Papers for Roses

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Megan

"Hey, Mom. Everything okay?"

Emily Carmichael's cheery voice made Megan pull the phone away from her delicate ear. "Hello, dear! Everything's fine. Just calling to remind you that it's our dinner night!"

"Yeah, I remember. I'll just rest for a while then I'll be on my way."

"Rough day?"

She smiled softly. "Pretty much. My boss brought in some new kids."

Megan was working as a Psychologist's Assistant at Youth Psychological and Counseling Association. It was a non-profit organization and the pay barely covered her bills, but she wasn't lying when she said that she liked it there. The people working there gave genuine service to orphaned and troubled kids. And it was fulfilling to be a part of it all and help the kids grow out of their shells.

"I could imagine," Emily answered. "Anyway, I cooked yours and your dad's favorite."

Megan sat up abruptly and frowned. "Dad is coming?"

"Of course, he's coming. I'll cut his head if he doesn't. And don't even ask what head it is."

"Ahh, I wasn't going to ask." But now that she thought about it, she couldn't, for the life of her, unthink it. A grimace gradually swept the innocent look on her face as images flashed through her mind. "Oh my god mom, what have you done! That is so not mother-daughter conversation appropriate. Definitely not."

Her mother snickered, "Couldn't help it. Anyway, I'll hang up now. Dinner at six." Before Megan could reply, her mother spoke again. "And oh, it's really not that ugly."

She stared ahead, phone on her ear, as her lips twitched in disgust.

x.x.x

"I think he did it again."

Autumn and Isabella swiveled their heads toward Megan's direction. She was casually digging on her fries, as she watched the woman who was doing her foot spa. Both women already knew what she was talking about. Autumn rolled her eyes while Isabella gave her greatest sympathetic eyes.

"So, you mean, they were okay before this? As in Emily accepted him again?" Autumn said with a harsh bite on her tone. "I mean, no offense but this is totally offensive: Your dad cheated on her a lot of times. I can't even comprehend how stupid Emily is. Good thing you didn't follow after her."

Megan winced. It was terrible enough to endure a three-course meal and awkwardness and tension with her parents. Hearing the unspoken situation was entirely different—like it was a clarification that it was all real and she wasn't imagining every second of it.

"I know," she said under her breath. "It was just so hard to believe it. He's a really good father, my Dad. And I haven't seen it, so..."

"Babe." Autumn huffed begrudgingly like they had this conversation a million times and she couldn't even stress it enough. Not that she could blame her. She did have it with them a million times. "Do you really want to see him with another woman? Like what happened with small dick before you actually believe it?"

"Uhmm, hello?" Isabella intervened. "Was Aaron's dick really small? Just curious."

The sound of distant chatter and hairdryer purring behind them swept inside their bubble as silence ensued. All eyes turned to Isabella, including the women doing their nails and feet—one woman even sputtered a laugh.

"Yes." Autumn hissed, giving Isabella a glare before turning back to Megan. "Because I don't want to see you like that again. So you better believe that your Dad's doing it behind your Mom's back now. Everything you heard and saw inside your household was enough evidence. So believe it. A girl's assumption is also called damage control."

Isabella coughed awkwardly, bringing their attention back to her again. "How did you know? Like did you see it?"

Autumn just glared at her.

Isabella chuckled. "Okay, okay. Irrelevant questions, I see." Then, Isabella gave Megan a soft smile that made her feel small and vulnerable. Her heart thumped loudly inside her chest as her friend spoke. "Seriously, though. When Aaron cheated on you, you felt hurt, betrayed and not good enough. I'm sure that your mother felt that way too. I mean, you told us what's been happening and it's awful. But your mom never openly talked and showed it to you. I mean, who wants to see that they're hurt?"

"Yeah," Autumn agreed. "Your mom's a proud lawyer. I doubt she's the type to cry on your shoulder."

Megan couldn't help the chuckle that escaped between her lips.

She could still recall the devastation she felt when Aaron cheated on her and how she didn't have the heart to forgive, even when how many months flew by. Emily, though, she became an alcoholic and closed-off for some time when Megan's five-year-old mind was still unaware of the scenes in their household. Megan didn't understand it before but she seemed happy, her mom. She smiled and laughed, she was patient with her and she never saw any tears. Little did her five-year-old mind knew—the outside could still shine, even when the inside was already rotting.

Maybe her parents were far apart from each other than how she was seeing them. She was a psychology student, a Master's student at that, and she should have seen past their behavior. Was she that blind to see it or was her friend wrong? Or was she too indulged in their rare family dinner that she'd rather choose not to overthink it?

Megan crossed her arms and leaned back against the chair. She looked away from Isabella. She thought about the scenes from last night. The way her father greeted her the moment he opened the door, and the smiles and his unusual jokes. The way he asked her about school, how encouraging he was, even though she pointed out how she was failing and her exams were barely reaching 50% and 60% at best. The way her mother wasn't in those scenes and her father was the first one to approach, always. Her father overdid it.

A loud exhale escaped her and she turned back to her friends. "I give up. I don't wanna think about it anymore. Let's talk about something else."

"Good decision," Autumn said.

"Yeah, very good." Isabella grinned, clearly up to something. "Look who's going to Bryan's birthday party. Check out the freaking tan!"

Isabella raised the latest People's magazine beside her head to show the cover, particularly the pretty man gracing the front of it.

His shoulders were broad. His muscles were taut. And oh, holy macaroni cheese, that washboard, six-pack abs had her eyes enraptured, daring her to drool, coaxing her to fall in love at first sight. He was hypnotizing. All ripped and cut—a body of an athlete instead of a guy who spent his days sitting on his chair, signing paper works.

Her eyes traveled from his perfectly sculpted body to his face. Wade Simon had a perfect set of intense, oceanic eyes. His jaw was cut at the finest angle, the straightness of his nose was interrupted by a slight crook. His dark hair was styled in a way that suited him well—short at the sides, long at the top—and even if it was messy, the messiness only made him look more handsome and attractive.

"Okay, he definitely made our Megan forget about her crisis." Autumn reached toward her to hug her arm. "I think that's a sign that you should go to the party."

"I still haven't—"

Autumn held up a hand. "If it helps, we'll hide together."

"That's so sweet of you, but that's just pathetic."

Isabella chuckled. "I swear, you guys are making Bryan appear like a weirdo."

Megan didn't reply.

Is he not?

x I hope I'm not boring you. x