Believe It Or Not (An Eddie Munson Story)

Tabitha

Eddie's POV:

"Who is Tabitha Goodwin?" Ripley asks again, her voice strained and I try desperately to think.

I'm drawing a blank and I can't even put a face to the name. My head swims as I try to remember.

"I don't know." I finally say, my voice riddled with confusion. "I don't think I've ever met a Tabitha."

Ripley actually snorts at that and I can tell she is growing angry with me. But what the hell did I do? She laughs almost disbelievingly into the phone and I remain quiet, hoping maybe she will enlighten me.

"A girl just showed up at our house and said you are her boyfriend," Ripley chokes out and my eyebrows shoot up into my hairline in shock. "She said you two have been dating for the last four months."

"I don't even know a Tabitha," I insist, completely out of sorts. "And even if I did, I would never cheat on you. Don't you know that?"

"All that I know is I was having a pleasant afternoon when suddenly this girl shows up at our door asking for you, her boyfriend. I played it off, but why does she know our address, Eddie? She said she was checking on you since you weren't playing at The Hideout tonight and she talked as if you two were close."

"Hun, I promise you I don't know anyone by that name and I have never cheated on you. Don't you trust me?"

"I want to, but this entire thing has confused me. If you don't know her, then how does she know you. Why did she say you two have been dating for four months? The whole thing is suspicious. I mean, we found out we were pregnant four months ago. Did you realize you didn't want to deal with that or to be with me?"

"NO," I practically yell and the line grows silent.

"No," I repeat. This time my voice is quieter, but still just as stern. "I would never think that. I love you. You're my girl and I'm beyond excited that we are having a baby together. Ripley, please. You're being silly."

"I'm being silly?" She asks incredulously. I swear I can hear the rage in her voice. "How would you feel, Edward? If someone showed up at our door and demanded to see me. What if they claimed they were my boyfriend? How would that make you feel?"

She's yelling at this point. I feel almost frantic as I listen to her. I'm still so unsure what the hell is going on, much less what to say.

"Ripley, calm down," I urge. "I can't talk to you when you're like this."

"Then I guess we are done talking," she huffs and I sit like a fish out of water, my mouth working, but no words come out. "Why don't you call Tabitha and tell her the jig is up? Have a nice night, Munson."

The line clicks off and I'm left listening to the loud tone on the other side. Shock and rage rip through me and I pull the receiver away from my ear to dial our number again. The line is busy and I can't get through. I throw the phone down on the bed before I follow it, plopping down on my back. I stare up at the ceiling and try again to remember anything useful.

Who the fuck is Tabitha?

*******************************************************

Ripley's POV:

I hang up the phone and immediately call Chrissy at Steve's. Tears are streaming down my face as I wait for someone to answer.

"Hello?" Steve calls cheerfully over the line and I take a sharp inhale. All of my emotions surge through at the sound of his voice and I cry loudly into the phone.

"Ripley?" He asks, concerned. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"Chrissy," I manage to get out in between sobs and the line goes silent for a moment.