CHAPTER 50
The next morning I was surprised to see that Gina was still at the apartment. Tristan and she usually left before 10 a.m. to go to the club and tally the previous night's receipts; place their food and liquor orders and review schedules.
She was coming out of the kitchen with a glass of ginger ale looking tired and pale.
"What's wrong with you? You look like shit."
"Thank you Tylar. I appreciate your assessment."
"I'm sorry," I chuckled. "Hangover?"
"I wish," she said heading toward her room.
I followed her into the bedroom as she crawled up onto the bed and unceremoniously flopped back onto her pillow.
"I've been puking all morning."
(Holy shit! I didn't want what she had right before New Year's.)
Gina noticed that I had backed away from her wishing to keep my distance.
"No worries. I'm not contagious," she said.
"How do you know?"
"Cause this little thing told me," she said, reaching over to the nightstand and picking up an EPT stick.
I came closer looking at it and seeing the dark blue + sign in the results window. I quickly looked up at her in shock.
"Oh my God Gina! Please tell me that you’re happy about this!"
"I might be," she answered.
"What exactly do you mean by 'might be'?"
"I mean I definitely will be provided the baby is Tristan's."
"What?!"
"Don't go all 'east coast' on my Ty. There is a perfectly reasonable explanation."
"I'd like to hear it," I hissed.
I was angry with her.
"Okay," she said sitting up on the bed.
She pulled her legs up wrapping her arms around them.
"First of all if you are truly my BFF then you need to lose the accusatory attitude Tylar. Have I ever, ever done that with you? Well, except for the brief thirty seconds you had me believing that you had cheated on Trey, but that was it."
"I'm sorry Gina," I conceded, "Please tell me what happened."
"Remember that day that Tristan and I were to meet at my accountant's office and he was late because he had found out about Libby?"
"Yes."
"Well that was the day I was late in getting over here to stay with Preston while you went with Trey to Baton Rouge."
I nodded.
"You questioned me as to why I was late and I kind of blew it off with an excuse that I had to pack for my stay over here. It was the truth except for one thing. When I got back to my condo Ian was there. He still had his key and he was inside. He looked like hell. Just like Tristan did at our meeting."
She took a sip of her ginger ale before continuing.
"He told me that he needed to pick up his mail. He hadn’t put his address change in and really there was no reason for him to do so since he was getting the condo in the divorce. He followed me into the kitchen where I had his mail. The next thing I knew, he was right behind me. When I turned around in the kitchen he was there. We looked at each other for a few seconds. We were so close that I could smell his aftershave."
Gina started tearing up which was so unusual for her. She was definitely in hormone hell. I handed her a tissue from the nightstand.
"Go ahead Gina. It's alright. Tell me."
"I looked up into his eyes and they were warm and loving. They were like the Ian that I knew before he cheated. He looked at me and said, 'Damn.' He dropped his mail and picked me up into his arms. He carried me to the bedroom and made love to me. I knew it was the last time. I wanted closure on it. I know that sounds sick since he was the cheater, Ty, but legally he was still
my
husband. I'm sorry but I liked the idea that he was cheating on the skank with
his wife
for Chrissake. After it was over he told me that it hadn't changed anything; he still wanted to be with Shelly. I said 'no worries; I thanked him for the fuck. That was that."
I took a few moments to digest what she had just told me.
"Gina," I said leaning forward, choosing my words carefully.
"Did you not use a condom?"
"Well fucking pardon me Ty that I wasn't prepared. After all, Ian and I had been trying to get pregnant so I hadn't exactly stocked up on condoms. Besides that, I figured he was shooting blanks. He very well might be."
"I know that Gina but come on. He was fucking someone you named 'the skank'. Certainly you must have been worried about sexually transmitted diseases if nothing else."
"Don't go there with me Tylar. Were you worried about STD's when Trey fucked you in the horse barn with no protection?"
"That is different," I hissed.
"How is that different Ty? At that point you were certain he had fucked Charlotte!"
I looked away from her. Of course she was right.
"Okay Gina, let's get past all of that. So you and Ian used no birth control. Then you had sex with Tristan. How many days after that were you sexual with Tristan?"
"I don't know; maybe four or five days later."
"Okay then. Didn't you tell me that you two used condoms?"
"Of course we did. I am responsible Tylar."
"Well there you go. The baby has to be Ian's then."
"Well that's where there could be an issue."
I breathed a heavy sigh. Gina just needed to spill it. These questions were starting to bear a resemblance to pulling teeth.
"Gina," I said, not even trying to hide the exasperation in my voice, "Please just give it to me straight."
"Tylar I have told you before how limber I am, right?"
I nodded.
"Well picture that and then add to it the fact that Tristan is practically a fucking contortionist. We did it every which way we could. Over - under - sideways and down."
"I get the picture Gina," waving my hand for her to get to the freaking point.
"I'm just saying that there was a time or two that the condom - well let's just say he had to dig it out of me afterwards."
"You mean it came off?" I asked horrified.
"Yes Ty," she replied, rolling her eyes, "It came off."
"How many times is a 'time or two'?" I asked.
"I dunno. Maybe five?"
"Oh for god sakes Gina!"
"Don't yell at me Ty," she sobbed emotionally. "I can take everyone else being pissed at me except for you."
Gina was in full-fledged balling by this time.
I leaned over and hugged her tightly.
"I'm here for you Gina. Tell me how I can help?"
"Ty for now - this has to be our BFF secret. I need to get through this whole holiday thing with Tristan's family, please? You cannot say anything to Trey, promise?"
"Of course I promise Gina. We'll figure something out."
I tucked Gina into bed with her ginger ale. I told her to holler if she needed anything. I had Preston to attend to who by this time was fussing for her breakfast.
I fed Preston her breakfast and we had our usual 'num-num' time. I bathed her and dressed her for the day.
I put her down on her blanket in the living room with a lot of her new Christmas toys while I went to check on Gina. She was sleeping peacefully. I felt for her dilemma. I hoped like hell that baby was Tristan's.
My Blackberry chimed and I saw that it was Trey.
"Hey you," I said answering the phone.
"Right back at you baby," he said.
"How is your day going?"
"Well Gina is home with the stomach flu so I've been checking on her. Preston is playing here in front of me in the living room so all is good."
"Well make sure to keep Preston away from Gina; I don't want her catching what Gina has."
"Trust me Trey; neither do I."
"I just wanted to let you know that I made all of our plane reservations for tomorrow so that you could start packing; Tristan and Gina are driving I guess after they close the club tomorrow night. Tristan wants to make sure that the new assistant manager he hired is good to go for their New Year's Eve gala."
"Okay sweetie," I replied.
"Will you be late?"
"No I should be home by six. What's for dinner?"
"Ham croquets," I answered smiling.
"Tylar can we please get a smaller ham next year?"
"I love you Trey."
"I love you Tylar."
CHAPTER 51
Our arrival at Trey's parent's home was met with hugs and kisses; they were ecstatic to see Preston again. Both Clive and Susan commented on how big she was getting.
"I'm sure it won't be long before Preston is gifted with a little baby brother or sister," Susan commented giving me a wink.
I looked over at Trey's amused expression. I had just gotten off my period the day before. I couldn't very well blurt out that she might be blessed with a first cousin much sooner. I even hated keeping that from Trey but a BFF promise given allowed no exceptions.
I asked where Nigel and Tess were.
"Oh they drove over to see Tristan's winery now that it is in full production," Susan answered.
"Tristan hasn't been spending much time there but it does pretty much run itself with the staff he's hired. I expect the nightclub has been keeping him busy in Atlanta."
"That and Gina," Trey piped up.
Susan gave a little smile.
"I remember Gina. That's Becky's niece correct?"
"Yes," I replied, "She was recently divorced and it seems that she and Tristan are perfect for each other."
"Well I am so happy," she beamed.
"Thank God that awful Libby is out of the picture. What was Tristan thinking?"
"I don't think that he was thinking Mom - at least not with his upstairs brain," Trey replied smiling.
"Trey you do have a way with words," his mother admonished.
Just then Preston crawled over to Susan and lifted her arms up to be picked up. Susan scooped her up into her lap. Preston nuzzled against her chanting, "num-num."
Susan looked over at us puzzled.
"She wants something called 'num-num' it would seem."
"That means she wants a sliced up banana Mom," Trey said with a wink.
"It's about her lunch time anyway."
"Well of course sweetheart. Nana will get you a sliced banana."
She took Preston to the kitchen for the banana. I hoped that it would appease her.