The Lies We Tell
A/N Here is the big one! Hope everyone likes it! Enjoy!
Chapter 8
Over the next few days, Vincent hired a Private Investigator, who began discreetly digging into Max's background and office runnings. He found several discrepancies that sent up red flags. When the PI gave his findings to Vincent, he told him some other information that made Vincent wonder about the character of Max Salter.
He also filed Divorce papers against Alex. He wanted to move forward with Catherine and Ryan, and couldn't do that until he was free of Alex. He paid a handsome fee to expedite the papers. The sooner he was free, the better.
Later that week, Vincent knocked on Catherine's door again. It was time for the truth to come out. All the truths...
Catherine heard the knock and froze. Somehow, she knew it was Vincent. Why was he making this harder than it had to be? He knocked again, and Catherine sighed. Maybe if she stayed silent, he would go away. She had just put Ryan down for a nap, and from experience, she knew she had a couple hours.
"Catherine? I know you're in there. Please, open the door," Vincent said through the door. Catherine hung her head. Tears pricked her eyes. "Catherine...please..." he begged.
Against her better judgement, she walked silently to the door. She placed her ear against the door. She could hear him on the other side. Hear his deep breaths as he waited. Hear the impatient shuffling of his feet. She jumped when he knocked again. "Catherine..." he said plaintifully. Catherine exhaled deeply, and swung the door open. Their eyes met.
"Vincent...I'm sorry. You need to go. You can't come here again." It's too dangerous for the both of us. She started to shut the door, but his hand shot out, and held it open.
"I know about Max," was all he said. Catherine inhaled sharply. Those 4 words shook her to the core. She nodded dumbly. Backing up, she allowed him to enter.
"Where's Ryan?" he asked, looking around the room.
"I just put him down for a nap. He'll be out a couple hours," she told him quietly. He nodded, and took her hands in his.
"Good. We need to talk."
Catherine chuckled quietly. "Didn't we already have this conversation?"
"In a way. But now, I want nothing but the truth. Starting with... is Ryan my son?"
Catherine's head bowed, and she nodded against her chest. "He's yours."
"You found out the day of my wedding, didn't you? That's why you came over. To tell me I was going to be a father."
"Maybe we should sit down," she said, gesturing at the couch. He led her over to it, and they sat facing each other. She took a couple of deep breaths, and started from the beginning...
"I've only loved 1 man in my life. From the first day we met, I knew you were the one. I couldn't tell you, though. I don't know why. I wanted to. I wanted to for years. But, I couldn't make the first move. We were best friends. And, if you didn't feel the same, I knew I wouldn't be able to stay your friend. So, I stayed silent, hoping you would..."
"I wanted you to be my first kiss, but I didn't know how to make that happen. That's why I had to catch you off guard. Granted, It wasn't the best kiss in the world, but at least I finally made it happen. I remember how shocked you were. I hoped, after that...but...no."
"We went to every school dance together. Nobody could understand why we weren't dating already. I couldn't even answer them, because I didn't know why either. And everyday, I lost a little more hope that we ever would."
"When you met Alex, I knew I had lost you for good. I knew I'd never be able to tell you how I felt after that. So instead, I cheered you on, all the while cursing my stupidity. The night you two became an official couple, I did something really stupid. I went to a party that one of the Football players was having. They had alcohol, and...I didn't even care how drunk I got. I just wanted to forget everything."
"One of the players, I think his name was Gabe...took me up to one of the bedrooms. I won't tell you the details, but I'm sure you can guess what happened next. The next morning, I ran out of there and threw up in the bushes outside. I was so ashamed. I had just given my virginity to someone who didn't even care. He had been even drunker than I was. I couldn't tell you, because I thought you'd hate me after that."
"Catherine..."Vincent said, interrupting her. "I could never hate you. It would be like hating a part of myself." Catherine nodded woodenly, and continued her story.
"After that, I...did other bad things. Things I'm not proud of. Things I'll never tell you about. Things I would rather forget."
"When you called me to tell me you had proposed to Alex...I wanted to die. I actually got a bottle of sleeping pills and a bottle of Jack. I'm not proud of that. I realized I had no one to blame but myself for losing you. I couldn't do it though. I couldn't kill myself. I just kept seeing your face. I knew I couldn't do that to you."
"Catherine..."Vincent breathed out. "I never knew..."
"Ironic, isn't it? We always promised we would never lie to each other, and that's all we've ever done is lie."
Vincent laughed bitterly. "The lies we tell to protect those we love..."
"Yeah..." she quietly agreed. "The lies we tell..." Catherine echoed his words.
"And...that night..." Vincent said.
"I did find Evan in bed with Clair. That wasn't a lie. When I said I just ran, I knew exactly were I was going. I knew you were the only one I could go to. I didn't plan on us sleeping together. I was so hurt...and then you said...what you said...and I just... I needed to be with you. Physically be with you. I needed...I needed to know that I was desirable and sexy and...you made me feel that way. You made me feel all of that and more. That night...was the best night of my life. I wanted to tell you how I felt then, but...the next morning...I panicked. I realized that...us...having sex didn't change anything. You were still marrying Alex."
"The morning of your wedding, I realized I was late. I took a pregnancy test, one I had bought with the hope that I wouldn't have to use it. Of course...it was positive. I freaked out. I did go to your house to tell you, but..."
"I told you Alex and I were moving after our honeymoon..." Vincent said. Catherine nodded.
"I couldn't tell you after that. I couldn't do that to you. So, I decided not to say anything at all."
"Where does Max fit into this?" Vincent asked. Catherine scoffed.
"Max...confronted me at the reception. He knew about us though Alex. He told me to stay away from you, to cut off all contact. He realized I was pregnant. He told me if I ever told you, that he would claim I was an unfit mother, and have the baby taken away from me. I couldn't lose my baby, so I had no choice but to agree. I regret it everyday."
"My God, Catherine..."
"I was so scared. I didn't know what to do. I called Evan and begged him to claim the baby..."
"I know that part. Evan already told me," Vincent told her. Catherine sighed. She felt the tears begin to fall.
"Vincent, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for all of this. Everything I've done...was because I'm desperately in love with you. I've messed everything up so badly. I'd...understand if you...don't want me anymore. If you walk out that door right now, I won't hold it against you. I wouldn't blame you at all." Catherine bowed her head, and waited for him to walk out of her life, forever.
Instead, she felt him slide closer, and his arms went around her, pulling her against his broad chest. Catherine sniffled, and buried her face against his shoulder. He held her tightly as she cried out all her frustration, murmuring calming words that made no sense in her garbled brain.
Finally, she pulled back and looked at him. He smiled and lowered his mouth to hers, kissing her gently. His hand stroked her hair.
"Catherine...I'm never leaving you again. If anyone should be sorry, it's me."
"Why?" Catherine asked, her voice holding confusion.
"If I had just told you how I felt from the beginning, everything would be different."
"We were 5 years old. What did we know about love?"
"I knew that I thought the sun rose and set around you. I knew I would do everything in my power to make you happy."
"Oh, Vincent..."Catherine sighed.
"Since we are going with total disclosure, I guess it's my turn. Like you, I was hooked the first day I met you. I can still remember everything about you from that day. I took one look at your smiling face, and I was a goner. I never said anything cause, like you, I didn't want to ruin our friendship if you didn't feel the same. Stupid me."
"That day you kissed me, you don't know how shocked and happy I was. My only regret was that it didn't last longer. I had wanted you to be my first kiss, too..."
"I...uh...I actually knew about Gabe. I heard him bragging in the locker room one day to a couple of his buddies. I confronted him...and uh...I may have thrown him against some of the lockers. His buddies jumped in and..."
"You beat them all up, didn't you?" Catherine asked. Vincent dropped his head.
"Remember when I was out of school for 3 days and I told you I was sick?" Vincent asked. Catherine nodded. "I was actually suspended for fighting. I refused to tell the Principal what we were fighting about."
"Vincent..."
"I couldn't let him talk about you like that. He said things...that I won't repeat. But, I did make him regret saying them."
Catherine kissed his cheek. "My hero!" she giggled. Vincent chuckled.
"More times than you know," he told her. "If you thought your first time was bad, you should have been there for mine..."
"Do I even want to know?"
"Full disclosure, remember?" Vincent said. Catherine watched his face turn pink. "Jill McManahan."
"Oh MY GOD! Really? That slut!" Catherine covered her face with her hands.
"Hey! I was a horny 16 year old, in love with my best friend. Jacking off to the images of you in my mind wasn't...fullfilling enough anymore. She cornered me after school one day. You were out because you had twisted your ankle in gym class the day before. Anyway, one thing led to another, and...you got the idea."
"Oh my God! I'm probably going to regret this, but...just how many women have you been with?" Catherine asked.
"Including you, five. Jill, a couple girls I would rather forget, Alex and you."
"Well, that's definitely better than my record." When Vincent raised an eyebrow, she said, "More than 5, but less than 20."
"That covers a lot of ground."
"Does it help to know you were the last?"
"Yes. And I plan to keep it that way, too."
Catherine giggled. "Anyway, continue on, sir..."
Vincent shook his head. "I wish to God I had known you were pregnant. I never would have married Alex. That night we shared...was the best night of my life, too. You have no idea how long I had wanted that to happen. Dreamed about it. And...the reality was so much better than any dream I could've had. Did have..."
"I never suspected Max was involved in your withdrawal. I was so blind not to realize everything sooner. But, now that I do know, I will use any means possible to protect you and our son. That's a promise!"
"Vincent, I'm sorry you missed Ryan's birth. I can never give that back to you."
"You were protecting our son from an egotistical lunatic. I could never hold that against you."
"There is one more thing you should know..."
"What's that?"
"Ryan's real name..."
Vincent was confused. "You mean...Ryan isn't really his name?"
"It is...but...it's actually his middle name. His full name is Vincent Ryan Keller Jr. It's the name on his birth certificate. And...you're listed as the father."
"Catherine...I...don't know what to say."
"In case...anything happened to me...I wanted you to be able to claim your son."
Vincent pulled Catherine against him. "I am so in love with you."
"I love you too, Vincent. I love you too..."
"There's one more thing you should know, too."
"What's that?"
"I filed for a divorce..."
They were cuddling on the couch when Catherine's stomach growled. Vincent smirked when Catherine blushed.
"Would the lady like something to eat?"
"Are you buying?"
"Well I wouldn't be offering otherwise..." Vincent said, shaking his head. Catherine giggled. She walked to the kitchen and grabbed her phone. Calling the local Chinese restaurant, she placed orders for the both of them. She handed Vincent a key to her apartment. "So you can get back in."
Vincent left to get the food, but not before kissing Catherine soundly. "I'll be back soon," he told her.
"I'll be waiting..."
20 minutes later, a knock sounded at her door. Catherine shook her head and laughed. She swung open the door, saying, "Don't tell me you lost the key."
"Hello Catherine..."
Catherine gasped when a sharp pain shot through her neck. Her world faded to black...
A/N OMG! Any ideas? Review!