This update was written by Sharon.
Chapter Fifteen
"I'm sorry Tea but after the baby was born, you went into cardiac arrest. We almost lost you on the table. The doctor said you developed an amniotic fluid embolism," Blair explains gently.
"Oh God," Tea gasped. "This is serious isn't it?"
"You were bleeding a lot Tea. They tried to give you blood and plasma transfusions but nothing was working. They had to do a hysterectomy to stop you from bleeding to death."
"I'm never…I'm never going to be able to have any more children," Tea asks brokenly?
"I'm so sorry Tea. I'm so sorry."
Blair sits down on the bed with her and holds her in her arms when she begins to sob. Blair had never seen Tea so Vulnerable.
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Jessica uses her key and enters the apartment she shares with Brody, Cristian a few steps behind her.
"Brody, we need to talk," Jessica says.
"Not even a hello…is that what we've come to?"
Jessica looks at him but can barely look him in the eye. "Brody, please. We owe it to each other to admit that this isn't working."
"Is that why he's here," he asks. "Is he your bodyguard now?"
Cristian steps a little closer but not too close to be noticed by the untrained eye. Jessica can feel fresh tears roll down her cheeks.
"You haven't been attracted to me since your affair with my sister…I tried to be understanding. I thought things would get better. They never did. Every time we tried to get intimate, you could never get an erection. It was not me you wanted Brody. At least be honest."
"I wanted it to be you so badly. I tried so hard to make you happy Jess. It was never enough. I'm sorry."
"You shouldn't have to try so hard to love someone.Love isn't supposed to make you miserable."
"Is it so terrible to want to get back what we used to have when we didn't have to try at all?"
Jessica reached for his hand and squeezed it. "It's not terrible Brody. It is just not realistic. You and I have been over for a long time. We were just too scared or too stubborn to admit it. The truth is that while you were busy trying to fix what you thought was broken inside you; I was busy falling in love with someone else. I did not mean for it to happen this way but it did and I am not going to lie about it anymore. "
"Oh My God, that's why he's here. He's your lover isn't he?"
He pulls his hand away as if she slapped him and Jessica looks him straight in the eyes. "I'm not going to apologize for loving him," she states. "I think a part of me has loved him ever since I was a teenager. Yes, I'm in love with him."
"Did you…did you have sex with him," he yells.
"I didn't have sex with him Brody; I made love to him. Do not cheapen it. Don't you dare try to act as if you have not hurt me too? We have made mistakes…all of us have...But in all of those mistakes, finding my way back to my soulmate was never one of them. How can it be when we created a child?"
"You're pregnant…Oh my God, it all makes perfect sense now. You were sick for so long. You said it was just the flu but it went on for so much longer than the flu. You could not tell me you were pregnant because I would know that you had been with someone else. Is that why you are telling me now…because the cat s out of the bag."
"I'm telling you because there was a time when I did love you…and I still respect you despite everything. I tried to make it work with you Brody. It was just never going to last because you were not him. Please do not hate me for loving him…I do not hate you for loving my sister. Believe it or not, I want you both to be happy. We had our shot Brody and it was beautiful when we were together but it is over now. We have to stop hurting each other by trying to hold on to something that is already broken. "
He is crying now so she takes his face in her hands and kisses him once more on the lips…not passionately but softly. "I will always, always love you Brody Lovett. You saved my life so many times. You loved me when I could not love me…But It's time to let me fly okay…I'll be okay now. I am whole…And I am in love with a wonderful man. Be happy Brody. If you want my sister than you have my blessing…If not then please be good to yourself…find someone who can give you more than half her heart. You deserve that Brody. My God do you deserve that."
Brody finally looks up at Cristian and smiles. "I should hate you right now but I can see that you really love her. You trust her enough to let her make her own decisions. You did not even interrupt her once. I wish I could have had that kind of faith in her. Be good to her…Or I promise you, I will kick your ass."
"If I hurt her, I'll even let you," he promises and they shake hands. Jessica and Brody hug each other and as they turn to leave, he says "One day when the dust settles and the pain isn't so raw, I hope we can still be friends."
"You can count on it…and Brody, I hope one day you get to be a father. You are so good with children. Bree adores you. Find the right girl and maybe you will finally get to have what Cristian and I have found. I hope you don't close yourself off to the possibility."
"Congratulations Jess. I wish nothing but the best for you and for your child. I will miss you terribly but I do not have the right to hold you back when you don't want to be here."
"I'm sorry…for everything. "
He chances one more look at her as she takes Cristian's hand and walks out the door…and then he sinks to the floor and sobs hysterically. Jessica was right in that they have been over for some time but God how he is grieving for what they could have had before it all went to hell. Jessica was his salvation…now what did he have?
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Nora stares at Clint, her body unnaturally still. Clint takes a tentative step forward.
"I want to apologize to you Nora. Not just because what was done to you was done with my face but also because we used to be friends. I know how much you suffered because of the man who hurt you."
Bo put a hand on Nora's shoulder to keep her from faltering. "I want to be able to look at you Clint and not see the man who I allowed into my home…into my son's life…into mine."
"This isn't your fault Nora," Clint said. "From what I hear, he is a master manipulator. I understand exactly how you feel. I just wanted to see you and to let you know that none of this is your fault. If you cannot ever look at me again then I understand. I just hope that someday you can look at me and not be afraid."
"Thank you Clint…I believe that you mean that…But you really should have listened to our friends. I would never be able to live with myself if something happened to you for real. "
"We'll have to talk about your ability to follow directions later," Robert said. "For now, there is an officer waiting for you in the squad car. Let's go."
Robert leads Clint out the back door until a uniformed police officer greets him. "I want you to keep a closer eye on him this time. He escaped once. Do not let it happen again. "
He shuts the door and returns to the group. Anna is sitting across from Bo, who is holding Nora close. Matthew and Rachel had retreated to the bedroom when Anna had given Rachel a burner phone to call Kevin. Matthew wanted to let Destiny know he was safe so he went with her. Robert sits on the couch and drapes an arm over Anna's shoulder.
"When's the wedding," Bo asks his old friend Robert.
"How in the world," he asks, glancing at Anna.
"Girls talk Scorpio. Come on. Maybe they need something happy to think about," Anna states, as she kisses him softly.
"Valentine's day," He says.
Bo and Nora share a knowing look, not missed by their friends. "Details Anna. I want to know everything. How did he propose?" Nora asks.
"Get used to it Scorpio," Bo says, clapping his old friend on the back. "If it's important to them, they'll remember every detail. Please tell me you at least remembered to get her a ring this time."
"Of course he did," Anna stated, and Nora reached for her hand to admire it.
"Oh Anna…He knows you well. Simple but elegant. The hearts are a nice touch."
Robert and Anna shared a smoldering look…neither would say that it signified her black stockings with hearts from a certain Valentine's Day more than a decade ago.
"Anyways," Nora interrupted…"The proposal…"
Anna reached for Robert's hand and pulled him to his feet. "What do you say Scorpio. You want to show our friends what a big ole romantic you are…"
"That was for your ears only Luv," he whispers huskily.
"You shouldn't be so embarrassed. Who knows…maybe you can even teach your old friend here a trick or two…"
"Oh he does just fine in the romance department," Nora gushes.
"We'll see about that," Robert says, as he pulls Anna to the front of the room to reenact his proposal.
He still responds to competitiveness," Anna thinks to herself as she looks at her future husband and partner. Check. I still know how to push his buttons. Check.