Alyson woke up Monday morning, feeling refreshed and level-headed. One could even say she woke up ready to take over the world, which is something she hasn't felt in a long time. Despite what was going on, she truly felt like everything was going to be okay.
Alyson Taylor's life was not over.
She cooked herself a delicious bacon omelet and some cinnamon pancakes. After breakfast she got in the shower, she did her makeup, got dressed, and she was ready to change her life - forever.
Leaving the house for the day, Alyson hopped in Joseph's pick-up truck and made her first stop at Evan's office.
Alyson entered the building and took off her shades as she approached the elevator. After pushing the up button, she slipped her shades in her purse.
After a minute, the elevator opened, revealing a tall, dark, handsome man. His eyes bulged out of his head at the sight of Alyson.
He gulped, looking her up and down, "wow."
Alyson smiled, "thanks."
He was so in awe; he just stood there, staring.
The doors started closing, and he quickly put his hand out, stopping them.
"Going up?" Alyson chuckled.
"Oh, no!" she shook his head, cheesing. "Ladies first," he stood off to the side.
"Thank you," Alyson stepped into the elevator.
He steps out, backward, "have a good day."
"You too," Alyson pushed the top floor button.
Instead of walking away, the guy stood there as the door closed.
"Bye," Alyson waved with a chuckle.
"B-" the elevator doors cut him off.
Alyson shook her head, smiling.
Alyson held her head high, taking a deep breath. It felt like a century getting to the top floor, but the moment those doors opened, her confidence took hold of her.
Evan's assistant smiled at the sight of her. She was expecting Alyson to greet her, but she didn't. Alyson walked right past toward Evan's office.
"Mrs. Taylor!" she scrambled to her feet. "Wait, he's in a -"
But it was too late. Alyson had walked into Evan's office, and to her surprise, Kelly had beat her to the punch.
Alyson had walked in on the blonde, showing Evan and Maggie their recorded conversation.
Evan sat at his desk, looking so embarrassed. He was as white as a ghost which, Alyson had never seen before. All while, a pissed Maggie stood behind him.
Not only was Evan pale, but the damage from Rick's fists didn't help either. He had two black eyes, which was still a little swollen, a busted lip, and some bruises on his jaws where Rick's knuckled hit.
Alyson was surprised he hadn't tried to cover it up.
"Well, you get the gist," Kelly gave a fake smile, stopping the recording and slipping her phone into her purse. "Apparently, I'm the key to my daddy's fortune, huh?"
Alyson cleared her throat, grabbing their attention.
"Alyson! Hi!" Kelly greeted her with a wide smile. "Glad you're here. I'm assuming we're both here for the same reasons."
Alyson rolled her eyes at how much of an actress Kelly was, "well, you're not wrong." She walked over to stand next to the mother to be.
"Maggie," she greeted the brunette. Alyson then looks at Evan, "Evan."
He was so uneasy; he couldn't even look at Alyson.
Neither of them greeted her back. The room was silent, awkward, and full of tension.
"Well," Kelly clapped. "I'll make this quick! Maggie, you are not getting a dime of my father's money."
Maggie lets out an evil laugh that would make anyone's blood run cold. "I guess it's true what they say about blondes. You really are dumb," she insulted Kelly.
"Grandma -"
"Shh," Maggie silenced Evan. "Kelly, do you not understand that I am the grandmother of the baby you're carrying?"
"Speaking of my baby," Kelly rubbed her belly. "You will not be in his life."
Maggie scoffed, "you can't do that. You can't just keep us out of his life."
"Keep up, Maggie," Kelly snapped her fingers. "I know your age is getting up there, so, listen carefully."
Alyson looked down, snickering.
"I said you would not be in my baby's life. Evan will, as long as he wants too."
Having been looking elsewhere this whole time, Evan looked at Kelly in shock. He had ignored her calls for weeks because he wanted nothing to do with her relationship-wise. All he cared about was getting Alyson back.
With good reasoning, he figured Kelly would try to keep him out of his child's life, which isn't what he wanted.
"Look," Kelly looked at Evan. "You don't love me, and I don't love you. It was just sex and bad decision making on both our parts. I'm not going to force you to marry me and pretend that we're this perfect family. I don't want to do this alone, but if I have to, I will. If you want to be in your son's life, you know where to find me."
Giving Alyson a small nod goodbye, Kelly leaves out.
Silence falls over the room again, but Alyson doesn't let it last.
"Can I have a minute with Evan, please?" she asked Maggie politely.
"I'm sorry," Maggie put a hand on Evan's shoulder, "anything you have to say to my grandson you can -"
"Maggie, just get out," Alyson snapped.
Maggie's eyes widen in surprise, "excuse me?"
"You heard her," Evan moved his shoulder from under her hand.
Maggie's jaw dropped, and Alyson smirked, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Fine," Maggie huffed and walked toward the door.
"Close your door on the way out, would you?" Alyson took a seat in front of Evan's desk, setting her purse by her feet.
Maggie closed the door with a slam, causing Alyson to smile, "I think that's the only time you've taken my side when it comes to Maggie."
While she was semi-joking, Evan didn't think it was funny.
"It's over, isn't it?" he asked with a sad look in his eyes.
"Yeah," Alyson nodded. "It is, I want a divorce."
Evan sucked in a breath, sitting back in his chair. He was quiet for a long time.
Alyson let him have his moment because despite how he's treated her, she knew that he did love her. For the first time, she realized that she never was the issue in their marriage. It wasn't that she wasn't good enough.
Evan was just hurt, bitter, broken, traumatized. He didn't know how to love because of who raised him. Yes, he is an adult, and he can't use his grandmother as an excuse.
But when you're screwed up, and you don't heal or fix it, there's no way you can be a good person. No matter how hard you try. You either hurt yourself or hurt other people.
Like everyone else, he wanted to be loved, but he didn't know how to love.
Evan's issues weren't something Alyson could fix, nor was it her job to fix. She was his wife, not his therapist, and surely not his mother. She could help him, but she couldn't decide to heal and change for him.
Or take the consequences of it when she didn't deserve it.
Along with him cheating, getting Kelly pregnant and her and Joseph - this marriage couldn't be repaired. Not now, not ever.
Evan roughly wiped his eyes, letting out that breath he had been holding in for a while.
"Okay," he leaned on his desk, nodding.
Not only was he sad, but he was anxious. Like Alyson was, he didn't know how he was going to live without her permanently. He hadn't been alone in a long time.
"Alright," he cleared his throat and straightened his posture. "Well, uh, I don't want this to be messy. You can have whatever you want, I mean it's the least I could do. Hell, maybe I should give you everything."
Alyson laughed at that, "Yeah, probably."
Evan chuckled, though the sadness never left his eyes.
"I don't want anything from you, Evan," Alyson admitted. "Well, there is one thing."
"What?"
"Get away from Maggie," Alyson looked at him pleadingly. "I know she is your grandmother and the only family that you have, but she does not have your best interest at her heart; she didn't have your mother's either."
"My mother?" Evan's eyebrows furrowed. "What does she have to do with my mother?"
"It's not for me to say, but I think you should talk to your father. Trust me when I say, things aren't how they seem."
Picking up her purse, Alyson stands up, leaving a brooding Evan at his desk.
"Aly," he stood.
"Yeah?" she turned around.
"I'm sorry," he apologized sincerely. "I really am. I've said a lot of things that I wish I could take back. I've also done a lot of things. I didn't want to be the person I am. I need help, and I'm going to get it."
"Good," Alyson nodded proudly.
She turns to open the door but stops and looks back at Evan.
"I'm sorry too," her apology caused Evan to frown.
Before he could question her apology, she opens the door to see Maggie had been standing at the door, trying to listen.
"Finally!" she crossed her arms over her chest. "How long does it take to say you want a divorce."
Alyson smirked, shaking her head, "you know Maggie if you weren't such a bitch, you'd age much better."
She brushes past a fuming Maggie and past Evan's assistant, who was laughing.
Maggie shot her a glare that made her go mute.
Alyson pushed the elevator button, and it opened.
Stepping inside, she dug out her purse and pulled out her shades. After putting them on, she pushes the lobby button.
With a smile, Alyson flashes the middle finger at Maggie as the elevator doors close.
* * * * * * * * * *
The next stop was Joseph's house. Not only did she need to talk to him, but Alyson needed to return his truck.
She pulls up to his house and put the truck in park.
Getting out of the car with her purse in hand, she climbed the stairs and approached the mansion door. After ringing the doorbell, she takes her shades off her eyes and slides them in her purse.
The door gets opened by Joseph, who looked tired, anxious, and, more importantly, surprised to see her. He wore a t-shirt and some sweatpants. It looked like he had been lying around all day.
"Alyson," he let out a sigh of relief.
"Hi," she smiled brightly at the sight of him. "Are you okay? You look like you haven't slept."
He smiled sheepishly, running his fingers through his hair, "I haven't."
"How come?"
"Let's just say I've got a lot on my mind."
"Yeah, I bet," Alyson nodded in agreement.
Joseph steps to the side, "I'm sorry, come in."
"No, no, it's okay," she shook her head. "No offense but, last time I stayed, I ended up on your dining room table."
"Right," Joseph laughed, "Yeah, yeah, you're right. Good time, huh?"
A blushing Alyson looked away, giggling.
"Too soon?" he asks.
"No, I mean, I can admit," she looked up at him, "I had a good time."
"Guess you've had a lot on your mind too," Joseph leans in the doorway, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Yeah," Alyson nods.
Silence falls between the two as they gaze into each other eyes. Even standing outside, Alyson had that familiar urge to give herself away to him.
What happened to them wasn't' just sex. That night Joseph made her feel beautiful, wanted, cared about, and important.
Joseph made love to her in a way that she didn't even think was possible.
He made his mark on her forever - it didn't matter if they got together or not.
While Alyson thought of him so highly, he thought of her the same.
Alyson was smart, caring, and selfless. She helped Joseph when he needed it the most. Alyson believed in him and never judged him about his life decisions.
She too, had become a meaningful person in his life.
Someone that he would give the world too if he could.
At the sound of a car horn, they looked back to see that an Uber had pulled up. They were so busy staring at each other they hadn't noticed.
Alyson waved the person down, telling them she was coming.
"I called an Uber," she looked back at Joseph, holding out his keys, "thanks for letting me take the truck."
"No problem," Joseph took the keys.
"So," Alyson sighed, "I'm sorry that I didn't return your calls. A lot happened when I got home. I ran into Rick. I told him what was going on with Kelly, and barely an hour later, I'm getting a call from my sister that Rick found out the baby is Evan's."
"What?" Joseph's face fell.
"Yeah," Alyson nods, "I know. Anyway, I find out, and my first thought was, 'my marriage is over, so I need to tell Evan that I want a divorce.' I go to the house, and I overhear that Maggie had some plan to try and get money from Kelly's dad."
"Aw hell."
"Yeah, I know," Alyson shakes her head. "It's just been a whole thing. So, I needed time to think, and I did. Evan and I are getting a divorce."
"Wow," Joseph wasn't not expecting to hear about all of this. "I'm so sorry, Aly."
She shrugged, "Yeah, me too. I would rather our marriage end on a better note, but what can I say? I'm not a saint, either."
A guilty Joseph looked down at that.
"Joseph," Alyson took his hand.
Reluctantly, he looked into her eyes.
"I care about you, and I agree, the other night wasn't just about sex. We care about each other way too much for it to have been just. That is why I don't want to go into anything too quickly. I don't want you to be my rebound or just another pair of arms for me run too."
She caresses his cheek, "I couldn't use you like that."
"Oh come on," Joseph sucked his teeth and took her hand, "you know you can use me for anything you want."
She laughed as he kissed the back of her hand.
"I know, but I couldn't live with myself. If we explored this, it could change our entire lives around. It would be a big step."
"I know, I know," Joseph nodded, getting serious. "Something like this should not be made out of maybes, or we'll see. Because once we jump, there's no going back."
"Exactly," Alyson agrees. "So, that's why I'm just asking for some time, especially during Evan and I's divorce. I need time to heal and think. I want my head to be clear when it comes to you. You understand, right?"
"Of course, of course. I get it. I need to think too. It's for the best."
Alyson smiles at him and stands on her toes to kiss him on the cheek, "thank you," she whispers in his ear.
Just as she's pulling back, Joseph grabs hold of her face and kisses her.
Alyson holds his arms, not hesitating to kiss him back. The two share a deep passionate kiss that leaves them breathless when they pull away.
"Was that a thank you?" Alyson asked.
"No. That was just in case we decide this isn't a good idea, and I never get to kiss you again."
Alyson smiled brightly, "you know, this is exactly how I ended up on your table."
Joseph chuckled, giving her a peck on the lips, "stay beautiful, Aly."
"Goodbye, Joseph," Alyson bid him farewell.
A smiling Joseph touches his lips as he watches her walk to her Uber.
As she gets inside the car, she waves him goodbye.
Joseph waves back with a smile.
Once she's in, Alyson closes the door with a big sigh.
"Ready?" the driver looks back at her.
She gulps and nods.
He pulls off, and Alyson leans her head back, smiling as she touched her lips.