Chapter 14 — Broken truth

Sydney:

I stared at the woman across me, open mouthed. I couldn't believe what she was telling me.

Ramon was...?

Ramon was the father of her baby?

That's not possible.

I mean, it can't be.

I blinked, utterly shocked and confused.

"What?!" I managed to let out a breath.

She shifted in her seat, wincing a bit as she did. "Ramon is my baby's father," she stated simply as if she was telling me about some trivial thing.

Not life-shattering information.

"How?" I breathed.

She smirked slightly. "I think that information is a bit too sensitive to spill in public."

Ok! Now she was getting on my nerves.

I was still trying to process this and now she was making jokes?

My hands curled into fists underneath the table as I narrowed my eyes at her.

"How did this happen?"

"Oh honey, you don't think you're the only girl he's fucked, right? Because that would be very, very wrong."

I sucked in a steadying breath, my fists straining the material of my pencil skirt.

What the actual fuck was happening?

"When?" I spat out.

The lady idly picked at the remnants of Ramon's meal. "About six months ago, when he was here for his brother's wedding."

An instant headache sparked at the back of my head and I shut my eyes for a brief moment to get my bearings.

Ramon had cheated on me.

I shook my head. No, we weren't a thing then.

But still.

I thought he said he loved me. He said he has loved me from the first time we met.

I was a huge idiot to have believed him.

But there was a possibility this lady was lying.

I shouldn't jump to conclusions. But why was a huge pit forming in my stomach? Like I knew deep down that she was telling the truth.

Oh fuck! My head hurts.

"Oh Ramon!" I heard the girl exclaim and my eyes shot open.

He stood at the table, a confused yet shocked look on his face as he tucked his cellphone back into his blazer pocket.

"Elise?" He breathed, his tone one of disbelief.

The lady slid out of her seat slowly, beaming. "Finally I found you."

"What are you doing here?" He asked, his expression shocked.

"I came looking for you, isn't that obvious?" She chimed.

I watched his eyes slide to her bulging belly and widen before flicking to me, guilt evident on his face.

I was right.

He opened his mouth to speak, but I held up a hand stopping him. "Don't!" I hissed.

Grabbing my bag, I stood and brushed myself off before stomping out of the restaurant, ignoring his loud calls.

I practically ran to my car once I heard his fast footsteps coming.

I managed to slide in and click the lock before he reached me, banging on my side window.

"Sydney, I can explain. Please, let me explain! I love you, please don't leave!"

I ignored everything, putting my key in the ignition, not sparing him a glance as I pulled away from the curb, ignoring the building knot in my throat.

~*~

I knocked on the polished hardwood door in front of me, trying my hardest to hold back my tears. I couldn't believe what had happened in the space of an hour and a half.

I was still trying to process, to understand. It feels like my brain had short circuited.

And damn my overactive tear glands.

The door opened and I stood staring up at a serious-faced Aaro.

"Sydney! What a surprise," he drawled dryly.

"Hey Aaro," I managed, ignoring his obvious annoyance at my presence.

Screw him! His brother was the reason I was here anyway.

"Is Astrid here?" I asked, trying not to wince at how fragile my voice sounded.

He stared at me for a minute before stepping back and allowing me to slide past him into the house.

I hadn't been back here since the wedding and much hadn't changed. I stepped into the same living room with the warm, slightly comforting interior design and spotted my best friend sitting cross-legged on a rug, a laptop on the coffee table in front of her.

She looked up as soon as I entered, her bright green eyes skimming over my face.

In a flash, she was at my side, concern on her face.

"Syd, what happened?"

I allowed her to lead me to the black leather couch in the center of the room and I sat, curling my legs under me. She mimicked my posture, her arm still around me.

"Did something happen with Ramon? Please tell me."

I nodded silently, feeling hot tears starting to streak down my face. Astrid shifted closer to me, wrapping me in a tight hug, my head resting on her shoulder as I sobbed my heart out.

We stayed like that for a while, until my tears dried up and I could finally speak.

I told her all that had transpired in the last hour and a half, trying to stop myself from breaking down again. She didn't interrupt me once, listening to my sob story with an increasingly dark look on her face.

When I finished, her face was like death, her eyes dark slits, her other hand curled into a white-knuckled fist on her lap.

I jumped when she shot up, shouting for Aaro, "Aaro!"

He appeared, a puzzled look on his face. "What is it?"

She stomped over to him, drawing him away from the living room, muttering Gaelic curses under her breath.

"Get your brother on the phone now," I heard her shout before the door to the kitchen cut off their argument from me.

I drew my knees to my chest, feeling my eyes fill up again. My chest felt heavy and the knot in my throat was growing. I felt terrible.

This hurt so much.

A loud bang sounded at the front door, and before I could blink, Astrid had rushed out of the kitchen to the door, Aaro rushing after her, a worried look on his face.

I shot to my feet, running after them. I heard the door slam open and Astrid screaming at whoever was outside.

"Why would you do this?!! She loved you!!!"

I peeked around the living room wall. Ramon stood, a guilty look on his face, taking the onslaught of Astrid's sharp tongue while enduring disapproving looks from his brother.

"I just want to see Sydney. I want to talk to her, to explain," he said, trying to talk over Astrid. I could see his patience wearing thin.

I didn't want to see him.

"Even if you do explain, what difference does it make? The girl is pregnant Ramon!" Astrid shouted, her voice cracking at the very end. She was reaching her limit.

"I know that!" Ramon shouted back, seemingly reaching his own limit. "I know that, Astrid! I know it won't make any difference! I just want to see her. She means everything to me." He dragged his fingers through his hair, groaning before continuing, his voice soft now, "I don't want to lose her. I made a mistake, a big mistake, and I just want to explain and apologize. Please, just let me see her."

Aaro stepped out from behind Astrid, his face like death. "Do not shout at my wife, brother! Or your relationship drama will be the least of your worries."

Ramon didn't back down. "She shouted at me first, Aaro. I am not a little child that she needs to berate."

"You act like a little child, that's why you're having all these problems."

"Watch your mouth, brother. Just because you're older doesn't mean you can insult me as you like!" Ramon seethed, his expression anger filled.

"Stop it, you two leathcheann!" Astrid hissed, the Gaelic word for idiots sounding vicious rolling off her tongue.

"Go back to the poor woman pregnant with your child, Ramon, and leave Sydney alone. You've done enough damage to her already," she hissed before slamming the door in his face and sagging against it.

Aaro placed his hands on her shoulders, offering some support.

They stayed like that for a while before she came back to me, wrapping me in her soft fragrant hug. I didn't even realize I was crying again until she whispered, "Stop crying, babe, everything is going to be okay."

I really hoped it would be.