The Love Triangle (BWWM Romance) (41 page)

“No, the hemlock is gone from your system. It doesn’t store in your body and there should be no problems with that. All of your tests came back good and your bloodwork looks good, so I think you're getting your dream anyways. They say the Lord works in mysterious ways.”

She nodded. “He certainly does. I won’t argue there. Well thanks, Doc.”

“Come back in a few weeks and we can do a scan and see how far along you are.”

Taking the reminder card from the woman at the desk, she looked down at the new time, the numbers blurring as she brushed a tear away. She couldn’t wait to get home and tell Charles properly. The drive back to her mother in law's seemed to take a while and she thought she smelled a whiff of that perfume from before. It wasn’t in her car, but like it had been carried out in her nose. It made her pause and wonder, but she was too excited to go too far with her wondering.

Caroline was thrilled and she said she couldn’t wait for another grandchild. It was one of those days and seeing her baby girl again brought her back to her better mood. Leandra was awoken from her nap and she nestled back into Dahlia’s chest. It was as if she had a hold of her heart with those tiny fingers. “She is just precious, Dahlia. I know you're going to be a great mom. Have you thought about how many you two want?”

“Not really. I think we're just taking it as it goes. I know he liked the idea of siblings for Leandra. He hated the idea of her being an only child.”

“Siblings are great. It's like a friend for life for them. I'm glad I had several.”

“I just can’t believe you don’t have more grandkids.”

“Well, all of them are sure giving me a fright. I was starting to wonder if any of them were going to have children. Only one other son is married. They like to play the field too much. I really thought that Charles was going to be like that, but you have done wonders with him. I don’t know how you do it, but I want to thank you as his mother for that. Nothing does my heart better than to see all of my children happy. I know Charles is someone that I don’t have to worry about anymore.”

“Thanks, Caroline. He has changed me as well. I think that is how you know it's a good relationship, when you can make each other better. I don’t know what I would do without you guys. You have all became like family so soon.”

“Now, dear, don’t get upset. You know that they are watching you from above don’t you? Your parents are seeing Leandra and just smiling away.”

Dahlia smiled through a few tears, rubbing them off of her cheeks. “I guess I'm already getting the emotional side of it all. My hormones were crazy quick last time.”

“It's okay to let it out.”

“Thanks, Caroline. I'm going to go give your son the good news. I told him earlier before I went in, I just couldn’t help it. I thought I was going to burst.”

“I bet he was happy.”

“He was. He just wants a confirmation, you know how he is. Needs to know where it all stands.”

“Yes, he got that from his father. He is very decisive. Most of his brothers do not carry that trait, but I wish they did. But it comes at the cost of worrying, so sometimes you have stop all that thinking.”

“I do.”

“Don’t you wish everything was as easy as dealing with a husband?”

Dahlia giggled at her sly smile. “Wouldn’t that be nice.” Saying her goodbyes, her and her daughter got in the car and went back to the house. Charles was home when she arrived and she called to him when she got in the house. “Honey, I’m home.”

She didn’t hear anything but she saw his coat hanging up by the door and his car out front. Putting Leandra down, she noticed a piece of paper on the floor. She stuck it in her pocket without looking at it and then started off to find her husband.

“Charles? We’re home.”

“Be right out.”

“What are you doing?”

“Changing.”

He came in his casual clothes and he had a questioning look on his face. “So?”

She nodded her head and he went to her, kissing them both. “I can’t believe our little family is growing so quickly.”

“Are you happy, Charles?”

“I couldn’t be happier, Dahlia.”

Chapter 20

That evening, Charles made dinner and let her and Leandra watch him cook. There was something about watching him in the kitchen that she absolutely loved. He was far more skilled in there than she was, though she had improved considerably. Leandra was playing in her playpen after a while and then Dahlia went upstairs to get dressed. “Hey, Dahlia. There is a contract I wanted you to look at. I know you don’t want work, but I would really like your opinion on the possibility of breaking it. I think there are loopholes that are glossed over.”

“Sure, baby. Where is it?”

“Up there by the bed.”

Dahlia went up the stairs and found what she was looking for quickly. When she noticed that there seemed to be dampness on the paperwork, she rooted around trying to find the culprit. It was then that she noticed the side pocket was where the moisture was coming from. When she opened it up and pulled out what was inside, her whole world came caving in.

The panties were bright red and she didn’t need to imagine why they were wet. What she couldn’t understand was what they were doing in her husband’s case. Her heart had dropped out and she didn’t have a mind to find it. She just stood there as if she was a stone statue. There was a sound from Leandra downstairs and she gripped the material in her hands. She had never felt such rage and heartbreak all at the same time. It was too much for her, but she knew that she had to confront the situation.

Running through the scenarios in her head as she walked down the stairs slowly, Dahlia couldn’t think of one that would make it okay. There was no possible scheme that would make him having wet panties in his briefcase okay. It was clear what it meant and it was clear what she had to do. The smell in his office was back as she passed the doorway to get to the kitchen.

Dahlia stopped and went to his jacket. It reeked of another’s perfume. It was not hers, but she did not know whose it was. The day went from such a high high, to an incredible low that she had not seen coming. It was the blindside of it that bothered her the most. She had always thought that he loved her, the way she loved him. She could never hurt him in such a way.

Leandra was playing with her teddy, trying to chew the nose off. Dahlia looked at Charles, looking back at her in that way that made her heart stop. Her nose and throat started to burn and then her eyes started to water. Swallowing down the large lump in her throat, Dahlia didn’t know what to say. “Who is she, Charles?”

“What?”

She had hoped that he would confess, apologize, something. Not the look that he didn’t understand what she was talking about. “Who is she, Charles? This will go a lot easier if you just tell me the truth.”

“Dahlia, I have no idea what you're talking. Who is who?”

He tried to move towards her and she backed away. She didn’t want to feel his traitorous touch or hear his lies. “Last chance.”

Charles grew serious. “Is this hormones or something? I don’t understand what you're talking about. Last chance for what?”

“Before I leave.”

She threw the red panties at him. They fell on the table between them and he stared at them, his mouth agape. “What are you going on about?”

“I found these in your briefcase, Charles. I can’t believe you.”

Dahlia picked up Leandra and started towards the door. “Wait, what? Hold on, this is ridiculous. I don’t have any idea where they came from or why they are in my briefcase. Where are you going?”

“I'm going to my house. I suggested they we live separately when we first got married, now I guess we will try that for a while. I hope whoever she was, it was worth it.”

Charles was left speechless. He looked back at the red panties that had ruined his life. Where the hell did they come from?

***

Dahlia had left so quickly that she didn’t really grab anything at all. When she got back to her house, everything was dark, but as she had left it so many months ago. It felt cold and empty, nothing like the warm home that she had just left. Going back to her old life was one of the most depressing things she had ever done. Nothing would feel like home without Charles there with her.

Making a couple phone calls, she ordered some things through a personal shopper that she had used when she was too busy to go to the grocery store. She needed diapers and formula at the very least. Tipping the shopper well for the late call, Dahlia made her a bottle, which also had to be bought at the store. Leandra finally started to calm down. She had been fussy since the argument, feeling her mother’s stress like it was her own. When she finally went to lay her down, she realized she didn’t have a crib and made her a spot in bed with her. Holding her tight, Dahlia cried as she slept. She didn’t know what she was going to do.

The next day was no better. She had to get up early and do some real shopping. Neither one of them had any clothes. Getting back from the store, she waited until Leandra was asleep for her nap and Dahlia took a quick shower. Her jeans lay crumpled on the floor. Toweling her hair off, she turned her head to see the small slip of paper that she had picked up the day before.

Opening it up, she saw a number scrawled on the paper, with lip prints in dark red lipstick. She tried to remember where she had seen such a dark color before. Picking up the phone, she called someone that used to find out information for her on potential clients and gave him the number. Dahlia needed to be prepared. Just like any other meeting she had ever been involved in.

Making her mind up, she called Caroline and asked if she could watch her daughter. She agreed and didn’t ask many questions when she came by. “Are you going to work things out with Charles? He called me last night upset.”

“I'm going to confront his mistress. It shouldn’t take me long.”

She didn’t wait for an answer or to see the look on her face. She knew that she should have held her tongue, but since he had already called, she figured Caroline knew why it was the way it was. Dahlia walked back to her car and got a message from her guy. He sent her a bio of the woman and as soon as she saw who it was, her plans changed for the day.

Dahlia turned towards her husband’s work. She was going to get this all sorted out one way or another.

***

It was Stacy who saw her first as she moved into the building. There were several people looking at her to say hello, but there was no smile on her face. Stacy looked nervously away, like she didn’t know why Dahlia was there. “Come here, bitch. It's time for a meeting with the boss.”

Stacy looked uncertain, as did Charles that had come out with the commotion. He heard Dahlia’s voice and he was filled with hope. Until he saw her face and realized that she was not there to make peace. He was still clueless on what had happened and how in the world the panties had gotten into his belongings. Charles was not clued in on the fact that there was also a number written on a piece of paper stuffed in his pocket. It couldn’t all be coincidence. “Dahlia…”

“Shut up and get in the damn office.”

He paused, Stacy coming up as if she was going in as well. “This is private, Stacy.”

“Fine, but your wife told me to come in here so we could have a meeting. So here I am.”

It was getting stranger by the minute. Dahlia had a hunch of what was going on, but she needed to see the two of them together to know for sure. She closed the door behind her, her confidence up. It was just like when she ran the meetings, this was her show.

“So you two used to fuck, correct?”

“Dahlia…”

“Answer the question, Stacy. You used to fuck my husband before he was mine, correct?”

Stacy nodded her head. She did not know where this was going, but by the dark look in her eyes, it was becoming clear that what she had done had not really been thought through very well.

“Are you still fucking my husband, bitch?”

Stacy’s looked to the side. She thought of saying something, but the look stopped her. “No, Dahlia, I have never cheated on you,” Charles put in.

Her eyes didn’t leave Stacy, waiting for the answer. “No. Not since you guys got married.”

“So why did you put your panties in his briefcase and your number in his pocket. You still want him or something?”

Stacy’s eyes were wide. How did she know? She did want Charles back, but she did not dare say anything in front of her to that affect. It was clear that Dahlia was not thinking clearly. “Right, you’re fired. Get out of here. I will give you five minutes before I stomp you. Is that clear?”