"Thank you so much Brie, I owe you one.", Thea said, before hanging up with her sister.
She had been running late, there was a teachers meeting right after school. She didn't think it would run so long, Nikki was watching Joey for her, but now Nikki had to get to work.
Thea called Brie and asked her if she could stop and pick up Joey for her. Brie didn't mind, she had moved in with Thea after Dean broke up with her. That was almost three years ago, around the same time Roman left.
He kept Thea's secret, no one on his side of the family knew about Joey. Her sweet little girl, she had black hair like her dad, and soft greenish brown eyes like her mom. She named her Joey after Roman, it was his middle name. She was the last thing she had of him.
Roman divorced her last year.
"It's not fair to keep you waiting. I'm sorry. This is what's best.", he had said.
She couldn't move on, it wasn't that easy. She still wore her wedding ring and never changed her last name, against his families wishes, Roman let her keep it.
She ran into him a lot, mostly because she was so use to going to his favorite restaurants and stores. The last time she had run into him, she had gone to dinner with her brother for her birthday.
"No kids", he had said.
Little did they know, that Roman had decided on introducing his new girlfriend to his family that same day, at that same restaurant.
She was beautiful and he had seemed so comfortable with her, at ease. His family never called to check on Thea, just to see if she was okay. Her back was to them, but she could hear them laughing and saying how happy they were for him. Unlike when they met her.
Roman had gotten the chance to join a very prestigious law firm in New York, but he turned it down.
His family didn't know it was because his boss had made a comment about Thea and possibly swapping significant others. He was into that kind of stuff and it rubbed Roman the wrong way.
"No other man is allowed to touch you. I don't care if he made me partner at the firm.", he had said.
"Yeah, because I'm not worth that much either", she had said.
"Nope, you're worth way more baby and I wouldn't change my decision about working there, ever. I might not be making much where I am now, but it's something", he said.
So they had kind of resented her for him declining the offer in New York, but after Roman set his foot down, telling them that he loved Thea and that she wasn't going anywhere. They warmed up to her.
"Are you okay?", Seth had asked.
"No. Can we go please?", she had asked.
Her brother nodded and had the order made to go. They stood, Thea turned because they had to pass Roman's table. She told herself not to, but she looked up anyway.
Their eyes met at the same time, his smile disappeared.
"Thea, hey", Dean said, hugging her and Seth.
He was the only one to acknowledge her and her brother.
"Hi, Dean", she said softly.
"Oh shit, man, today's your birthday. Happy Birthday Thea", Dean said, hugging her again.
Over his shoulder, Roman closed his eyes slowly before opening them and meeting hers.
"Thank you, but we should go", she said softly.
Dean nodded. They turned to leave, hearing a chair scrap against the floor.
"Happy Birthday", his deep voice said.
She looked back at him, he was standing, watching her carefully.
"Thank you, Roman", she said.
He nodded.
She sighed as she reached for the tomatoes. A hand reaching for the same one.
"Oh I'm…", she stopped when she realized who it was.
Roman cleared his throat, but didn't say anything. She swallowed and looked away from him.
"There you are, did you get the tomatoes?", his cousin Nia asked.
"I'm sorry, I'm in your way", Thea said, pushing the cart out of the way.
"Oh it's okay, Thea? Hey, I haven't seen you in forever", Nia said, hugging her.
Thea quickly put four tomatoes into a bag after Nia released her.
"So how have you been Thea?", Nia asked.
Thea smiled softly at her and nodded.
"Good, busy", she said.
Nia nodded, like Dean, she didn't think it was right that his family was keeping Roman away from Thea.
"I'm glad, I'm in town for a few days. How about we go to lunch and catch up? I miss you", she said, lightly touching Thea's arm.
"I'd like that, my number is still the same so call me", Thea said.
Nia nodded.
"Well, I should go", she said.
"Okay", Nia said, letting her walk past her.
Nia looked at her cousin.
"You should go after her, you can tell she misses you", she said.
"She doesn't want to talk to me Nia, she hates me for forgetting her", he said.
"Did your mom tell you that? I'm sorry, but that's a load of bull.", Nia said.
Roman divorced her because his parents said it's what's best for her.
"Let her move on Roman", his mom had said.
"Don't make her wait for you, who knows how long it will be till you remember. If you ever do. What happens if you fall for someone else or she does", his dad had said.
They both had made great points and in that moment had thought it was the right thing to do. Now, he found himself missing her company, he tried dating but none of those women were what he thought. He just didn't click with them, and they didn't get his jokes, even if they were corny.
"I'm going to go and get the napkins your mom wanted", Nia said.
She walked away from him and he found himself searching for Thea. Finding her, he walked towards her, approaching her slowly.
"Thea", he called.
She sighed, pretending to look at apples. She felt him close before she saw him.
"How have you been?", he asked.
Why did he act like it's been years, he sees her every week, no, everyday. Never once talking to her, not a wave. He just stared until either she left or his flavor of the week pulled his attention back to her.
"Fine, I guess", she said, picking up an apple.
"That's good", he said.
She placed four more in a bag and tied it.
"My cousin just asked you all this. My mom thinks I need a distraction since Rosa and I broke up, but trust me when I say, that was a good thing", he said.
She rolled her eyes and moved onto the oranges.
"You divorced me Roman, you can date whoever you want. Its not like I haven't seen you with other women", she said.
"Thea, I'm trying to talk to you here. I hate running into you and seeing that look on your face.", he said, sounding frustrated.
She looked up at him and he swallowed, knowing he said more than he should have.
"What look? You mean the one that says I lost my husband, but I didn't really lose him, he just forgot me and expects me to do the same", she said.
He looked away.
"If it bothers you so much, look away. Act like you don't know who I am, ignore me. I don't care anymore", she almost shouted.
He met her eyes again, he could see her pain and it broke his heart. She wiped the tears away before they fell and brushed her hair behind her ears.
"Whatever, fine, I'll shop somewhere else", she said, leaving the cart there and quickly walking out.
That's not what he wanted, he didn't want her mad at him for some strange reason.
"What did you do to her?", Nia asked, punching his arm.
He sighed and grabbed the stuff out of her cart.
Getting home, Brie was on the floor with Joey, both coloring. Brie looked over and smiled.
"Hey, I thought you said you were getting groceries?", Brie asked.
"I was, but…", she stopped.
Brie nodded, understanding.
"How about Chinese takeout?", Thea asked.
"Egg rolls", Joey said happily.
Thea smiled and Brie giggled.
"Chinese food it is", Brie said.
Thea walked into the kitchen after removing her heels. Grabbing the take out menu and ordering. Once she finished, she went over the bills. Some past due, others way, way past due.
She bit her lips gently. The mortgage on her house was due on Thursday. The extension she had asked for was coming to a close and they would probably kick her out of her home. The only home Joey knows.
"I paid the gas and electric bill today. I thought I could afford to pay the water bill but I have no money left in my account.", Brie said, sitting down beside her.
"I can't afford the mortgage on the house, all of my money goes there.", Thea said.
Brie nodded.
"Roman's check always went to the mortgage, while I paid the other bills.", Thea said, letting the bills fall onto the table.
She leaned back in her chair and sighed.
"Why not sell the house?", Brie asked.
"I can't, the house is under his parents names. Our credit wasn't good enough at the time and his dad offered to put his name down as long as we kept up with the mortgage", Thea said.
"Why haven't they kicked you out?", Brie asked.
"I don't know, maybe because I've been paying the house off, but now, the bank is going to call them and for sure, now they will", Thea said.
Brie shook her head.
"I think they were waiting for this moment, just to prove that I was never right for Roman.", Thea said.
Someone knocked and they looked at each other.
"Wow, that was quick", Brie said.
"Tell me about it", Thea said.
She stood and pulled the money out of her wallet. Opening the door, she froze. Roman stood there holding bags.
"You forgot these", he said, lifting them.
"I didn't pay for that", she said.
"I did, peace offering and an apology", he said.
She gestured for him to walk in. He did, looking around the house, still looked the same, except for the doll house in the corner and a coloring book in the middle of the living room, crayons beside it.
An Elena of Avalor backpack was leaning against the couch.
"Thanks", Thea said, bringing him back.
He nodded as Brie walked over.
"Hey Roman", she said.
He smiled, He remembered her from the hospital and knew she was Thea's sister, but that was about it.
"I'll take these", Brie said.
Roman let her take the bags. She left them alone again.
"I'm sorry for what I said, I didn't mean for it to come out the way it did.", he said, pushing his hands into his pockets.
"Its okay", she said.
He nodded.
"Well, I should go", he said.
She nodded, she hoped Joey didn't come out of the bathroom right now.
"Yeah", she said.
He walked towards the door and opened it. Stopping to look at her for just a second longer. She was beautiful, he was sure that was why he was attracted to her, but why did he stay with her? Why did he marry her? That is what he wanted to find out. What made her different from the women he dated?
"Mind if I come over tomorrow?", he asked, the words leaving his mouth before he could stop them.
Thea looked him over before shrugging.
"I guess, but why?", she asked.
"My family has been filling things in for me. What I forgot, but most of what I forgot, I spent with you and you're the only who could help me", he said.
She felt her heart flutter at his words.
"Okay, I get home from work at four", she said.
He nodded.
"Okay, I'll be here", he said, backing up and walking towards his car.
She closed the door as Joey came out. Her daughter smiled at her.
Ever since Joey could ask and wondering who her dad was. Thea had no choice but to tell her.
"My cousins have a daddy, where's mine?", she had asked.
Joey was too smart for her own good, but she wouldn't change her little girl for anything.
She had pulled out a photo of Roman and showed her. Joey's eyes had lit up and she slept with that photo sitting on her bedside table.
Thea kept Joey away from anywhere she knew Roman might be.
"Egg rolls momma?", she asked.
"Not yet", Thea said.
Joey nodded and went back to coloring. Maybe it was time the two met, he would understand why she didn't tell him and Joey was too young to stay mad at her.
Tomorrow, she'll tell him tomorrow when he came. Her brother was right, he deserves to know and Joey does too.
"Joey?", she said.
Her little girl looked over at her.
"Would you like to meet daddy?", she asked.
Her daughter stood, a look of pure happiness and excitement was written on her daughter's sweet face.
"Daddy?", she asked.
Thea nodded.
"He's coming tomorrow, you can meet him than", Thea said.
"Yay", her daughter said, jumping up and down.
Thea smiled softly. Brie stood beside her as they watched Joey.
"You think that's a good idea?", Brie asked.
"She's getting older and she knows what he looks like. Eventually, they have to meet and I won't keep her away from him longer than necessary. I won't let him miss her childhood", Thea said.
Brie nodded.
"His family can't take her from me now. He won't let them", Thea said.
"We won't either", Brie said, wrapping an arm around her sister.