Ben would leave a path of destruction behind.

Chapter 18

Mike

“Am I doing this right? Shit, I don’t want to drop him!” I take the seat offered to me by my brother, which helps me relax a bit. I’ve never held a baby before and damn, this is scary.

“You’re doing great, bro. He’s a Kelley for sure, isn’t he?” Dean asks me as we both stare down at the brand new life in my arms, taking in his dark features but the green eyes he was sure to inherit from Pauline.

Sitting here, holding my nephew, is one of the most surreal moments of my life. After dropping my mom off earlier today, I had to leave to finish a piece of furniture for a customer, only to return a few hours later as our friends also started to arrive. The tiny person resting in my arms brings so much clarity to my mind, cementing the need I have to experience this miracle in my own life, with Victoria and no one else.

“Damn right, bro,” I grin up at him, the two of us relishing in the continuation of our bloodline, the future of our family.

“Oh my gosh, Pauline! He is so freaking cute!” Hayley barges in the door, Tyler following close behind, as they make their way over to me holding Axel in the chair. The newlyweds emerged from their house long enough to visit but will return shortly, I’m sure.

“My turn, Mike. Hand him over!” Hayley demands the baby. I give in without a fight since there is only so much anxiety I can handle at once. The two of us shuffle the tiny bundle between our arms.

“Oh my gosh, he’s so tiny!” Hayley whispers now as she soaks in the baby wrapped up in her arms, smelling his head just as every other woman has who’s held him. It must be a female thing. “I’m so glad the two of you had sex!” She jokes, warranting a laugh from everyone in the room.

Pauline chuckles as she wipes a few stray tears dropping from her eyes at the sight of our family and friends meeting their son for the first time. “Me too, Hales.”

“I want one,” Hayley turns to Tyler, his eyebrows rising instantly at her declaration. Apparently, the newlyweds need to have a conversation about future plans.

“Really? Already?” His head turns around the room to take in the reaction of everyone else. Both grandmothers just nod in agreement. I sit there, shaking my head, but a wave of jealousy comes over me too. I want children someday. I can imagine Victoria and me in this same situation, an image I’ve dreamed about many times. A feeling of longing comes over me, sending doubts again that we will ever get there.

“We can talk about it later, babe,” Hayley brushes him off, refocusing on the baby. Vic and Ben filter through the doorway a minute later, his hand on her lower back. I see Dean glance over at me in my peripheral, but all I’m focused on is the vision in front of me I’m having a hard time understanding.

Our little agreement to talk last night at Tyler and Hayley’s wedding gave me more hope than I’d had in a month, ever since I blew up on her in her classroom. It was not my finest moment, but the pressure and anxiety over competing with Ben for her affection, when I knew his efforts were pointless, had finally taken its toll and I snapped. I know I owe Victoria an apology and I was optimistic that our talk would lead us down the path we’re meant to follow, just the two of us together, finally.

Needless to say, the devastation that wracked my chest when I saw her show up to the hospital with Ben by her side was unexpected and shattered my hope from yesterday into tiny fragments beyond repair. His hand was marking her as they walked into the room, Victoria immediately finding Axel in Hayley’s arms after I passed him to her just moments before.

My jaw clenches shut, my shoulders tense and rise beneath my shirt with every breath I take. Just the sight of the two of them together makes me stand from my seat and say my goodbyes hastily before I exit the room.

As I walk down the hall, I fight the urge to throw something. What the actual fuck? Why did she show up with him when just last night she made it seem like we were on the same page? I’m confused, hurt, furious, outraged. I need a drink, so I go to the one place where I know I can drown my sorrows and lick my wounds for a few hours.

I arrive at BJ’s still raging with fury, my hands turned white from gripping the steering wheel in my truck so hard. Slamming my door shut, I stomp inside the bar, turning around to take in the crowd, momentarily pleased that at least I know Ben isn’t working right now.

I take the first empty seat I see at the bar when Sally comes over to me and sets down a coaster.

“Hey, Mike,” she greets me, cheerful and perky as ever. Seems someone didn’t just have their world turned upside down like me.

“Jack and Coke, Sally, and keep them coming.” Her smile falls instantly as she nods, then throws together a drink that’s more Jack than Coke and slides it across the bar to me. I nod at her in thanks, then down the drink in three gulps.

She wastes no time offering me a refill. By the end of the third drink, I’m feeling somewhat numb, but the lingering anger and confusion are still there. The thing is, I’ve tried to drown my sorrows before when it comes to Victoria. But it never worked, and the hangovers only got worse, so I turned to other methods of releasing my anger over the years. Running, the punching bag, slamming a hammer into some wood. All outlets offered various levels of aggression release, but the frustration I have right now needed alcohol to dull the pain.

Just when I think I’m feeling an ounce of relief, a spark is lit, reigniting my anger, as I see Ben walk in through the employee’s entrance of the bar, the look on his face far less cocky than it was just an hour before. I wonder what put that sour puss look on dick face’s face?

Ben ties his apron around his waist, his face impassive, and gets to work, blatantly ignoring me. Or maybe he doesn’t see me, which suits me just fine. We don’t even have to acknowledge each other anymore, as far as I’m concerned. I brace myself to stand, the rush of fuzziness going straight to my head.

“Sally, I think I’m going to need water from now on,” I declare.

“Yeah, I think that’s a good idea,” she replies as she hands me a tall glass of ice water and I down it before she refills it again. Not even close to being sober enough to drive, I keep drinking water and decide to shoot some pool by myself just for practice. Dean is far superior at this game, but I can still give him a run for his money. The extra practice won’t kill me. By this time, it’s later in the evening and dozens of patrons have made their way inside. Although it’s a holiday, people still come in and drink, relax with some friends, and watch some Monday night football on the big screens strategically placed around the bar.

“So, she broke up with you then?”

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