Page 54 of Meant to Be

“You have no idea, do you?” Harry says. "That girl has gone to hell and back because of you and what do you do? You question her.”

“How did I know H, as far as I knew she had an abortion.”

“Obviously fucking not... why do you think we were so desperate to come to see you? You didn't give her a chance to explain Jax. She wanted to come and see you, but every time I rang, I got ‘he’s been moved to another prison.’ Why didn’t you tell me where you were?”

“I needed a clear head, I had to separate everything.”

Turning towards the entrance doors, he turns his back to me.

“Harry. There was no way I was letting her walk into that place.”

He walks away from me refusing to answer me or even look back.

“Harry?”

Shit.

Hitting the handle of the trolley I leave it where it is and head back outside in the hope I can see Shelby.

Shelby

I find a bench outside of the supermarket and sit down with Addison, taking the heavy weight off my legs, her arm goes around me in comfort. The shock of seeing him like that just messed me up. I’ve wondered how our first meeting would go - would I fling my arms around his neck in happiness or would it be awkward... there’s my answer.

“He acted as if he didn’t know about the baby, how could he do that? I told him!”

“I’m sorry hun.”

Harry walks up to us, closely followed by Jax. My eyes travel down his body until our eyes meet. I look away, first, though it hurts too much to look at him.

“Shelby? Do you have a minute?” Jax asks, but Addison doesn’t move, she looks at me waiting for direction. I know if I said no, she'll fight tooth and nail. I nod. She gets up and goes to Harry.

“We’ll get that shopping Shelb?” Addison calls over.

“Okay, thanks.”

“Shelby? Can I sit down?” He asks in a cautious tone as he saunters towards me and If I’m not mistaken, he seems a little nervous.

“It’s a public bench.” I shrug, “Knock yourself out.”

He looks at me then at my bump, “Shelb, I’m sorry. I swear I didn’t know.”

I snigger, “How could you not know? I wrote you a letter.”

“If you did then I didn’t receive it. I swear to you. If I’d got it don’t you think I’d have replied?”

“Who knows? Maybe you just wanted to forget about me.”

He seems to think hard about his answer, I can see his mind ticking over.

“I did... while I was in there. I just focused on getting out.”

Looking around, people are milling in and out of the supermarket with trolleys, going about their day as usual and my world had just spun off its axis.

“I can’t do this here Jax.” I stand from my seat and go to step away, but Jax catches my hand.

“Please Shelb? I need to sort this out.”

“Fine, let me know where you’re staying, and I’ll come to you.”

---