Affairs of the Heart

23

After work, Miranda left Tuck with Ben and drove to Tucker's house. Ben wanted to go with her but Tucker convinced her that it wouldn't be a good idea. She wanted to talk to him one-on-one and she knew Ben would immediately get heated and escalate things. Instead, Ben held up his end of the deal with Tuck and got some ice cream.

As Tucker opened the door to Miranda he stared her down still seething from their conversations earlier in the day.

"Miranda," he stared at her.

"Tucker," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady. Tucker stepped aside, allowing her to enter.

"Tucker, I just want to know. Adult to Adult. No yelling. Why would you tell our child anything about our relationship" She asked

"I didn't tell him the whole story," Tucker argued defensively. " He wanted to know why we weren't together anymore"

Miranda shook her head, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "He's four years old, Tucker. You thought me cheating on you was something he needed to know. Did I tell him that you cheated"

"I never slept with anyone else" Tucker defended himself

"Not the point, Tucker" She rubbed her face "Emotional cheating is cheating and you cheated long before I did"

"If that's true, then you emotionally cheated with Ben too"

"And I admitted it. I'm not like you" She scoffed

"And now you have my son around him"

"Tuck is my son too. I carried him. I was in labor worrying about you. I gave birth to him. I'm his mother and I have to protect him but I never thought I would need to protect him from what his father may say to him"

"And I'm his father who damn near raised him alone it's my job to protect him from his mother hurting him as I've always done when you aren't around for him "

"You raised him alone" She repeated to him " That's rich"

"When you left me alone in the hospital while he was recovering from the accident. Were you raising him alone? When you left our home were you raising him alone? When he started peeing everywhere because he reverted from being potty-trained were you raising him alone?"

"Don't act like the mother of the year"

"And don't act like you're the picture-perfect father Tucker. Our son asked at daycare what a whore was and why did his daddy call his mommy one. We then find out you've told him it's because Ben sleeps over and Mommy cheated"

Tucker's expression hardened, his jaw clenched as he met her gaze. "I didn't have a choice, Miranda. He asked me why weren't we living together. He wanted to know why I had my own house and you had your own house. He wanted to know how Ben fit into our family. What was I supposed to say?"

"You could have told him anything else. You didn't have to tell him about us, about my past mistakes just to make yourself feel good," Miranda's voice broke on the last words.

Tucker sighed" I didn't do it to make myself feel good. You think I wanted to tell him that"

"Yes and that's why you did because I can't fathom why else anyone in their right mind especially a father would tell their 4-year-old something like that"

"You break up our family and I"m the villain"

"Our family was broken before then"

"Wish I never married you" He spat

"Likewise. The only good that came from it was Tuck"

Tucker sighed, looking at the woman he once loved "I didn't mean that, Miranda. I am glad we got married. We had good years. I never expected to fall to the back burner of your career. I knew you wanted to be a surgeon but the reality was much harder than the theory. Truthfully I never thought you could do it. I mean shy Mandy no way she'd make it. And then you made it. You changed into Dr. Miranda Bailey. You weren't shy Mandy who had been sheltered" He paused for a moment before continuing " I shouldn't have told Tuck that and I shouldn't have called you a whore. But you have to understand, I was angry. I couldn't believe you moved on, especially with Ben."