Page 96 of Dear Ripley

“But you can’t. You don’t want to raise a baby alone. You don’t want to be alone.”

“I actually do.” She looked around at the rest of us. “And I’m not alone in raising my baby. They say it takes a village. Well, I found mine, and it’s a whole town. And… it’s not a town I want you in anymore. There’s no coming back from what you did. And I don’t want there to be.”

I couldn’t help but smile. There was something awkward and rude about intruding on this moment—a moment that should have been intensely private—but Ellie had brought the fight here, and I was grateful to be part of the village showing up for Harlow every time she needed it.

Ripley smiled back at me. I’d never have guessed that watching one relationship become history for a second time would have shown me how much ours wasn’t, but I was grateful for everything that had led us to this moment. I still had no idea what we were doing, but I knew what we weren’t.

“But, but, but…” Ellie gestured around helplessly. “But you love me. We’re married. We were going to raise a kid together. And now you’re pregnant, so we can do all that.”

Harlow took a deep breath. “I’m not a vessel to give you a baby. I’m not a wife you can keep at home, doing things for you, while you run around doing whatever, and whoever, you want. I’m a real person. One who deserves love and respect, and to have someone there by my side when things get awful. I thought that was you once, but you showed me time and time again that it wasn’t, so, no, I’m not your wife. Not anymore. We’re divorced. We have been for months. And this baby is mine alone.”

“I promise I can do better,” she whined, and I felt, for the first time, some pity for her. I would never forgive her for what she did, but she didn’t seem so powerful anymore. She seemed lost and insecure. It was no excuse, but I hoped it could be a path to her getting help, to putting an end to all the lives she kept damaging.

“I loved you once, but that’s all gone now,” Harlow told her. “You’re not ready for a child, and you’re not ready for a wife. I think you need some therapy—in the nicest way possible—and to figure out who you are, and what you actually want. You pretended you wanted me and our life, but everything you did showed you didn’t really want it. Do yourself a favor and get some help figuring out who you really are. Then, maybe, one day, you’ll be happy.” She paused. “But, it won’t be with me. We’re divorced and I’m not looking to change that. I’m happy now. And I wish you all the best.”

It was more generous than what I wanted her to wish for the woman who’d hurt her so badly, but Harlow was a good person, and she really was in such a good space now. So much had changed recently, but this moment, more than anything else, showed me how great her future was shaping up to be.

Ellie stared at her for several minutes, looking broken for the first time. I’d never seen her looking anything remotely close to it before. “So, that’s it?”

“That’s it for you and me,” Harlow told her, nodding. “But I’m sure you’ll figure things out for yourself.”

It took a moment, but the reality seemed to finally hit Ellie. She wasn’t winning this. She wasn’t going to wriggle out of the consequences of her actions as she had before. She was actually going to have to work on herself if she didn’t want to be in this situation again. And, in the end, I was certain that would be good for her, even if it didn’t feel great right now.

She looked around at the rest of us, bright red with embarrassment, and deeply uncomfortable. Morgan and I stepped aside in sync to allow her to pass, to leave our lives forever.

We watched her go and, for several moments, we all stood in surprised silence. I wondered who it was she’d come here with that first day, whether they were the one who was going to be left picking up the pieces now. I wished them well. So long as it wasn’t Harlow’s job, I was happy.

When she was certain Ellie had gone, Harlow blew out a heavy breath. “Well, that’s that done, I guess.”

The place erupted with sound—too much from just four people—as the rest of us descended on Harlow, three of us telling her how proud we were of her, and Ekundayo trying to catch up with everything that had happened, but still happy for her.

I wrapped her in a tight hug. “I’m going to murder you for leaving without me, but I’m really, really proud of you.”

She laughed in my ear. “You wouldn’t dare. I’m carrying your favorite child in the world.”

Feeling more shaky and emotional than I’d expected, I pulled back to look at her. “That’s not the only reason. I don’t think you’re only good for having a child.”

She laughed, rolling her eyes. “I know that.”

I laughed gratefully as she pulled me in tight again.

“Now, we just need to get you sorted with your happily ever after, and I’ll have everything I ever wanted.”

Before I could say anything, or do anything other than let out an undignified squeak, Harlow raised her voice and called, “Ripley, get in here.” And wasn’t that the least subtle she’d ever been in her life? Couldn’t she take two minutes off from matchmaking to celebrate getting rid of her shady ex?

Chapter 34

Ripley

If anyone had asked me a month ago for the last thing I’d have expected to be doing in my life, it would have been this. Celebratory brunch and milkshakes at Didi’s, with Alicia, Morgan, and Harlow. Again.

We’d done it before, of course—more than once. But, in the last eight years, I’d said goodbye to those memories and the sadness that clung to them.

Morgan and I still came here, life moved on, and I was happy enough. Now that the four of us were back, it felt like they’d been missing the whole time. Home at last. Except I didn’t know whether it was Alicia and Harlow coming home to Jackson Point, or me and Alicia coming home to each other.

After the divorce, some people had wondered whether I’d celebrate. Some people who’d gotten divorced later had invited me to their divorce parties—occasions where they’d been happy to get rid of their spouse, where the breakdown of the marriage had been ugly and unpleasant. And I’d gone to some of them. I’d celebrated for them and with them. I’d understood that their life was going to be infinitely better without their ex in it. Just like Harlow with Ellie.

But it had never been that way for me.

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