(Trudy)
I am currently sitting in my car crying in front of my bakery. Thoughts of the interaction or lack thereof with James a few minutes ago running through my head. It was clear I made a mistake.
'GODDAMN IT WHY COULDN'T IT HAVE BEEN YOU, BASTARD!! IT'S NOT FAIR, I PLAYED THE ROLE OF THE GOOD WIFE FOR SO LONG AND YOU, SON OF A BITCH SLEPT AROUND WITH THAT TRAMP FOR YEARS. WHY I DID GET CAUGHT? Why the hell did it have to be me?' I screamed in my head and whispered the last part
"And the worst part was he was right," I said before I heard a knock on the windshield so I wiped my eyes and wended down the window to see Rebecca waiting outside. I sighed and came out pretending everything was alright
"Good morning Rebecca," I said walking towards the shop opening it. Rebecca hurriedly followed behind me and started rambling
"I'm so sorry I'm late Trudy I had a really big assignment and I was busy working all last night trying to finish it"
"It's fine Rebecca. I'm thinking about closing the store early anyway. Maybe for the whole week" I said before I noticed Rebecca staring at me as I check the register
"Your eyes are puffy and really red. Were you crying?" she asked.
"It's just a little family matter" I said unable to tell her the truth
"Is it about what I told James?" she asked
"What you told James? What did you tell my son?" I asked
"I kinda maybe sort of..." she stammered
"Spit it out!!" I impatiently yelled
"I told James I thought you were having an affair because I found a condom wrapper on the ground. I'm sure it was all just a misunderstanding" she rambled.
Her fault. It was her fault. That's how he found out.
"You're fired," I said with a glare
"Excuse me what?" she asked shocked
"You are fired. I want you to get out of my bakery now. You are fired" I said.
For a moment she froze. She must have been processing what I just said
"What?" she gasped again
"YOU'RE FIRED!! GET OUT!!" I yelled furiously pointing to the door
"Please Trudy I need this job. Please don't fire me" she begged
"Get the hell out of my bakery!" I yelled
"Please
"If you don't leave I'll call the cops".
She stared at me in absolute disbelief before she turn around running out crying
I let out a grief-filled sigh as I took out my phone and started calling him. I need to make sure Carl knows this is over. I tried getting his phone but couldn't reach it
"Hello, Stewart residence. Ebenezer Stewart speaking, who is this?'" Ebenezer said
"Hey," I said
"Trudy?" he said. The shock evident in his voice
"Yeah" I sighed
"Isn't this a surprise? I can't even remember the last time you called me privately. Oh wait maybe it was when you told me to never talk to you again"
"I didn't call to reminisce." I bluntly said
"Then why did you call?"
"I wanted to know if Carl's there"
"Why are you looking for Carl?" he said confused
"It's a private matter"
"What private matter could you have with my son?"
"JUST TELL ME IF HE'S THERE OR NOT, DAMN!!"
"No he already left for school," he said before I hung up in his ear
(James)
After school, I went straight to my lab contemplating whether or not I should even tell Dad
I mean he deserves to know the woman he married is...… I can't even think about it. Luckily Dad isn't here so I don't have to tell him anything until he comes home.
Hearing the doorbell ding I looked at the monitor to see Carlos waiting for me so I opened the door to let him in
"Hey, Carlos what can I do for you?" I asked busying myself with work
"I saw what happened at school?" he said
"And you're here to tell me I shouldn't have done that"
"Actually no...…but I do think you could have chosen a more private place to have that discussion"
"Really Carlos? Why should I be considerate? This guy slept with my mom"
"This guy is our best friend"
"Well our best friend slept with my mom," I said
"I understand how you feel?" he infuriated me
"NO YOU DON'T CARLOS! HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLE UNDERSTAND? YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE A MOM!!" I snapped
"Oh," he said before he headed for the door
"Carlos" I said realizing I went too far
"No, it's fine I'm heading out. I'll come back when you'reready to talk. I'm meeting up with Libby and Sophie at her house"
"Carlos, I didn't mean it like that," I said entering the elevator and going up with him
"It's okay," he said as the elevator opened and surprisingly we were greeted by two faces that definitely shouldn't be here
"Mr. Stewart, Mrs. Stewart, Carl what are you two doing here?" Carlos worriedly asked
"We came to talk to James," Mr. Stewart said in a harsh tone
"Dad, can't we just go home and forget about it?"
"Carl, stand back, I'll handle this," his dad said
"Why do you want to talk to me?" I asked glaring at them
"You, how could you assault Carl like that? He has practically been your best friend since birth how could you do this to him? Last night Carl came home with injuries and I'm guessing that had to do with you"
"Mr. Stewart, why don't we talk about this another time?" Carlos said trying not to escalate the situation
"Yeah I did" I admitted
"What? Do you know how badly injured he was and still is? It's a miracle we even let him go to school" Mrs. Stewart raged
"Don't you want to know why I did it?" I vengefully smirked
"James please don't" he shamelessly begged
"Jay, don't, man," Carlos said as well
"Come on, I'm sure they want to know"
"I don't want to know. It shouldn't have been important enough for you to destroy over seventeen years of friendship. And right now I want you to stay away from our sweet baby boy. And you can be sure we'll be talking to your parents" Mrs. Stewart said as they turned to walk off
"Go ahead. I'm sure Carlton here can get you in touch with my mom. I mean they have been sleeping with each other for two days straight or was it just in the early mornings or maybe late in the night" I said catching their, especially Mr. Stewart's, attention
"What?" he asked in utter disbelief
"Oh, he didn't tell you. Your sweet little boy lied to you. He didn't go on some stupid pet convention or camp or whatever bullshit lie he fabricated to get out of the house. He actually went out to a hotel to sleep with my mother"
"Carlton, is this true?" his father asked
"Dad...I..."
"I ASKED IF IT WAS TRUE, NOW ANSWER ME!!" his father yelled
"Yes" he cowered
A look of shock mixed with disappointment came on his mother's face while his father looked lost as if his soul had completely left his body
He looked at Carl but didn't say anything instead choosing to just walked away
"Dad I can explain," Carl said but his dad just continued walking leaving his son and wife to watch his back as he left
"I want to hear your explanation," I said getting everyone's attention again
"Come on, Jay stop," Carlos said
"Don't you want us to be friends again? If he answers this I just might. We all know why you would sleep with my mom but the question is why would she sleep with you?"
"I can't tell you that," he said
"You see Carlos, I gave him a chance but he refused"
"Why did you ask him that? You already know it's because of what your dad did"
"What my dad did? What did my Dad do?"
"Wait you don't know? I thought Sophie told you. She was suppose to tell you" Carlos said
"What was Sophie supposed to tell me?" I asked getting upset. I looked around but no one met my gaze. They all knew something I didn't and even felt sorry for me. Even that bastard Carl felt bad for me! No way I had to find out what the fuck was going on
"Carlos let's go," I said before we drove over to Libby's and went straight to Libby's room pushing the door open
"Yo James, what's your damage?!" Libby yelled surprise
"Tell me" I calmly ordered
"Um Libbs I think we should give them some privacy" Carlos said pulling her out of her room and closing the door
"Tell you what?" Sophie asked
"My dad, what did my Dad do?" I asked before she jumped off the bed surprisingly getting nervous
"Um... Taylor I tried to tell you this but you kept on interrupting me"
"SPIT IT OUT ALREADY SOPHIA!!!!" I yelled
"You're Dad's having an affair" she blurted out and just like that the last stone had been thrown
"No! No! you're lying"
"Taylor I saw it with my own eyes. He was with my mom; they were--"
"YOU'RE LYING!! MY DAD WOULD NEVER DO THAT!!! HE WOULDN'T CHEAT ON MY MOM!!!!"
"Taylor he's been doing it for four years"
"NO STOP LYING. That's it I can't stay here anymore" I said running out of the house and into my car and immediately driving home. My dad's car was in the driveway so I knew he was home as I parked on the lawn before barging inside practically busting the door down.
"Hey welcome home son, want a glass of water," Dad said closing the fridge with a glass of water in his hand
"Is it true?" I asked
"Is what true?" he asked drinking the water
"Is what they're saying true" I repeated. He seemed to have figured out what I meant because he almost choked on his water
"I don't know what you're talking about," he said refusing to look into my eyes as he put the glass down
"Dad, look into my eyes and answer the damn question" I said before he looked into my eyes
"What Sophie told me, tell me it isn't true," I said before he sighed
"I knew you'd find out after you found out about your mom" and just like that my glass house shattered along with my family.
Anger. That was one of the myriads emotions I was feeling at the time
"I'm done" I silently walked away
"James!!" Dad called out
"Don't call me name" I sighed
"James" he called again
"STOP IT!! STOP CALLING MY NAME!!!!" I yelled slamming my door in his face
"James please let's talk" My father..... No, that man said. My father would never do what he did. Never! I threw all my clothes in my suitcase before heading back out to see him waiting by the door
"James please can we talk just for a second?" he said before I went down the stairs and out of that damn house
"That's enough James I'm your father and I tell you to stop and listen to me"
"My father? My father would never do anything you did. You stopped being my father when you slept with Mrs. Vortex the first time. You stopped being my father when you did it again and again. You stopped doing it when you lied to my face. You stopped being my father when you destroyed this goddamn family. SO NO, YOU'RE NOT MY FATHER." I said throwing my suitcase in my old car and throwing the keys to the car he bought me on him
"Congrats you proved to be a better liar than I thought," I said getting into my car and driving away.
I didn't know where I was going but somehow I ended up at my old school's park just swinging sadly on. Choosing not to think about anything that had happened over the past three days. I had much rather think about my time at that school
"I figured I'd find you here" her voice rang in my ear as she walked up beside me
"Things were so simpler back then. It was almost down to a routine. I'd wake up and go to school where I'd meet up with Carl and Carlos. Go to classes, argue with you at lunch, back to classes again, all of us hang out, we'd do homework and kiss at my house where Mom would bake pies then dad would come and we'd watch movies then I'd bring you home. Rinse and repeat. Everything was perfect back then I had family and friends I could trust in my life. Now I don't know what I have" I said as tears ran down my face
"Taylor I tried to tell you but you kept on interrupting me and when you started talking about glass houses I just couldn't say it"
"It's fine Sophie I sighed
"Wait...you're not mad"
"I was at first but I realized I probably would have done the same thing. I don't know anyone who wouldn't have done that and you're even in the same boat"
"The only difference is I moved out"
"And who said I didn't," he said
"So where you head now? Please don't tell me, Carlos'"
"There's a place in town. The academy gave me so my parents have no claim to it"
"Really? It wouldn't be able to hold two by any chance would it" she joked
"With ease," I said
"Wait are you serious?" she asked
"Unless you don't want to"
"Well it's not like I can stay at Libby's forever and it's just till we graduate. Alright fine"
"But you know you have to pull your own weight right. You're responsible for all the cooking and cleaning"
"James, there's not a chance in hell that I'd ever willingly let you in front of a stove," she said getting me to laugh a little
"So I guess we're roommates," I said with a small smile
"Sure but no funny business" she smiled back at me before my phone buzzed
*Betty-Ann- come over my mom's not home*
"Hey Sophie, you're gonna head over to Libby's now right?" I asked
"Yeah I got to pack my stuff I guess"
"All you have to do is pack clothes. The apartment is fully furnished" I said before we got in the car and I brought Sophie to Libby's before going to Betty-Ann's.
She was waiting for me at her door in a sexy red nightgown
"What took you so long. I was getting impatient" she said wrapping her arms around me tried to kiss me but I stepped back
"Well that's new," she said stepping forward
"I can't do this"
"Do what?"
"This. This whole friends with benefits thing. It's got to stop now"
"Let me guess it has to do with Sophia"
"Sophie? No this has nothing to do with Sophie. Can you just stop worrying about her?"
"Then what is this about? I don't why you want to stop"
"There's a lot of things going through my mind and in my life right now and this...this isn't helping. I need something stable that I can hold unto...and this isn't it"
"So I guess we're done huh. So much for not giving up until I'm your girlfriend", she said with an eye roll
"I'm not giving up just yet. This is my last attempt. Right now you're either all in or you're out" I said, "Betty-Ann I've given you everything and tried everything but you haven't even budged so what do you want? Because I want to be your boyfriend"
"What I want is the truth"
"The truth?"
"About you and Sophia? Do you still like her?" she asked
This question shook me but I already knew the answer
"Yeah, I still like Sophia. I always have and probably always will like Sophie" I said seeing the hurt in her eyes
"But right now the one I'm standing in front of confessing to is you. Even though there's nothing stopping Sophie and me from being together I'm standing in front of you confessing"
"But what if one day it's Sophie you stand in front of confessing to?"
"And what if one day another meteorite comes and wipe out humanity like the one that did the dinosaurs" I said, "You can't live your life based on what if's"
"So are you all in or-" I started before she shut me up by kissing me
"That felt great and I'm guessing that means we're officially" I said before she nodded
"So you trust me around Sophia?"
"Not completely but I'm putting my faith in you she said
"Good enough however the next thing I'm gonna tell might make you want to kill me"
"Spit it out," she said worried about what I might say
"Um...I know this is sudden but I'm gonna go move in with Sophie...by ourselves"
I told her carefully fearful of what she might say but instead, she kissed me before dragging me onto the couch
"What's that for?" I asked
"We're talking about this tomorrow. Tonight let's just let it be you and me" she said before I smiled
(Trudy)
I had just gotten home and I reached for the door to hesitate. I had a feeling the house I left wouldn't be the house I'd come back to so I didn't want to open the door.
Unfortunately the door opened itself and my husband walked out with his suitcase fully packed
"Hugh" I said
"I'm leaving Trudy"
"Oh no, watch me cry and beg you to stay" I sarcastically said
"Trudy I'm leaving because I have no reason to stay in this house anymore," he said before I finally understood what he meant
"No. Please no. He didn't" I said falling to my knees
"He found out. His friends told him. He left Trudy" he said before walking past me leaving me at the door
I don't know how long it took me to get in but when I did I went straight for the champagne glass but after the fifth bottle I changed my poison. I was now drinking a champagne glass filled with Vodka as if it was water
(Unknown)
I had just pulled up into the same town and looked at the Welcome to Stony Hill sign
"I can't believe Aiden wanted to move all the way here"
"Well we all decided it was the best decision and it's too late to back out now Ro"
"It's okay. I just believe Aiden would actually choose here"
"So how are they doing back there?" I asked
"They're all asleep. The drive must have taken too much out of them, especially with all their playing"