Chapter 7: Confrontation
"Hey, it's Bella here. Things have been going pretty smoothly for me lately. I'd gotten some snide remarks, from my co-workers about my pregnancy, alongside Ellie. But Ed defended us. Then when I was feeling nervous about my impending motherhood, Ellie took me to see her doula and her exercise and birthing classes. And then at a couples class while Jim and Ellie went to the restroom, Ed asked me out for a drink."
I stood there speechless for a while, when Jim and Ellie came out from the restrooms.
"You ready to go, Ed?" Ellie asked.
"Sure, Ellie. Bye guys." said Ed, and the two left.
As Jim and I went to the car, he offered me some ice cream. That sounded good to me, in fact I was starting to get a craving for some ice cream. At the ice cream parlor, I ordered a large cup of chocolate ice cream with bananas, cookie crumbs, and whipped cream.
It was bigger than my usual order, but I'd been feeling hungrier lately. I took a big spoonful of the ice cream, and it tasted so good. I hoped the baby was liking this ice cream as much as I was.
That night, while I was getting ready for bed, I got a text from Ed.
"Bella, I didn't get an answer from you. I really need to speak to you." I read.
I hesitated a little before responding. Ed seemed really sincere, but I do know he could be deceiving.
But he did seem to want to make up. So I texted back, saying I would meet with him. And he replied by asking me to meet him at a cafe after work.
The next day, after I was finished with my work, I told Jim what I was going to do. Jim looked concerned.
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" he asked me.
I nodded.
"Don't worry, Jim. I'll be fine."
And then I went to the lobby where Ed was waiting for me. We went out to his car, and drove to a nearby cafe. As we drove, I asked him where Ellie was, since I didn't see her at the office. Ed explained how Ellie had started her maternity leave, and wouldn't be back.
At the cafe, we ordered our drinks and sat at a table. Being there with him reminded me of when we used to date. They would've been good memories, if he hadn't done those things to me. We were quiet for a moment, then I spoke up.
"Why did you want to talk to me Ed?"
Ed looked down guiltily, and then looked me in the eye.
"I wanted to apologize to you personally Bella." he told me.
I was surprised, he and Ellie had apologized me a lot, but this time Ed sounded so sincere.
"Ed you don't need..."
"No, yes I do."
I then stayed quiet, letting Ed say what he needed to say.
"I never truly apologized for cheating on you. I guess I was so caught up in my new feelings for Ellie, I wasn't thinking about your feelings."
I heard him out, and listened till the end. Then I spoke.
"Well Ed, I won't say what you did was okay, because it wasn't. And you really did hurt me."
Ed looked guilty, and then I said something else.
"But I do appreciate that even after I found everything out you still paid my dad's medical bills. And you did find Jim for me."
Ed looked relieved to hear that.
"By the way, how did you and Ellie find Jim?"
I wanted to know. Ed then began explaining.
After his family manage to calm down a little from the shock, he and Ellie thought about what they had done. They felt bad, and wanted to do something for me. Ed suggested continuing to pay for my dad, but Ellie didn't think that was good enough.
They remembered how I'd said Jim left because of them, so they decided to find him. They hired a private detective and instructed him to find whatever information they could on Jim or his location. It took a few months, but the detective manage to find Jim, and gave all the information to Ed and Ellie, which she in turned gave to me.
"You know Bella, I really want to talk to Jim. But he's been avoiding me." Ed confessed.
"He's still a little mad about what you and Ellie did to me."
"I want to apologize to him personally, but he keeps ignoring me whenever I try to say something to him."
I told Ed that I could try and talk to him, but not to hold his breath. As we were leaving, Ed told me one last thing.
"You know Bella. Even thought dating you was nice, I'm glad you found Jim. Because to be honest...I don't deserve you."
I was shocked. I really didn't expect to hear that. And Ed took me home.
That night back at the house, I told Jim about my meeting with Ed.
"It sounds like he's really sorry." Jim told me.
"Yeah, he apologized to me. And he wants to talk to you too." I told him.
Jim looked skeptical. I begged Jim to think about it, and at first he was adamant about not giving Ed a chance, but eventually he gave in. The next day at work, Ed asked Jim if he wanted to go to a bar that night.
And Jim agreed, but he told Ed he was only going for my sake.
When Jim went out later that night, leaving me alone in the house. I hoped everything would be okay between the two. The last thing my baby and I needed was for Jim to end up in trouble. But luckily, our project was almost finished, and Jim and I could go home soon.
As I was lying on the bed, playing on my phone, I suddenly felt something. It startled me, but then I realized it was coming from my belly. I smiled, it was just the baby kicking. I put my hand on my belly, and felt more movements.
I couldn't wait for the baby to arrive, and neither could Jim. Sometimes it was hard for me to believe I was six months pregnant, but the big belly gave it away.
After a while, Jim came home. I wanted him to tell me everything that had happened. Jim explained that at first they were quiet, but then Ed told him his feelings, and what was going through his head at the time he got with Ellie.
He also apologized for acting like a bad friend to him and he was sorry for hurting him and me. Jim heard him out, but he didn't hold back about telling him how angry and hurt he had been. But eventually he had calmed down, and accepted Ed's apology.
I smiled at hugged him, it looks like things were looking up.
That's chapter 7
