Beth sat on the kitchen table and stared at Shane making her soup, he had come in earlier to continue his painting of her. (a painting he refused to let her see until it was done.) He had found her exhausted laying on the living room couch. Beth had worked a wedding brunch earlier with her sisters and felt like her bones where protesting. She would have to start cutting back on how much she actually did but god knew she really needed the money. As she stood now Beth couldn't even afford a second hand crib. Her eyes watered and Beth forced the tears back there was no point in feeling sorry for herself.
"Ok Its ready let me just get my delicious TV dinner." Shane joked and Beth tried not to gag, Shane always ate those disturbing things for dinner.
"How can you eat those disgusting things?" Beth had to know.
"What? This is a man's meal." Shane replied making Beth roll her eyes, sometimes he could be ridiculous.
"Whatever, this soup is great. Thank you I really needed this."
"My microwaving skills are legendary. Listen Beth I know you want to be independent, but its freezing in here. Why don't you come spend the night in my guest room and ill have a repair man here tomorrow to check the boiler." Shane desperately hoped that she would say yes, the cottage on his aunt's property had gone uninhabited for decades and in his opinion was too rundown to live in but Beth refused to listen to reason. Shane was regretting the day he suggested the place, had he known its condition he would have never brought it up. The worse part was that Beth insisted on paying rent.
"No Shane we already talked about this, just get the repairman here tomorrow and I'll buddle up tonight." Beth knew Shane was right but she just didn't want help, she wanted to do this on her own. To stand on her own two feet and be able to provide for her child herself, too bad she was failing miserably."Why are you so stubborn woman? Fine but if you get sick, you are the only one to blame." He said the last part seriously, which for Shane was rare.
"Shane I know you have a deadline for this collection, I'm so sorry that I'm such a mess today and cant muster enough energy for even a short sitting." Beth said apologetically and effectively changing the subject, he already made the half hour ride to her house for their sitting which Beth knew he only did for her, the rest of his models always went to his studio. Including Sarah and Reggie.
"Its ok Beth, I already knew that you where going to give me a hard time with this from past experiences." Shane joked referring to their past as teenagers, Shane and Beth had always been the closest of friends and confidants. Everyone in Riverview believed the two would one day marry and for a short time Beth believed it too. Then Shane left for college and Beth followed Sarah to Bridgeport in search of Reggie. They began to grow apart and eventually Beth met Matteo and realized that what she felt for Shane was more of a sibling love.
"Hey! you jerk and here I was saying how happy I am about the fact that you came to Bridgeport."
"Really?" Shane looked surprised and entirely too serious which made Beth a little uncomfortable, she pushed away the feeling. This was Shane, her childhood best friend and high school sweetheart, there was no need to feel strange with him.
"Yes, I really missed you, I don't know what happened between us, but I'm happy you're back and that we can go back to being friends."
"Right, are you finished?" Shane got up abruptly from his seat grabbing both their plates and walked to the sink. It really killed him when Beth would call him her best friend or a great buddy. When the hell did he enter the friend zone with her? Once they where practically engaged, now she cried herself to sleep everyday over a guy who did not deserve her. Shane knew the minute he found her again that he had indeed lost her, Beth whom still was his heart even though she didn't seem to realize it. It hurt so bad to see her upset, pregnant, alone and in poverty. It hurt more knowing she didn't want his help just his company as a friend.
"Shane your so awesome, you made me soup, and cleaned up my kitchen. I love you, you always know how to make me feel better." Beth said while falling asleep on the couch and Shane bit his lip and he felt a lump growing in his throat. God, how he wished she would tell him she loved him as a man and not just as a friend. If he had been a sane person he would have stayed away from her after finding her living as a kept woman for some jerk, but he loved her too much to leave her when she looked on the verge of a complete breakdown. Shane had to admit to himself, he was a masochist
"So you've said five times already, its bound to go to my head." He said scrubbing the plate a lot harder than was necessary. "Beth your out of tea, I'm going to go raid my aunt's kitchen in the big house I'm sure she has some."
"You don't have to do that." Beth whispered practically asleep. "You take good care of me Shane."
"Don't you know? I'm a frustrated nurse at heart." He joked and finished washing the dishes.
Beth had seen Shane open the door to find Matteo standing on the other side. To say she had been surprised would have been an understatement. She knew she would see him again after their confrontation but not so soon and definitely not in her home. Then the scene that enfolded in front of her seemed to be happening in slow motion. Matteo punched Shane in the face and Shane immediately retaliated throwing them both to the ground, fighting like children at a playground.
"Stop it right now or ill call the police." Both men stopped at the sound of distress coming from Beth, but they stood up and glared at each other. "Matteo what are you doing here?"
"I came over to talk to you about the baby." He answered without taking his eyes off Shane.
"Shane I'm so sorry, I have to talk to him." Beth said to her friend mortified.
"Are you sure? I'm here if you need me." Shane told her, he had already let her know that whatever she needed he would be there for her. Shane was a great friend.
"She doesn't need anything from you." Matteo said angrily he hated to see Beth and her lover together.
"Its ok Shane, I need to talk to him alone." Beth reassured Shane who did not look convinced.
"Ill be in the main house, call me if you need me." Shane said, as he walked out and gave Matteo a murderous look that the other man returned.
"What do you want?" Beth knew the question was dumb but she didn't know what else to say.
"You." One word, that's all he uttered but that single word shattered her word. Matteo had never said he wanted her, not even in the early stages of their relationship, sex yes but her, never.
"What?" Beth wished she could be more articulate, she knew she sounded dumb but Matteo kept throwing her curve balls. Matteo grabbed Beth's trembling hands and walked her to the small couch.
"I want you and our baby, Beth I honestly did not know you where pregnant."
"You would have known had you not turned me away when I went looking for you." Beth said bitterly, she had to remind herself to not just cave in. Matteo had hurt her and humiliated her too many times in the past.
"I have no idea what your talking about, I have never turned you away." He looked truly surprised and Beth wanted so badly to believe him.
"I went to Aquarius looking for you during the Llamas championship party."
"I wasn't at that party, I got hurt during the season and to keep my injury from the press I went into surgery the night of the party, it was a very exclusive celebration no reporters allowed so the press assumed I was there." Matteo informed her, begging her with his eyes to believe him.
"Then who send me away?" Beth asked confused.
"I don't know but I promise you I will find out."
"It doesn't matter, doesn't change anything." She had to stay strong, Beth had spent the last couple of years miserable, only happy when Matteo found it fit to throw scraps of companionship here way. She had promised herself she would never go back to that again, for the sake of her sanity.
"Tell me what to do to fix this and I will." He looked so sincere.
"Matteo if you want to be in our child's life I applaud that and would never stand in your way. But I don't think I can handle being in a relationship with you again." Matteo looked into Beth's determined face and his heart sank, Beth had never refused him anything before and he found he didn't like the experience one bit. Yet he knew he deserved her reluctance and reservations.
"That's fair, but Beth I will not be the guy who comes visiting a few days a week. I will be a full time parent." He knew his words came out a bit threatening but he meant every word. "I want my child to live under my roof."
"Matteo I'm not getting back with you for the baby that's insane."
"That's your choice and I can't force you otherwise, but that doesn't change the fact that I want my child to have as close to normal a life as possible and I want our child under my roof." Beth could hardly believe her ears, was he implying that he would take her baby away from her? Beth panicked, if Matteo decided to take her to court she knew she would lose, she had no money, lived in a rundown one bedroom cottage and had no steady cash flow. Beth couldn't even afford a second hand crib. Matteo looked at her and must have seen what she was thinking. "No Beth I do not plan on taking our child away from you. A baby needs both parents, I just want us to come to a mutual agreement." He was right, of course he was right but she just couldn't see them coming to any mutual agreements.
"Why is it so cold in here?" Matteo asked breaking her train of thoughts, he noticed her hands shaking.
"The boiler is broken, but Shane has a repairman coming to fix it tomorrow." Beth explained she wished she could stop shaking but the cold combined with adrenaline wouldn't allow her to stop.
"Ok we are going." Matteo suddenly declared.
"What? Where? I'm not going anywhere with you." Beth said teeth clattering. When did it get so cold in here? Beth wondered.
"You have no choice on this one, sorry but there is no way I'm leaving you in this cold." Matteo said as if he was talking to a stubborn child.
"No need, there is a repairman coming by tomorrow." Beth insisted .
"Beth its an uncommonly cold autumn, it's sixteen degrees outside tonight. I am not leaving you here, your going to get sick." Beth listened to Matteo with apprehension, she hadn't realized how cold it actually was. Beth whished she had listened to Shane because Matteo was right, it was way too cold in the cottage for her to spend the night. "You can sleep in the spare bedroom, but please come with me sleeping here is not safe."
"Ok but know, this does not mean that we are back together. I am only using you for a warm bed tonight."
"Go it." He said with a smirk on his face and Beth for the second time since she had met him wanted to slap Matteo's handsome face.
***
Beth felt like a complete idiot. She lay in the comfortable master bedroom in Matteo's townhouse and all she wanted to do was kick her own butt. Sarah was right Beth lost all common sense when Matteo was around. How could she agree to go home with him? Beth realized that she was still the other woman and Matteo was still engaged. The night before they had solved nothing, as soon as she got into his car Beth had fallen asleep and woke up in the warm comfy room. Now she thought about the epitome of femininity that was Gia Costolli. Beth had read everything she could about Gia and could not find a fault in the woman. Gia did charity work, founded a scholarship program and was caught by a paparazzi rescuing a puppy last may. ugh stop thinking about Miss Perfect.
Beth got out of bed and took a shower, she changed into what she had been wearing the night before since she hadn't brought anything with her.
"Good morning, your up very early. Are you hungry? I can make you breakfast." Matteo greeted her cheerfully when Beth entered the kitchen. She had never been to Matteo's house before, he always came to the penthouse and she had to admit she was impressed.
"I thought you hated breakfast." Beth said sarcastically.
"Ha, funny, come on sit down I'm opened to requests." Beth was about to decline but her stomach grumbled and she felt the baby kick.
"Ok, don't laugh but I've been craving a grill cheese and anchovies sandwich." Beth said with a wistful look on her face.
"That's vile." Matteo said making a face.
"Hey, take that up with your son." Beth said laughing from her seat.
"You know its a boy?" Matteo felt a sense of lose when it came to Beth's pregnancy he had missed so much already and he had no one to blame but himself.
"Yeah, I saw him last month during my check up." Beth could see an array of emotions cross Matteo's face and she wondered where had that Matteo been hiding for the past two years.
"Sorry no anchovies, but there is salmon. Is that an acceptable substitute?"
"Ew that's disgusting." Beth gagged for added affect.
"Anchovies are ok but salmon is disgusting?" Matteo asked laughing and Beth realized that she had never heard his laughter. "Ok...Ok, I'll run over to the market. I'll be right back."
"Wait Matteo you don't have to do that." Beth protested.
"Do you really want grill cheese and anchovies?" He asked sweetly and Beth nodded. "Then anchovies you shall have. I'll only be a few minutes."
Beth watched him leave and wondered if she was dreaming, but not even in her dreams had Matteo ever been so sweet. It took her a few minutes to realize the door bell was ringing. Beth remembered Matteo saying something about his staff having Sundays off as he laid her down on the bed, so Beth got up and walked to the front door.
Beth opened the door and came face to face with Gia Costolli, Matteo's fiancé.
No comments:
Post a Comment