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Chapter 54- Emma's POV
I sit on my couch and leaf through a magazine, waiting. Just then, my phone buzzes and I check the lock screen. A text from Byron
Hey, it reads, want to hang out later?
Sorry, I respond, I have plans with the girls today:( Tomorrow maybe?
Sounds perfect
Great. See you then.
I smile to myself and turn of my phone just as the doorbell rings. Jumping up, I get it in no time. Standing outside is Rikki, her hair down around her face.
"Hey, Em," she says happily, and I step aside to let her in. "What's up? Why'd you call us over?"
"Oh," I say, "I just … some weird stuff happened that I thought I should tell you all about." Rikki nods and sits down on on one of my chairs, adjusting her blue shirt as she does so.
A knock on the door sounds and I get it, happy to see Cleo on the other side this time. When I really look at her, however, I see that she looks really bad. Her hair is sort of greasy and pulled up in a messy bun, she's not wearing any makeup and the bags under her eyes are really dark. She's also holding Isla, who's squirming to get down. Cleo only tightens her grip however, and gives me a smile that looks a little forced before saying, "Hey, Em. Sorry about Isla, I just needed to bring her."
"It's not problem," I respond, and we walk in. Rikki greets Cleo and then she sits on the couch.
"Are you okay?" I ask the brunette, and she smiles at me again, but it seems like she didn't quite hear the question. I'm about to ask again when Bella knocks on the door and then lets herself in.
"Hey, guys," she says, her hair down around her face and wearing one of Will's sweatshirts and a pair of leggings.
"Hey, Bells," Rikki responds, and Cleo and I smile at her as she sits down.
"So," Rikki says after a second, "why are we here, Em?"
I sigh and reach into my pocket, bringing out the letter and tossing it on the table. Somebody knows about you who should not.
All three girls take a turn reading it, each one of them getting pale as they pass it on. "Who gave you this?" Bella asks.
"I don't know. I found it under my door about a month ago," I explain. I've been trying to get us all together since then but things just haven't lined up.
They all look at me, scared. Cleo, however, still seems distracted, holding Isla to her chest.
"Well, do you have any idea who could've sent it?" asks Rikki.
I sigh. "Um, the night before I found it, I went out to dinner with Byron. We saw Ash and his new girlfriend at the restaurant we were at, and, I mean, he seemed normal but we all know that things ended badly."
Bella nods and then closes her eyes, knitting her brows and putting one hand on her stomach briefly. "Hey, are you okay, Bella?" I ask.
"Yeah," she pants, rubbing her abdominal and taking deep breaths. "So," she continues, "you think it was Ash?"
"I don't know," I reply truthfully. "I mean, I hope not. But I also kind of hope so, you know? Because, if it is him, that means it's not some real threat. But it also means I spent four years of my life with a guy who was willing to threaten me the whole time."
They nod, and then Bella stands suddenly. "I've got to go to the bathroom," she says, walking away without a second word. I watch her go, a little confused. Cleo is staring off into space, stroking Isla's hair, and then the little girl begins to cry.
"Oh," Cleo whispers, "shh, it's okay, baby." She bounces her and then checks her diaper. "Emma," she says, "I'm so sorry, but is there a place I could change her?"
"Yeah," I say, standing and leading her into the spare room. Inside, there is an old bookshelf that rises to about my waist and is about two feet wide. I've covered it with a blanket. When you have two best friends and frequent visitors who have small children, you take these precautions. "Thanks so much, Em," Cleo says, placing Isla on the shelf and beginning to take off her little leggings.
"Hey," I say, touching her shoulder. "Are you alright? You seem out of it."
Cleo looks at me and then shuts her eyes and runs a hand through her hair. "Yeah," she says. "There's just a lot going on right now. I'll tell you and the girls later. I don't really feel like repeating the story three separate times."
I nod. "Okay," I say, and then walk back to the living room. As I pass the bathroom, Bella walks out, almost knocking into me.
"Oh," she says, surprised. "I'm sorry, Em."
"No worries," I reply, and we go back to Rikki. I notice that Bella is a little paler than she had been before going to the bathroom. Her hair is pulled back, now.
We make small talk until Cleo comes back. "Sorry," she says, sitting. "Isla was being so fussy."
The three of us all stay silent for a second until I say, "Well, that's about all I called you over for. I don't really know what I'm going to do. I'm just gonna wait and see what happens."
Rikki nods and Bella smiles at me. Cleo takes a deep breath.
"Guys," she says. "I need to talk to you about something … really hard."
We all look at her, concerned. Shutting her eyes, Cleo continues. "Lewis … um, he slept with another woman."
Her words were so quiet that I'm not sure I heard right. But even if Cleo had screamed, I would've been just as confused. Lewis? Sleep with somebody besides Cleo? Not possible!
"What?" Rikki asks, her face red. "What do you mean? Who?"
Her lower lip trembling, Cleo lowers her head. "Leena," she whispers. We all blanch.
Leena, the beautiful, funny, intelligent scientist who's worked with Lewis for years. Leena, who's going through a bad divorce. Cleo has welcomed Leena into her home on multiple occasions. Has given her food, insisted she take some home. Isla has played with Leena. We've all shared a drink with her. In fact, we've all considered her sort of a friend.
And now … and now this. Leena and Lewis. Having an affair.
"Oh," Bella sighs. "Oh, God, Cleo." Shaking her head, Cleo tries not to cry.
"Eliot told me," she says, and I look up sharply. What has Eliot got to do with all this?
"He was at the bar when Lewis and Leena, um … kissed. And he said they were drunk and that it probably wasn't anything, but then … he saw, um, Lewis go to Leena's house. And he told me. When I called Leena, she said that they … slept together."
I stare at her. "How long ago was this?"
"Almost three weeks."
Rikki stands and sits on the couch next to Cleo. "Hey," she says. "Are you okay? Like, how are you handling things?"
Cleo shifts Isla. "I don't know," she whispers. "I … I can't look at him, anymore. I mean, He's been sleeping out on the couch and going to work before I wake up, like normal. So we only see each other during dinner, and he tries to talk to me and apologize again and again … but I don't know what to say to him. I don't know how to think right, anymore."
"That's okay," I say. "That's normal. He did a very, very bad thing. And you have every right to be angry with him."
"I," she says, her voice weak, "I just … I don't want to leave him, you know? I can't. I … I love him so much. More than I can even explain. And I can't raise Isla alone, I can't. But, I mean, how can I trust him again?"
We all nod. And then Cleo gently strokes Isla's hair. "And I can't let him touch her," she whispers. "I'm afraid."
Finally, a tear slides down the side of Cleo's face. "He was drunk," she whispers. "You do what you want when you're drunk, without considering the consequences. He wanted Leena."
Bella stands. "No," she says. "He was drunk. He wasn't thinking."
"He told me he was attracted to her. That he had a crush on her. I mean, it makes sense. She's beautiful and womanly and I'm …"
I take Cleo's hand. "You are one of the most gorgeous women I've ever seen. Do you know how many guys I see checking you out wherever we go? Cleo, Lewis did something very bad. But it wasn't because of you. You are the best wife, mother, and just all around person there is. Lewis is crazy for hurting you like this."
Nodding, Cleo closes her eyes. "I'm just so tired," she says softly. "And I just wish it would all go away."
Rikki gently puts her arm around Cleo. "It will," she says. "It will get better. It will just take time."
Cleo nods again and then lets out a breathy laugh. "I'm sorry," she says, wiping her face, "that I'm being such a downer."
I shake my head. "No, it's okay. You're hurting. This is what you're supposed to do with your friends."
She gives me a watery smile.
"Geez," Rikki says, "it looks like Bella and I are the only one's who aren't feeling bad right now."
Bella looks down at her lap. "Actually," she whispers, "um, I … I'm pregnant."
What?! There is so much going on right now!
"Oh my God," Cleo says, looking at her. "Was it planned?"
Shaking her head, Bella looks out the window. "I … apparently, there were a bunch of messed up hormones that got released when I had all the complications with Percy and they neutralized my birth control. I mean, it was really sort of crazy that I was even able to get pregnant again, according to my doctor, and the baby will probably miscarriage or come stillborn. But I won't be able to get pregnant again, after this, so I don't know what I want to do. Will and I don't make a lot of money, and things would be incredibly tight if we keep the baby. Also, the pregnancy will probably be really hard on me, and I will have a lot of trouble carrying it. So we would get an abortion, because that just makes the most sense right now, but this is our last chance. If we decide not to keep it, that's it."
She places both hands over her stomach. "Are you okay?" I ask.
Shrugging, Bella sighs. "I … I want this baby. I do. I want to give Percy a brother or sister, and I want to protect it and watch it grow. But … it's just gonna be so hard."
We nod and then Bella stands and walks to us, squeezing in on the couch. We all think our private thoughts and worry about our private worries. "At least," Cleo eventually says, "we have each other."
"Yeah," Rikki responds. "Some things never change."
