Hunter's POV
As Renee takes a sip of her coffee I use the opportunity to process what she just said.
"We'd either be pregnant by now, or trying to get pregnant. Remember how we always said we wanted to have 2 to 3 children by the time we were 30?"
I shake my head, yes. I can't seem to form any words.
"Do you ever wonder what our second child would have been if we had stayed together? I think about it a lot. For some reason I feel like we would have had a little boy, the spiting image of you, with dirty blonde hair and the same soulful blue eyes as his daddy."
Why is she saying all this stuff? "Actually, I haven't thought about our life together in awhile."
"At least not since you and Liddy started dating, I'm sure." She takes another sip of her coffee. "What did we have picked out for a boy's name before we discovered we were having Harper?"
"Easton." I say without thinking.
Renee smiles brightly. "That's right. I wanted Jacob and you wanted Easton. So after much debate and MANY tickle fights, you finally convinced me that if we had a girl she should be named Harper after my grandmother and if it was a boy he should be called Easton after your grandfather."
"If I recall, it didn't take a lot of persuasion."
"You're right." She says as she closes the gab between us. Now she is standing right in front of me. So close that I can see the tiny scar on her forehead, a reminder that she had chicken pox as a child. It's usually carefully hidden beneath her blonde bangs, but for some reason it isn't right now. If she knew it was showing she would quickly try to cover it. She always felt it was ugly.
"I loved the name Easton right from the moment you suggested it. I just kept bringing up the name Jacob because it was so much fun letting you try to "convince" me to change my mind. Your ways of persuading me always included your lips or your hands, or both. Do you remember that? And what always happened next?" She asks seductively.
I try to fight it, but I can't, reluctantly I flashback to some of our more memorable "battles". "Yeah, I do."
She grins from ear to ear as she places her hands on my chest and starts to lean towards me. When my phone rings, I jump and step back, turning as I pull my phone from my back pocket. It's Liddy.
H: "Hey."
L: "Hi babe, I just wanted you to know that I will be home a bit later than I had thought. Liz wants to show me a few dresses she thinks I might like for the bridesmaids."
H: "Oh, okay, well have fun". I say as I walk into Renee's Living Room.
L "We will. What are you doing?"
H: "I'm still at Renee's. She bought Harper a doll House and I've been watching her play with it."
L: "Oh, I bet she loves it!"
H: "She does. She keeps rearranging the furniture, just like she does with the one you got her. We might have a future interior designer on our hands." I hear her laugh. "So since you won't be home for awhile, I thought I might go visit my parents."
L: "That's a great idea. Your mom will love to see you. Tell them both I say hi."
H: "I'll do that".
L: "Well, I should let you go. Liz is waiting. I love you."
H: "I love you, too. Be careful."
L: "We will. Bye."
H: "Bye, Baby." I say before ending the call.
"That was your fiancé, I presume." Renee mutters from behind me.
"Yes, it was." As I put my phone back in my pocket, I wonder. "Were you listening the whole time?"
"No, I just happened to walk in as you were saying good bye. I heard you say, "Bye, Baby". So that ruled out your mother or your father."
I ignore her sarcastic tone. "I need to go, but before I do I have to ask. What's with the walk down memory lane?"
"I've just been thinking a lot about us recently and why I asked you for a divorce. Did you have any idea how much I resented you for not defending me when your fans started attacking me on social media."
"No. Why didn't you tell me?"
"In hindsight, I realize I should have. But back then I believed there was no way you would ever disobey what your music label told you to do. So instead I tried to deal with it on my own and when I discovered I couldn't do anything to please them, I became angrier and angrier because you weren't there for me."
"I'm so sorry. I really am, but like you said, I was young and scared that the label would drop me if I didn't follow every instruction they gave me."
"Hunter, every single day from the time we started dating up until about year after the divorce, I've had to endure scathing comments from your fans without you showing even one of them your disapproval. You have no idea how much that hurt me. Eventually my anger turned into bitterness. I ended up resenting you, your career, and even Harper."
"Why Harper?" I speak softly, while walking into the hallway. I don't want to chance her overhearing us.
"Because once she was born, she became the center of your world. I knew you would do anything for her. You'd die to protect her where as me, your wife I couldn't even get you to speak up against some fans that were bullying me, for no good reason."
I'm shocked by her admissions. "Again, I'm so sorry, but please don't take your anger with me, out on Harper. She's totally innocent in all this."
"I realized that shortly after the divorce and trust me I'm not proud that I felt that way for one second, towards our beautiful little girl." She sighs. "I wanted to place all the blame on you for making me so unhappy that I felt I had to asked for a divorce. But after spending many hours alone thinking, I recognize that I was equally at fault for my own unhappiness."
"In what way?"
"I didn't have to read my social media accounts 24/7. I could have deleted them but instead I became obsessed with reading every rude remark I could find. I never took pleasure in the sweet comments that some fans left. I willingly created my own unhappiness and then stupidly expected you to miraculously read my mind and come defend me. When you didn't I convinced myself that I stopped loving you." She pauses and takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Which is the furthest thing from the truth."
This can't be happening. I scream in my head. I look into her eyes. Hoping to find some sign that I misunderstood her, but all I see is her caramel colored eyes gazing back at me with the same adoration I saw on our wedding day. "What are you trying to say, Renee?" I ask as I nervously rub the back of my neck.
She blushes. "I'm trying to tell you in my own awkward little way, that I still love you and wish with all my heart I hadn't asked for a divorce. I wish that you, Harper and I were still a family and that you weren't marrying Liddy."
I can't begin to describe how I'm feeling right now. Shocked isn't nearly a strong enough word. Renee still loves me and wants us to be a family again? I start to pace as the uncomfortable silence infiltrates every nook and cranny of the tiny hallway where we are standing. "How long have you felt this way?"
"I think as early as a few months after the divorce was finalized, but I kept denying it. I convinced myself that all I was feeling was affection and not love. I tried dating other men but found myself constantly comparing them to you." She stops to clear her throat. "Christmas day was the day I couldn't lie to myself any longer. That's when I saw you and Liddy together for the first time. I wanted to cry the moment I noticed how you were looking at each other. That was how you use to look at me."
"Why say something now? You could have told me back then, but you didn't. You waited 4 months, why?" I'm fighting my urge to yell.
"Honestly, I was hoping she was just a quick fling or rebound girl or whatever you want to call her. I was waiting for it to end, before I told you. But then you announced you were engaged on national television and I knew I couldn't hold off any longer. So I asked you to bring Harper over today hoping we could talk."
"What do you want me to say, that I forgive you for ripping my heart into a million pieces and practically abandoning our daughter? I can't. Do you expect me to say that I don't love Liddy, because I can't do that either."
"All I want is for you to remember how good we use to be together, before I let your fans get into my head and turned me into a self centered bitch. I know how awful I treated you and I am truly sorry. I should have been supporting you and your career instead of resenting it. I did so many things wrong. Please, forgive me." She pleads. "Think about our plans to have a large family. I still want that and I believe you do, too. I know I can be a great mom, I just need you to show me how."
"Honestly, Renee I'm not sure how I feel. I need to go." I say as I walk back into the living. "Hey there punkin, are you having fun playing with your doll house?"
"Yes, daddy. It's got lillel people who live in it and a kitty, too!"
"That's awesome! Did you give them names?"
"Yup." She smiles.
"Are you going to tell me?"
"Mommy, Daddy, and Harper. Oh, oh, oh and the kitty is Jazzy."
She is so beautiful. I love her so much. I would do anything to make her happy. "Will the original Jazzy the pony be upset that you named a kitty after her?"
"Nope." She shakes her head. "I asked her."
I snicker. "Of course you would." I say before I begin to tickle her.
She squeals and giggles. I love that sound. I could listen to it all day long. "Well Sweetheart, Daddy needs to go, so give me a hug. I'll see you in a couple of days. Remember to have mommy call me when you go to bed, so I can sing to you."
"I will daddy. I luff you. Bye."
"I love you too, Baby girl."
"Hey Harper, Mommy's going to come play with you after I walk daddy out. Okay?"
"Yeah!" She says while jumping up and down.
"Bye Harps. Be good for your mom." I call as I walk to the door.
Just as I reach for the handle, I feel Renee's hand take mine. "Did you notice she named the doll house family Jazzy, Harper, daddy and MOMMY. Not Liddy. Think about that." Then she kisses me quickly on the cheek and I walk to my car in a daze. What am I suppose to do?
___________
Oh Goodness. First Kelly now Renee!
Hope everyone is still enjoying Huddy's story. PLEASE continue to vote and COMMENT! I love hearing from you.
Thank you all for waiting patiently for my updates. I realize they aren't as often as they use to be. I promise as soon as October is over and my life becomes less busy, I will get back to updating every other day, but until then, plan on at least 3-4 days in between updates.
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