Make Believe: A Novella (14 page)

“I don’t understand,” I said softly.

“You are so gullible and so pathetic. I
can’t say that I like Aiden, but you actually have a good guy there. You let me twist your mind into believing things about him that just weren’t true. The motel, the pictures. He told you the truth about it all, but you just sat back and let me pull your strings like a puppet. And it was easy.”

“Why are you doing this? What did we ever do to you?”

“What did you do? What did you do! You did everything! You don’t deserve to be happy or to get married or have kids!” she screamed angrily. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she turned to me calmly and breathed, “Why do you get to live? Why should you still get to be happy?”

“Leah, please, I am trying to understand you
….”

“I don’t want you to understand me...this isn’t about me.”

She picked me up from the floor and just stared at me for a long moment. She walked away to pick up the green diary that she had thrown on the floor. Opening up a page, she sank slowly to her knees and started to read again.

“Mommy didn’t believe that Steve was sleeping and neither did the scary men in uniforms. They thought Mommy put Steve to sleep. I wanted to tell them she didn’t because they said that if she did, then she had to go away. I didn’t like it when Mommy went away because then I had to play games. Jay Jay said that it was OK. He said I didn’t have to play any more games. He said Mommy knew about Steve’s games, she even knew that Jay Jay put him to sleep. She said we only had to play one more game. She said that no matter what those scary men in the uniforms said to me, I had to pretend that Mommy put Steve to sleep. Jay Jay said I did well, that the scary men believed me. He said that even though Mommy had to go away it is OK because Aunt Janie was going to look after us now. Aunt Janie was a nice Mommy and Uncle Darren was a nice Daddy. He didn’t play any games with me. I liked him. I like living here. Everyone keeps saying that Steve has gone to sleep for a long time now. I pretend that I think he is sleeping, but I know he isn’t. I know he is dead...and I’m glad.”

Chapter 16
: One Day Earlier

APRIL’S POINT OF VIEW

Walking out on Aiden yesterday was probably one of the hardest things I’ve done. I just felt betrayed and of all people, he never should have made me feel that way. He may not have done anything with Leah, but they had a secret —one he kept from me, and that hurt. Staring at those pictures didn’t help either. I just wish that I could rewind the past few days and prevent everything from happening.

“Look, I know that Aiden
screwed up, and I’m the first one to point out when he does wrong, but I’m really worried about him. It’s been three days since you left, and he is just a mess,” Crystal explained as she sipped her cup of coffee.

“I know
, but he is the one who lied,” I replied, weakly.

“Yeah
, and he’s an idiot for doing that, but an idiot who really loves you. He did those stupid things to try and protect you. It just went wrong. I told you guys that I didn’t like that Leah girl, didn’t I? The moment I saw her smug little face in that deli, I knew she would be trouble,” Crystal reminded us.

“True, you did say that,” Jess added.

“I still say you guys should just let me kick her as….”

“Jinnie!” Jess said with a smile on her face.

“What?”

“I don’t want Ella-May picking up your bad words,” she scoffed.

“Yeah, because a baby who is
days
old can really understand me, can’t she?” Jinnie answered sarcastically.

“It’s possible
. My baby is smart you know, well my half anyway. I can’t swear for the side that Anthony contributed. Poor girl,” Jess said.

“O
K, I’ll rephrase. I think you should still let me kick her A double S, better?” Jinnie said, making a face at Jess.

“Gosh, you’re so sophisticated my friend
. What I would give to have your fine people skills.”

“Jess, you do know that you’re sounding more and more like Anthony every day?” Crystal chuckled.

“I am not!”

“My friend?” Crystal said with raised eyebrows.

“He got that from me actually.”

“Sure he did.”

Crystal got up at the sound of knocking at the door.

“Not my house
, but don’t worry, I’ll get it,” she said looking in my direction.

“It’s not mine either anymore, remember,” I said, looking around at my mom and Bob’s home. It was nice coming back
, but also a little frustrating. Each day, one of my friends or family members would take turns trying to talk me into patching things up with Aiden. So far, I’ve had counseling sessions with Mom, Bob, Grandma, Uncle Harry, Mrs. Staples, Jess, Jinnie, and Crystal. None of them seem to get that I need time. They are just all so worried about whether or not we are breaking up. I have never mentioned breaking up, I have said repeatedly that I need time for soul-searching and re-evaluation.

“Look who I found,” Crystal beamed as she walked back in the room.

“Erica?” I sang excitedly as I jumped up to hug her. “What? How?”

“The girls said you needed us
, and us isn’t us, without me,” she giggled.

“So what
, you just flew over here?” I asked, amused.

“Kind of, I had time
off from work,” she said, winking.

“Yeah
, and a husband who waits on her hand and foot,” Jinnie muttered.

“
Green is not your color, little sis,” Erica teased.

“Little, you were born one minute before me
. Get over it.”

“Yep, and you’ll never truly understand how big a difference that minute makes
. Now get over here and give your sister a hug,” she said, smiling. Jinnie attempted to act annoyed, but it didn’t last very long, and in no time she was up on her feet and in her sister’s arms.

“I’
ve missed you Prince Eric,” she chuckled.

“I’ll let you have that one,”
Erica giggled.

“So, where’s my baby?”
Erica asked Jess, excitedly.

“Sleeping
. So how about a little love for the mama first?” Jess said with a huge grin on her face.

“Come here then,”
Erica ordered, and before I knew it we were all entangled in a group hug. “I’ve missed you guys,” she said.

“We’ve missed you too,” Crystal replied.

“Aw, Bob, look at them all so grown and up and still so close. Isn’t it sweet,” I heard my mom cooing in the background.

“Hey
,” Erica said, walking over to my mom and Bob and giving them a hug.

“Aw
, Erica, you look so grown up, and how are those two beautiful babies of yours?” Mom asked.

“They are a handful
, but I wouldn’t trade them for the world,” she smiled.

“We parents never do. Anyway, I’ll leave you girls to it
. If you need anything just help yourself, I’m off to enjoy an early night,” Mom said.

“
’Night,” we all sang in unison and waved them off.

“So according to reliable sources
, it has been brought to my attention that I am actually on a rescue mission,” Erica said.

“What are you talking about?” Jess asked, laughing to herself.

“Well, we have Jinnie who is still miserably single….”

“I am not miserable!”

“And in denial. Crystal who is too chicken to tell Murphy she loves him….”

“Oh my gosh! Who said that?” Crystal asked, scowling at Jess
and me.

“Not me,” I said, holding up my hand and laughing.

“Jess,” she growled.

“Sorry
, but it’s true, and we don’t keep secrets from each other, do we?”

“Shut up,” Crystal growled,
making us all to laugh.

“Then there is April and her drama with Aiden
, me and my newfound withdrawal symptoms, and Jess...well, she’s dating Anthony!” she giggled.

“Here, here! Someone who gets my pain!” Jess added, making us laugh.

“So based on that information, I have brought the medicine,” Erica said, holding up a heavy bag. “Ben and Jerry’s,” she said proudly. A collective cheer filled the room at the mention of the words Ben and Jerry’s.

“Ahh guys
, thanks for coming to my rescue and cheering me up. I love you guys,” I said, and then we all dug into the ice cream.

“Don’t get all sentimental on me now, April,” Crystal scoffed, causing Erica to roll her eyes.

“Too much time around Murphy,” I mouthed to Erica who started to laugh.

“Well
, that’s what we’re here for, April. No one will have your back like your sisters,” Jess said.

“Exactly, so does this mean we can go and find this Leah girl now?” Jinnie asked with an innocent smile.

“No!” we all shouted in unison, then burst out laughing.

“You guys are no fun,” she moaned
. I couldn’t believe her.

“So, I have the
movie that will fix any girl’s problem,” Crystal announced.

“What?” Erica asked.

“Two words ladies,
Magic Mike
,” she said, putting extra emphasis on
Magic Mike
. We all cheered and a wolf whistle from the not-so-lady-like Jinnie.

“Is it me or did every Christmas come at once?” Jess laughed.

“Oh, they came at once,” Erica chuckled as Crystal set up the movie.

“Right ladies, settle down
. Things are about to get HOT in here!” Crystal squealed as she jumped on the couch on top of me, Jess, and Erica.

“Ouch!”
we all sang in unison.

“That is why I stay away from you maniacs,” Jinnie stated.

“Ladies,” Crystal said, giving us a look we all recognize well.

“No,” Jinnie
said, “I’m warning you, I’ll kick your A double….”

B
ut before she could finish her sentence, we had all piled on top of her.

“I can’t believe that some of you are actually mothers in here,” Jinnie groaned as she rubbed her side.

“It brings out the kid in you Jinnie
darling!”

“Whatever.”

“OK, Channing is on screen people. It’s time for a minute of silence,” Crystal interrupted, grabbing all of our attentions.

* * *

A night in with the girls was exactly what I needed, and I loved every minute of it. It took my mind off my situation for a while, and made me realize what I had around me and how incredibly lucky I was to have it.

“Hey, you look deep in thought,” Erica said quietly
, while the others were chatting away about Channing’s Abs.

“Just thinking how lucky I am to have great family and friends. Sometimes we take it for granted, don’t we?”

“All the time. You miss him, don’t you?” she asked. I knew she was talking about Aiden, and she was right, I did miss him. I nodded.

“Well
, you have to ask yourself one question.”

“What?” I asked curiously.

“What’s worse? The thing he did wrong or how much you’re missing him,” she said before getting up and joining the others.

She was right
. I did miss him. I just didn’t want to start our marriage with trust issues, or him thinking that he can’t talk to me about certain things. I’m not giving up on us, I just need him to understand that he hurt me, and to take it seriously.

The sound of my phone pulled me out of my thoughts, and the name on
the screen made me smile.

I know you said you wanted space, and I’m respecting your wishes, but I just wanted to tell you that I love you. That’s all, goodnight, beautiful x

I probably looked like a goofy schoolgirl sitting there smiling at my phone, but Aiden never stopped having that effect on me. I liked seeing that, even when I pushed him away, he still wanted to fight for me.

“Now, I’m hoping that smile is because my brother’s texting you,” Crystal said
, sitting down next to me.

“Of course,” I said, nudging her side with my elbow.

“Good,” she said, smiling.

“He’s an idiot
, but I love him,” I chuckled.

“I’ve been telling you that for years
, and now you realize!” she giggled.

“They’re all idiots, with the exception of Erica’s Mr
. Hot, who’s French and delicious!” Jess said, as we all cracked up.

“He is indeed,” Erica giggled.

“So, how is life in France?” Crystal asked.