Will fixed his gaze upon Ronnie's face while she played the ending to his song. Her fingers skipped across the keys hitting the last notes before letting the music fade away. The crowd around him clapped vigorously for her but he couldn't seem to move. He was transfixed by her beauty and of the moment. Ronnie's eyes fluttered open and she inclined her head to the audience but froze when she caught his eye.
"I think my parent's are about to cut the cake," Megan interjected. "Why don't we all head out to the patio and give these two a moment alone."
"Will," Annie whispered reminding him that he had brought her.
"Just give us a minute," he squeezed her hand trying to reassure her. He saw the doubt in her eyes but she turned to leave following Megan and the rest of them out to the patio. "It's good to see you play again. I thought after Emma…" he trailed off.
"Me too. There are many things I thought I couldn't do after I lost Emma. Having another child was one of them and I'm glad I was wrong."
Will remained in place unable to move closer but needing to have her in his arms. "What is going on with you Ronnie? You divorce me and move back to New York but you come back and...I don't know what to think. What do you want from me?"
Ronnie shrugged," Nothing. I don't want or deserve anything from you."
Will advanced on her and settled in the chair beside the piano. He saw fear in her eyes and he wondered why it was there. Was there something she was hiding from him? Maybe something she didn't want him to find out about? "You broke my heart Ronnie and Annie is trying her hardest to put it back together."
"I understand," she answered, bowing her head. "I didn't play that song to bring up bad memories. I just wanted to play and it was the first song that popped into my head."
Will gathered her hands in his and she moved on the bench till her legs were between his. "I loved you Ronnie and I still do. But there are boundaries when people get divorced and you just crossed it. I don't want to always be reminded of what I had."
"I'm so sorry Will. I would never try to sabotage Annie and your relationship. My only wish is that you are happy."
Will felt a familiar stab to his heart. This whole mess has made him feel like a heel. He couldn't say that he had brought Annie just to spend time with her. Part of him had wanted to parade her in front of Ronnie. In a way he wanted her to feel the pain she had caused him over the last year and a half.
Ronnie rose to her feet and released his hand instantly agonizing over the loss. "I think I'm going to go upstairs. Like you said, I need rest and I don't want to get in your way again tonight. You guys can have the house to yourselves."
"Ronnie," he called out to her retreating fame. He wanted so bad to tell her the truth but he couldn't bring himself to calm her fears. "I'll see you tomorrow." She nodded gracefully and exited the room. Feeling the weight of the day come crashing down on him he placed his head in his hands. It truly didn't matter if Annie and him had the house to themselves that night; he hadn't been able to sleep with her. The night he had stayed with Annie they had gone to her room ready to take the next step but he hadn't gone through with it. If Ronnie hadn't fought with him the next morning he would have told her.
"Can I come in," he heard Annie's sensual voice purr. She was standing just outside the room with her hands folded in front of her. She was magnificent and any man would be lucky to have her. He just wasn't sure that that man should be him.
"Have I scared you away yet?"
"Never," she came over to him and knelt at his feet. "You have baggage. I have baggage. When I was nineteen my high school boyfriend and I decided that we were going to get married right out of high school. My parents didn't want to hear of it so we hopped on a flight to Vegas ready to elope. Fortunately, by the time we got there I had talked myself out of it. I told John I couldn't do it. I wanted my parents blessing. I never saw him again after that day. There are still times when I think about him and wonder where he is and what he is doing. It has little to do with love but of a need to hold on to the past. The good news is you have a baby with her which will be a great reminder of the good times."
Will didn't know what to say. This angel in front of him had put his mind at ease with a few simple words of comfort. Not even his sister had been able to do that. "What do say we get out of here? I happen to have the house to myself tonight."
"What about your parents?"
"They have plenty of guests to take care of. They won't even know we are missing."
Ronnie dropped her head on the steering wheel of her Volkswagen Bug feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders. Her doctor's appointment, that she had just left, hadn't gone well. Dr. Phillips had berated her about the fact that she had lost three pounds since the last time he had seen her. He had also been concerned about the stress she seemed to be under.
Was it a surprise that she had lost weight? Annie had graduated two weeks before and moved closer to Will so that they could spend more time together. While she hid in her bedroom having to listen to them giggle like teenagers hiding from their parents. Just the sight of Annie grated on her nerves.
Taking a few deep breaths she pulled the car out of the parking spot and guided her car towards Megan's house. She needed time away from the lovebirds.
Megan answered the door wearing her workout clothes and sporting a sheen of sweat on her body. "Ronnie, what's wrong," she asked noticing the grim look on Ronnie's face.
"Can I come in," Ronnie asked.
"Of course you can," Megan nearly dragged her in the house putting her arm around Ronnie. Just hearing Megan's southern accent made her feel better. There was something comforting about it. Gave her a homey feel. "What has my brother done now?"
"It's not him exactly. I got bad news at the doctors office," she explained falling onto the pristine white couch. It was amazing that Megan's house stayed so clean with two kids. Most parents went for a darker ensemble so that any stains would be hidden. Megan on the other hand had chosen a white and tan colored carpet.
"Is something wrong with the baby," Megan's hand went instinctively to Ronnie's swollen belly.
"No but my blood pressure is out of whack and I lost weight. The doctor is worried I'm under too much stress. With Annie living so close and them spending so much time together I don't know how I couldn't be stressed."
Megan took Ronnie's flailing arms in hand trying to calm her down. "Take a deep breath. It's not going to help you to get worked up."
Ronnie took a breath feeling her lungs fill with air before blowing it out. She didn't want to hurt the baby but she was starting to feel as if she was drowning. At the very least, sinking in quick sand. "Maybe I should have just stayed in New York. Will wants to be with Annie not me. I'm just getting in the way."
"Getting in the way of what? Do you want my brother back? Is that what we are talking about? It's not like you have come out and told him what you want from him."
"I love him Megan. I miss him so much and there hasn't been a day since our divorce that I haven't wished things had been different," Ronnie sighed and leaned her head against the couch. "If I hadn't killed Emma things would be so different."
"You didn't kill Emma," she enunciated slowly. "He tried everything to get you to see that. All your problems can be boiled down to the fact that you can't forgive yourself. You wouldn't have gone through depression and an eating disorder. You also wouldn't be divorced. Ronnie, it's over, move on. Let Emma go, take what you have, and move on."
Megan was right. In the last two years she had tried blaming everyone for her troubles and when that didn't work she tried to suppress her feeling by not eating. But what hurt the most was letting Will go. Her heart belonged to him and no one would ever be able to take his place. Realizing the truth Megan had just revealed, Ronnie started to cry. "You're right. I want a new start."
Ronnie placed her hand protectively over her stomach feeling lighter than she had felt since her miscarriage. This may not be the family situation she had hoped for but she did have a baby coming who needed her to move on.
Ronnie left Megan's house a few hours later after playing tea party with her niece. Noelle had dressed in her nicest dress that was white with pink polka dots. The small table had been circled with teddy bears and baby dolls and the whole afternoon had made Ronnie excited to be a parent.
When she pulled her Volkswagen in the driveway she was surprised to see Will sitting on the front steps. His face was dark with anger and he sprang up to meet her when she opened the door. His body was tense and anger was radiating off of him.
"I'm not playing this game with you Ronnie. This is my baby too."
Ronnie reluctantly let him help her to her feet but pulled away from him as soon as she had her balance. "What is wrong with you?"
"Megan called and told me about your doctors appointment. You lost three pounds? Where you even going to tell me," he hissed.
"Whoa, wait one second. I just got home it's not like I have been hiding this for days." Ronnie strolled away from him knowing her nonchalant attitude would drive him crazy.
Will scrambled after her and grabbed her arm stopping her progress. "You went to my sister first. When are you going to let me experience this with you?"
Ronnie felt her heart sink knowing he was right. She had deliberately kept him at arms length. It wasn't because of the baby but because she would have to let him go when it was all over. "You're right," she relented. "You're right about everything."
All the anger Will had shown disappeared.
"I forgive myself," she smiled up at him. "For Emma and the divorce. We are going to have a baby Will." For once she didn't over think how she was supposed to act around him as she threw herself into his arms. Will's strong arms embraced her and he lifted her off her feet. "We are going to have a baby."
Ronnie heard him sigh into her hair as if the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders. He set her down and the smile he had on his face melted her heart. "We're going to have a baby as long as you take care of yourself."
"Well, I have been craving your jambalaya," she smirked at him.
Will took her hand and led her into the house where he set about preparing dinner for her. It was like old times. They were laughing and enjoying each other's company. The only thing keeping Ronnie from letting her guard down, and telling Will how she felt, was the thought that Annie wasn't out of the picture.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I have been thinking lately about who Will should end up with and I'm not sure that I should go with the obvious choice. What do you think? Please take a second and leave a comment / review. THANKS!