Chapter 69: Friendly Advice

Melissa slowly opens her eyes, confused at first until her eyes land on Jeremy, head down on the bed by her side, her hand in his. It all comes crashing down on her, the visit from his mother and ex-fiance. His pregnant ex-fiance. The cab ride to Markus and Mel’s house. The pain in her heart and stomach. A sob chokes out of her mouth and she tries to pull her hand from Jeremy’s.

His head pops up as he tightens the grip on her hand. There is a pain in his eyes and voice as he asks, “How are you feeling?”

“The baby?” That is all Melissa can get out.

“The baby is fine,” Jeremy tells her as he leans down to kiss her belly.

Melissa stuns him with her next question. “Why are you here?”

Jeremy’s gaze flies to her but she quickly looks away. “Where else would I be? Melissa, look at me please.” She is staring at the wall on the opposite side of the room but he can see the tears rolling down her face. “I’m here because you are here. Because you need me, my baby needs me.”

“You have another baby who needs you too. And a real fiance who apparently needs you.” She says as she continues to look at the wall.

It feels like she slapped him in the face but he is not going to let her think that shit. “Melissa, you are my real fiance. My past is in the past. Vanessa is not my fiance. And I have no proof her baby is my baby. I will get to the bottom of this Melissa but no matter what, I love you and I am not giving you up.”

Melissa snorts, “I am your pretend fiance, remember? It was done for show, for the job. I got the job, maybe we should stop pretending now.”

Jeremy runs his hand along the back of his neck in frustration. “I thought we had decided to move forward. We were going to buy a house, Melissa, build a future together as a family.”

“Well, that’s all changed now hasn’t. Seems to me that you have another family.” She snaps back.

Jeremy cannot believe this is happening but before he can say anymore, a nurse comes in to examine Melissa. She asks Jeremy to give them some privacy. While he doesn’t want to leave he knows he has to do as asked. He walks out into the hallway and pulls his phone out of his pocket to check the time. Confused for a moment over why he has his old phone in his pocket, he remembers breaking his new one. Remembering the card in his other pocket he fishes that out and manages to get it into the phone.

There is a text message from Markus from last night, telling him Melissa is there but warning him to give her space, plus several missed calls. He had two calls from Mike and it looks like he left a message. Curiosity gets the best of him and he listens to the message.

Jeremy, please listen. This is very important. It’s about Vanessa. Please call me. Too little, too late, Jeremy thinks. The nurse comes out of Melissa's room and tells Jeremy he can go back in and that someone will be by with her breakfast shortly. At the word breakfast, his own stomach growls but that will have to wait.

Jeremy enters Melissa’s room and she still won’t look at him. “Go away, Jeremy. I really don’t want to see you right now.”

Jeremy simply takes the chair he vacated earlier and sits in silence. They remain that way until Melissa’s breakfast is delivered. When she doesn’t move to eat it, Jeremy can’t remain quiet any longer.

“Come on Melissa, you gotta eat something.”

“Not hungry,” is her reply.

“You may not be but I am sure the baby is. He had a rough time last night, I’m sure he is hungry this morning.” Jeremy hates to make her feel guilty but knows it will work.

“I’ll eat when you leave.” Melissa throws back at him.

“Oh, I’m not going anywhere. I told you from the beginning, you are not in this alone. I am not leaving you here alone.” Jeremy replies. Just as he says the words, Markus and Mel come in through the door.

“Hey, I know it’s not visiting hours yet but we took a chance and snuck in. Hope it’s not too early for you.” Mel says.

Melissa gives her and Markus a smile. “Thank you guys for last night.” They both go over and give her a hug and she hugs them back. Jeremy’s heart hurts at how receptive she is to them when she won’t even look at him.

“You going to eat that breakfast?” Markus asks. His question is met with silence. As if knowing there is something wrong, he turns to Jeremy. “Hey man, I bet you haven’t eaten yet. What do you say we go to the cafeteria and get something. I could use another coffee.”

“I was just telling him he should go,” Melissa says not saying the real meaning behind her words but her tone gives it away.

“That’s a great idea,” Mel says, taking the chair on the other side of Melissa's bed. “I’ll be here with Melissa if she needs anything. Plus you can bring me back a coffee, Markus.”

Jeremy starts to protest but the way Markus is glaring at him makes him reconsider. “Fine. I’ll go eat. But I will be back.” He goes over and tries to kiss Melissa on the nose but she refuses to turn her head, so he places a kiss on her ear and whispers, “I love you.”

When the men get seated in the cafeteria, Markus turns to Jeremy. “Okay, I know you were worried last night and I didn’t want to push you but I think you owe it to me to tell me what the hell is going on with the ex.”

So, Jeremy fills him in. By the time he is done, his breakfast is gone. He looks up from his empty plate to Markus, “so, any advice?”

“Can’t say I’ve any experience to draw from.” Markus shrugs his shoulders. “A lot of men out there with more than one baby momma. Is it a question of which momma you want to be with?”

“Fuck no!” Jeremy looks around with hopes no one overheard. “There is no way I would go back to Vanessa and no way I’m giving up Melissa. But she doesn't want anything to do with me. She won’t even look at me.”

“Come on Jeremy, the woman is hurting. If you were shocked over Vanessa showing up, imagine how she feels?” Markus gives him a minute to think that over before he continues. “Then there is your mother. You know Melissa didn’t grow up in the same social circles as you. That she is not proud of her upbringing. That is not how she wanted to meet your mother. I’m sure she felt like an interloper.”

After a few minutes, Jeremy speaks. “I’m an ass.”

Markus chuckles. “That you are. Now, what are you going to do about it?”

Jeremy thinks for a minute, then starts his list, “I’m not letting her push me away. I’m going to be in her face until she gives in to my beauty and charm.” Markus rolls his eyes and Jeremy continues. “I’m calling my mother and telling her to get over here so that she can meet her future daughter-in-law properly and then hopefully put her on a plane out of here. I’m going to give Vanessa 24 hours to get me some proof on the timing of her pregnancy and if she can’t then I’m dragging her to an ultrasound here so that I can at least know if I was still in her life when the baby was conceived.” Jeremy pauses, “the house. What do I do about the house? We have until tomorrow morning to let the realtor know. Should I put in an offer without Melissa? We were discussing it just before the shit hit the fan, she was on board.”

“I say you go for it!” Markus’s grin covers his face. “Besides with neighbors like me, if you don’t keep it, you should have no trouble with resale.”

As the men are talking in the cafeteria Melissa and Mel are having a heart-to-heart in Melissa’s room. Melissa recounts how she felt when Vanessa and Jeremy’s mother showed up. How frumpy and ugly she felt in her leggings and tee-shirt, while they were dressed as they had just come from a charity banquet. They certainly didn’t look like they had just had a six-hour flight.

“I mean the fact that I don’t even know his mother’s name shows how embarrassed he is of me.” Melissa points out.

“Are you crazy?” Mel asks. “From what Markus has told me and from how you just said she behaved last night, I think it’s his mother Jeremy is embarrassed about, not you! She sounds like a horrible woman.”

“But how can he settle for me after growing up in that world?” Melissa asks her friend.

Mel takes Melissa’s hand, “Look, I haven’t known you or Jeremy all that long but from what I can see, how could he not want you after growing up in that world? It’s obvious that he hated it. He lives on the other side of the country. He has money but you would never say it by being around him. No one would want to be spoken to in that manner by anyone but especially not your mother or wife. And frankly, I am getting tired of hearing you put yourself down. You are a catch. You are beautiful, educated, kind-hearted, determined, who wouldn’t want you on their side?”

Melissa wipes at the tears that are slowly crawling down her face.

Mel continues, “plus it is obvious the man is head over heels in love with you. It is written all over his face every time he looks at you. And I know you love him too. Believe me, when I tell you, it is not easy raising a baby on your own. What makes it even harder is not having the father of that baby, the man you love, not there with you. I cheated Markus out of so much of Lucas’s firsts. Please don’t do that to Jeremy or yourself.” Mel squeezes her hand again.

Melissa doesn’t get a chance to respond as the men enter the room.