Part 2: No Breaks or Escapes

A hard knock on the door jolted both Erica and Trevor from their sleep. With a stiff back from sleeping on the couch Erica rose to her feet to see who it was. Fumbling for the doorknob she opened the door to a worried Cassidy. “Cassidy?....What are you doing here?” Cassidy bit at her nails for a moment before responding. “I couldn’t sleep much. Did you talk to him for me?”. Images swirled in her head about her long night with Winston. Not wanting to wake Trevor further Erica stepped outside closing the door behind her. “He didn’t say much. I tried talking to him but you know how he can be.” Cassidy sunken eyes enclosed by heavy bags looked into her eyes trying to find something. An awkward silence fell over them with Erica not knowing what to say. Finally Cassidy took a seat covering her face.

Muffled sobs began to seep through the cracks of her hands. She had been crying all night. Erica took a seat next to her trying her best to console her. “I’m sorry Cassidy. I don’t know what happened….I thought he was happy.” “Me too, I should have never allowed myself to fall in love with him.” “You didn’t know this would happen. You can’t blame yourself for this. Crying is not good for the baby.” “Why should I care? If he doesn’t want it then….what’s the point in having this baby. I’m not raising this baby by myself.” “You don’t mean that.” Cassidy stood to her feet. “ I do mean it. I know what I have to do.” Before Erica could get a word in Cassidy was making her way to her car.

Covering her eyes from the sun Erica got up and rushed into the house to look for her phone. Finding it in her jacket pocket she ran upstairs into the bathroom closing the door behind her. With trembling hands she dialed Winston hoping he would pick up. A droggy voice answered on the other end. “Hello?” “Winston! You need to get up now...Cassidy is going to do something stupid.” “So, why should I care she’s not my problem anymore.” “That’s the mother of your child so yes she is your problem. I think she is going to get an abortion. You have to stop her!” Erica softly yelled into the phone. “I’m sure she’s not even pregnant. I tried breaking up with her before but she cried until I caved in. I’m over her this time.” “You can’t know for sure.” “Trust me I know. Did you enjoy last night?” She got hot all over. “Last night didn’t happen.” “The way you came and my messy sheets says otherwise.” “Goodbye Winston.” “I’m here whenever you want another round.” She hung up the phone throwing it on the counter. Somehow he was pulling her right back into his web. Good thing a move was in her near future.

Kane woke up to the sight of his friend Neal in his bed resting peacefully. Although the night was fun it still wasn’t Trevor. Getting to his feet Neal stirred waking up to prop on his elbows. “Where are you going?” “To wash up and get ready to go. I have a meeting in a few hours.” Neal pulled the covers back. “Can’t you stay in bed just a little longer?” Kane looked at him in all his naked glory. “Tempting, but I need to get ready and you need to go home to your wife….who I’m sure misses you dearly.” “You sure know how to kill the mood.” Neal stood to his feet to find his pants. “I don’t mean to but this meeting is important to me.” “More important than me?” he walked over to Kane putting his arms around his waist to grip him below. “We both know what this is Neal.” Kane grabbed a bath towel from his closet. “How much this time?” Neal went into his pocket to pull out a wad of cash. “Four hundred for the night. Let yourself out.” Shaking his head he plopped the cash on the nightstand before heading out.

Trevor knocked slightly on the bathroom door hoping everything was ok with Erica. Within a second she opened the door with a sad look on her face. “Everything ok? I heard the door. Who was it?” “No one, wrong house….I just gave them directions.” He knew when she was lying but didn’t want to get into it. “If everything is ok do you mind if I use the bathroom to get ready. I have somewhere to be in a few hours.” Without a word Erica walked passed him to go downstairs. Waiting until she was out of view he closed the door behind him. Quickly entering a number in his phone he waited for Kane to pick up. Voicemail. He hung up the phone frustrated. Things between them needed to end and fast.

Cassidy came to an halt in front of a small brick house. Taking a deep breath she rested her head on hands that clung to the steering wheel. Things were not going the way she planned. Instead of getting a ring and being happy she was now alone. Simply telling him that she was pregnant was not going to be enough. She needed proof, actually getting pregnant would come later. Grabbing her purse she headed for the house. “He wasn’t buying it huh?” a woman’s voice asked as she opened the door. “I wouldn’t be standing here if he did. Let me in Bri.” Bri stepped aside. “I need your help. He doesn’t want me but I figure If I have some proof he might change his mind.” Bri joined her in the kitchen taking a seat next to her. Silence fell over them. “And you want me to pee on a stick for you?” “ You are the only person I know that is pregnant.” Bri shook her head in disbelief.

“Why do you want to be with someone who doesn’t even want you?” “Because I love him….when I picture my future I see him in it. He makes me happy. I’m sure you would go to great lengths for Neal.” “The difference is he would do the same for me. I didn’t have to force him to be with me like you are trying to do.” “ Thanks for the lecture mom. Are you going to pee on a stick for me or not?” “Let me get dressed and we can go to the store.” “ No need.” Cassidy went into her purse and pulled out a few boxes. Bri looking at her funny grabbed the boxes and went the bathroom.

Erica sat at her desk trying to write some more pages for her book but she came up blank. All that was on her mind was Winston, Trevor, and Cassidy. The guilt finally started to kick in. How could she cheat on her husband? Something she swore she never do after her parents split. Only now she could understand how it could happen. Her phone buzzed signaling a text from Winston. - Can’t stop thinking about last night- . In frustration she slammed the phone down. Erica wanted nothing more than to get dressed and go see him but what they did was last time. Right? Trevor tapped her on the shoulder startling her. “You sure everything is ok?” “Yeah just thinking about some things is all.” “Are you still up for moving? Maybe we can talk about it some more tonight over dinner.” “I like that. I’ll cook dinner.” “ I’m getting ready to head out for work.” They gave a each other a peck on the lips for the first time in months. Strange how she felt nothing afterwards.

Just getting finished a light breakfast Winston put his plate in the sink getting ready to head out for work. Opening his door he was surprised to see Cassidy walking up. Trying to close the door back she stopped him just in time. “Why are you Cassidy I told you it was over. I’m done.” “Just please listen to me Winston….you at least owe me that.” Giving it some thought he opened the door. “Can I come in?” “You wanted me to listen so talk.” “I just thought that if you seen this you would change your mind and we can try to work things out.”

She pulled out the pregnancy test. He didn’t look. “Just please look at it please! We are going to parents and you don’t even care! Why are you shutting me out like this?” He took the test from her to see that it read positive. “I can’t do this.” He gave the test back to her. “I thought you would happy about this. All the nights you talked about you wanting a family…” “And I do….just not with you.” Tears started to form in her eyes. “You want someone else?” “It’s more than want Cassidy I love her.” Anger took over and carried into her voice. “Who is it?!” “You already know.” It took a moment for her to realize. “Erica!” Winston didn’t say anything. “All this time I have been smiling in her face and you love her!” “She doesn’t know.” Cassidy threw the test at him before storming away.

Kane sat in silence looking out at the scenery in deep thought before being joined by Trevor. “Anyone see you come here?” Kane asked not looking his way. “If they did it doesn’t matter. We never do anything in public anyway.” “Just looking out for you is all. What did you need to talk to me about?” “There is no easy way to put this but I need to end this...us.” “I don’t understand what you mean?” “This, whatever we have has to stop. I talked to Erica last night and we want to try to make our marriage work and move. Which means in order for that to work then we have to stop seeing each other.” Kane turned his gaze to him. A wicked laugh escaped his mouth.

“You think it’s going to be a quick conversation in the park to tell me it’s over?” “Don’t make this difficult Kane.” “No, you don’t get to come here and tell me we are over. We been in this thing for a year and a half to just walk away. Hell, I don’t even charge you anymore and you think you can just drop me like I never happened?” “We knew what this was going into it. I still love her.” “You ever think I might love you.” Kane got to his feet. “This was a nice talk but I’m not going anywhere nor are you getting rid of me that easy.” “But my wife…” “You should have thought of that before you slept with me, and if you want to continue to be happy and even have a marriage to try to fix it would be in your best interest to keep me happy. Who know’s what I could tell the misses.” Trevor fell speechless as he watched Kane walk away. What did he get himself into?

Neal walked into his home throwing his keys onto the table next to the door. “Bri I’m home!” Bri ran to greet him. “Hey baby you’re home! We missed you.” He leaned over to rub and kiss her belly. “I missed you guys too.” “ I thought you were suppose to come home tomorrow?” “ We got finished early and I didn’t want to stay. I’m going to take a shower and get into bed….it was a long flight.” “Of course I’m just going to run out and do a few errands and will be back in a few.” They gave each other a kiss before he watched her go out the door. Making his way to the bedroom to lay down the phone rang. “Hello?” “Neal can you meet me back at the house?” “I thought you had a meeting?” “ I did but I don’t feel like meeting up with anyone, besides you know it was a client. I need a distraction I’m familiar with.” “I can’t I’m home now...You were the first person I seen when I got home. I tried to get you to stay this morning.” “If you can’t then I will just find someone else.” “No, she’s not home just give me some time to clean up and I will meet you in a hour and don’t call the house phone.” “Hurry up!” The line went dead.

Bri hung up the phone in shock. Neal was cheating on her. Feeling sick she ran to the bathroom and threw up. How? Why? Not wanting him to find her she got her cell phone that she forgot and left.