The final chapter!
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Here we are, now you're in my arms
Here we are for a brand new start
Got to live with the choices I've made
And I can't live with myself today
Me and Lucy walking hand in hand (today)
Me and Lucy never wanna end
Got to live with the choices I've made
And I can't live with myself today
-"Lucy" by Skillet
I don't know how Tucker managed to talk me into it, but all I do know is that an hour later, I'm sitting in our living room with him at my side, facing my mom, Danny, and Riley, who's holding Emma on her lap.
"So is there a reason you called all of us here because I've got to get to work soon?" Riley states.
"And I've got a hot date," Mom says with a satisfied smile. "Well, more accurately a short, hot fli-"
"Mom!" Danny interrupts, which I'm thankful for. No one here wants to hear about my mom's sex life.
"There is a good reason," Tucker announces. "Ben, whenever you're ready."
I swallow. "Angela isn't the first girl I got pregnant," I tell them, bluntly.
Mom groans. "You have another kid? Somebody get me a banana and a condom!"
"Mrs. Wheeler," Tucker snaps, sounding more serious than I've ever heard him. My mom notices that, too, and frowns.
"What is it?" she asks.
I sigh. "About a year ago, I met a girl named Elizabeth Sheridan. We hit it off immediately. This wasn't a one night stand or a short fling or even the average relationship. She was the love of my life, my soul mate… the one I was going to marry."
Danny stares at me. It's obvious he's surprised that I considered settling down, especially so young. Everyone assumed I'd either never settle down, or I wouldn't settle down until my thirties. Everyone thought I'd be at my wildest in my twenties, and even Emma wouldn't stop me from having a few chaotic days or even a chaotic week. She may slow me down, but she wouldn't stop me.
"Mom still lived in the old house, and I rarely saw her. Danny was still out of state with his other hockey team. I wasn't really in touch with Riley at the time, and Tucker was always traveling, so I didn't really tell anyone about Beth. I didn't really get a chance.
"When she got pregnant, we weren't scared like so many young couples would be. We were ecstatic. That's how much we loved each other. Even a big change like a baby couldn't throw us off balance. As long as we were together, we weren't afraid of the future.
"I proposed to her the night we found out the sex of our baby. It was going to be a boy, and we were going to name him Michael Daniel Wheeler.
"Then when she was eight months pregnant, we had our first, true fight. A full out screaming match. I can't even remember what we were fighting about, but it was bad enough for me to storm out the door.
"I wandered around for hours while I calmed down, and then I realized I was being stupid. I'd just walked out on the best thing in my life, so I turned around and walked back home to apologize.
"I found her lying on the kitchen floor. There was blood everywhere. It was coming from between her legs; something had gone wrong with the baby. She was so confused; I called her name, but she didn't even notice me. She'd gone into shock, and I knew that she was going to die if I didn't get her to the hospital. If our baby wasn't dead already, he was at risk, too.
"I took her to the hospital, but it was too late. I lost both her and the baby…"
"That's why you didn't see or hear from me at all for over six months. I was sent in and out of mental hospitals after suicide attempts and mental breakdowns. I lost my job; I was living at her parents' house.
"When Tucker moved back to town permanently, I moved in with him and tried to get back on my feet. I never told you because I was afraid dragging up the past would… would land me back in the mental hospital."
Silence reigns, and I don't dare lift my head up to see their faces. The sympathy, the shock… telling them was bad enough. Seeing their reactions would be worse.
Arms wrap around me. I expected Mom, but I recognize the strong, thick limbs as Danny's. Soon, I feel another pair of arms engulf me, and I recognize my Mom, followed by a stick thin set that can only belong to Riley. Tucker is the last to join the hug.
Things aren't okay, but… they're better. I'd expected telling everyone would make it all worse, but… it felt good for it to be out there in the open. Maybe bottling up the secret had been the thing hurting me the most, the tiger clawing up my insides. The secret had been the most painful part, not the confession.
I still blame myself. I don't think I'll ever stop. But at least now I have people to be there for me when I start to fall down the rabbit hole. They stop me from hitting rock bottom; they're the branches I grab onto, the smiles that help me see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Maybe I didn't lose everything the day Beth and Michael died…
Later that night, I sit on my bed, cradling a picture of Beth, seven months pregnant at the time.
"I'll never forget you, Beth," I murmur, "but that doesn't mean I can't move on."
She would've wanted me to move on with my life, to cherish the life I was given while I still have it. The least I can do is do what she would've wanted.
I smile at Emma, my beautiful daughter, who stares back at me and giggles.
I have so much to live for. Just because Beth and Mike are gone doesn't mean I can't keep living.
"I love you, Emma," I whisper, "and don't worry. Daddy's not going anywhere any time soon."
I left Beth and Michael, which turned out to be a great mistake. I won't leave Emma, too.
That's a promise.
"Hey, Lucy, I remember your name" -"Lucy" by Skillet
Hope the story was good. This is the first story in the We All Have Our Secrets series. Keep your eye for the other stories in this series, which will be posted in time.
Thanks for reading!