I sat at the counter. I looked at the pad on the counter. I wrote the note in my cute writing. Dear Adrian, I hope she was worth it. I know, it isn't original, but I had so many emotions pumping through me. I grabbed my many bags writing one last thing. I'll be back for the rest. I walked out of the door, locking it on the way out. I left the key on the counter and headed to the elevator. I've lost everything. I mean think about it, Mason, my friends, Dimitri, my family, and my husband. I was empty. I was ecstatic when my bike was in view. I looked at my bags, my bike was right next to my truck. I worked on loading my bike into the truck, it almost worked. I pulled my cell out of my back pocket. I dialed Dimitri's number.
"Hello?"
"Hey, come to the garage of my building."
"Okay, Lissa sent me to your building. I'm right around the corner." I hung up. I stared at the half loaded bike. I heard a car pull up behind me. Dimitri walked over to me. "What have you done?" he chuckled.
"Load the bike." I ordered. He raised his eyebrow at me. "Please?" I pouted my lip and batted my eyelashes. He pulled the bike into the car. "Thank you. I'm going to put my bags into the back and ride with you to you and Lissa's and Christian's."
"What happened, Rose?"
"I'll tell you all when we get there." I promised. I closed the hatch. "Meet you there?" he looked me over, studying me.
"Okay." He got back into his truck. I hopped in the driver's seat, driving away. I followed him all the way to their apartment. I was ready to kill someone. My thoughts of Adrian and the past month… we had a lot of sex. He would be on the plane by now if he followed after me, I doubted it. I pulled next to Dimitri. I grabbed my suitcases. He grabbed the other two. "Is there more?"
"I have to go back for it. I'm going to wait a bit." We walked into their… somewhat nice building and went up the elevator. It was silent between us.
"Rose?"
"What?" I looked at him. He shuffled uncomfortably.
"Did something happen between Adrian and you?" I met his eyes, studying his motives.
"Yeah, something big." He led me to their apartment door, using his keys to unlock the door. He led me inside where Christian, Lissa, and Mia were pacing. Well, Christian was relaxing on the couch.
"Dimitiri, did you find…" she cut off. "Why do you have luggage?" he stepped off to the side. They all looked at me. They waited for an answer. I shrugged, dropping my luggage. "What happened Rose?" I met her eyes.
"He didn't." Mia whispered. I nodded. "Was it with her?"
"No… our maid." My voice cracked.
"Well… my lawyer is on her way." Lissa offered a weak smile. I laughed.
"I'm taking all his money." She cracked, laughing hysterically.
"He has hundreds of accounts."
"The police will know that." She cocked an eyebrow. "Lissa, he's paying me what I spent on our wedding, the money I deserve, alimony, and…" I cut off.
"What else would he owe you?" I dug in my bag for the paper baggie holding the pregnancy test I bought at a drug store on my way home. I pulled the baggie out, letting them see. "Can I see what's in that bag?" I nodded. They all knew what was in that bag. Christian opened it. His eyes fell, he knew what this meant.
"Do you think I'm just two months late?" I looked at Lissa and Mia. "Please tell me that it isn't true." They both stepped forward.
"Take it, just in case you are counting wrong." They hugged me. My body shaking. I looked at Dimitri.
"I bet you don't love me now." I whispered. I looked back at Lissa. "Can I…?" I nodded towards the bathroom. She nodded. I took the bag and entered the bathroom.
-X-X-X-
"What's taking so long?" Mia paced back and forth. I looked at her.
"Mia, calm down. She's probably thanking god it isn't true." I don't know why I had so much hope. She was two months late.
"Lissa… she loves you. I don't get it since you replaced her, but I kind of like you too… anyways, don't bull shit me. She loves Dimitri and now she's pregnant with the man that she tried to replace Dimitri with." She barked at me. We leaned harder against the door, listening in. I heard her unlock the door. We backed up. She exited, face white and looking like she was ready to be sick. "Baby?" she asked. Rose dropped the stick to the floor. Tears lit her eyes. I watched her fight the tears.
"Rose, talk to me." she looked dead. I bent to the floor, picking up the stick. It had a tiny little plus sign. I handed it to Mia. She just stared at it. "Someone speak."
"Let me see it." Dimitri stepped forward, ripping the stick from Mia's hand. His face paled, he chucked the stick away. "It's wrong, it has to be." That shook Mia out of her reverie.
"No, we all know its right. She's by herself now." she spat at us. Rose looked up at us all.
"It has to be wrong."
"Rosie." Mia cooed. Rose just blanked out. "Please talk to us."
"I was pregnant before." She whispered. I looked at her shocked.
"Mason and I were expecting. I was a four months along when I miscarried."
"You were only fifteen." I nodded. "Rose." She backed away from us.
"My doctors said that the baby was never meant to make it. They said the first few pregnancies I go through will throw my body off balance." She looked out the window. "They said I should expect miscarriages. My body is meant to kill the babies." She laughed. "Who tells someone that? What makes them god?" she screamed at us. "I tried to be so careful. I've lost everything." She cried. No tears fell. We all were silent for a few minutes. "Can I stay with you for a few days? I'm going to be house hunting. I'm thinking I'm moving to a quieter place."
"What about college?"
"I'll do it later on." She whispered. "I'm the best there is… almost. Everyone knows me. I think it's time I moved on from this life. After the divorce follows through… we're out of here." She laid a hand on her stomach. "Can I please stay with you?" she looked at me then Mia.
"You can stay with me." I spoke up. "This apartment is big enough."
"Thank you." She hugged me gently. I felt her tiredness leaking into the air.
"You can sleep in my bed with me, Christian can take the couch." Christian opened his mouth to complain, but I glared at him. "Come on Rose, you must be tired." She nodded, letting me lead her to my bedroom. "Tomorrow it will all be better."
-X-X-X-
I woke up to the sound of my phone. I stood up from the bed, walking out into the living room. "Hello?" I asked groggily.
"Rose." It was Adrian.
"I really have to start looking at the caller ID." I muttered.
"Please listen to me." he begged.
"No Adrian. Four weeks ago we were walking down the aisle. We're married Adrian and you fucked someone else." I hardly swore. "Have you been cheating on my me before that?"
"Rose…" his voice was guilty.
"Oh god… all those girls that work for you." I put two and two together. "The meetings that take all night, the overnight meetings, and the late lunches…" I trailed off. "You've been cheating on my for five years."
"No Rose." He denied.
"How long…?" I demanded.
"That isn't important."
"YES IT IS." I screamed into the phone. I heard someone rustling. I walked out into the hallway. "Adrian… I'm done."
"Till death do us part." He argued.
"THAT LOST ALL MEANING ADRIAN." I laughed. "The bible said also no adultery… guess what you committed?" I growled. "I'm guessing you're on your way back to the apartment."
"Yes." I heard a few curse words. "Where's your bike and truck?" he demanded.
"I grabbed the necessities and left." I explained. He went silent. "I want a divorce Adrian. I want alimony, then money I wasted on everything for our wedding, the money I deserve, and child support."
"Rose, why child support?"
"You knocked me up stupid."
"Trust me, you will be in debt by the time I'm done with you." I promised.
"Let's talk this out, move past this."
"No Adrian, just hope I don't tell my father that you were screwing other people." He cursed loudly. "I'll be back to gather my things with a friend. I left my key on the counter… I really hope she was worth it Adrian."
"They meant nothing."
"I hate liars." I hung up, turning around. The door was open and the gang all watched me. "So… when can the lawyer get here?" she smiled softly at me. I haven't cried over anything, I must be stronger than I think. "I'm going to just use my computer to research places."
"You're a billionaire and rich daddy's girl." Christian laughed. I smiled.
"You know it… minus that daddy's rich girl part." I walked back in the apartment, going to my bag. I took out the laptop and plugged it in. "He cut me off four weeks ago."
"Why?"
"I told him that he should just adopt Tasha since he replaced me." I bit my lip gently. "I also kicked him out of my wedding." They went silent. "I should talk to them… I don't think I want to though." I whispered. I logged on to the computer.
"You should Roza… they missed you so much when you left. Tasha hated how much we talked about you. She hated that we denied letting her hand be part of the code system in the hang out." He smirked. I laughed.
"I would hate that too." He chuckled softly. "I'm going to leave you guys. When I get my house, when the divorce is through… I'm leaving, I don't think I'll tell anyone where I'm going either."
"No." Lissa denied. "You can't leave me again." She had tears in her eyes.
"If you've been through what I have, you would be running too." I looked up realtors in New York. I read the reviews, looking for the best. They left me alone for the next few days.
-X-X-X-
I entered the apartment. "Dimka?" I called. He came out of his room, looking at me. "I need a favor."
"What is it?" he walked to the couch, plopping down.
"Will you come with me to get my stuff and drop off the divorce papers?" I watched him looked at my hand where the papers in them. I bit my lip nervously.
"Anything for you Roza."
-X-X-X-
I knocked gently. I heard shuffling. I felt Dimitri behind me, his eyes on me. The door opened with a hung over Adrian. "Did you drink?" I demanded.
"What do you care?" he snarled. I rolled my eyes and looked into his.
"Wow, so you're stoned. That's wonderful Adrian." I took a deep breath. "I came to get my things… may I come in?" he moved aside. I entered, Dimitri following.
"You brought that scum bag?" he laughed. "She's mine buddy, get over it." I looked at Adrian.
"No, I'm not yours. I'm not anyone's." I walked up the stair case. I felt Dimitri follow me. I looked at him. "Let's get this over with." He nodded. I entered our room. There was only my side of the closet to pack up. Dimitri handed me a plastic tub. I threw stuff into it. Dimitri helped. We closed the tub and moved onto the next one.
"Roza?" I looked at him.
"Hmm?" I went back to throwing the clothes into the tubs.
"Are you really going to raise this child alone?" I paused.
"No man will want to be with me when I have a kid. I know how this life works. I'm starting to feel bad for leaving you in the first place."
"When Mason died?" I nodded. We were silent a minute. "Are you okay?"
"No. I don't think I ever will be though… you know?" he chuckled.
"No, I wouldn't know." I smiled.
"You should be happy that you don't know… that you didn't have to go through this." I clasped my hand on his shoulder. "It hurts losing everything. The one person you loved, your first everything… it makes you empty." I whispered. I met his gorgeous brown eyes. I bit my lip. "I don't know if I can re-recover." I let him go and looked at the now empty closet. I sat down, he sat next to me.
"I'm sorry Roza." I met his eyes. "I'm really sorry."
"It's okay… I thought it was time for me to move on… I guess it's happening soon."
"What do you mean?" I smiled.
"You know how I just got back from the realtors?" he nodded. "I have a house waiting for me now. I'm moving this week." His face fell. "Come on. I'm starting new." I stood up. He followed. He carried two tubs and I carried one. We walked down the stairs. I saw Adrian shooting up again. "Goodbye Adrian." I set the tub down. "Sign these." I laid them open in front of him. He looked them over.
"Okay." He signed them perfectly. I took a picture of him signing them. "There you go baby… what were they?"
"Well, you're a bachelor now. The judge will be having a court session and contact you about the money. Goodbye for all intents and purposes Adrian. You just set me free." I walked back over, putting the papers in the tub. I lifted the tub back up. "Thanks again." Dimitri and I walked out of the apartment and headed back to Lissa's.
-X-X-X-
We were sitting on the couch waiting for Lissa to return. It was just Dimitri and I. I had a moving van taking my stuff to the new place. It was a hell of a far way away. I would be leaving tomorrow in my truck and moving into the large property I bought. We were in an awkward silence. "Roza?" I looked at him.
"What?" I knew what he was going to say.
"You aren't even going to tell them? Just up and leave?" I nodded. "That's rude and inconsiderate." He yelled. I stood up angrily.
"You don't know. I thought you were happy for me. I finally am free and you want to yell at me?" I yelled back.
"Rose, it's stupid. You left us once, don't do it again."
"I'll call you when I get settled." I promised.
"I can't let you leave me."
"Dimitri what aren't you telling me?" I demanded. "First you're sad when we start talking again, then it's the I love you at the ceremony, then it's dropping everything to come to my aid, and now it's me leaving. I get that we are best friends, but I mean seriously. Lissa wouldn't even be like this." I stood up, grabbing my purse and keys. "I'm just going to go. I'll be back in a week or so for the court date." I walked out the door. He didn't follow me at first. The elevator closed when he came out of the apartment. I waited for the elevator to hit ground floor. I stepped out into the cool air. I walked to the buildings entrance, truck in sight. I was almost to the driver's side when they saw me.
"ROSE!" Dimitri called. He stopped in front of me. "You can't leave."
"You're leaving?" I looked at Lissa and Christian.
"Just give me a minute you guys." He focused back on me. "I can't let you leave yet."
"Dimitri… you're acting weird." I whispered. "I promise I'll call you when I'm settled." I met his dark eyes. "I'll be back in a week or so for court."
"No… I have to do this." He argued. I sighed. I opened my mouth to reply, but his lips crashed to mine. I froze. He pulled back, looking into my eyes. I was breathing hard, my chest heaving. "Rose?" he searched my eyes for something, anything.
"Dimka?" I whispered.
"I love you Rose. I have since I met you. Every time you say we're friends I want you to shoot me." My mouth dropped a little. "Please say something."
"You kissed me." he laughed.
"Yes I did."
"You've gotten better." He chuckled again.
"It's been five years." I nodded. I bit my lip… hard. "Rose?"
"Hmm?" I asked. He kissed me again. I reacted this time. I moved my mouth against his, my fingers going into his sexy hair. His hands went to my hips. Our tongues met, fighting. I thought about Adrian. He replaced Mason. Mason was the one person I thought I loved more than breath. I mean I do, but I also love Dimitri. Dimitri makes me feel a whole new category of emotion. I had to breathe. He released me. "I… I uh- I have to go." I walked to the driver's seat, unlocking the door. I hopped in.
"Rose." He grabbed the door. "You're really going to leave?" I met his dark eyes.
"I told you. I will be back. I'll even have you come down for a weekend when I decorate."
"Roza…" he looked ready to cry.
"Don't waste the tears." I spoke forcibly. "You have no reason to cry." I whispered.
"Rose… I get that you're hard after what's happened… but I'm here." He put my hand over his heart. "Do you know what that is?"
"Your heart." I spoke softly.
"That only beats for you." He looked into my eyes, searching for some emotion. I grabbed his hand, putting it to my heart.
"Tell me what you feel." I whispered. He was silent for a minute.
"Nothing… is your heart beating?" I nodded.
"It's slower than most." He looked back up at me. "I'll be back in a week or so…" I let his hand drop.
"I love you Rose… please don't leave." I shook my head.
"I'm sorry. See you soon Lissa. Tootaloo Sparky." Christian waved. I took out a letter from my bag, I slipped it into Dimitri's front pocket. "I'll call when I arrive." I promised. I closed the door and started the car. As I drove down the street I saw Dimitri reading the letter. This would be my second new start… I lost everything and I was as sure as hell going to keep something this time. This baby would be it.