When You Read Between the Lines

Joe rolled over and rubbed his eyes, letting out a huge yawn. The space next to him on his king sized bed was empty and he sat up and looked around the room. Only his clothes were on the floor. The alarm clock to his right read 12:30. He stood up and stretched, pulling on a pair of boxers before heading into the noticeably empty living room.

“Damn,” he whispered, running a hand through his semi-greasy hair and heading to the bathroom. He stood in front of the sink and stared in the mirror, replaying the previous night.

He led Faith to the couch and sat down with her as she continued to cry into his chest. He continued rubbing small circles on her back as her breathing started to slow down. After a few minutes she sat up and wiped her face with her hands. He looked over at her and saw the makeup stains her tears had created and all he could think of was how beautiful she still was. It was silent as he waited for her to speak.

“Do you have any wine?” she asked, her voice shaking and he let out a small laugh.

“Red or white?”

“White, please,” she whispered and he stood up and headed to the kitchen. Thoughts ran through his head of what could have happened between Faith and Nick to cause all this. What if Nick cheated on her or worse… what if Faith cheated on Nick? He shook that terrible thought from his mind and brought the glasses of wine back out to the living room.

“Here you go. Some delicious grown-up juice,” he said, handing her a glass.

“Thanks,” she said quietly, bringing the glass to her lips and taking a sip. Joe silently took a sip as well and waited. He watched her as she stared down into her glass.

“So,” he said and she lifted her head at the sound. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“It’s a long story,” she said, resting her elbow on the back of the couch and her head on her hand.

“You can give me the Reader’s Digest version,” he said, trying to make things easier on her. “If you want, that is.”

“Okay,” she said, nodding her head and taking a deep breath. “Nick made reservations for us at Rosewood Mansion and hired a car to get me. I waited in the restaurant for him. I waited for an hour. He never showed up.”

“Well, I’m sure there’s…”

“There’s no reason for this Joe. There’s no reason for anyone to abandon their wife after planning something like this. I’m through with his shit. I can’t handle it anymore. He’s broken my heart too many times for me to ever be able to forgive him one more time.”

“I can’t…”

“Don’t say you can’t believe he’d ever do something like this when you knew something like this would happen eventually. I know you better than most people and I know you hate the way Nick treats me,” she said through gritted teeth. “And so do I. It’s over.”

As the night went on he remembered that they drank more wine and switched the conversation to their jobs. He remembered Faith suggested they stop drinking before they got so drunk that they’d do something they’d both regret. Then… then she asked that one simple question that caused the night to escalate.

“Joe… can I ask you something?” she asked, tucking her feet under her legs on the couch.

“You just did,” he said with a laugh and she reached over to gently punch his stomach.

“Don’t be a smartass.”

“I’m sorry. What’s your question?”

“Why is it that in all the years I’ve known you… you’ve never had a girlfriend?”

“Well…” he said with a sigh. “Do you remember that day I drove you to work and you said I’d be a Dad once I found the right girl?”

“Yes,” she said slightly nodding her head.

“Do you remember that I told you I had already found the right girl?”

“Yes. I told you to go and get her.”

“You did,” he said, mimicking Faith and nodding his head. “You’re that girl, Faith.”

She inhaled sharply and stared at him, eye to eye. The only sound heard in the room was the ticking of the miniature grandfather clock in the corner. Joe cleared his throat and looked down at his hands resting in his lap.

“I’m sorry,” he said, shaking his head and standing up. “I shouldn’t have…”

“Yes. You should have,” she said, standing up and putting her hand on his arm. “What if I told you that… I think you may be the right guy?”

“I’d say… it’s about damn time,” he said, stepping forward and putting a hand on her cheek and crashing his lips down on hers.

“It was better than I thought it would be,” he whispered, glancing back up into the bathroom mirror.

While getting ready he wondered if he should contact Faith. He couldn’t call, in case Nick answered. He couldn’t show up for the same fear of Nick answering the door. He wasn’t going to be able to face him yet. At least not until he talked to Faith and they set their story straight... The safest way would probably be to call her cell phone.

It took him a few minutes to locate his cell phone. He found it in the pocket of his jeans where he threw them on the hamper. He went through his contacts and called Faith’s cell. It went to her voicemail and he hung up, thinking she might just be in the bathroom. After waiting ten minutes he called again and got her voicemail. With a sigh he sat on the edge of his bed and ran his fingers through his hair.

He had to talk to someone about this. There was no way he could keep it quiet. He needed an opinion. Charlotte was the first person that popped into his mind but… this was so different than a kiss. This was personal and he didn’t feel comfortable even just thinking about telling her. He had to talk to Kevin.

****

As Joe turned into Kevin and Danielle’s driveway he noticed Faith’s car sitting there and his heart leapt in his chest. It was like God was giving him a way to talk to her. He stepped out of the car, took a deep breath, and walked up the steps to knock on the door. Danielle answered a sullen expression on her face.

“Is she here?” he asked, pointing over his shoulder to the silver car sitting next to his.

“I think you should talk to Kevin first,” she said in a whisper. “I’ll go see if she wants to talk to you. Kevin is in the kitchen.”

“Thanks,” he muttered, slipping past her and heading to the kitchen. Kevin sat at the table, his head in his hands. He looked up at the sound of footsteps and sighed when he saw Joe. “Hey.”

“Hi. Sit down,” he said, gesturing to the chair across from him. Joe walked over and sat down, resting his hands on the table and staring at Kevin.

“So… I assume you know?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Kevin sighed.

“Are you mad?”

Kevin sighed for the third time since Joe walked into the room and looked at his restless hands on the table. Movement was heard upstairs and both Joe and Kevin glanced to the ceiling above them. Joe tapped his fingers on the table restlessly and Kevin looked back at him, running his hands down his face.

“No. I’m not mad at all,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “Now that I look back on these past few months… years, even… she was the one for you, Joe. Not Nick. It was never Nick but all of us were blinded by the love we saw, not able to see what was hidden underneath. Dani and I will back both of you up, with whatever you decide.”

“Thanks Kev,” he said standing up and walking around the table to hug his brother. “What time did she get here?”

“A little before eleven,” he answered, turning his head as they both heard footsteps coming down the staircase. Joe looked too and his heart skipped a beat when he saw Faith walking towards them.

“Could we have a few minutes Kevin?” she asked her voice barely above a whisper. Kevin nodded his head and left the kitchen, heading for the stairs.

They both waited until they heard his footsteps above them and the closing of a door. Faith glanced at Joe and then walked over to the back door, crossing her arms over her chest. Joe followed and stood next to her as she stared out at the lawn before them. Different things to say raced through his mind but none of them seemed good enough. He wanted to just lean over and kiss her but figured that probably wouldn’t be the best thing to do.

“So, how are you?” he asked, turning to look at her. She shrugged her shoulders and pushed some hair behind her ear.

“How do you think I feel, Joe?” she asked, turning her whole body towards him. “I cheated on my husband with his brother. I’m not exactly one hundred percent peachy keen.”

“Are you saying you regret it? Because I thought last night it was what you wanted.”

“No, I don’t regret it,” she sighed, lifting her head to look at him, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes again. “I did want it but… the timing… I’m still married to Nick. He’s still my husband. You’re still his brother. Everything’s off.”

“So, what happens now?” he asked, butterflies in his stomach as he wondered the different possibilities that could happen.

“Well, I told you last night that it’s over with Nick and me.”

“But what about us?” he asked, turning the rest of his body to her and she looked at the floor.

“I don’t know Joe,” she said, biting her lip. “It’s complicated.”

“What’s so complicated? I love you, Faith. Do you understand that?”

“Yes. I love you too but…”

“But what? What could possibly keep you from wanting to be with me?”

“I might be pregnant, Joe. I can’t remember you pulling out last night. Do you?”

“I…” he said, shifting through his memories to see if he could remember pulling out of her last night. He couldn’t remember. He just remembered being one with her and holding her in his arms finally. “I can’t remember.”

“To make matters worse, it could be Nick’s.”

“I thought you said you guys weren’t having sex because of the fighting,” he said automatically.

“Yes but now that I’m thinking more clearly Nick and I did have sex on Halloween, before we came here. Even though I was off the birth control he used a condom but it was kind of old. It could have ripped for all we know.”

“Shit,” he said, walking over to the kitchen counter and leaning against it. “So… if you are pregnant, I could either be the father or the uncle.”

“Yeah,” she said, walking over to the island and leaning against it across from Joe.

“What if it’s Nick’s?”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m not going to stay with him. I want you Joe.”

“But what if it’s Nick’s?” he pressed again, hoping to God that the child, if there is one, would be his so he could finally be a father like he wanted.

“Well, I don’t know technicalities but we wouldn’t be able to keep that fact from him. Whether the child, if any, is his or yours he’ll be in its life no matter what.”

“When will you be able to find out?”

“I’m supposed to get my period next week. If I don’t get it that’s when I’ll buy the pregnancy tests,” she said, looking down at her feet. “If they’re positive that’s when I’ll go to the doctors. It will be so hard to tell whose it is because the dates are so close but… I’m sure they’ll be able to do a paternity test.”

“Do you want me with you?” he asked and she looked up at him questioningly. “When you talk to Nick, I mean.”

“Oh no. No, no, no, no, no. I need to talk to him myself,” she said, shaking her head.

“Okay,” he said, walking over and wrapping his arms around her. “Okay.”