Page 82 of Big Island Weddings
“Hello, Fern.” Chad’s voice was grim. “You remember Tiffany?”
“Of course. Hello. How are you?”
“I– I’m okay,” Tiffany stuttered. She looked to Chad with a nervous expression, and he let out a heavy sigh.
“Fernanda,” he said heavily, “we need to have a discussion.”
“Okay…” She drew the word out uncertainly, blinking at him.
“Our time together has come to an end.”
“You… our what?”
Chad’s deliberate calm took on an edge of disdain. “Maybe we were afraid to step into the unknown, but circumstances dictate that I do so now.”
“What are youtalkingabout?” She gave Tiffany a bewildered glance. The poor girl looked so uncomfortable.
“It’s time we let each other go. I think we’ve both known for some time that this relationship is past its expiration date.”
“Past its– Chad, I don’t understand. I thought we were–” She swiped a hand over her face, trying to organize a tornado of confused thoughts. “We’ve been talking about having a family together.”
“Youhave been talking about your desire to adopt. And maybe that’s your path. But it’s not for me.”
Fern glanced at Tiffany again. She didn’t feel any anger, not yet. Just hurt that Chad would say these things to her at all, let alone in front of another person. Above all, she felt shocked.
Embarrassingly late in the conversation, it dawned on her why there was a third person present. She gaped at Chad.
“You’re leaving me for her?” She looked at Tiffany again. “He’s moving in with you?”
The girl picked at a tiny hole in her leggings. “Well… about that.”
“We agreed it would be best for Tiffany to move in here,” Chad said.
“Excuseme?” There, finally, was a spark of anger.
“It will be easier on all of us if you accept the inevitable graciously, Fernanda. You might have been my twin flame, but she’s my soulmate. Do you understand? My hands are tied.”
Shock overshadowed the anger again… and with it, she felt appalled withherselfthat she had ever loved this man. What a conceited, arrogant, absolute pr–
“You can’t afford the rent on your own,” he said, interrupting her train of thought.
“I’ll manage.” Her tone was suddenly savage.
“You don’t need this much space,” he said slowly, as if explaining something to a child. “We do.”
“My yoga studio is downstairs,” she protested.
“And my office is upstairs. Aside from that, we need the third room for the baby.”
Fern staggered backwards, and her back connected with the wall. “The what?”
“I’m going to have a baby.” Tiffany spoke for the first time, her voice unsteady but cheerful. Chad reached over and took her hand.
“We’re going to have a baby,” he said to Fern, “and we need the house.”
“Get out,” she growled.
“Excuse me?”
