Megan dropped two full bags of food on Will's desk that were marked with the name Rosette's. Rosette's was an eatery down by the water that was a local favorite. It was where his family used to eat on special occasions till the tourists caught on. Now the only time he ate there was when he ordered take-out.
Will could tell by the look on Megan's face that this wasn't her usual social call. Today she had a mission and he had a sneaking suspicion he knew what it was. He had caused quite a stir at the Sunday brunch.
"You are looking lovely today sis," Will put on his best smile hoping to deter her. She wanted answers that he just didn't have. Where were they going to raise their baby? Were they going to get back together? He had no clue.
"I know that trick," she commented. "How could you Will? You get her pregnant right when you are getting a divorce?"
"I didn't do it on purpose. We were fighting and the next thing I knew I was carrying her to the bed. How was I to know she wasn't on the pill?"
Megan pulled a Styrofoam container out of the bag and handed it to Will. She had got him a pulled pork sandwich that made his stomach grumble in invitation. He hadn't eaten since six and by the clock on the wall it was well past two in the afternoon.
"You lived with her for a year after Emma died. Are you telling me you didn't talk about her going back on the pill?"
"I'm sorry that I was trying to put my wife back together," he added sarcastically. "I should have been focused on a pill that would have served no purpose at the time."
Megan raised her eyebrow at him. "You're right. But I'm afraid you are going to miss out on everything. She is going to move back to New York and take your child with her."
Will took a bite of his sandwich not really tasting it. He had already lost sleep over the fact that Ronnie would move back to New York. He had even considered moving back with her but his new position in his father's company really hindered that. "What am I going to do Megan? I feel helpless."
"Ask her to stay. At least until the baby is born."
It seemed hopeless but it was the only plan that made sense. He deserved to see his child come into the world. Also, it would give him time to convince Ronnie that their divorce was a bad idea. Will shot to his feet and headed to the door.
"Where are you going," Megan asked looking perplexed.
"I'm going to ask her to stay. The sooner the better."
Ronnie sat on the balcony of her hotel room looking through her wedding album that she had snuck out of Will's house. She wasn't sure what she was looking for but she had felt drawn to it since seeing it on the coffee table. Why hadn't he put it away? It was one thing for the album to be on a shelf in the library but why on the coffee table where anyone could see it? Turning through the pages, she studied Will's face. He was so happy. It was if she was the answer to all his prayers. Their wedding had been held at the beach and their reception at his parent's house. It had been a beautiful wedding and had rivaled his sister's. Ronnie felt a tear slide down her face and brushed it away. It had been a happier time before life had hit them hard.
There was a knock on her door and Ronnie closed the album. Looking around the room she was embarrassed by the clothes strewn across the floor. She had never been good at keeping a clean room. Quickly she gathered them up in her arms and shoved them in the closet.
When Ronnie opened the door she was surprised to see Will gasping for breath on the other side. "Did you run here," she asked.
"No, the elevator…was taking too long…so I took the stairs," he got out between puffs. Today he was wearing slacks and a pressed white shirt with a purple tie that made her feel underdressed in her shorts and pink tank top.
"You ran up sixteen flights of stairs?"
"I needed to talk to you." Will placed his hand on the wall and let his head sag. Will had always been in great shape so he must have been going pretty fast to be this out of breath.
"Would you like to sit down? Maybe some water?"
Will breezed past her and fell onto the bed. "A defibrillator."
Ronnie giggled and settled down on the other queen-sized bed. She couldn't help but smile at Will. One of the things that had made her fall in love with him was his sense of humor. "Feel better," she asked after giving him a minute to catch his breath.
He propped his head in his hands and looked her over. "You feeling better today," he asked.
"Yeah, it's been a pretty good day." Ronnie pulled up the strap of her tank top that had fallen off her shoulder. "So what was so important you had to run up sixteen flights of stairs?"
"I want you to move back to North Carolina," he blurted. "I can't and won't be a holiday only dad. You talked about compromise and this is where I want it to start. There is nothing holding you to New York."
"What about my job or my family?"
"The job is temporary and your family can visit," Will stood to his feet towering over Ronnie. "I want to see our child grow."
Ronnie watched as Will started pacing back and forth by the bed. It was obvious he had made up his mind in what he wanted. She wanted him to be there too but things were odd between them. Could she really live this close to him? When she found out she was pregnant, Ronnie had felt some of the weight lift off her shoulders but she still blamed herself for Emma's death. How could Will not blame her?
"Where did you get this," Will asked. Ronnie, who had been lost in thought, noticed the album in his hand. She felt her cheeks grow warm under his scrutiny. "I asked where you got this."
"I found it on your coffee table. I wanted to look through it."
"You mean you stole it. I don't know why you would even want it since you couldn't stand to be with me anymore."
"Finally we are having a real conversation," Ronnie stood to her feet and crossed her arms. It was time they had it out. "You're right I don't want to be with you. Tell me Will, were you relieved when our daughter died?"
"Are you kidding me?"
"You took all of a day to get over it."
Will stood toe to toe with Ronnie, "You don't have a clue what I went through. You were so busy falling apart that you couldn't recognize anyone else's pain."
"She wasn't taken from your body," Ronnie screamed at him before the tears started pouring down her cheeks. Will sat down on the bed and pulled her into his lap to let her cry.
"I'm sorry," he whispered in her ear. She could feel his hand rubbing and her back; which made her feel worse for how she treated him. "I didn't come here to fight you. I was hoping you would move in with me."
Ronnie raised her head off his chest wondering if she had heard him right. "Will."
"I know our marriage is over but I want to take care of you. Who is going to get you pickles and ice cream when you need it?"
Ronnie smiled remembering the weird combinations her body had craved while carrying Emma. Poor Will had gone out at two and three in the morning to make her happy. There had been one cold morning where he had driven all the way to the store before realizing that he hadn't put on a pair of pants. She had laughed at the hilarity of the situation even though Will had seemed none too pleased. The truth was he was always a great husband but sometimes love isn't enough. "I have a contract with the school for one more month."
"Then finish it out. Take that month to decide what you want to do."
Ronnie stood to her feet and turned back to Will. "I'll think it over."
"That is all I ask," Will stood to his feet and placed a kiss on her forehead. "When do you leave?"
"Tomorrow morning," she answered.
Will smiled but it never reached his eyes. She could tell that something was troubling him but she didn't know what it was. Was he still angry about the album? He could take it with him. Maybe he was thinking she wouldn't come back at all. No, it couldn't be that. They did have a child to raise after all. A child that was more real to her everyday.
"Do you have a ride to the airport," he asked.
"I got it covered. I am just hoping my mom and Jonah don't forget about me."
Will paused beside the table on his way to the door and looked down at the picture the album was open to. "You looked so beautiful that day. It's sad it came to this."
Ronnie stood at the door and watched him leave. As sad at it was they didn't have time to analyze the past. There was a future coming that they were ill prepared for. How was she going to be a single mother? Her mother had done it but not when she had a newborn. Don't newborns stay up all night crying? Wouldn't that make it hard for her to hold a job? All these thought caused her to feel panic rise within her.
Picking the album up off the table Ronnie settled back into the chair on the balcony. She slowly flipped through the pages remembering each moment as if it were yesterday. There was a picture of Jonah and her. Another caught Megan with baby Noelle on her lap. Then she found it, the picture that had been nagging her to open the photo album in the first place.
The whole photo was black and white with a border that was out of focus. In the middle, Ronnie and Will stood nose-to-nose gazing into each other's eyes. It wasn't so much the photo that had called to her but the memory surrounding it. That was the moment Will had whispered that her dad would have been proud of her. Most people wouldn't have brought it up but Will knew how important her dad's memory was.
Her dad wouldn't be very proud of her now. She had divorced Will and now she was basically taking his child away from him before he said hello. There was nothing honorable in her decisions. Deep down she still loved him but her guilt over Emma kept them apart. The best she could hope for was this new baby healing some old wounds.
In the parking lot she saw Will walk out to his car. It was a BMW that didn't really suit him. She missed his old truck. The one he had given up when they found out they were pregnant with Emma.
Just a warning that the next chapter may take a while! I have another story I have been working on for months and all I have is the last chapter left. I want to finish it and not leave those readers hanging. Will do my best to get finished and back to this ASAP. Thanks for reading. Please leave a review / comment.