Rhett by Margaret McHeyzer

 

 

 

I wake at two to pee. When I’m done, I lay in bed and stare up at the ceiling. The weight of everything is sitting heavy on my shoulders. I’ve barely been able to think of anything else other than Rhett, and me raising this baby on my own. Do I even want to do this on my own?

I toss and turn, trying to silence the squirrels in my brain, but they’re loud and persistent. There’s no use staying in bed if I can’t sleep. I push the covers off of me, and head out to the kitchen to pour myself a glass of water.

I walk over to the glass slider, and lean against the wall, looking up at the sky. It’s a pretty night. Stars are twinkling in the sky, while only a sliver of the moon is visible. I place my hand on my belly and try to think of all the obstacles I’m going to have to overcome in the coming months.

Being alone doesn’t mean I can’t do this. I was able to get through high school, and work to pay the rent on the trailer after my parents abandoned me. I was sixteen when they left, and I managed to pull myself together and make it work. If I can do that, I can do this too.

I unlock the slider, and step outside. The brisk night air kisses my skin, causing a fine spray of goose bumps to cover every exposed part of myself. The night is so pretty though. I chuckle to myself as I keep staring up at the grandness of the sky above. Here I am, a tiny speck, worried about my future, when I should be more concerned about this baby than myself.

I hug the glass of water to my chest, as I take in the impressive array of objects in the night sky. It sure is pretty out here. My body feels like it’s run a marathon, as I let out a huge yawn. As I turn to head inside, I make out the outline of a car parked all the way down at the end of the driveway. I squint to see who it is, but my heart already knows it’s Rhett. I take a deep breath before heading inside.

I place the glass on the small dining table, and head back to bed. Closing my eyes, I find I fall asleep a lot easier and quicker than I expected.

I missed my alarm this morning, which means I have exactly twenty-five minutes to get dressed and head in to work. I rush around getting ready, and I hear knocking on the door. Trying to put one shoe on, I hop over to answer the door. May’s standing on the other side, holding a pale green smoothie in her hand. “Gran, are you okay?” I ask as I open the door and let her in.

“Here, you have to drink this.” She shoves the glass in my hand.

“What is it?”

“It’s a smoothie,” she says as if I’m an idiot.

I chuckle as I take a sip. “I know that, but why?”

“Because I was doing research and found everything in there is really good for mammas who are pregnant.” She shuffles away with her walking cane.

Mamma. Whoa, I haven’t even thought about that. “Thank you, but you really don’t have to.”

“Judging by the way you’re running about, I’d say you haven’t had time for breakfast.” I don’t deny her suspicions. “Thought as much. Hurry up and drink it.”

“I will. I’ll bring the glass back tonight when I get home.” I remember I won’t be back until late. “Actually, I’m not going to be back until after eleven tonight. I’ll wash it and leave it on the table for you.”

“Eleven? Tonight?” I nod. “Those are some long hours you’re working.”

“I know, but in a few months I won’t be able to work at all, so I have to do what I can now to get ahead.”

“We’ll see,” May says. “We’ll see. Better hurry up, you’ll be late.” She disappears back to her house, leaving me to quickly finish getting ready.

By the time I’m done, I rush out to my car, and head down the driveway, where Rhett’s in his car, waiting for me. I don’t know why he’s still here, and I don’t want to know. I drive past him and find he’s right behind me. I pull up where I usually park near Elle’s café, rummage around in my bag to find the keys. By the time I’m at the door, Rhett’s beside me. “What do you want?” I ask as I unlock the door and walk in.

“I just want to make sure you and the baby are okay.”

“We’re fine.” I turn all the lights on, and head into the kitchen to get everything ready for the day.

“Dani, we need to talk.”

“No, Rhett, we don’t. You already spoke from the heart. I don’t need to hear any more.”

“Well, I’m not going until we can talk about things.”

“You’ve got work today, so leave.”

“I’m not going. Where you go, I’ll follow.”

“So, your intention is to get me fired too. Because what you’ve done isn’t enough for you. You want to deprive me of an income. Great, seems reasonable,” I snap at him.

“I’m not trying to get you fired, Dani. I just want to talk,” he says.

I stop what I’m doing and take a deep breath. “Fine, you have five minutes.” I place my hands on my hips, waiting for him to start.

“Five minutes, is that all I get?”

“You managed to destroy my life in under five minutes, now see if you can put it back together again in the same amount of time. Now you have four minutes and thirty seconds.” I stare at him dead straight in the eye without even flinching. But on the inside, my heart is beating rapidly, and I’m doing everything I can for him not to see my trembling hands.

Rhett looks down, and sighs. “I said the most horrible things to you,” he pauses, waiting for me to reply. I don’t. “I reacted...” he stops talking and breathes deeply. “I was wrong, and I’m sorry.”

“Great, is that it?” I ask. Rhett’s entire body sinks an inch down. “Apology accepted. Okay? Off you go. I have work to do, Rhett.”

“I’m not leaving.” He sits on a stool at the counter.

“Murray sits there,” I say. Rhett moves to one of the other stools. “Do you intend to stay here all day?” He nods. “Make yourself useful. Go fill up all the salt and pepper shakers.” I grab the tray of shakers, and hand it to Rhett. “You can do it over there.”

Silently, he takes the tray out of my hands, and walks over to one of the tables near the back. He picks up a salt shaker, and turns it around in his hand. He figures out how to take the cap off, and fills it with salt, then moves on to the next one.

I drag the vacuum out from the back, and plug it in to vacuum the front of the cafe. “I’ll do this, you sit,” Rhett says as he takes the vacuum out of my hands. “I’ve done half of the salt shakers.” He turns the vacuum on, and thoroughly cleans the floor. By the time I’ve filled the salt and pepper shakers and set them on the tables, Rhett’s just about finished vacuuming. He turns it off, and unplugs it. “Where does this go?”

“Storage room in the back.”

He disappears with the vacuum, and returns empty handed. He begins to lower the chairs from the tables, and waits for me to speak to him. I have nothing to say. “I’ve been thinking about something,” he says.

“What?” my reply is short and curt.

“Your car is pretty old.”

“Rhett, my life is about to drastically change, and buying a new car isn’t any part of that.”

“I want to make sure you and our baby are okay, so I’m going to buy you a new, safer car.”

“No, you’re not,” I say, adamant. “I don’t want anything from you. Not a single thing. Not a penny, not a car, not a damn diaper. I want nothing from you. Understand?”

He closes his eyes, and nods. “I know you’re angry at me, Dani.”

“Angry? I’m past angry. I’m hurt and devastated.”

“Then please, let me make it up to you.”

“By buying me a new car? I can’t be bought, Rhett. Fuck me, haven’t you learned? This isn’t about anything material. It’s about trust, loyalty, and support. And you failed miserably in every one of those categories. The moment things went pear-shaped, you blamed me. How are we supposed to move forward if you won’t trust me?”

“I do trust you. Please, I trust you.”

“Look, maybe one day we’ll be friends again, but for now, I’m too busy to prove to you that I’m not what you accused me of being. I don’t want anything from you. Which is why I left this relationship with what I brought into it. My clothes. Nothing more, and nothing less.” I step forward and place my hand on his arm. “I don’t see how we’re going to work.”

“I’m sorry, Dani. But you and I will never be over. Not now, not ever. Because you, this baby, and me, we’re fucking Morgans and Morgans don’t desert each other.” He places his hand on my tummy.

“I’m not a Morgan,” I say as I step back. “And neither is this baby.”

“Like fuck. That’s my baby in there. It’s a Morgan, like you and I are.”

“Just leave, please.”

“No. I’m protecting what’s mine, Dani. You and this baby are both mine.”

I begin to tremble as tears prick my eyes. “I said leave,” my voice shakes. “Now.” I’m barely able to control my emotions. A river of tears wait to cascade down my cheeks, but I blink rapidly to hold them back.

“You are the most important person in my world, Dani. I refuse to let you go,” he says adamantly. “I protect my family.”

The tears fall, as I back away from him. “Get out, Rhett. Just go.” I walk over to the front door, and open it. He crosses his arms in front of his chest as he plants his feet on the floor. He’s not going, and I can’t stop crying. I close the door, and take several deep breaths. “I have a doctor’s appointment this afternoon at three-thirty.” Rhett’s eyes light up with happiness. “Dr. Allard wants to see me.”

“I’ll be there,” he says.

He steps forward to hug me, but I hold my hand up stopping him. “This doesn’t mean we’re back together, Rhett. It just means you can come to the doctor with me.” He opens his mouth to say something, but quickly closes it. He nods once and offers me a weak smile. “This is all I can offer you for now.”

“I’ll take it.”

“Don’t let me down again. There are no more chances if you do. This is your only lifeline.”

“I promise, I won’t ever betray you again.”

I give him a nod before I continue to go about my day. Rhett doesn’t leave, not even for a moment. Instead, he sits at the counter and waits until it’s time to head to the doctor. I’m giving him a chance to prove himself. I’ve been in the position where I only had myself to rely on. I’m giving him the opportunity to show me he’s reliable too.