Sam's P.O.V
"That's him" I announced, showing the girls pictures of baby Gabe.
That day was my last working at Bare Essentials. It didn't take long for me to realise that I can't be working during the night and sleeping all day when I have a baby to take care of. So I made the first mature decision in my entire existence - I quit my job at the strip club and Dylan hired me as the bar as a bartender.
"Aww he's so cute" Destiny cried.
"And who's the stud muffin holding the cute kid?" Doris asked eagerly.
"That's my friend Bobby" I smiled.
"He's the babysitter" Andrea added.
"Can he be my babysitter?" Doris giggled.
"He's a looker, Kitti Kat" Destiny told me.
I rolled my eyes and laughed just as Heath opened his office door, directing his eyes at me.
"Kit" he called, "can I see you?"
"Sure" I nodded, stuffing my phone into my coat's pocket while following him into his office. "What is it?"
Something was different about Heath that day. He was scared. I had never seen him genuinely afraid in all the years I had known him - seeing him that way, told me that whatever it was that was troubling him was serious.
"I...." He trailed off, "Bare essentials is going to be under new employment soon" he struggled to say.
"What? Why?" I blinked.
"I'm going away" he explained quickly, looking over to his suitcase that sat on his desk. "And I want you to come with me"
I blinked, "what?"
"I'm going as far away from this place as possible"
"Heath, if this is about me quitting"
"-The cops are after me" he cried, "I can't go to jail...my brother died in there"
"What! What have you done?" My eyes were wide as I took a step towards him.
"It doesn't matter" he turned his body away from me. "So what do you say?"
I remembered the last time that a man asked me to run away with him and just like the last time, I knew that I couldn't - at least not right now.
So, I kissed his lips than slowly pulled away.
"I'm sorry I can't" I whispered, my forehead pressed against his. "I've got a baby to take care of...his dad could be here any day now...maybe if you could wait just a little long I could-".
"No," he shook his head calmly. "I've got to leave tonight"
"So soon?"
Heath nodded.
"I'd like you to have this" Heath took off his gold chain and placed it around my neck. "I won't be needing it" he said as kissing my lips.
I closed my eyes, embracing his lips. Deep down, I think I knew that that would be the last time I would ever kiss them. After a few moments, he pulled away slowly, taking his suitcase and walking out of the club.
I didn't understand what was happening at the time, however, I was smart enough not to ask.
What I didn't know was that Heath made it as far as the border before he was arrested for possession of illegal drugs and grand larceny. If I had run away with him, I would have been arrested for accessory. Heath was in jail for a week when he died. Some say that was murder, others say that it was suicide. However, this wouldn't happen until six months later.
When I came home that night I found Bobby wide awake, watching superman in the living room like a little kid.
"How was work?" He asked as I dropped in the seat next to him.
"Interesting" I admitted carefully. "I found out that Bare essentials will be under new employment soon"
"Oh yeah? What happened to the other guy?" Bobby asked.
"I don't know" I lied. "How was Gabe tonight?"
"Fine" he kept his eyes glued to the television screen.
"I can't believe how fast he's growing up" I leaned my head back, looking up at the ceiling, "he's already six months old"
"Almost to the day" Bobby added. "You know I have really enjoyed babysitting him"
"I'm glad" I smiled, looking over to Bobby who was now looking at me. "Thank you for all your help, really"
"Don't mention it" his eyes were big and round.
I don't know what it was in that moment that made me see Bobby differently. It was a strange feeling to have inside. At that moment our lips were about to touch but we were saved by the door.
"I'll get that" I whispered as our lips were only an inch apart. I stood up and walked towards the door which when I opened, found a man from my past. "Henry"
The man stood tall with broad shoulders, olive skin, dark brown hair and eyes. He wore dark blue jeans with a tight black T-shirt that outlined his abs.
"Hi...Sam" Henry leaned his body against the door frame, looking deep into my eyes. "Can I come in?"
My mouth was wide and I found myself lost for words. Henry and I knew each other all our lives. They were regulars at my fathers church and used to live next door when we were kids. We knew everything about each other, well at least we used to.
The last time we saw each other, we were in bed together. It was a few months before Matt. Henry was my first crush, my first kiss, my first sex. I didn't realise the impact he had on my life until I saw him in front of me that day in New York.
"I better get going" Bobby announces from behind me.
I snapped my head in Bobby's direction before reverting my gaze to Henry.
"Henry, this is Bobby" I introduced, "he's been babysitting the baby while I work"
"Thank you" Henry nodded at Bobby.
"Don't mention it," Bobby smiled before kissing my cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow." And with that, he left my apartment.
"I'm sorry for dropping by so late, I just came back from the air port" Henry's voice was low and steady.
My heart accelerated.
"I take it that you got her letter"
"Yeah" he nodded. "Before then, I didn't know she was pregnant"
"I know" I sighed.
"So where is he?" Henry asked nervously, looking at me in a way that makes me melt.
"He's sleeping" I responded, instructing him to follow me to the baby room. "You've got to be really quite so we don't wake him up" I warned as we entered his room.
Gabe was sleeping perfectly still. He was the cutest kid in the world. He really was. I knew that By Henry showing up meant that I would have to let Gabe go. I just couldn't. They warned me, they told me that it would be difficult to let this kid go but I didn't listen, I should have listened.
I looked up and watched as Henry examined his sweet baby's face. The room was dark and warm but I somehow could see them both so clearly. After ten minutes, we slowly left the baby room and took a seat around the kitchen table.
"He looks just like Diana...did she suffer?" Henry asked, sipping his hot cup of coffee before shaking his head. "No, you know what, I don't want to know"
"He's a beautiful kid, Henry" I started slowly, "you're so lucky"
"I don't feel lucky" he admitted, "I feel guilty...if Diana didn't get pregnant than-"
"Stop it, you will drive yourself crazy thinking about the what if's" I cried.
"You're right" he sighed. "You're right"
"Did you love her?" I asked without thinking. "No, you know what, don't answer that...I'm sorry"
"It's okay" Henry assured, placing the coffee mug in front of him. "I did love her...we weren't together long but the time we did share was...magic" he then laughed, "I know it sounds cheesy..."
"No, it's nice" I smiled, "did you ever think of me in that way..."
His eyes softened and he cracked a cheeky grin.
"So you do remember?"
I laughed "are you joking? You don't forget your first"
"Yeah but that was around the time you started drinking-" Henry remembered.
"Is that why we never became anything more?" I cocked a brow.
There was a moment of silence, then he nodded slowly, looking down at his drumming fingertips.
"Yeah"
"Is that why we stopped talking?" I wondered.
Henry shook his head, "Sam, we stopped talking because of Matt Davis"
I nodded, leaning back in my chair. When Matt and I got together, Henry removed himself from my life. Matt treated him like shit, just like Matt treated me and everyone else.
"Right" I dropped my gaze.
"Is it true you robbed him before leaving town?"
"Is that the rumour going around town?" I cocked a brow.
"It was the talk of the town before I left" he admitted, "so is it true?"
"If it is, would you look at me differently?" I furrowed my brows.
"You'll always be Sammy Carlton to me" Henry half-smiled, looking into my eyes like he were reading my soul.
"I took his car" I looked down, "I needed to leave town fast so I took his car...The money was already in there"
He nodded. "If you could turn back the clock, would you do it again?"
"In a heartbeat" I respond quickly.
Henry then told me how he had been discharged from the military and was planning to return to Chicago with Gabe once his belongings were all packed. We organised for him to sleep on my couch until we got everything settled with Gabe.
The next few days me and Henry would grow close again. During the day he helped me pack Gabe's things and at night we would stay up watching movies. Everyone had objections about the two of us hanging out, especially Dylan.
"He's the father of your Nephew" Dylan cried, "the boyfriend of your late sister"
"What's your point?" I asked .
"It's sick" Bobby added.
"Leave her alone" Andrea rolled her eyes as we all stood at the bar, with me behind the counter for the first time.
"Its sick!" Bobby repeated.
"So what!" Andrea defended, "its not like their sleeping together"
"Are you?" Bobby snapped his head in my direction.
"No, of course not" I rolled my eyes as pouring Andrea and Bobby beer.
"But you're going too?" Dylan cocked a brow.
"That's none of your business" I cried.
"That's a yes" Bobby assumed.
"Will you boys shut up" Andrea begged them, "my little Kitti Kat can do whatever she wants"
"Thank you, Andy" I said.
"Even if that means sleeping with a man that had previously slept with her late sister?" Dylan questioned.
"Henry and I slept together way before he and my sister were ever together" I remind them.
"Yeah but now they have a kid together" Bobby shook his head, "it's sick"
"Listen, he's leaving tonight" I announced. "And after that I wont have be seeing much of him any more"
"But you want to right?" Dylan dropped his cloth onto the bar bench.
Yes, of course, I wanted to. Henry was one of my best friends before...well, before all this. He was the first boy I ever loved. I didn't know if I could let him go again —him and his son.
That same day was Anna's birthday which meant it had been five years since Matt asked me out. I had missed Anna more then anything. She was like my sister, after all. So, after my shift, I used a pay phone to call my best friend. I didn't know how she would react to me calling her, as I left without any warning all those years prior. She could hate me too, for all I knew.
"Hello" she greeted.
God, I missed her voice. It was low and quick.
"Anna" I started, "it's Sam"
There was a moment of silence - the longest silence that I would ever experience.
"Sam? How are you?" She asked. "God, where are you?"
"I'm good" I assured, "happy birthday"
"Where are you, Sam?" Anna repeated.
"New York" I rested my forehead against the cold glass inside the phone booth.
"For how long?"
"Since I left town" I exhale my deep breath. "Anna, I need your advise...I need my best friend"
"Sam, I haven't spoken to you in 3 years and now you call for advise? It must be one hell of a problem" she raised her voice.
"Please Anna, I'm sorry" I looked down at my shoes, my eyes welling up with tears. "You know what things were like for me there, my father was the puppeteer and I was his doll...he was always pulling the strings on my life...it got to the point where my life wasn't mine anymore"
There was another moment of silence.
"What's the problem?" She asked slowly.
"Henry Mishagan" I looked up at the pouring rain that hit the glass violently. "He's here to take the baby...I'm falling for him, Anna...l'm falling for him all over again and I can't help it..."
"And you wanna know if its appropriate for you to sleep with him?"
"Well is it?" I hold my breath.
"What do you feel in your heart?" She asked. "That's all the advice I can give you"
It was that same night when Henry had finished packing up the rental car. I remembering hugging him at my front door of my apartment, never wanting to let him go. It had been the best few days of my entire life.
I remember when we pulled away, our lips were only an inch apart and he was giving me that god damn look again. Thats when I leaned into him, pressing my lips against his, then our tongues met. We immediately moved to the coach where I climbed on top of him, kissing his tender lips, tasting his sweet mouth.
That's when he moaned my sisters name — making me jump off him.
"What is it" he asked while sitting up.
"You said Diana"
"No I didn't"
"Yes you did" I buried my head into my palms. "You're never going to get over my sister are you?"
How could I be so stupid? I thought.
I gave Henry a hug and sent him on his way. It was hard letting go of Gabe and Henry but I did it anyway because, at the end of the day, they were never mine — they were always hers.
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A/N
Okay but even I'm in love with Henry Mishagan. What did you guys think of him?
Please VOTE if you're enjoying this book, we're getting close to the end.
Happy reading!!
- Rose xx