My Second Chance at Love

Anger

Andrew’s POV…

I’m almost to Orlando and I’m seething with anger. I’m literally shaking. I called Emma’s phone and her friend told me that if I cared about her at all I needed to give her an hour and call back. Then I need to tell her the truth. The truth is I didn’t r**e that girl. The truth is I was recovering from having my tonsils cut out and my dad was working. I woke up to this girl grinding all over me. I’m not complaining but I sure as hell didn’t r**e her. That’s how I lost my virginity. Drugged. I’m so pissed. How dare this guy that I’ve never even met throw those accusations at me.

Hell, that girl and I had s*x twice more at different times. I remember when she called to tell me she was pregnant. My whole world stopped. I was fifteen and scared shitless. Then I had a cop knock on my door and put me in cuffs. Charges were dropped within two days but it was too late. The damage was done. If I’d had parents that gave a s**t about me at the time, they would have filed a defamation suit. As it stood, I was kicked off the football team for a month. I lost my girlfriend and then my kid. As bad as that was, knowing Emma was suffering due to me was worse.

I call her. I’m prepared for the worst. I’m prepared to lose her. When she answers everything comes out as word vomit. I tell her about my family and how I was treated. I still expect her to tell me to get lost but she surprises me. She apologizes to me. She tells me she’s sorry that she doubted me. How do I deal with that?

I tell her, “You know I’ve got you, right? I’ll take care of you, no matter what. You know that, right?”

I have to tell her. I mean it. Whatever she needs, I’ll do. I’m all hers. I really don’t want to scare her away but I need her to know that I’m always here for her.

Her response is quiet, “yeah, I’m figuring it out.”

I’ve got to get off the phone. I’ve got to clear my head before I’m confessing my plans to her. I can’t tell her I’ve been looking at rings already.

When we hang up I immediately call my buddy Josh. He knows everyone back home. He’s got to know Rob. We talk for ten minutes before I ask about him.

“Andrew, man, he’s an ass. He’s mean as hell to his wife. He doesn’t love her. He’s cheated. Everyone knows but her. I’ve got six names I can give you right now. Are you involved with her, his wife?”

“Yeah. They filed for divorce. She’s been out of love with him for years. She’s done. She’s not going back. He told her about Becca.”

“F**k! That’s low.”

“Yeah. I was gonna tell her. I just didn’t want it to ruin a good night or be like damn babe that was good s*x, oh I was accused of r**e one time. You know?”

He kinda chuckles, “yeah man I get it. Look if he knows about that, he probably knows about Katy. You better tell her first. Does she know everything? The abortion b***h too?”

“She knows about Katy, mostly. Not that I held her by the throat but that she filed a police report. No. I haven’t told her about Cam. How do I have all these crazies in my past?”

“Cause you f**ked anything that would spread for you.”

“True but not anymore. Emma’s got me wrapped.”

“You’ve got to come clean. Tell her everything. Trust her or leave.”

“Hey man, you got any proof about Rob cheating?”

“Yeah. I’ve got pictures.”

“s**t. What kind of pictures and are they date and time stamped?”

“Pictures that a couple girls took on their phones so the date and time are embedded.”

“Email them to me. I may need them.”

“Don’t send them to Emma. Andrew she doesn’t deserve that.”

“No I know but she deserves to know he’s a cheating bastard.”

“True. Alright. They’re on the way now. Call me if you need anything else.”

“Yup bye man.”

I’ve calmed down and Emma should be done cooking. I call her. She needs to discover on her own, sort of, that he’s a cheater.

“Hey Andrew.”

“Hey babe. What’d you do with the salmon?”

“I pan seared it and put it on a spinach salad.”

“Sounds good. I wanna talk to you and it’s gonna piss you off. Okay?”

“Umm okay?”

“You lost your virginity to Rob? Did he lose his to you?”

“Oh yeah and yeah. His family was religious too.”

“How did he know you didn’t come?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I feel your p***y squeeze my d**k. I recognize that feeling. I’ve felt it before. How did he know you didn’t come?”

“Oh. Hmmmm. Andrew, I don’t know. I would say mmmmmmm and oh but I wasn’t like all into it like a porno. Do you think that’s how he knew?”

“Do you, Emma?”

“Andrew, did he cheat? Is that how he knew? How obvious is it when I come? Is that something you would know from a description or did you have to experience it?” I can hear the anxiety in her voice.

“Babe the first time I felt it, I thought she was gonna break my d**k off. It scared me. After that I realized what it was and I lived for that moment. Knowing I could get a girl there.”

“So not something that you would recognize from someone telling you?” Now my girl is getting angry.

“No Emma.”

“s**t. He cheated on me. Oh my god! He started this s**t about me being broken after a year or so into our marriage. F**k! He cheated on me that early? Andrew tell me. Did you know?” She’s yelling. Good. She’s f**kin pissed.

“No Emma. I literally just found out before I called you. I’m not gonna lie to you. I wanted dirt on the f**ker. He’s gonna pay for the pain he caused you today.”

“That’s nothing,” she laughed humorlessly. “You saw that scar on my side? That’s from him. He threw a jar at me. It hit the wall beside me and busted. That’s where a piece cut my shirt and me. He used to lock me in the bathroom. We lived in a mobile home. The bathrooms are tiny.”

“Emma. I swear I’ll kill him.”

“No. He’s not worth it.”

“I didn’t want him to come in my mouth. That made him mad so he sat on my chest and”

“Emma! I f**kin hate him. He’s everything he wants you to believe that I am.”

“Andrew the first time we had s*x, I begged him to stop. He wouldn’t. That’s why he wanted me to believe you r***d that girl. He wants me to believe that you’re no better than he is.”

I’m sick to my stomach. I pull over. I get out just in time to throw up all over the side of the road. I can hear her calling my name but I can’t respond. I retch and retch. This f**ker is twisted and he’s gonna pay for every single torturous thing he did to my Emma.

“Emma, you married your r****t?” I whisper as I get back in the truck, half in question and half as a statement.

“I didn’t realize it at the time, but yeah. I realized it about six months after we got married. I heard someone talking about consent and I just stared at him. That was the first time he hit me. After that seminar we were at. I don’t even remember what the event was. He hit me until I cried. Then he said something about how I’d understand what r**e was. I just…”

She’s quiet. I know why.

“Emma, my mom was the product of a r**e and she was r***d herself as a child. I’d never in my life think of putting anyone through anything like that. Ever.”

I’m finally pulling up at my hotel. I get out and put my bag in the room. I’m still on the phone with her. I’m just listening to her breathing. I want to hold her.

We sit in silence for an hour. Finally she’s snoring. I hang up and call her back.

“Hmmmm?”

“Emma, set your alarm baby.”

“Oh yeah. Thank you. It’s set. I’m in bed. Will you just stay with me until I fall asleep again?”

“Want me to FaceTime you?”

“Yeah.”

So I did. I watched her and she watched me. I was thoroughly entranced by how at peace I made her. When she was completely asleep I hung up. I went for a run. I needed to get my anger under control. Rob has messed with the wrong one.