Page 112 of Feels Like Home

I stumble back a few steps, shaking my head wildly. “Andy, no. Let meexplain.”

“Oh, I know enough. Trust me. I get it. I can’t believe I fell for another liar,” he scoffs, scrubbing a hand down hisface.

“No, you don’t get it. Please,” I plead with him. “Where are the boys? Are theyinside?”

“They’re next door at Nolan’s house. I was getting ready to come over to you when you pulledup.”

I nod my head. “Let’s go inside. You have to let me explainthis.”

“Explain what? That you found Heather — my ex-wife — having sex with your husband and didn’t think you should tell me? And then, by some random stroke of fate, I came into Dreamin’ Beans, and you latched onto your one chance to get back at the bitch your husband cheated on you with all those yearsago?”

“That isnothow it happened. You know this, Andy. Youknowmy heart. It wasn’t like that at all. Yes. Heather is the person who Todd had an affair with. That part is true. Yes, I admit I hid it from you. Not just from you, though. Fromeveryone.You know I didn’t want to tell anyone about it. It wasn’timportant.”

“Not important?” he screams. “How can me not knowingyearsago that my wife was cheating on me benotimportant?”

I stay silent, not knowing how to get through tohim.

He already knew. He admitted that time and timeagain.

So, the fact that I knew Heather cheated is not what’s got him soangry.

The misguided idea that I got pregnant on purpose — all for some crazy revenge against Heather years later — is what has him ready to endeverything.

“Please. Just listen to me,” Iwhisper.

“I’m donelistening.”

“What?”

“I said, I’m done. I’ll be there for the baby. She’s a part of me, and whether you planned to get pregnant as some sort of twisted revenge plot or not, I would never take that out on our precious baby girl. But you and I? We’redone.”

“We arenotdone, Andy. You won’t even listen tome!”

I cover my mouth when my sobs begin to come out uncontrollably. I rest my hand on my belly, praying for the baby to calm my ever-growingnerves.

He stalks over to me and leans down to get in my face. Not in a menacing way, but in a way that is sure to keep my attention. “Oh, we so are, Christine. I was screwed over by one woman before. Duped into thinking that I had to stay with her for the sake of my children, but I know betternow.”

Well now I’m just angry. To be put in the same bucket as Heather, of all people? “You can’t be serious. You haven’t even let me tell you my side of things! You think I got pregnant on purpose? Fell in love with you on purpose? Did all this to what? Show Heather that you would love me instead of her? Are you even listening toyourself?”

He stays silent, staring daggers intome.

“You are wrong, Andy. Whatever is going through your head. Whatever you’re thinking right now is wrong. I knew Heather cheated on you with Todd. You’re forgetting that I found out my husband cheated on me and that he had cancerin the same day. My top priority was not running off to tell on Heather. I’m sorry if I made the wrongchoice.”

“You hadyearsto tell me, Christine.Years.”

“You’re right. I’ll give you that. But you know what? It wasn’t my place. And after Todd passed away, everything else just kind of faded. I’m sorry if I made the wrong choice in not telling you, but donotthrow me into the sameanythingwith Heather. You know better than that, and if you’d just get out of your head for one second, you’d figure itout.”

I get in my car and slam the door shut, backing out of the driveway and praying that I’m able to make it home safely before breaking downentirely.

And when I get there, I see the cars of Carly, Tess, and Lauren waiting in mydriveway.

“We have ice cream,” Lauren says when she makes her way to my car. She hugs me tightly. “Are you okay?” she whispers in my ear, giving me a tighthug.

I nod even though I feel nothing close tookay.

Wondering if I’ll ever feel close to okayagain.

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