Page 86 of Sweet Little Lies
Chapter 34
Mica
My back and legs hurt from all the bending and lifting today. Tuesdays are my long cleaning shift days and today I scrubbed and cleaned houses for over six hours straight.
I’m exhausted and could fall into bed and sleep for days.
But instead, I have a term paper to finish before I go to sleep. Thankfully I’ve already written the first draft and now just need to edit it and make sure all my citations are accurately noted.
The microwave beeps to let me know my frozen dinner is done and ready to pull out when there’s a knock at my door.
I’m so tired that I almost let it go, but I am waiting for a package to be delivered, so I carefully remove the plastic wrap from the container and head to the front door.
When I look through the peep hole, I don’t see anything, but I open it up to see if the package is on the floor.
The first thing I see is a bouquet of flowers shoved toward my face at eye level. They are being held there by a hand, and as the body steps into view, I know it’s Lance.
My eyes dart from the fresh and fragrant floral arrangement to Lance’s face, which is cast downward.
“Special delivery. Read the card.”
There’s a small four-by-four envelope stuffed into the top of the bouquet and I pull it out, still not having said anything.
I open it and pinch the note in my fingers to slide it out of its cover.
It reads:
There are no words to express how sorry I am. I’m a fool.
Love, Your Baby Daddy
Tears prickle the backs of my eyes and I suck back the sob that threatens to escape my throat. If it weren’t so sad and this situation so dramatic, it would be funny. Because no matter what, Lance can always lighten the mood with his goofy antics.
He hands me the flowers to hold and then he’s down on one knee – still in the doorway. He holds out a small box, his hand shaking in front of me.
“Micaela Anna Reyes, before you entered my life, I was hollow. So empty and sad. But you’ve been the light at the end of that endlessly dark tunnel. You shine for me like my own personal beacon of hope, piercing through my dark and tainted soul. You’ve proved to me, time and time again, that there is something in me worth loving. Yet once again, I’ve made a mess of things. I take one step forward and three steps back.”
Tears are falling and I’m crying shamelessly, swiping them away with the back of my hand as they continue to stain my cheeks and wet my lashes. My vision blurs and I’m blinded by my love for him.
“I can’t promise an easy road ahead. I’m still on the path to recovery and it’s a helluva long way. But if you can find it in your heart to forgive me, and to say yes to being with me for the rest of our lives, I promise to do my very best. To be the best man I can. The best husband. And…the best father.”
He drops his hand to my stomach and covers it with his large, oversized palm. His own eyes are damp and reflect all the deep sorrow I know he feels for the way he behaved.
“Baby Britton, I’m sorry for saying those things about you. About not wanting you. I was so, so wrong. I’m just a dumbass who constantly fucks up. But your mom…she’s so amazing in every single way. She’s going to be the best mother in the world to you, baby. And I’ll do my best to run a close second in the parenting race.”
I’m grinning now through my tears and open my arms to wrap them around his broad shoulders.
“Will you say something, Georgie?” he says, his words muffled in my breasts.
A peel of laughter bursts from my chest and we both shake from the wild movement. And then I say the only thing that comes to mind at a moment like this, when your boyfriend-slash-baby-daddy asks you to marry him.
I notch my voice up an octave and speak in an animated voice, ruffling his hair with my hand. “Just what I always wanted. My own little bunny rabbit. I will name him George, and I will hug him and pet him and squeeze him…” I tip his head up with my finger under his chin and give him a smile.
“And I will love him and marry him and be with him forever and ever.”
The End
