Second Chance

A woman decided

"What the—" Louis exclaimed, seething as he hopped out of the car and slammed the door shut. If it hadn't been for his quick reflexes, the two cars would have collided.

"You claimed you could drive!" a voice shot out from the other vehicle. Louis rapped on the window, clenching his jaw.

Mr. Derson lowered the window, averting his eyes to avoid Louis's fierce stare. I had asked to take the wheel, and though he had grudgingly agreed, it was clear I wasn’t exactly a natural behind the wheel.

"Please forgive me, young man," Mr. Derson pleaded, rummaging through his pocket for some cash. I shot him an apologetic glance while he just stared blankly at the two of us, saying nothing.

"Keep your money, Grandpa," Louis said as he turned back toward his own car, fiddling with his watch. I redirected my attention to the steering wheel, wondering if perhaps the second attempt would go better. Mr. Derson continued to look at the young man until a sudden memory dawned on him.

“M...Mrs. Millers, that’s him!” Mr. Derson shouted, his eyes wide with surprise. I scratched my head, feeling lost. “Who?” I asked.

“Mr. Lidgleton! Louis Lidgleton!” he yelled, worry etched on his face as he heard the roar of his engine. My heart raced, and I turned to Mr. Derson, stunned.

“Are you serious?” I questioned, struggling to believe in such a crazy coincidence. Mr. Derson nodded, leaning back in his seat and taking a deep breath, Their car now long gone. “Just so you know, we’re causing a bit of a traffic jam,” he said, reminding me that we were on a pretty narrow road.

“Let’s switch sides as soon as I find a parking spot,” I replied, and he gave me a thumbs up. “Let’s just hope I make it through this ride,” he joked with a slight smile. I couldn’t help but chuckle, wondering why he had so much faith in me taking the wheel again.

“Does it even matter if it’s him? I’m not marrying him,” I declared, feeling resolute. Mr. Derson had previously mentioned that he was on board with my choices, but comments like that really got under my skin. I wish he’d show some genuine feelings instead of just nodding along all the time.

“Stop nodding; give me something real to work with,” I said, keeping my focus on the road. “I’m just a lawyer,” Mr. Derson replied, “I don’t have a personal stake in this.”

I let out a sigh, ultimately conceding defeat, "Of course you would say that". Once I found a parking space, we swapped places, and I got to enjoy the ride as a passenger princess. Honestly, I didn’t want to deal with the drama between Marcus and Angelina, but I couldn’t escape my own issues forever.

“We’ve arrived,” Mr. Derson announced as he pulled up in front of Angelina’s building. “ALREADY?!” I exclaimed, feeling robbed of my beauty sleep!

"I took a shortcut, I've got someone to meet," he said, loosening his seatbelt. As I stepped out of the car, I muttered a string of jumbled words, my way of masking my frustration. "Just give me a call when it's a good time so we can finalize everything," he added. I nodded, hoping I could stay awake long enough for that 'good time' to come around.

The moment I stepped outside, a refreshing breeze hit me, and I braced myself for the worst. If Angelina was finally awake, I wouldn't be shocked if the house was already going up in flames.

I knocked softly, slipping off my coat as I waited. The apartment felt extra stuffy today. When the door swung open, there stood Angelina, gripping a massive suitcase. Her hair was a tangled bun, and her smile was a bit lopsided.

"Kourtney, my bestie! Right on cue!" she chirped, beaming as she nudged her suitcase slightly. Confused, I blurted, "What's going on?" I half-expected to find Marcus's lifeless body hidden somewhere.

Marcus rushed in from the kitchen, grabbing her hand and pleading, "Please don’t go, I’m really sorry." He squeezed her hand tightly. Angelina gently pushed his hand away, pondering aloud, "Do you want me or your baby?" as she cradled his face in her hands.

"Both," he replied earnestly. Frustrated and feeling left out, I interjected, "Can someone please explain what’s going on?"

"I overheard your talk with Marcus," Angelina said nonchalantly. My coat slipped from my grasp, and I stood frozen, my eyes glued to the wall in disbelief. She picked up the coat and dusted it off.

"You didn’t do anything wrong, Kourtney. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind even if you decided to be with him," she said as she handed the coat back to me. I accepted it, clutching it tightly, my thoughts racing and words escaping me.

"So, you’re really leaving?" I finally asked, glancing over at the suitcase. Angelina nodded with a serious expression, "There’s just too much bad energy here, and I don’t want my baby to grow up in an environment like this."

I was at a loss for words. There really was no reason for me to ask her to stick around. It was her child, her life—and honestly, I would probably make the same choice. 'Come on, Kourtney, help me out here,' Marcus begged. 'Can you please convince her to stay?'

I just shook my head. 'If Angelina feels this way, then it’s the right move for her. She may look happy on the outside, but I can tell she’s hurting inside.' I watched as Angelina gently caressed her belly. 'It’s strange; that forced smile of hers seems oddly familiar'.

Marcus took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes with two fingers. 'So, you want me to just... abandon my baby?!' he shouted, his frustration clear as his veins bulged. Angelina shook her head, wagging her finger at him. 'You’ll be paying child support!' she responded emphatically.

Marcus balled his fists in anger. 'I want to be there for my child, not just financially!' Angelina sighed, stepping closer and placing a finger on his chest. 'You don’t get it, Marcus. You’ve already failed as a partner—putting your abilities as a dad to the test would be a foolish gamble.'

Marcus shoved her finger aside, declaring, "I’ll get that kid, I swear!" as he slammed his fist against the apartment door. Angelina let out a laugh at his words, replying, "Alright, whatever you say."

I could see through her facade—she was just pretending to be fine to hide her tears from Marcus, but deep down, she was hurting. At some point, she'd have to let it all out, and I wanted to be the one she could lean on.

"Hold on a sec, Angel," I said as I slipped on my coat. She paused and glanced back at me, asking, "What’s up?"

"I know we’re both flat broke and without a roof over our heads, but I’m coming with you!"