Avery trusted her heart to a man who promised her forever. When he betrays her trust, should she stay and rebuild what was broken or let go and move on?
***
Prepare to be swept away on a rollercoaster of emotions as Avery engages with the comp...
"Yeah, yeah. I know that's a lawyer tactic. You were ignoring it as a defense. Go ahead and order food. But we will not leave unless I soften your thick cranium." Shelly smirked. The loud laugh of Art resounded in the room.
***
After they finished eating, David knew he had no reason to avoid the dreaded Shelly talk. Aside from the fact the woman was seated, waiting for him. So, when she called his name, he had no choice but to sit where she pointed at him.
When Art motioned to leave the room, Shelly called him to sit beside David. "I want you to hear everything. It applies to you, too," she told Art.
"I don't see any reason I should talk to you and not to Ave. This talk should be between her and me, Shells!" David announced.
"Well, suck it, Mr. Smarty Pants! I'm the only option you have right now!" Shelly snarled.
When David started brushing his hair with his hands in a frustrated motion, Shelly took one hand and held it. Art stiffened, looking at his wife's hand on David's. But when David bowed his head, and his shoulders shook, Art quickly rubbed David's back. The three of them muted for a few minutes. Only David's sobbing could be heard.
Shelly squeezed David's hand. "You might feel alone and hopeless for now. We all understand how you're feeling. All the thoughts in your mind are valid. But you should go with your heart and not with your mind. You may know all ways to fight the law or even circumvent it, no doubt about that. But you don't have enemies. There's no battle you need to fight."
David lifted his head and looked at Shelly. "It hurts. I'm starting to feel I lost her. And I'm losing both of them, Ave and the baby."
"You both lost... you've lost a woman that would've never given up on you. And Ave lost the woman she was before you broke her heart. But it doesn't mean you've lost your chances of being a good father and her as a mother. Instead, both of you gained the most important thing. You can win in that, though it has to be in your separate ways." Shelly slowly tapped David's hand.
"I tried thinking about it. I imagined letting Avery go, but I couldn't. How can I move from this?" David asked. "I know. Letting go is the most difficult thing about losing someone you have loved; the way you never feel dies all at once. All you can do is wait and watch it fade away, one day at a time. But, while waiting, you can still be a good person, friend, and father." Shelly tapped David's hand for the last time.
David pulled his hand from Shelly's and slowly rubbed his chest. "It hurts so much seeing her with that arrogant prick... I've never felt this pain before. I was that guy before. She was mine. How could she have loved him more?" Art nodded his head. Shelly looked between both men. "That's a good point, Attorney Thomas. Same questions we had when you guys cheated on us." She placed her hands on the sides of her hips. "But seriously, the hurting is a temporary thing. Time will push the pain further away. It will look smaller and simpler at a distance. One day it might disappear entirely. Then you will look back at the way you survived it." She smiled at both men gazing at her. "When I survived my pain because of Art's cheating, it felt like a miracle. I realized the days don't ache like they used to." Shelly's voice croaked.
"Holy shit!" Art stood up and squeezed himself beside Shelly. He put his arms around her. "I'm so sorry, Hon."
Shelly rested her head on his chest. "We're good now. I know how sorry you are."
David took a deep and loud breath. "I'm so happy for you guys."
"Dude, fix your ass. You're stressing my wife!" Art scowled at David.
"David, you're a good person... we know. Ave and Ethan are too. They aren't taking the baby away from you. They're willing to give you all the rights except in the paper. But don't take it against them. They were just both thinking about what was best for the baby. Ethan didn't want him to be born out of wedlock. He just wanted to assure Ave and make the baby feel that he was welcomed and belonged to a family from the moment he was born." Shelly explained.
"It's easier said than done," David answered.
"Think about it. Open your heart and mind to possibilities. It's not about you anymore. It's about your son. And it will do him good to have two admirable and loving fathers. So talk to Ave and Ethan." Shelly pointed to David's heart. "Heart Talk." Then she softly slapped his forehead. "Not mind talk."
David nodded when Shelly stood up, followed by Art. "We love you, don't forget that." She blew him a kiss and took her bag as she walked toward the door. Art hugged a sitting David and kissed the top of his head. "I love you, dude!" Art said as he ran towards the door where Shelly was waiting.
***
"I hope your words got into him," Ethan said to Shelly after hearing what happened in David's hotel room. Avery clasped her hand with Ethan's and nodded. "Our home is open whenever he wishes to see the baby, as long as he tells us in advance. He will always be his father, and Ethan too." Avery said softly.
Ethan glanced at Art and Shelly, then at Avery. "If he wants to, you can text him to come now while you are here. So he can have his moment with the baby before Nathan sleeps for the night."
"Are you sure? Are you okay with that?" Avery asked.
"That's a good idea, Dr. James!" Shelly was ecstatic. "Then you guys can have your real talk," she added.
Art waved his phone. "I'll text him now!"
Ethan and Avery looked at each other, and both nodded. Shelly smiled and mouthed for Art to send the message. Once done, Art placed his phone on the table where all four gathered.
When Art's phone dinged, all four were directed toward it.
Art: Dude, Ethan asked if you'd like to spend time with the baby before his goodnight sleep. Just no freak show, okay?
*
Dude: I would love to! I promise to behave, dude.
***
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