How to Deal – Chapter 6

Fox watched as Theresa briskly walked through the hospital with a child in her arms.

She perplexed him.

The child was supposedly Ethan and Gwen's, so why was she keeping it as her own?

He quickly followed her and intercepted her in a corridor.

"For heaven's sake, Fox!" she cried out in complete irritation.

Ignoring her tone, Fox began to play with the little girl she was holding. "Who's this?"

"Alexa." she sighed as she shifted the young girl to her other hip.

"Oh that's right. Ethan and Gwen's daughter." he said intentionally.

"You can think and say whatever you want to." she rolled her eyes.

Why did his words perturb her? Was she hiding something?

"What's that supposed to mean?" he questioned.

"Exactly what I meant it to mean."

Fox stared down at her. She was so mysterious.

Maybe she was cluing him to read in between the lines.

"How's your husband?" Fox asked.

"Why are you asking me? He's your best friend so you should already know." she snapped.

"Did your honeymoon meet all your expectations?" he continued.

"Ok, what is with all the questions? For one minute could you stop badgering me?"

"Why are you letting it get so deep under your skin?" he shot back.

"Because you're under my skin." she thought to herself.

"Tell me, Theresa." he began. "When you wake up in the morning and look into his eyes, do you feel a love that completely overtakes and captivates you? Do you see the rest of your future and happiness in his soul? Or do you just see the man who's going to get you full custody of your son?"

"How dare you." she spat. "You don't know what I feel!"

"And do you?" Fox asked. "Do you know what you feel?"

Theresa looked away as she tried to avoid his gaze. "What about you, Fox?" she whispered. "When you wake up in the morning in an empty and cold bed, do you feel satisfaction? Do you see the rest of your future lying on that vacant pillow? Or do you just look into the eyes of a woman who you slept with but isn't useful to you because she can't feed your soul?"

"You think you know me." he said angrily.

"But do you know you?" she asked as Alexa began to whimper. She finally sat the child down on the ground and focused her attention back on Fox.

"You love me, Theresa. It's me who consumes your every thought. It's me who touches the depths of your soul and no matter how hard you try you can't deny it." he said softly as he took a step closer to her.

He watched as her frame shivered at the closeness between them.

She was susceptible but yet so mysterious.

"I know how your heart beats and your skin burns whenever I stand close to you like this." he murmured in her ear. "The way your lips tingle when I'm not to far apart. Deny it, Theresa. Deny it while I'm this close and your heart is screaming for more."

Theresa slowly swallowed as he asked her to do the unthinkable.

"Fox." she softly muttered.

"I'm under your skin. No matter how hard you try to erase me, I'm still there."

"I love Dylan." she finally spoke up.

Fox took a step back at her words. "What?"

"I love Dylan." she said louder.

As if it were a magic charm Fox took another step back.

"He's my future and my happiness." Theresa continued.

Her words stabbed Fox's heart.

No. His Theresa wasn't saying those words. He was her future, not Dylan.

"Where did Alexa go?" Theresa cut through his thoughts.

"I don't know." he answered as he looked down. "She was just here."

Before he could finish his sentence, Theresa frantically looked around for her daughter.

She raced through the halls of the hospital until she finally found her.

In Gwen's arms.

"No." Theresa shouted as she snatched Alexa out of Gwen's hands.

"Theresa, what on earth?" Gwen exclaimed in surprise.

"You leave my daughter alone." she warned her.

"Your daughter." Gwen repeated as she looked at Alexa. "Don't you mean my daughter? The one you stole from Ethan and I? Give her here!"

"Yes, I stole her from Ethan." Theresa began. "But I definitely did not steal her from you."

"Excuse me?" Gwen asked confused.

"Forget it, Gwen. Just know that I'm filing for custody of my son." Theresa answered as she walked away.

She turned the hall to see a stunned Fox standing in shock.

"I get it now." he said quietly.

"What?"

"Alexa's not Gwen and Ethan's. She's yours and Ethan's."

"Congrats." she said sarcastically. "You deserve a gold star."

"And you deserve an Oscar," He bitterly replied, "for being the best backstabbing, manipulative, and scheming actress of all time."