Chapter 7
"Your...daughter?" Jessi said, her mouth dropping open.
"Yeah," said Nick.
Come...in," Jessi said.
Nick and Marina entered the house and followed Jessi into the living room.
Jessi didn't know what to say. She didn't know how to react to the introduction of Nick's daughter.
"I didn't know she was in Florida," Jessi finally said.
"It was sort of a surprise for me too," said Nick, "Her mom is here on business and thought it might be a good idea for us to spend some time together."
"Oh," Jessi said.
"So are you like my dad's girlfriend of something?" Marina asked.
"Um..." said Jessi, "Was."
"Oh, you guys broke up?"
"You could say that," Jessi said.
Nick gave her a look like Don't tell her about Tommy
"Jes," said Nick, "I have to talk to you for a minute. Alone."
Nick and Jessi went into the kitchen.
"What?" she asked him.
"Don't mention anything about Tommy to her," he said, "She doesn't know about him."
"Well, he doesn't know anything about her either," said Jessi.
"And I want to keep it that way," Nick said, "Just for now."
"Whatever you want," said Jessi, "Why did you bring her here, Nick?"
"Jes," said Nick, "I never should have lied to you about her. I should have told you why I had to break up with you."
"That's for sure," Jessi said.
"I love both of my kids," said Nick, "And I don't want to give either of them up. I don't want to give you up either."
"Nick," Jessi said, "It's not that I want to give up. I just don't know what to do right now. I can't believe you lied to me and now you're asking me to lie to your daughter and our son."
"I'm not asking you to lie to them," said Nick, "I just don't think you have to tell them anymore information than what they already have."
"That's the same thing as lying," Jessi said.
"Dad!" Marina called, "We gotta go! Mom's gonna be back at the hotel soon!"
"Coming!" Nick called back. He turned back to Jessi. "Don't tell Tommy. Please?"
"Fine," Jessi sighed.
"Thanks," said Nick.
He left with his daughter and Jessi went back upstairs.
Later that night, while Jessi was cleaning up the kitchen after dinner, the phone rang. "I'll get it!" she called to Tommy, who was upstairs in his room finishing up a report for English.
"Hello?" she asked, picking up the phone.
"Jes?" came Nick's voice.
"What do you want?" Jessi asked.
"Bad time?" asked Nick.
"It's always a bad time when you call," said Jessi.
"I'm sorry for just bringing Marina over this morning," Nick said, "I never should have done it. I should have called and asked first, but I knew you weren't going to say yes."
"Of course I wasn't going to say yes," said Jessi, "Nick, you slept with someone else and you lied to me about it. I don't see any way I can forgive you for that."
"Jessi," Nick said, "I'm really sorry about everything."
"Nick, sorry doesn't mean anything anymore. I can't marry you. Not after this."
"You're not marrying Dad?" a voice from behind Jessi asked.
Jessi whirled around. Tommy was standing in the doorway. "It's nothing Tommy," said Jessi, "I'm just discussing something with your dad."
"But you said that you're not going to marry him."
"Tommy," Jessi said, "What did I tell you about listening in on peoples' conversations?"
"Sorry," said Tommy. He left the room.
"What are you going to tell him?" Nick asked Jessi.
"I don't know yet," she replied, "The truth."
"But you said that you weren't going to tell him," said Nick.
"I know, Nick, I'm not going to tell him about Marina. I'm just going to tell him about everything else."
"Like what?" Nick asked, "Like how I cheated on you and got some other girl pregnant and that's why I wasn't around for most of his life?"
"Nick," said Jessi, "Is that what you want me to tell him?"
"No," Nick said, "I want to marry you and then explain to Tommy about Marina."
"Nick," said Jessi, "I can't marry you. You know that."
"I know," Nick said, "But what I don't understand is why."
"Because," Jessi said, "All of that lying and everything that was going on between us. You always told me that honesty was the basis of any solid relationship."
"I know I said that," said Nick, "And I meant it, but Jessi, I love you and nothing's ever going to change that. I know all of these things happened in the past, but that's what it is, the past. Can't we move on from that?"
"I don't know Nick," said Jessi, "It's not an easy thing to do. Especially when there are children involved."
"I don't want to give up either of my kids," Nick said.
"I'm not asking you to do that," said Jessi, "I just want you to tell me the complete truth for once in your life."
"I AM telling you the truth," said Nick.
"How can I believe you?" Jessi asked.
"I don't know," Nick said, "But I'm telling you the truth whether or not you believe me."
"Look, Nick," said Jessi, "I have to go. I have to explain all of this to OUR son."
She hung up before Nick could say anything else.
Jessi went into the living room, where Tommy was watching TV. He looked up as she walked into the room.
"Hey Mom."
"Hi," said Jessi, sitting down next to her son, "I need to talk to you."
"How come you're not going to marry Dad?" Tommy asked.
"That's what I need to talk to you about," Jessi said, "Tommy, Dad and I got into a fight."
"I heard that," said Tommy, "But you can still marry him, can't you?"
"I don't know," Jessi said, "We got into a fight because Dad lied to me."
"Was it a big lie?"
"It was a very big lie," said Jessi, "It could change our lives."
"What was the lie about?" Tommy asked.
"I can't tell you right now," Jessi said, "Your dad wants to tell you himself."
"Okay," said Tommy, "But no matter what it is, I still want you guys to get married."
"I know you do," Jessilyn said.
Tommy got up ahd headed up the stairs to his room. Jessi didn't know what to say to him about what she and Nick had fought about. It was too complicated for even her to comprehend.Back to Chapter Index
Back to Babylove's Stories
Back to the Main Page
