Page 155 of The Worst Best Man
Frankie’s mouth opened. Her brain wasn’t prepared for new information of that magnitude.
“Wha…?”
“Pregnant. Like with my husband’s baby?” Pru said, beaming at her. “Thanks, Vin,” she said when Vinnie returned with their waters.
Frankie chugged half of hers, trying to get her brain back to functioning. “You’re going to have a baby?”
Pru nodded again. “Honeymoon baby, which was a surprise. But we’re so excited.”
Frankie could see it. The sheer delight on her friend’s face. And even though her own life was in the gutter, she still felt a stirring of happiness for Pru.
“Wow. Congratulations. Chip must be thrilled.”
“He wavers between thrilled and hyperventilating. He ordered sixteen parenting, pregnancy, and baby books and wants to start interviewing nannies now.”
“Wow,” Frankie said again. A rush of memories washing over her. Pru dressed as Carmen Miranda strolling into their dorm room on Halloween. Pru dancing on the bar at Salvio’s after one too many margaritas. Pru trying on her wedding dress for the first time. “I know I don’t look it, but I am so happy for you.”
Pru reached across the table and grabbed Frankie’s hand. “I know your life sucks right now. But you’re going to be an aunt, and that’s worth something. And I want you to hang on to that aunt thing while I say this next thing.”
“Uh-uh.” Frankie braced herself.
“Why haven’t you talked to Aiden?” Pru asked.
Frankie felt herself shutting down again. “Look, Pru. There are things you don’t know. No, he didn’t cheat on me with ol’ one-eyebrow. But there was something else. Something much bigger.”
“I know,” Pru said, squeezing her hand. “He told me. He talked to me and Chip last week.”
“He told you?” Frankie asked, astonished.
“He planted the seeds for Chip to break up with me.”
“And you’re just okay with that? He robbed you both of years of happiness, Pru. Just because he thought you weren’t good enough for his friend.”
“He thought I was immature and flighty, and to be honest, he may have been right. Not that I’d tell him that. I was fresh out of college and had diamond rings in my eyes. I had no idea what marriage was actually about. I just wanted a sparkly ring and a big party. If we hadn’t broken up and both matured a bit, I don’t know that we’d still be together. And I do know that this little low-carb baby wouldn’t be growing in me. I’m stronger than I was then. Happier. Maybe the slightest bit more mature. And in the end, Aiden was just looking out for his friend. A friend who made the decision through no coercion, I might add.”
“Hehurtyou,” Frankie pointed out.
“And I forgave him. You should try it sometime.”
Frankie snorted and stabbed her straw into her glass of ice. “Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice…”
“Do you think relationships mean never screwing up at all?” Pru asked. “The insult was against me, the damage was done to me, and I’ve forgiven him. Why can’t you?”
“Because you always had a soft heart. If I were you, I never would have forgiven Chip.”
“And where would I be then? Not married to a man who makes me laugh every day. Not picking paint swatches for the nursery. Not sitting across from my best friend in the world desperately trying to show her what doors forgiveness opens. I could have played it safe. I could have married some boring guy who let me call every shot. But what kind of life is that when there’s never any risk of getting hurt?”
Frankie stared down at the table, wishing Pru’s words weren’t landing direct hit after direct hit. “Being in a relationship with Aiden was so hard,” she said lamely.
“It’s not like you were doing yourself any favors there. You fought him every step of the way. You were just waiting for him to disappoint you, to give you the excuse you were looking for to leave.”
“I was not,” Frankie argued.
“Now you’re lying to yourself.”
“All in,” Frankie whispered. Had she ever really been all in? She’d made the commitment, but had she really acted on it?
“You’re the most loyal person I know, Frankie. Why can’t you be loyal to him? Why can’t you fight for him? Who does Aiden have in his corner that he can count on? Who has his back? You should have been out there attacking Margeaux. Instead, you holed up and hid yourself away.”
