2008 EMMA Nomination – Author of the Year

Coming Soon

 

She did not just say “our baby”, Ty’s mind roared. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Her upper body shook and Ty realized it was because he’d grasped her shoulders, shaking her with each word he’d spoken. Immediately disgusted with himself he yanked his hands from her. “I want to know what’s going on right now, Felicia,” he said through clenched teeth.

With movements too slow for his liking Felicia turned, placing the baby clothes onto the rack behind her. When she turned back to him her warm brown eyes appeared glazed with tears. “Let’s not do this here,” she said quietly.

Ty had to take a deep breath. His emotions were swirling through his body, pain and confusion burning through the layers of other stress he was currently dealing with. In the end he recognized that this was not the place to air their dirty laundry. People would undoubtedly recognize him and the last thing his family needed right now was some trifling gossip about him and his estranged wife in a baby store.

“Fine. Let’s go.” He reached for her hand and wasn’t surprised that she didn’t readily give it to him. With a long sigh he took her hand, albeit gently and led her out of the store.

Across the street was a bistro. It looked like one of those French shops with the awning trimmed in some curling material. Houston’s typical cold front that signaled the official shift from autumn to winter hadn’t yet hit, so small tables with fancy backed white chairs were still set outside for customers. He bypassed the host with a nod then proceeded directly to a table in the shade. Pulling out her chair he watched as Felicia sat down. Her scent, that perfume she loved so much from Clinique, wafting up through his nostrils. God, he missed her.

Taking a seat across from her Ty tried valiantly not to yell again. She’d just said “our baby”, meaning theirs—his and hers. When had she gotten pregnant? And when had she planned to tell him?

Before speaking he looked at her closely. She looked tired but even that didn’t hamper her beauty, or the added glow he noted around her cheeks. Her honey brown complexion was accented by high cheekbones and wide, expressive eyes. How many nights had he stared into those eyes pledging his undying love.

His gaze fell to her breasts and his mouth watered at their memory. He’d always loved her body. She was small, but curvy and soft in all the right places.

Ty had dubbed her his sweetheart and vowed to always protect her from any harm or danger. The way she was looking at him made her feel as if the person she needed protection from was him. Traveling further down he saw that the top she wore which fitted across her bodice flared from a band of material at her ribcage. There was no real sign of a pregnant stomach but the blouse was a lot looser than Felicia’s normal attire.

She was pregnant, that realization hit him with warm finality. Having children had been a few years off in his life plan. Yet, Harmon’s immortality had him thinking of family lately.

“It was the night of the funeral,” she said when he continued to watch her.

Lifting his gaze to her face he marveled at the soft auburn curls of her hair that rested so adoringly at her shoulders. Her round, cherub-like face, full lips and soulful eyes, bore into him. “Why did you leave?” he asked with his emotions clogging his throat.

She sighed and sat back in the chair. “We’re not on the same page anymore, Ty. You know that. You want your business and I want…more. ”

“I want you,” he said without hesitation.

She tilted her head to the side. “We can’t always have what we want.”
He clenched his teeth. For as sweet as Felicia was, she could be just as stubborn as him. “You had no right to keep a secret like this.” If there was one thing Ty hated, it was secrets. They had a way of coming back to haunt, or slapping you in the face, as he felt right now. “Did you ever plan to tell me about my child?”

Felicia looked offended. “Of course I was going to tell you. I would never keep you away from your child. Even if you don’t want one. I just didn’t want you to think I was trying to trap you or something.”

He shook his head in disbelief. “First off, I never said I didn’t want a child.”

“You never said you did. And besides that, actions speak louder than words, Ty. Working twenty-hours a day, weekends included, barely having time to eat dinner with me let alone make love to me, said it all.”

“It wasn’t like that.”

“Oh really, then tell me what it was like? For you, I mean? Did you really think we had a good marriage?” Her hands had been waving as she spoke, a sure sign that this conversation was about to get very emotional.

“Sure there were rough days, but that was normal. I thought we were both getting what we wanted.”
Finally, she folded her arms over her chest. “No. You were getting what you wanted. I was just taking up space.”

Ty let her words marinate trying like hell to hold on to his temper. How could she sit here and use his actions to justify why she hadn’t told him about his child? On another note, there could be some truth to her words. He did work a lot, but that was for the good of them both, for their future. He wanted them to be financially secure, outside of the Braddock fortune. Working hard was the only way a man could adequately provide for his family. He’d learned that from his father.