Home Wrecker

Twenty Two

I couldn't deny the guilt that I held for being the destruction of a family, but I had to keep reminding myself that it wasn't a family at all.

Even if I'd never met him, he would've divorced her anyway, right?

Harry was miserable with Stephanie, and I made him feel something. Something so much more than Stephanie ever could.

My phone buzzed in my pocket as I made my usual rounds at the market for my period donuts. Thank God they had the chocolate ones.

"Hello?" I hadn't recognized the number.

"Bev?" I knew that voice though.

"Who is this?"

"It's Holly, I need to speak with you. Is there somewhere we could meet?"

"What is this about?" I panicked, I'm not one hundred percent sure why though.

"It's better if we talk in person. What about Aggies?" Aggies wasn't far from me and whatever this was sounded urgent.

"Sure. I'll meet you there in an hour."

As soon as the call ended I called Harry to tell him he couldn't come over when he got home from work.

"Why." He whined, I laughed.

"Because I'm going to meet up with Holly for a late lunch. Apparently she needs to talk to me about something." Harry made a sound.

"Shit. You can't go."

"That's not really fair. You're not the only one who gets to have friends."

"That's not it, Bev. Stephanie came into the office today and I don't know if they talked or anything but Holly's been giving me dirty looks all day."

"What did Stephanie want?" I asked.

"She showed me pictures of our kid. Like, stomach pictures." I tried not to let it affect me, but it was such a blow to my brain.

"Oh, well I'm still going to go to the lunch."

"Why?" Harry asked, "What if she knows?"

"Exactly. What if she knows and I don't confront her about it? What if she told Stephanie something? What if she tells Stephanie? I can't just sit here and let us fall apart again. I don't want that for us. I just want to be with you, Harry. No complications."

He sighed, "Alright, let me know how it goes, i guess."

I breathed out, "I will."

"Beverley?"

"Yes?"

"I love you." I smiled for the first time that day.

"I love you, Harry."

**

"What's good here? I've never been." Holly told me, looking through the menu.

"For starters their strawberry lemonade is to die for. And, I always get the Aggies burger."

The waiter came instantaneously and we ordered, Holly got the same thing.

"So what was so important?" I was more nervous now than I was earlier. Harry could lose his whole life if Stephanie found out he was having an affair.

"Well, it's hard to say because you've become such a good friend and I really don't want you to feel bad." She played with her fingers and she started to turn red.

Oh my God, this was really affecting her.

"What's wrong? You can tell me."

"Harry is married, Beverley. I'm so sorry." My eyes widened at what I expected her to say. I wasn't sure whether to fake surprise and hurt or to tell her that I knew.

"What?" I felt like such a fraud.

"His wife came in to the office today and..." She paused, "She showed him ultrasound pictures."

"Oh my God. How terrible." My hands rose to my chest.

"I think that you and I should tell her together." I almost spit out my lemonade. Picking up my napkin, I shook my head vigorously.

"No way."

"I'm sure she'd understand that you didn't know. We could go to his house and tell her and maybe it'll all work out." She was such a good person, it made me feel like scum.

"That's not a good idea. Maybe I could do it myself. Like–without you."

"Are you sure? I mean what if she comes after you or something? I think I should be there." Holly insisted.

"No, no it's fine, I can totally handle it myself. I want to talk to Harry first anyway. Maybe he can explain."

"That's a terrible idea!"

"Why?"

"Because, he'll try to make himself look like the good guy. You have to tell her. Neither of you deserve that."

I wanted to ball up on the floor, in the middle of the restaurant, and cry. Stephanie thought we were friends, all the while I'm kissing her husband behind her back.

"Alright, just let me handle this by myself. I'll get everything straightened out."

"Are you okay? You don't look to beat up over this." Jesus help me.

"I've never been a very emotional person. Plus Harry and I aren't even that serious." You lying bïtch.

"Alright, well at least I told you. Now we can enjoy the rest of our lunch, yea?"

"Yea." I looked down at the burger I had zero appetite for anymore.

**

"How'd it go?" Harry sat atop my bed looking incredibly handsome in black slacks and a mint colored button up.

"Terribly. We have to be careful around the office now. I some how managed to make Holly believe that I had no clue you were married and not to tell Stephanie anything." I sat down next to him and cuddled into his side. Breathing him in, I realized I loved the way he smelled.

"I'm so sorry it has to be this way, lovely."

"I don't want it to be this hard anymore, Harry." I looked into his mossy green eyes and when I began to feel lost, they pulled me back into the warmth they held.

"I think I'd go through anything just to be with you. And you know that this is only for the time being. I'll be divorced soon and we'll live happily ever after. Maybe with a beer or two."

"Har har, you're hilarious." He held me close and kissed my forehead, letting me know everything would be alright.

"You just might be the best thing that's ever happened to me, Bevy."

**