White Lies

Chapter 5

"You want to go out to dinner?" Rory was already starting to make something for them when Happy burst in, like some kind Prince Charming, and told her they were going out. Brushing her tiny pixie cut bangs back she gestured to the stove in defeat already knowing they'd be going out. "Hap, I'm already half-done cooking."

"Mama, please!" Emma clapped her hands excitedly; her little shoes squeaking as she kicked her feet.

"Okay." She tried to look annoyed but Rory smiled. "Let me put this away and get changed." As she moved about the kitchen, Happy gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Is everything okay?" She asked him suspiciously.

"Yeah, everything's great."

"Okay," Rory rolled her eyes. "Why don't you go play out front? I'll be like, twenty minutes tops."

Bouncing Emma on his shoulders Happy headed outside and on her way up the steps Rory called Parker. The idea made her feel bad enough but she hadn't had a chance to tell him to leave it before the park trip. He answered promptly and she immediately went off.

"What did you say to him?"

"Nothing really, I just talked about all the girls he probably has sniffing around. He was adamant you were the only one, maybe too adamant; I couldn't really tell he's a hard read. To be honest, I kind of felt like he was pushing it too much."

"Leave it, Parker."

"Why? Ror, don't you want to know if he's fucking around?"

Looking herself in the mirror, examining her skin and the slow reappearance of freckles and the natural flush of her cheeks, she shook her head. Finally, she felt she was looking herself again after chemo. "He's not."

"How do you know?"

"I almost died, Parker, twice and I could see he loves me then. He got those men, both times, and made it as right as he could for me. I had cancer, he was weird but he was there for me. I don't think he'd do it, I think I was feeling vulnerable and self-conscious."

Parker could see his forceful approach had done the complete opposite of what he'd intended. "Okay but you're looking at it like a chick. Guys, most guys, but especially ones like Happy, don't look at sex like some show of love. It's sex. It's what they do. You take away that meaning and he's capable of it, in my opinion."

"Well, I don't give a shit about your opinion. He's my husband and our relationship is none of your concern."

As she barked at him, Parker grinned. He'd hit a nerve and all that confidence in Happy's fidelity was dashed away when he told her the grim truth. "No, it's not but you are. I'll back off just know I'm here when you need me."

Rory grunted and tossed her phone on the bed. "He wouldn't." She told herself as she changed quickly and peeked out the window to see Happy and Emma on the lawn. "He wouldn't hurt us like that, not again."

-

"How is it, sweetie?" Rory asked as Emma dug into her dessert. "All that chocolate, Hap." It was a groan as Rory imagined the hyperactive child she'd have to deal with in the not too distant future.

"She'll be fine. Listen," he leaned forward across the table. "Why don't you stay home more with her? Maybe less work stress will help."

"I love working." She countered. "And that isn't going magically knock me up."

"I don't think I trust Parker anymore."

"What?" Rory drew her head back and cocked it to the side. "Why?"

Happy rolled his jaw and as he began to speak cracked his knuckles one by one. "He kept talking about us at the park, cheating and you. Made a fucking comment about how cute you are."

"Language Daddy." Emma scolded him with chocolate along her chin.

"Sorry, baby." Wiping Emma's mouth, he gave Rory a cold stare. "I don't trust that. You don't say that to another man about his wife."

"Why does it matter? So I'm cute, it's not like anything is happening between us."

"I don't like it." He snapped. "I don't like that skinny, preppy prick near you or Emma."

"I think you're overreacting, Hap."

Slamming a wad of cash down, Happy stood and grabbed Emma. "Come on, baby girl, let's get you home."

"Happy," Rory followed quickly after him. "Don't walk away from me like that."

They stopped outside the restaurant and Happy let Emma down on her own feet. The little girl began skipping in circles around her arguing parents. "You sure he didn't try anything with you?"

"He didn't try shit and if he did I can handle myself. I don't always need a man to save me. Why are you acting like this? Are you feeling some guilt or something? Projecting that shit on me?"

"Guilt?" Happy laughed and shook his head. "I got nothing to feel guilty about."

"You sure? You're not cheating, you haven't at all since that slutty Russian stripper?"

Happy hesitated but quickly rebounded. "No."

From behind Rory, Emma shrieked as she tripped, smashing her head against a parking meter with a sickening crack. "Emma?" Rory spun and raced to scoop up her hysterical and bloody daughter. "Oh baby, it's okay. You're okay." Rory was panicked, terrified and struggling to keep from bursting into tears.

Happy ripped off his cut and t-shirt, holding it to her head to help decrease the bleeding. "Em, I'm so sorry baby."

The child screamed in her mother's arms and the bleeding continued despite Happy's shirt pressed hard against Emma's head.

"She needs stitches." Rory said barely holding herself together. "You're okay, Emma. You have a big boo boo but me and Daddy are going to make you all better."

They rushed into the car and Happy tore off toward Saint Thomas.

-

"This is our fault." Rory said quietly, holding Emma as the emergency room doctor started stitching the wound. They gave Emma a local and she was surprisingly calm as long as both Rory and Happy were in view. Happy held her hand in his, guilt crushing him for not keeping an eye on her, and refused to make eye contact with Rory.

"Daddy, will I have a scar like you and Mommy?"

Rory whimpered as Happy tried to give her daughter an answer that wouldn't upset any of them but it seemed impossible. "Scar or not you're still my beautiful, smart," he added for Rory's feminist mom side, "Baby girl."

"No more fighting." Rory mouthed to Happy. He nodded and quickly looked away but Rory couldn't help thinking Parker was right and he was guilty. "I love you."

"Yeah, you too, Ror."

-

Hey guys! I wanted to let you all know my updates will be a little slower than usual! I realized I've been rushing and I feel the quality of my writing is slipping as a result. That is not fair to you guys or to me! I'll still be updating a few times a week but the chapters will be much better. It's not the plot so much that is suffering but the writing in general, descriptions, rushing topics/reactions and things of that sort. I'll be adding this little blurb to all my stories just so everyone knows! Thank you all so much for you support, it means so much you have no idea! Xoxoxo

Also, as I've asked about Mae AND Amelia, no one is bored with Rory and Happy?!