The Waiting One

Chapter 39 of 48- Don't We Look Happy?

Chapter 39- Don’t We Look Happy?

Everyone sat around sipping cocktails, and stood in clusters socializing. “Hey! There he is!” announced Richard. He sprinted over to hug Zachary, and then Serronie. “Oh wow, look who’s lovely as ever!” he said while embracing her. When he pulled back, he noticed her plumpness and stomach. He gasped and covered his mouth, then said, “Holy moly, you’re having a baby!” Serronie smiled and tapped her stomach lightly. “Congratulations you filthy s.o.b.!” Richard said punching Zachary in the left arm and roughly ruffling his hair. “You drop off the radar, and come back with a full family! You’re awesome man!” Zachary leaned his head to the side and in an amused tone, he said, “Yeah…I am pretty awesome.” She faked a smile at that moment.

Serronie didn’t feel as though Zachary was awesome. The fact that he went to such massive and solid lengths to cover his behavior irritated her. Hating him wasn’t easy, and being around him reactivated the love she had for him. She wasn’t planning on letting him back in so easily to hurt her again. Zachary stuck to his guns about Serronie. He was hell-bent on denying sex with her the night they were drunk. The thought of her being with anyone else was painful for him, and being around her made it worse. Truth be told, he still loved her very much, but couldn’t easily forgive what he felt she did. They loved each other endlessly, but they were fractured by distrust.

The “couple” continued to meet and greet people. A few minutes later, Jesse walked into the living room. He spotted Zachary and Serronie across the room. His face read an expression of confusion. He approached them and smiled somewhat, “Guys…you’re here…together….” Zachary’s brows furrowed, and his clasp discretely tightened on Serronie’s hand. She glanced at his expression out the corner of her eyes. “Apparently so…” replied Zachary. Jesse looked to Serronie, “You okay?” Her words were deliberate, “Plenty of it”, she ended with a smile. He looked back and forward at the both of them with curiosity and simultaneous apprehension. “Well, um, have a good time you guys”, said Jesse as a departure statement, and he left them.

 Zachary turned to Serronie and she did the same. “What was that all about?” asked Serronie. “His face, his tone, he almost seemed upset that we’re here together.” Serronie rocked her head dubiously, “I don’t really think he said anything wrong, he’s always very nice to me, to us.” Zachary let her hand go and faced her fully. “Have you been around him when I wasn’t around? Other than him driving you from Dallas?” Her face pinched, “Um, he checks up on me now and then, that’s it. He said it’s not good for a pregnant chick to live alone and not have a man around for emergencies.”

He lightly seized the back of her shoulders and pulled her body to his. She blithely gasped and her body tensed up. Zachary kissed her forehead and said, “No more Ronnie. I think he has a thing for you, and I don’t completely trust him around you. You don’t know Jesse like I know him, and he’s capable of some tricky stuff.” She rested her hand on his forearm and looked up at him, “Zack, he’s been nothing but decent to me, never anything extra. It’s good to know that somebody cares that I’m pregnant. You should be thanking him for making sure that I haven’t died alone in my apartment. I think you have some trust issues.”

He took a half step back from Serronie and stated, “I think I have a good reason for that.” Her face hardened, “This is not the time or place Zachary. If I don’t have issues with ‘trusting’ people, then you really don’t have the right.” He tapered his eyes at Serronie and shook his head. “It’s kind of hard to try when obvious things happen that ‘magically’ can’t be explained.” “Ha, I know all about magic, getting knocked up by a ghost makes you believe and NOT believe a lot of things.” They stood in silence staring at each other. He leaned to her ear and whispered, “I just want the truth Serronie, and this is executing my happiness day by day. I thought we were unbreakable. Maybe I did drop the ball and you made a mistake, I just want to know.”

Serronie’s chest began to rise and fall rapidly as she fought back tears. She grappled the back of his neck and into his right ear she said, “You’re such a great actor and it’s almost scary how convincing you are. Only you know what every part of me feels like through and through. Denying this baby is making it so hard for me even bear the mention of your name. I hate you so much that it keeps me up most nights, but I love you even more. But I love Linden the most. He’s the only real person I know.”

He rapidly responded with an intense whisper, “I never thought you were capable Serronie, you’re a perfect, beautiful liar”, he roughly snatched her closer by the waist; “Lies only last so long.” She went even more rigid, slightly sank her fingertips into the back of his neck and voiced, “You said you would be nice…” Both of them became aware of them being on the verge of making a scene. His hold on her loosened and he stepped rearward and detained her hand. With her hand still in his other, he lifted it to his mouth and kissed it, “You’re still my world Serronie, I just can’t do this every day with you. It hurts too much.” She brought his hand to her stomach and expressed, “This is what hurts. I have your last name, I gave you all of me, and this-“ she glanced down at her stomach, “-changed you. We can’t go on like this.” Their time apart made things more complicated. The love and hate assailed them both. Who was the liar? Neither was ready to falter or confess.

Serronie shifted her weight from her left foot and winced. “Something hurt?” Zachary quickly asked. She looked down at her left foot and let out an uncomfortable chuckle, “My ankle is swelling.” “Well, let’s find a place to sit down. He took her by the wrist and led her to an empty chair. “Both of us can’t fit, I’m too fat” said Serronie with a laugh. A crooked smile came across his face, “Really? You'll still blow away in the wind. Of course we can.” He plopped down in the chair and eased Serronie down by her waist onto his lap. “Of course”, Serronie mocked him with a giggle. Zachary then said to her, “Jesse’s the only one that knows about us right?” In reply she stated, “Yes, Zack, I haven’t told anyone else. The least we can do is look happy to everyone else so we don’t have to explain anything.” “I was thinking the exact same thing”, he said.