Chyler ran after Leland. "Wait!" she shouted after him as he put Jessie in the car. Jessie flinched as the door slammed.
"You knew!" He screamed at her.
"So did you." She said calmly.
"I thought you where my friend. Why didn't you tell me?" his voice broke.
"Because I am your friend I didn't want to hurt you."
"Yeah well I am hurt…not only that my wife screwed around with that slimy roided up womanizing fucker and got knocked up but that someone I loved trusted and valued didn't tell me."
"I know I'm sorry even if Becca's not" Chyler teared up.
"Hey now don't do that I couldn't take it if I am made you cry on top of everything else."
"I'm fine." She sniffed.
"I'm just so…"
"Mad." Chyler supplied.
"That's one word for it…I just don't get it…" he growled
He's Randy she's Becca there's not much to get it's their thing…"
"So it's like you and John all over again… that's what you're saying?"
"I don't know maybe…"
"Jesus, I'm just so tired of having to fight fate for the women I love!" he yelled he strode forward yanking her to him. He kissed her hard and angry… Chyler squealed in surprise shoving at him lightly. When he broke the kiss "Feel better?" Chyler asked.
"A little…"
"Good but you can't use me to get even…I love him."
"I know that but I can't believe you let him off the hook for sleeping with your sister so easy…"
"Oh he's so not off the hook… Just like I know Becca isn't off the hook fir sleeping with DL either…Ria speaking to him yet?"
"Nope…"
"Well you know… that that was nice for a pissed off kiss!" she smiled "Now come inside in let me clean you up…I won't take no for answer…" she gestured to thee mean looking cut on his cheek bone. "You're gonna have one hell of a shiner Bud."
"She's in there with him."
"Yes if you guys start another fight I'll beat both of your asses and I won't need john's help either." She said walking to the car to get Jessie out. Opening the door she unbuckled and lifted her out. Jessie clung to Chyler trembling and weepy.
"It's ok Jess."
"Daddy's way mad… she sniffled burying her face in Chyler's neck.
"Yes he's mad but not at you ok."
"What happened?" Jessie wiped her nose on her sleeve.
"Mommy and Daddy are fighting but I has nothing to do with you." Chyler hitched Jessie higher on her hip. She ran her hand down Jessie's dark locks swaying from side to side slightly she hummed storms never last and felt Jessie begin to relax. Jessie leaned back looking at Chyler. "Daddy and Uncle Randy fought and made each other bleed." Leland growled at Jessie using the term "Uncle Randy" Chyler shot him a look.
"My brothers get in trouble for fighting."
"Wanna put daddy and uncle randy in the corner?" Chyler asked Jessie giggled Chyler wiped the tears from m her cheeks with her free hand "Better?"
"Better."
"Ok why don't you go play with Tatum? She put Jessie down and she ran inside. Chyler turned to see Leland looking at her funny. "What?"
"Nothing I just got a glimpse of what john gets to see every day you are good at the mom thing."
"So is Becca remember that ok?"
"Yeah sure…"
"Her actions with randy have nothing to do with her ability to love or parent Jessie… let go inside its cold out here."
They went inside to find Becca attending to randy's split lip. "Sit at the island and don't move." Chyler commanded Leland before leaving to get the first aid kit from the bathroom.
"When she came back she whispered to Becca "switch with me so Sammy doesn't kill you" the nodded over to her as Sam walked in with John behind her.
Chyler wet a cotton swab with peroxide. Swiping to on the cut his lip. He breathed in sharply "Sorry Rand." It had stopped bleeding but his lip was swelling.
"Johnny will you get me some ice?"
"Sure baby." He stepped around Sam moving to the fridge he wrapped the ice in a dish towel handing it to randy. "I find it funny bounty boy popped you one." He teased smiling then went to get steak to put on Leland's eye. "Yeah you find it funny he kissed your wife?" randy popped off. John froze already half way to Leland with the frozen steak. "I was going to tell you once everything calmed down I handled things ok?" Chyler said taking over cleaning up Leland for Becca who looked peaked.
"I know you just wanted to hurt Becca Leland and what better way to do than shoving the woman she'll never be right? Well you'll never be me either she's mine don't do it again. He warned coldly. He put the steak on the island "and Chy I'm not mad despite Randy's best laid plans." He went and stood in between where randy and Leland where seated to keep them from fighting.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Sam spoke for the first time.
"I think that's rather obvious don't you Becca said.
"I wasn't talking to you or randy I was speaking to Chyler." Chyler very carefully put a butterfly strip to Leland's cheek. He saw anger flash in her eyes. He remembered what an angry Chyler was like form when they'd dated and he had the distinct feeling Sam had just lit the fuse to a bomb.
"It wouldn't have mattered if I had told you… you don't believe me when I do tell you…"
"Pretty Baby…" john interrupted she put a hand up silencing him. Never taking her eyes of Sam "lets list the ones I have told you about shall we Mickie, Kelly, Melina, Torrie, that positively ugly Kraft service girl. He slept with practically the whole company and still you ignore it or I set there with you while you cry and still you stay."
"He does it because he can get away with it Sam."
"But it's her." Sam cried.
"So If he sleeps with Becca I'm to sing like a bird but anyone else you want me to keep my mouth shut do I have that right? So I didn't tell you this time I was trying to spare you pain because I knew this one was really gonna hurt Sam! I am so fucking tired of being put in the middle of everyone's shit"
"You're a shitty friend Chyler!"
"Oh that's rich Becca fucked stole and married MY boyfriend and still I managed to stay friends with her. Our supposed friends nearly saw to the end of my marriage and put me in the middle of something I asked specifically to stay out of and when I try and protect you two I'm told I'm the shitty friend fuck this I am done…" she wiped the tears brimming her eyes and stomped off to the bathroom.
"I'll get her." Randy said.
"Its all about Chyler isn't it?" Becca snapped
"Shut up." Leland sniped
"We started this Becca and I don't like making my friends cry." Randy stated taking off to where Chyler escaped to.
Chyler heard the bathroom door open and close. She was holding on to the sink with her head down.
"Don't wanna talk about it Johnny."
"Then I'll just say how sorry I am that Becca and I stuck you in the middle."
"You can be sorry all you want your wife still hates me…"
"No she doesn't you just got into the line of fire." He put his arms around her shoulders pulling her to him in a backwards hug. "You still give crappy hugs…" she said looking at him in the mirror. He smiled. "Careful you'll open your lip up again…. Ok Casanova what ya gonna do now? Come on its me spill no judgments."
"Why do I feel like you're the only woman who loves me for just being me?" it was Chyler's turn to smile "Maybe because we've never slept together."
"I like breathing too much for that…"randy teased
"Like you'd have a snow ball's chance in hell."She teased back.
"Ouch you sure know how to boost a man's ego."
"So Becca and the baby or Sam?"
"I love Sam."
"I know."
"I love Becca too."
"I know that too."
"I thought I was over her and it would just be sex."
"Wrong!" Chyler replied.
"You're telling me!"
"So either way my friend you have to choose… that is if Sam doesn't take the choice out of your hands."
"I'd understand it if she did."
"Can I say just one thing Rand?"
"Becca's bored yes you two love each other I don't doubt that but Becca is bored with her life that's why you guys started sleeping together again. It's not soul deep love at least not anymore."
"How would you know that?"
"Because when you love someone that much nothing can keep you away and you guys have been apart for a long time. Married other people had children and were seemingly happy. She's bored…you're lonely that's all this is…"
"Not everyone can be you and john ya know you guys are an anomaly the real thing in a world of fakes…"
Chyler smiled. "Wow I think that was a compliment." Chyler teased
"It was…"
"Thank you…"
"So you are saying I should just give up on Becca and me and move on?"
"I'm smart enough to know I can't tell you to do anything…I'm just trying to make sure you see things from all sides love's not supposed to be hard randy."
"No matter what or who I choose I lose."
"You knew you'd lose before this started bud."
"I just can't lose Allie and if that baby's mine she's wrong if she thinks I'll bow out gracefully and let him raise my kid dead wrong…"
"Number one Sam won't take Alana from you-"
"Shit where's Allie it's too quiet?"
"I don't know where my kids are either!" they rushed out of the bathroom. Sam was talking to john Leland and Becca continued their argument in whispers. "Guys where are the kids?" Chyler asked everyone shot off in different directions. All other guests had bailed when the Jerry Springer fight began. "I never lose my kids…ever."Chyler said near tears "We'll find them girls don't worry john yelled back. " I sent Jessie inside."Chyler told Becca
"They're not in Tatum's room." Randy yelled down
"Not in the tree house either." Sam said coming back in all three women looked ready to bawl.
"Even the baby hauled ass" Chyler sniffed.
"Found him." John came into the breeze way where Becca, Chyler and Sam stood frozen in fear. He held fudge covered Holden out away from his body as if he was a bomb instead of a baby. "One down three to go." John said. "What the hell happened to Holden?" randy as he went to check the den and dining room. "Someone left the candy platter down where he could get the fudge…" "Lovely." Chyler muttered. "One down three to go." John said. Chyler walked over to Tatum's hideout under the stairs jerking the door open "not in the hideout." she yelled. "Not in the kitchen…" Leland said. "Not in the bathrooms either…" Becca said.
"Found them!" randy shouted they all rushed to the dining room all three girls were asleep under the table. Randy picked up Alana hand her to Sam them picked up Tatum who woke slightly. "Uncle randy what happened to your lip?"
"I fell." Tatum giggled "Clumsy…" randy handed her over to Chyler. Chyler quickly carried her up stairs.
"Mommy?"
"Yeah baby…"
"You and daddy ok now?"
"Yep fine no worries…" Tatum breathed deeply nodding off again
A few minutes later
Chyler watched as Becca held tightly to Jessie Prolonging the goodbye.
"I'll see you soon baby." Becca kissed her check and set her on her feet. Jessie clutched the Christmas gift Becca had given her an American girl doll.
"Bye mommy."
"Bye Jess."
Leland remained silent.
Chyler held Becca as she trembled crying half in anger half in sadness as they watched Leland drive away with Becca's child two days before Christmas.
"I can't believe he took her from and I won't be spending Christmas with her."
"Me either but you could follow him."
"No he needs space… and this is my punishment." Chyler hugged her.
"Baby!" john shouted from the bathroom where he was bathing Holden.
"Yeah." She yelled back
"I got the mashed potatoes out of his hair and the chocolate off but he's vibrating and won't stop laughing."
"What? Vibrating?" they walked over to the bathroom door the girls peered in and sure enough as John dried him off Holden shook slightly and laughed maniacally.
"That laugh is just downright creepy!" Becca said from behind Chyler
"Why'd you leave the candy down where he could reach it John?" Chyler asked
"Maybe because of the soap opera go9ing on in our house?"
"Touché`" Chyler replied. Becca groaned.
"What it's kinda true…" Chyler teased. "I'll go get you his PJs be right back." Chyler
told john. Becca had to walk away from the happy scene of john holding a towel clad Holden in front of the bathroom mirror. Saying "Who is that handsome boy? Is that my Holden?" he giggled and laid his head on john's shoulder. "Awww… is monkey butt shy?"
Becca walked up the stairs looking at the pictures that hung along the wall keeping and odd record of their lives. A picture of Tatum as a baby, a wedding photo. A very pregnant Chyler in a bikini striking her best vampy pose. John hanging Holden upside by his ankles both of the smiling gleefully. Then her eyes fell on a photo of the four of them. Becca's little makeshift family before life got complicated. He held her close as though nothing would ever change they all smiled aat her almost tauntingly from the frame. She realized she loved him and could only hope he loved her still and that the baby was his. Chyler came down the stairs just then… "Its gonna be ok you know."
"You sound so sure of everything." Becca said.
"That's because I am. Either way we're still the same girls in that photo." Just then Chyler's cell phone rang…
"Hey Sam…" Becca heard Sam drunkenly berating someone.
"No, Sam honey don't drive I'm on my way now which bar?" Chyler sprinted down the stairs hanging a left she gave john Holden's clothes. "The one on Carlton?" "Gotta go pick up Sammy be back…" she kissed john's cheek "no I don't think he can get frost bite on his pecker from sleeping with the ice queen…yeah I know its areal shame." John laughed "be careful it's icy I love you!" John shouted at the treating back as he dressed Holden. "Love you more." She shouted back him.
Well, Becca me and monkey butt are gonna watch sports center you game?" John asked when he saw her still standing on the stairs. "Come one you shouldn't be alone now besides ten bucks says holden shakes like a chichcua for at least another hour." Becca smiled. "Sure I don't have anything better to do." Becca followed john into the den.