“What…what’s wrong?”
“You got a message from Bridget. Apparently, she wants to recreate the magic from Minneapolis.”
If the tell tale sign of guilt all over his face wasn’t enough to confirm her suspicions, then the draining of all color certainly was.
She couldn’t look him in the eye. Suddenly, her nakedness made her feel exposed. Vicky got off of the bed and reached for her robe from the nearby chair.
“This would be the time where you’re supposed to tell me that ‘it’s not what you think Vicky.’ Unless, it’s exactly what I’m thinking.”
Jason ran his hands through his hair. He put on his robe too. What was he supposed to say to her? Even though he technically hadn’t cheated on Vicky he had spent time with Bridget.
“I…I didn’t sleep with her. We just had dinner a couple of times and talked.” It sounded lame coming out of his mouth.
Vicky was equally hurt and angry. She raised her voice, “I haven’t been able to get you into the same room with me for more than five seconds since we lost our son but you had time to spend with her on more than one occasion. How is that supposed to make me feel?”
Jason couldn’t answer her.
“So, what did you two talk about?”
“Vicky, don’t do this.”
“Don’t do what? Ask my husband why he felt the need to be with a woman who tried to destroy our relationship?”
“We talked about nothing! We talked about people we knew…and things we had done.”
“So, you were reminiscing about the good old days back when you guys were a couple?”
“It wasn’t like that. We just…I just…” He couldn’t tell her that he just needed a time out from all of the craziness in their lives. And, Bridget felt safe… familiar.
Vicky waited for him to say something, anything that would make her feel better but he couldn’t seem to get the words out.
He couldn’t look at her, “Vicky, there was just so much going on and…we just talked that’s all. I made a mistake and I’m sorry.”
She felt physically ill. Her head was pounding. If she stayed another moment she might just do something so uncharacteristic…and explode.
Instead, Vicky took a couple of deep breaths to calm all the emotions raging inside of her. “I’m going to Angel’s room.”
Jason whispered, “You don’t have to do that. I’ll sleep in one of the spare bedrooms.”
Vicky’s body was ram-rod straight, “That’s not necessary because I can’t be here…in this room.” She realized she still held a death grip on his cell phone.
She tossed it onto the bed, “You might need this” before walking out.
*****
The past couple of days had been hell. Jason and Vicky walked around each other trying to be invisible. The only words they’d exchanged since everything happened had been to discuss their travel plans.
On top of everything John Lucas called. Ryan had managed to get the Judge to grant him a supervised visit with Angel the day before the hearing. It was Wednesday, and the hearing was set for Friday.
Vicky had packed Angel’s bag already and now she was packing hers. The car was going to be there to pick them up in a couple of hours. She prayed that the hole her life was in wasn’t going to swallow her up.
What was she going to do? Could she and Jason ever find their way back to each other? Did he want to? The closer the custody hearing got the less confident she was that the Judge would rule in her favor.
Vicky was determined that once she boarded that plane, she would only focus on one thing…the hearing. Angel had to be her singular focus.
*****
Jason was sitting in the back of the plane pretending to work when all he could think about was how to fix things with Vicky. She and Angel sat up from with Aunt Shirley. He’d hurt her deeply. How was it possible to love someone so much but do nothing but bring them pain?
They needed to talk. There was so much to be said and they were both afraid to either say it or hear it.
Vicky motioned for the flight attendant, “Can you please bring me a glass of red wine?”
Aunt Shirley wrinkled her nose, “Wine? What’s that for?”
“I just need to calm my nerves. I’m hoping the wine will relax me a bit.”
Shirley looked back and Jason and back to Vicky, “Sweetheart, everything is going to be alright. Have faith.”
Vicky wasn’t so sure. This was the first time she’d been back to Minneapolis since she lost the baby. She hoped Jason didn’t book their stay at the same place.
*****
It was no surprise when they landed to see the press and paparazzi waiting for them to get off of the plane. The custody case had been in the papers in Atlanta but nothing like the frenzy taking place in Minneapolis.
Vicky was glad Aunt Shirley was with them. She was a nice buffer between her and Jason; especially during the drive to the hotel. Without her and Angel’s chatter it would have been made in silence.
As they pulled up in front of ‘the’ hotel, the hairs on Vicky’s body stood up.
Jason could see Vicky swallow deeply and squirm in her seat. “I’m sorry…I didn’t think to tell my assistant not to book us here. It’s where I always stay when I’m in town.”
Vicky stammered, “It’s…it’s fine. We’re only here for a couple of days.”
The driver pulled the car up to the valet. When he opened the door, her legs didn’t want to work. It was difficult to walk and felt as though lead shoes had been placed on her feet. Somehow, she
