Chapter 27 – Days Turned To Months

Mordecai’s POV.

“In other news, Walter Granger, lead singer of the notorious rock sensation Six Feet, was spotted having lunch with Hollywood’s favourite nurse Beverly Haskins and her two adorable children. As you can remember, it was revealed five months ago, that Beverly, the woman who first stepped onto the scene as Mordecai Hart-Tedder’s girlfriend, is actually a mother to two adorable little kids – Kyle, who turned eight three months ago, and Christie, who will be turning seven very soon. We caught up with the little ones and Kyle was ever enthusiastic to tell us about the perfect party he and his mom are planning for his sister’s birthday,” Michelle said before they showed the clip.

“I really love my sister and I want her to have the best party ever. I’m planning it for her, just like she did with our mommy for mine. It’s going to be the best!” the little boy said with a toothy grin.

“Michelle, I don’t know about you, but I just can’t get enough of these two kids. Beverly’s such a fantastic mother to them. What do you think?” Jill asked.

“I agree one hundred percent Jill. Everyone loves her and her kids. Hell, so many people are addicted to her Instagram feeds of them and the Maxwell twins. The four of them are just too incredibly adorable. But, her disappearance from the picture for almost a year, was never addressed, as much as we all love her,” Michelle argued.

“That’s true, but then again, Mordecai disappeared from the picture around the same time as well,” Jill pointed out.

“While we’re on topic, there’s a rumour going around that Mendel Gold is with Mordecai. Now, as you’ll remember, more than a year ago, it was said that they were together, but the rumour was slammed by Mordecai himself when he came out with news of his relationship with Beverly,” Michelle said.

“I remember that. But then again, does anyone truly know what’s going on with Mordecai nowadays? Are he and Beverly still together or not? They were last seen together on his thirtieth birthday, and they both had wedding rings on, which they haven’t been spotted wearing again. We know that he’s been very busy with some projects, but the both of them have been very mum about their personal lives. What do you think Michelle? Do you think things ended a long time ago, or do you think they just decided to be super mysterious for a publicity stunt? And what about her hanging out with Walter?” Jill asked.

“Look Jill, if the two of them are still together, then I will most definitely give them props for the secrecy going on, but my gut tells me it’s been over for a while and they didn’t say anything about it. As for her hanging out with Walter, he already released a statement to say that he and her have been friends for a long time, and that that’s all there is to it. His girlfriend is supermodel Ava Holton, who was also quoted saying that she adores Beverly and her kids. Anyway, we’re leaving it for you, the viewers, to tell us what you think happened, or is happening. Do you think Mordecai and Beverly are still together, or do you think our OTP died a long time ago?” Michelle asked.

I turned off the TV, annoyed with everything as I’d been for the past eighteen months. Seeing her face everywhere just makes me want to punch myself all that much more. I messed up, badly, and I don’t think I can fix this.

I got dressed up for my last court appearance before this whole saga is over. So much had happened in eighteen months, that I’m surprised I’m still alive.

I left the hospital in a rage after seeing Beverly with Alex, and a big part of me was hoping she’d come begging for my forgiveness, but I’d clearly forgotten who I was dealing with. From her nonchalance at being caught, I knew she was innocent, but I was too stubborn to see things that way.

I avoided her for days, and then days turned to months, and now here I am – alone and miserable.

I was heading to court for the sentencing of Blaire and Hunter Kist. While my personal life came to a complete halt, my professional life has been flourishing, despite the monster I’ve become. I got my revenge on the two devils by exposing them on the night of the release of March. That pretty much not only killed their careers, but people didn’t bother going to watch March after all.

Ever since, I’ve been my own agent and it sucks. I don’t have the same charisma that Beverly has, and I most definitely do not possess her communication skills. People only put up with me because they know that bullshit aside, I’m brilliant at what I do.

Everyone has to put up with something for the sake of money right?

I grabbed the keys to my Jaguar before heading out. Beverly had given Zebedee the car to return to me after only a week of us not talking to each other. She never bothered to reach out to me either, and I’m yet to open the email she sent me on that day.

She hasn’t spent a single cent of mine, despite us still being married. I know for a fact that she knows we’re legally married, and yet she hadn’t said anything about it. She simply chose to cut me out of her life.

Not that I have any right to blame her really.

I drove to court in a silent car because I knew that if I turned on the radio, someone would bring up Beverly’s name. For some reason, her name was being mentioned a lot as of late. It was almost as if she’s a pop star of sorts, or a socialite, and if I know Beverly like I think I do, then she’s most definitely neither.

She wouldn’t have the patience for either.

The more I thought about it, the more curious I became. I’d been avoiding the news because I didn’t want to have to hear about people questioning my absence from the social scenes, but even I had to admit that there was a lot more to the picture than I was seeing.

I’d have to do my research after the court proceedings.

Blaire was sentenced to sixty three years in prison for fraud, theft and apparently murder. Hunter was only sentenced to twenty years for aiding her and for theft.

I was relieved to finally have that off my chest. Dean told me that he’d handle the finances that would be returning to me from Blaire and Hunter’s accounts. The court had agreed that I deserved all their money and assets because I’d essentially paid for them over the years I was robbed.

So, I was an even richer lonely man.

For some reason or the other, my mother had summoned me to her house – and when I arrived to see Zebedee, Geronimo and Nellie’s cars, my gut feeling told me that this was an intervention. They didn’t even try to prove me wrong as they sat expectantly in the lounge.

“What is it now?” I grumbled.

“Sit down Mordecai,” my mother instructed. I saw fit to just do what she said.

“Mordecai, this has gone on for too long. How long do you expect Beverly to raise your son for?” Zebedee asked.

“I didn’t ask her to,” I pointed out. I’d already accepted the fact that the kid is mine.

“But you haven’t exactly stopped her, have you?” my mother asked.

I sighed. “She’d only want to fight me for custody, and I really wouldn’t like to see another court room for a while.”

“So that’s it? You give up on her?” Nellie asked incredulously. Her ring glimmered from the sun, reminding me that she would be a Dickson soon.

“She gave up on me,” I mumbled.

Even I know that’s bullshit.

“That’s bullshit and you know it,” Zebedee called me out.

“What the hell am I supposed to do? Just rock up to her after so long and tell her that I want her back? She’s not going to want me that easily!” I snapped.

Nellie glared at me. “It shouldn’t be easy to begin with – not after everything you put her through. She cried for six months Mordecai. It took her six months to try and forget about you. She still can’t. She loves you that much. She refuses to go on dates because she still honours the very marriage that’s in shambles. She doesn’t even care about the fact that the two of you didn’t get married traditionally. You have no idea just how much you’ve put her through Mordecai, and you’d do well to fix this.”

I rolled my eyes. “What do you suggest I do then oh great one?”

“You can start by not being a fucking asshole when I’m trying to help you,” she snapped.

“Sorry,” I mumbled.

“Call her,” she suggested.

“You’re kidding right?” I asked, deadpan.

“No, I’m not. Just call her,” she said.

“And say what?” I asked.

“You can start by apologizing,” Zebedee was the one to reply.

“Because it’s that easy,” I scoffed.

My mother glared at me. “It shouldn’t be, especially for you and what you did.”

“Look, I appreciate the intervention, but perhaps it’s time I just accept that Beverly will never be mine again,” I said as I stood up.

“You can’t give up Mordecai! Not when she has to deal with f-” Nellie started, only for Zebedee to stop her.

“Let him go Nell. We tried,” he said.

What was she going to say? What is Beverly dealing with?

“If that’s all then,” I said before leaving.

Was it really that easy though? Could I just call Beverly, apologize and have her be mine again? No, it wouldn’t be that easy! This is Beverly we’re talking about. At best, she’d make me work the rest of my life for her forgiveness, and that’s if she even gave me that chance.

I drove back to the apartment I was staying in. That was the other thing I couldn’t handle – staying in the house when everything seemed to remind me of her. She may have been there for a short while, but she’d made an impact alright.

The clinical and cold apartment was just a reminder of how empty my life had become. Despite the sun shining in through the windows, it still felt like I’d been sucked into a vortex of depression. I changed out of my suit and decided to immerse myself in my work.

I couldn’t concentrate though. Today, more than any other day, I couldn’t stop thinking about Beverly. I exited from the document I was looking at and got onto Google. I searched for Beverly and a couple of articles and pictures popped up.

The most recent articles and photos were about her kids and the Maxwell twins. Seeing the twins only reminded me that Charlie’s wedding was coming up soon – in exactly a month. I was still the Best Man, and Beverly was still Maid of Honour, and I could only imagine how that would go.

I looked through the pictures with her and her children. She looked so happy, and she looked at the both of them with so much love – a look I realized she used to give to me. I had taken her love for granted and instead chose to be an asshole to her.

The little girl has Beverly’s nose and hair, but everything else she must’ve gotten from her father, who I realized that they hadn’t mentioned. In fact, there were a number of articles and blogs that were curious about the fathers of Beverly’s children. She hadn’t revealed that, and neither had she revealed that the little boy is in fact my child and not hers.

Instead she’s taken him under her wing and loves him like he is her own. In the pictures, it was clear that her children loved each other as siblings as well. The little boy looked very protective of his little sister, which actually had me smiling.

I browsed through more photos and articles. It had been reported that she hadn’t actually gone back to the hospital since nursing me. So what had she been doing all this time? She couldn’t possibly be surviving, especially since she hasn’t touched my money.

But then again, I’m not the only influential or wealthy person in her life.

Beverly is surrounded by wealth, from her family, to mine, and apparently her social circle as well. As stubborn as she is, I highly doubt that she would not accept money to help her with her kids. The question is who did she ever so willingly accept money from?

I hadn’t even realized it, but I’d spent so much time on the internet, that by the time I looked up, it was night. I closed the curtains using the app on my phone. With the phone still in hand, I contemplated calling her.

I held in my breath as the phone started ringing.

“Mommy’s phone hello?” a cute little voice answered.

I cleared my throat. “Uh hi!”

“Hello mister,” the little voice replied.

“Can I please talk to your mommy?” I requested.

“My mommy is currently very busy. Would you like to leave a message for her?” the little voice asked.

“Uh, no, it’s ok,” I replied.

“Ok. Bye mister. Enjoy your night,” she said before hanging up the phone.

I felt different emotions surge through me, but the most prominent one was pride. For some reason, knowing that the little girl was so well mannered had me proud not only of her, but of Beverly too. I always knew she would be a fantastic mother, and clearly her children are proof of this.

My phone rang and I thought that it was Beverly.

“Bev?” I said as I answered the phone.

“You still talk to that bitch?” the last voice I wanted to hear, said.

Mendel is like a fucking leech! She just won’t let go, and if her barely surviving career doesn’t prove that, then her persistent thoughts of her and I being an item should just about do the trick. The woman is truly insane.

I sighed. “Mendel.”

How does she still have my numbers again?

“So glad to hear you excited to talk to me love,” she giggled.

Uh?

“What do you want?” I asked.

“There’s this Gucci bag I want to reserve before it goes on sale, and they need the money by today,” she said.

“Ok, and?” I asked.

“Please be a doll and pay for it,” she said.

“In what world did you think that asking me that would actually go down well for you?” I asked incredulously.

“Please love?” she pleaded.

“You and I are not together Mendel. Get that through your thick head,” I said before hanging up.

Crazy women are the reason why people like me need to be tied down by women like Bev.

I was up the following morning, getting ready to go to a meeting. I was meeting with the makers of an animation movie. It was the first animation movie I was taking part in, and it was apparently based on a book idea by some author.

I was at the building in record time, and as normalities would have it, the female attention on me was unnerving. It’s just not the same anymore; not since Beverly. I was led to the boardroom, and my heart nearly stopped when I saw who was there.

She was dressed in a tan pencil skirt, a white formal shirt that ended mid-sleeve, a brown belt that went across her waist, and matching shoes and bag. She also wore a matching necklace with golden hoops. The biggest change though, was her hair. She’d cut it into a cute pixie cut, and I swear to God she’d never looked sexier.

“Bev,” I breathed. She stopped talking to the person she was talking to, and her eyes widened.

“Mordecai,” she squeaked.

“Ah, Mr Hart-Tedder! Now that you’re here, we can begin,” Terry Porter, the animator, announced.

“What’s he doing here?” Beverly asked.

“He will be directing the movie, as well as voicing one of the characters,” Terry informed her.

She scowled. “Mordecai doesn’t do animation.”

“It’s my first try. What are you doing here?” I asked her.

“You mean you don’t know?” one of the other ladies in the room asked me.

“Know what?” I asked.

“Beverly wrote the book that the movie is based on, and she’ll also be voicing one of the characters,” the same lady informed me.

Beverly writes?

“My children inspired the story. It’s a onetime thing,” she told me, probably seeing the confusion on my face.

“Uhm, wow, congratulations,” I said.

“Thank you,” she replied, her voice empty.

“Now that we’re all acquainted, may we begin?” Terry asked, slight annoyance clear in his voice.

We all sat down and began the meeting. I hadn’t actually bothered to read the book, but the more I heard about it, the more interested I became. I was barely focused though, since my attention was on the hot as sin woman whose mouth I couldn’t stop staring at.

“Mordecai!” she snapped.

“Huh, what?” I snapped out of thought.

“What have you come up with so far?” she asked.

“I actually haven’t read the book. Can I get back to you on that?” I replied.

“Unbelievable,” she mumbled.

“Well, without that directory vision, the rest of the meeting cannot occur, so I guess we’ll all meet back here when Mordecai has something for us. It will be a pleasure working with you all,” Terry said, dismissing us all.

Beverly stayed around to chat to the woman she was talking to earlier, and like a creep, I sat there and watched her. As though she could feel the eyes on her, she looked up and gave me a raised eyebrow, but I wasn’t phased. When she got up to leave, I followed.

“What do you want Mordecai?” she asked, not stopping as she headed out. She had sunglasses in her hand, which she put on when we stepped outside.

I held her hand to stop her from walking. “I just want to talk.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You’re eighteen months too late, don’t you think?”

“I know, but I want to fix things. I want to be there for my son,” I pleaded.

“Kyle is NOT your son,” she said so icily that I actually stepped back.

“He actually is,” I countered.

“Would you like to argue that in court? Would you like to tell the courts how you denied him and wanted nothing to do with him? Kyle is not your son Mordecai, and I will fight you if it comes down to that,” she said menacingly.

Damn!

I sighed. “I don’t want to take him away from you Beverly. I just want us to be a family.”

“Again, you’re eighteen months too late,” she replied.

“So that’s it? You give up?” I asked.

“Don’t you even dare try me with that bullshit! You’re the one who gave up. You’re the one who abandoned me, and you know what? I’ve been fine without you!” she spat as she poked my chest.

“I heard you cried over me,” I said.

Even I knew that was a low blow, but she didn’t look the least bit affected.

“I did, and you know what? I still do, but you’re an asshole Mordecai and I deserve to be happy. I deserve that much,” she said before walking towards a sleek Aston Martin.

Double Damn!

“Can we at least talk things out?” I asked.

“Goodbye Mordecai,” she replied before getting into her car and leaving.

I was seriously pissed off as I headed back to my car. I tried to reach out to her, and I get that she’s angry, but damnit! Couldn’t she at least talk things out? There’s so much I need to fix.

I found myself driving to Charlie’s house. I needed his advice if I was going to come right with this situation. I hadn’t seen him in a while, and neither had I seen his twins. Angel was pretty pissed off at me for what I did to her little sister, so I guess I was banned from seeing them. She wanted me out of the wedding as well, but Charlie wouldn’t allow that.

Charlie scowled when he opened the door. “Kai?”

“Glad you’re happy to see me too,” I said before walking in.

“It’s not that. It’s just, what are you doing here of all places?” he asked.

“I need your help and advice,” I sighed.

“You’re coming to me for help? Damn! Things must be hard,” he commented.

“They are! I just saw Beverly,” I said as I sat down. His eyes widened as he did the same.

“And?” he prompted.

“It’s safe to say that she hates me. She wouldn’t even talk to me,” I grumbled.

“You are rather late,” he pointed out.

“I don’t need the fucking reminder,” I mumbled.

“No, I think you do. You didn’t think it would be easy to just get back into her life like that did you? It’s been more than a year Mordecai, and you just never bothered yourself,” he said.

“I know ok? I came here for help, not a fucking lecture,” I said angrily.

“Don’t get pissed off at me in my own house, especially for shit that’s your fault. Now, you’re going to have to go big on this one,” he suggested.

I scowled. “How big?”

“So big that the whole fucking universe knows about it!” he replied.

“That’s pretty big,” I said, rubbing my face with my hands.

“You also messed up pretty big,” he pointed out.

“I know! Where do I start?” I asked.

“Since this is Bev we’re talking about, I’m actually not sure. If it was anyone else, I’d say you should pester them until they give you the time of day, but Bev might just get you murdered to shut you up for good,” he chuckled.

I smiled a little. “True.”

“But maybe you don’t have to pester her verbally. Pester her with gifts and signs,” he offered.

I raised an eyebrow. “Signs?”

“Apologize to her on billboards, in magazines, on the internet and newspaper ads, on public transport, on the radio, on TV commercials – annoy her so much that she gets your message,” he explained.

“Don’t bother,” a new voice joined us. I looked up to see Angel glaring at me.

Charlie sighed. “Babe please.”

“Oh, I’m not saying anything to him. I just want to give him this. I was meant to give it to you to give to him, but now that he’s here, I might as well hand it to him,” she said before handing me an envelope.

“What’s this?” I asked as I opened the envelope.

“Read it,” she said before two little girls ran into the room.

“Who are they?” I questioned before reading the contents of the envelope.

“Our kids,” Charlie replied.

“You have one son and a daughter,” I said before looking down at the papers in my hands.

DIVORCE PAPERS?

“No, we don’t,” Charlie said in confusion.

“Who are the kids on Beverly’s Instagram page? She’s divorcing me? And who the hell are Dakota and Preston?” I asked.

“You don’t know...” Angel trailed off in disbelief.

I looked up at her. “Know what?”

“Preston and Dakota are the twins on Bev’s Instagram page, and they’re not ours,” she said warily.

“Whose are they?” I asked, though from the accelerating beating of my heart, I already knew the answer.

“They’re your twins Kai.”

Well, fuck!