The Road To Forgiveness Page 5

  “I don’t know about all y’all but I’m starving. All this drama makes me feel like I’m watching a movie but forgot to stop at the concession stand before I sat down in my seat. Who wants to stop at Krystal in Hinesville and get some Kryspers, Pups, and Sliders?”

  It’s times like these that make me love Jonathon even more. I’m actually really hungry so food sounds perfect right now and I would do anything to keep the conversation off the news that was just released.

  “That sounds great. I haven’t eaten a real meal since lunch with you, Momma. I know Krystal isn’t exactly healthy but it will hit the spot.”

  My mother smiles at me and nods her head, “Okay, Krystal it is.” She looks over at Sebastian, “Do you want to come to Krystal with us, Sebastian?”

  Sebastian doesn’t say anything at first. My emotions are everywhere and I’m ready to burst into tears at his silence. He stopped touching me the minute the doctor told everyone I was pregnant and he is purposely avoiding eye contact with me now. In fact, he hasn’t looked at me since the doctor left the room.

  Just as I am convinced he is going to ignore my momma…

  “I think Krystal sounds great. I’ve been with Mia since last night so I know she needs some food in her stomach, but I don’t think it is a good idea to dine in. Mia needs to be on bed rest. Why don’t I take her back to my hotel? You both can pick up the food and meet me us there.”

  Sebastian says this, all the while not looking at me and acting like I’m a five-year-old child who doesn’t have a say in what she does. I can’t complain though, I’m agreeing with him to the fact that I shouldn’t dine in. I want a healthy baby so I need to follow the doctor’s orders.

  Sebastian and me, alone right now, isn’t a good idea. If it wasn’t for the fact I was carrying his baby, I’m sure I would be in a body bag on the side of the road by dinnertime. Ironically, the entire reason he is mad is because of the baby.

  Go figure.

  My mother agrees with Sebastian and so does Jonathon. I can tell Jonathon is worried for me but what can he do? I did this to myself and now I have to deal with the consequences.

  Everyone waits out in the hallway as I change back into my clothing. I try to take my time but it will only stall the inevitable. I have to have an uncomfortable conversation with Sebastian that I don’t want to have.

  When he realizes that he is going to be a part of the baby’s life, maybe he’ll forgive me. I never intended for him not to know. I always planned on him playing an active role.

  Once I’m dressed, I meet everyone out in the hallway and we exit the emergency room of the County Hospital. Sebastian gives my mother the name of the hotel and room number, and then we go our separate ways. We make it to the Mercedes and Sebastian opens my door for me to get in. He still hasn’t said a word to me or looked at me. I can’t handle the rejection but I mask my feelings and get in the car. I thank the Lord that I won’t be alone with him for too long.

  Chapter Five

  The drive to the hotel took fifteen minutes from the hospital. It seemed like hours. Sebastian still hasn’t spoken to me and the silence is defining. In this moment I want to run. I want to do whatever I can to avoid the conversation we are going to have once he decides to speak to me.

  The reality of the situation is, I can’t run. I’m an adult and I need to start taking responsibility for my actions. I need to stop running.

  I take a few deep breaths and try to figure out what I’m going to say to him. Where I should start. I want him to understand where I’m coming from. I want him to understand that I’m scared shitless and running was the only thing I knew to do.

  By the time we pull into the hotel parking lot I still haven’t decided what to say. We get out of the car and head into the hotel. Sebastian exchanges pleasantries with the doorman and then whisks us off to the elevators.

  The elevator feels like an eight by eight cell with the tension radiating off Sebastian’s body. We get off on his floor and go to Sebastian’s room. I’m preparing myself for his wrath as he closes the door to the room after we walk in. What I don’t expect is the desire I see in his eyes as he turns toward me. My eyes meet his and in two steps our mouths are on each other while our hands grab onto whatever they can reach.

  I can’t get close enough to him. It’s not a sweet, intimate kiss. It’s rough, angry, can’t get enough of each other, all out battle of a kiss. I’m instantly wet and my body is quickly reminding me of the orgasm it was denied earlier today. Sebastian’s lips are hard on mine and I respond to him roughly back. His lips move down my neck, nipping and licking on their path. I feel a chill run over my body yet his lips leave a heated sensation on my skin

  My hand moves to the front of his jeans and gropes his already hard erection. I need him right now. It’s fast… quick… and messy. One minute we're kissing the next minute I’m being pushed onto the bed and Sebastian is undoing his jeans. He drops them to the floor as I pull my own jeans off. Sebastian sits on the bed, pulls me over to him, and lowers me onto his cock.

  I can feel him hit me so deep and it feels amazing. We are both completely clothed from the waist up, but I don’t care. I haven’t been with him in weeks and my body will take whatever it can get.

  He grabs hold of my hips and starts moving me at a fast pace up and down his erection. My eyes close as I start breathing harder and faster. I’m so turned on right now I might explode. His lips move down my neck and straight to my breasts. His mouth starts to suck on my nipple as one of his hands moves up from my hip to cup my other breast. With every squeeze and lick I feel my body react. My core starts to pulse and I feel my orgasm take over. I release hard and fast on Sebastian as he continues to pump inside of me. I’ve never come so hard in my life. Sebastian lets out a groan from deep in his chest as I feel him come inside me seconds later. I’m still coming down from my orgasm as my pussy milks him dry.

  Our breathing starts to slow down as my mind starts to work again.

  We just fucked each other for different reasons. I took him because I couldn’t hide my desire for him anymore. He screwed me because he was angry. I’m waiting for him to get up and walk away, yell at me, or tell me he hates me. Instead he rolls me over and starts to kiss me slowly, lovingly. Every caress his lips give to mine express unspoken words. I love you… I miss you… I need you.

  We kiss slowly for a long time, neither one of us willing to break the moment.

  “We need to get,” he kisses my chin, “dressed,” he kisses my neck, “before your mom and Jonathon get back.” He kisses back up to my mouth and bites my lip gently.

  “Okay,” I breathe as my tongue darts out to lick his lips.

  He brakes contact and moves off the bed. He quickly pulls his boxer briefs and jeans up. Then he tosses me my panties and jeans for me to get dressed. Once we are both decent he walks over to me and kisses my forehead.

  I’m sure what we just did would not qualify as bed rest… but I did at least listen to the doctor and commit to the bed.

  “We need to talk about what happened at the hospital,” Sebastian’s says calmly, which terrifies me in a completely different way.

  “I know but I don’t want to talk with an audience around us. Can we talk tonight, when everyone leaves?”

  Before he can answer there is a knock at the door indicating my mother and Jonathan are back. Sebastian nods his head to me in silent agreement and goes to answer the door.

  “Can you believe we had to wait fifteen minutes for our food? People, it’s called FAST food for a reason. If I wanted to wait fifteen minutes for food I would have eaten somewhere that didn’t up my risk of a heart attack by the age of forty,” Jonathon says as he bursts through the door, carrying bags from Krystal.

  My mother trails behind him with the drinks and we sit down at the small table the suite has to offer. Jonathon starts handing the same order to everyone.

  “You all better eat what I give you. No one gave me their order and we didn’t sit and wait a
n eternity for you not to eat your food.” I hold back a laugh at Jonathon’s ridiculous comments but I see Sebastian smile from the corner of my eye.

  My momma is exceptionally quiet. I haven’t heard her say anything since they walked in.

  “Momma, you okay?”

  She looks over and smiles at me weakly, “Yes, darling, I’m fine. I guess I’m still a little shocked. You’ve been home for about a month and you never mentioned to me that your were expecting. I guess… I just wish we were closer, that all.”

  I reach my hand over the table to grab my mother’s. “I didn’t tell anyone, Momma. I definitely wasn’t expecting you guys to find out today, like this.”

  “You kept it a secret? You didn’t even tell Sebastian?”

  I give her a comforting smile, “Not even Sebastian.”

  “Well, I knew,” Jonathon mumbles as he stuffs another bite of his slider in his mouth. He looks up to see us all staring at him. “Sorry, I guess I’m not helping.”

  What on earth would make him think this was the time to tell them that I confided in him and not them? I love him to death but he needs to think before he opens his mouth.

  “I did tell Jonathon, but that’s only because I live with him and I needed someone to talk to. An outside party. Everyone else was too close to the situation.”

  “I understand, Darling. I mean, I don’t, but I do.”

  My mother drops the subject and we continue to eat our meal. We discuss trivial things and no one brings up the baby again. I’m extremely grateful.

  I can tell my mother doesn’t want to leave me yet, so I’m pleased when Sebastian suggests we all sit on the bed and watch a movie. The selection of movies the hotel has to offer are crappy but luckily Cool Hand Luke just started on AMC. This is one of my mother’s favorite movies and mine. Sebastian says he likes it too and Jonathon has never seen it, so we all sit down to watch Paul Newman in his glory days.

  We’re just at the part where they do the fifty egg bet when my cell phone starts to ring. I grab it off the nightstand and I see Charlie’s number displayed.

  I answer the phone with a huge smile on my face. He’s finally calling me back.

  “Charlie!”

  “Where are you?” he says angrily into the receiver.

  Okay that was not the reaction I was expecting.

  “I’m still in Georgia, Charlie. How are you? Did you get my messages?”

  “How am I… How am I?” He replies with even more anger in his voice.

  “I’ll tell you how I am. I’ve been worried sick. I get a call from the hospital saying you passed out, haven’t woken up and are being admitted. I immediately drive to the airport, hop on the next flight out here, and drive straight in to town when I land and you know what? You’re nowhere to be found.

  “You’re not at the hospital, you’re not at your mom’s house and you’re not at your house. I call your phone and it keeps going straight to voicemail. Now I’m sitting outside Jonathon’s place and your not here either. So I’m worried sick, that’s how I am.”

  Wow. Fun loving Charlie is the angriest I have ever heard him. He didn’t even react this way when Miles took my keys and dug them into the side of Charlie’s car.

  “Why would the hospital call you?” I ask him because I can’t think straight.

  “Is that all you got to say? You know this town, Mia. Everybody knows everybody. Miss Sander’s niece works over at County and she called Miss Sanders to let her know the gossip as soon as you were admitted. So naturally, Miss Sanders called me. Your like the daughter I never had and I couldn’t handle if anything else happened to you. Now, where are you?”

  His concern for me warms my heart. Charlie has always been so kind and loving to me. I wish he had been in my mother’s life earlier. I could have benefited from having a strong male figure in my life.

  “I’m at the Embassy Suites off the highway. Room 612.”

  “Why in God’s name are you there? If the hospital released you then why aren’t you at home?”

  That’s a good question. A question I’m not prepared to answer right now. Charlie is great and all, but he’ll have Sebastian by the balls when he finds out I’m knocked up.

  “Will you come by?” I say as I completely avoid his previous question.

  “Already on my way, Sweetie. I'll call you when I get there and then we’re going to talk about why I had to hear from Miss Sander’s that you were in the hospital instead of from you or your mom.” He didn’t wait for my response as the call ended.

  I look up to see everyone looking at me.

  “That was Charlie. He’s in town and on his way over to check on me.”

  My mother jumps up from the bed and starts adjusting her clothing. “Now, he is on his way over now?”

  “Yes. He just left Jonathon’s so he should be here shortly.”

  My momma starts to play with her hair and rushes to the bathroom and closes the door. I would be worried this was a call for help if I didn’t see the excitement in her eyes at hearing Charlie’s name. Maybe getting them together again was going to be easier than I thought.

  *****

  My mother is now sitting back with us on the bed when there is a knock on the door. I go to answer it, knowing that it’s going to be Charlie on the other end.

  When I open the door I am swept into the tightest bear hug and lifted off the ground a good foot.

  “I missed you, Mia.”

  “I missed you, too,” I say as he gently places me back on solid ground.

  He looks different. A little thinner. He’s grown out his beard a few inches and his hair is almost completely silver. I guess a lot can change in a few months. His skin is the palest I’ve ever seen it. His skin color is usually golden from the sun year round.

  “Your white, Charlie. Where is that tan I love so much.”

  He smiles at me, “Chicago is a funny place. The weather is so inconsistent but the temperature has been cold since late September. After talking to some folks, I guess this isn’t normal. Some times it’s high seventies going into October. This year it was forty degree’s on October first. Its hard to get a tan when you’re bundle up.”

  “You still look good. I really like the beard.” I lift my hand to tug it a little as he flinches back from my grip.

  “Thanks, but enough about me. How are you and why were you in the hospital?”

  This was one of the things I used to love about Charlie. He was a straight shooter. Now, I don’t like it so much.

  “I’m fine. I just need to get some rest and eat more. I’ll explain it all to you a little later, I promise. Lets go sit down and you can finish the movie with us. We’re watching Cool Hand Luke.”

  Charlie takes off his jacket and hangs it in the closet near the entrance of the hotel room.

  “No shit? I love that movie.”

  I laugh, “I know. We’ve only watched it together, like, a hundred times.”

  We make our way to the bedroom and Charlie exchanges pleasantries with Jonathon and my mother. My mother is fidgeting and has asked him, probably five times, if she could get him anything. I feel for her. I know she didn’t want the break up with Charlie but I can’t fault him for running. I did it, too.

  “Hi, Sir, I’m Sebastian. It’s nice to meet you,” Sebastian says confidentially as he goes to shake Charlie’s hand.

  “Nice to meet you, too. Where do you fit in here?”

  Like I said, he’s a straight shooter.

  Sebastian straightens his posture, “I’m Mia’s boyfriends and soon to be father of the baby she has growing inside her.”

  “SEBASTIAN,” I yell. I could kill him.

  “Baby? Baby!” Charlie turns toward me, “You’re pregnant?”

  The room becomes quiet as everyone is looking at me to say something. I shoot Sebastian the dirtiest look I can manage but all he does is give me a sexy smirk back.

  “Yes, I’m pregnant and before you ask, I am not dating the arrogant man next to me. I�
�ll explain everything tomorrow, Charlie. I promise.”

  Sebastian chimes in with his two cents before anyone else can speak.

  “For the record, I am her boyfriend. She ran back to Georgia because she’s scared but unless I missed something, we’re still together. We never had the uncomfortable break up talk. She didn’t even go the chicken-shit route and give me a call or text. I’d remember that, so as far as I see it, we’re still together and we’re having a baby.”

  Sebastian puts his arm around my waist. I try to move away but he squeezes me tighter. I shoot him a deadly glare.

  “I like him already,” Charlie says while laughing at my expression.

  “You want the uncomfortable talk? You got it. We’ll have it as soon as everyone leaves,” I say while giving Sebastian a false, sweet smile.

  Sebastian just smiles and kisses me on the forehead. “Sure we will, Honey.”

  Damn. He is so frustrating.

  “Well, I’m beat from working and then traveling all day so I’m going to go down stairs and see if they got a room I can rent for the night,” Charlie says as he stretches his arms out with a yawn.

  My mother becomes more alert at his words. She moves a step towards him but is still a few feet away.

  “Why don’t you come stay at the house? I got two extra rooms no one uses and we can have some coffee and catch up in the morning. Then you won’t have to spend your money and you’ll be staying somewhere your comfortable at.”

  The desperation to have Charlie in her house is so clear in my mother’s eyes. The sadness in Charlie’s is also clear. He doesn’t want to stay at the place he used to call home with my mother, but I know him. He’ll go just because he can’t tell her no.

  “Sure, let’s go.”

  We say our goodbyes and Charlie promises to call me in the morning. After my mother and Charlie leave, its just Sebastian, Jonathon, and me. The movie we were watching is over and Jonathon has an episode of The Millionaire Matchmaker playing.

  Jonathon starts to speak without moving his eyes from the television. “Sebastian, did you ever go through a dating company like this show broadcasts?”