Before It's Too Late

Chapter 23

DAVID COULDN'T SHAKE HIS senior partner's words from his mind: "You can't keep a secret forever."

Guilt and fear had beaten him up since then. Pressure had been eating at him. Then, like a bad omen, his senior partner's words struck—every decision he had made from then on turned from bad to worse and worst. Hiding the truth from Avery had become his daily goal. All for his idea of not wanting to hurt her. While his lies piled up, he did everything possible to make Avery agree to the quickest wedding preparation. He made himself believe everything that happened was for his love for Avery. He didn't realize what he was doing was what would also cause him to lose her.

When he couldn't bear all the mixed emotions haunting him, he made another lapse in judgment. The lies he put himself into were blinding him. Little did he know that what he thought was his last action to end it all would be the start of his end. But unfortunately, the plan which aimed to protect his relationship with Avery is the same that destroyed everything they had.

"You sure hadn't stopped. I warned you before, and I'm repeating it. There's no better way to end this than you telling Avery everything." His senior partner was beyond disbelief.

"I can't... not now. Just give me the LA reassignment, and I promise that after the baby is born, I will come clean to her after our wedding."

"I'm worried for you, man. Giving birth in LA and having you reassigned there before the wedding... But I don't think that's what will solve all this mess!"

"Please, I'm begging you. She promised me after birth; she would leave the baby to me. And she will be away from us forever." His fast and heavy breathing was drowning him.

"I don't know... How sure are you that she will do as promised after the baby is born? I will sign your transfer because I know you are perfect for the job. Other than that reason, I'm out."

"Thank you. I owe you!" David gasped as if his senior partner had thrown him a life jacket.

"David, take my last advice as a friend. I care for you and Avery. I hope you'll reconsider your decision. Nothing is more important in a relationship than being honest with your partner. Sometimes things we consider a solution are what could break us. Please, think twice."

Still, David didn't listen. He made himself believe he was doing the right thing. That everything he was doing was to avoid hurting Avery. Deep inside, he knew the truth. He calculated everything, hiding in the shadow of his love for her. What he thought was a perfect plan destroyed him perfectly. It was too late. It wouldn't have made any difference, even if he would like to come clean.

"Dude, why did you ask me to come here?" Art's voice broke the eerie silence inside his and Avery's apartment, enough to bring him back from memory lane.

"I need your help." David looked Art in the eye as he gulped the red.

Art shook his head. "You do not forget I'm not on your side, right? Besides, I'd rather die than be on the nasty side of Shelly!"

"Please ask Shelly where Avery is right now. I need to see her. I've been trying to call her, but she's been declining my calls."

"She stayed with us last night, but she left this morning. I don't think you would want to know where she is right now, dude." Art's words challenged him.

"I'll go wherever she is. If I have to get down on my knees and beg her, I'll do it. Just tell me where she is, please."

Art scratched his head abruptly. "You should expect that aside from my wife, other people close to Ave are out for your blood now, dude."

David nodded. After emptying his second glass of red, he desperately bowed his head over the table, his hands gripping his hair. "I just want to see her... and talk to her," he said in a high-pitched tone. His shoulders started shaking. He breathed in and out in quick succession, hard and fast. Soon, he was wailing.

Art was taken aback as he stood on the right side of the dining table. "Dude, you need to calm yourself. If you want Avery to talk to you, you must give her time. After all that happened, I guess the only thing you can do is wait. I hate to say this to you, but whatever is about to happen will now be all on Avery's terms. You can only wait."

"Art, please tell me where she is. Maybe she will go back to your house?" David asked as he reached for Art's hands.

"I'm not sure. But let her be for now. Her dad picked her up this morning. I'm sure her parents know by now what happened between you two."

David's shoulders slumped as he buried his face in his hands. He felt defeated hearing that Avery was with her dad. When Avery moved in with him, her dad was the most challenging and terrifying hurdle he'd ever had to overcome. Avery being an only child and a daddy's girl hadn't made it any easier. Before he'd proposed to her, he'd begged her dad countless times for his approval and blessing. 

"I'm so stupid for hurting her... I'm a big asshole!" 

Art could only nod in agreement. He'd been an asshole too, but he'd lived up to his promise of not committing the same mistake once Shelly forgave him. He wasn't as eloquent and popular as David, but he knew when to man up. Whenever temptation came his way now, he fought them hard, ensuring he lived up to and was still living up to his promise not to hurt his wife again.

"I can only confirm that. You're one big asshole! I'm not as smart as you, dude, but you fucked up stupidly!" Art shouted.

"I should have known better," David whispered.

"Yeah, you're right there. Why haven't you learned? You could have just told her the truth from the start. For all you know, she already had an idea. Women's instincts are powerful. I learned from Shelly. If she asks about it, she knows about it. So don't lie about it."

David seemed not to hear what Art was saying. He straightened in his chair. "You think she is with her parents now? I should go there."

"Tsk. Tsk. Possibly." Art tapped him on the shoulder. "But if I were you, I wouldn't dare go there. If my wife could kill you, imagine what Ave's dad would do to you if he saw you now!" 

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