Dirty Little Secrets

--Danny--

I woke up the morning of August 25th, 2012 particularly excited. Maybe because it was my wedding day. I looked next to me in bed and of course my betrothed wasn’t there. This thing about don’t see the bride before the wedding... Whatever. Darcy and Megan came in my bedroom promptly at 9:30 to make sure I was up and brought me my breakfast in bed. When they came in, my Boston Terrier Screech, aptly named from my favorite character in Saved By The Bell, came in as well and ran around my bed and began licking my face.

“Are you excited?” Darcy asked me as she sat at the end of the bed. I smiled as I nodded, since I was mid-bite of my muffin. “I still think you should have married Carlos.”

“Oh my gosh. You’re still on this?"

"He has a kid now.”

“What’s wrong with having a kid?” Megan said, then smiled knowing that she’d tripped Darcy with her words.

Just then, five year old Aidan walked in the room and he looked more like his dad every day. He was pretty damn adorable. I still couldn’t believe he was born just five years ago. Shit’s crazy.

“Hey, I didn’t come all the way to Arizona to be ridiculed,” Darcy said and moved over so Aidan would have somewhere to sit.

So I had relocated back to Arizona. We owned a spacious two bedroom house just south of Scottsdale. California didn’t really work out.

Oh, yeah. My acting career. Turns out I didn’t really want to work anymore. I did a total of five commercials and had a recurring guest role on an ABC sitcom for a season. After that, I decided to become more domestic and started to plan my wedding.

By three o’clock, my hair and make up were done and as they laced my dress up, a tear fell out of my eye.

“Sweetheart, you look so beautiful,” my mother said after I’d turned around. “He is going to love you in this dress.”

“He loves me anyway. Regardless of how good I look. But damn, do I look good.”

Darcy and Megan began laughing then the door opened and Daisy walked in. “Mama, you look so beautiful!” She said excitedly and ran over to me and I picked her up.

“Oh my goodness, girl! You’re almost getting too big for me to hold you!”

Daisy was four. Five in December.

A knock came at the door and my mother let in Jared and Eric, who were already dressed for the ceremony in an hour.

“Oh my gosh, Danny,” Eric started and just stared at me. He looked like he was going to say something, but Jared finished for him.

“We’re happy for you.” He didn’t seem like he meant it but I took it anyways and gave them both hugs.

“I love you guys. You’ve always been there. Through it all.”

“Yeah and we’re going to be there still. You’re our best friend, don’t forget that,” Eric said solemnly.

I smiled and wiped away a tear. “Okay, you two. Get out of here. You’re making my mascara run.”

“She’s got mascara on, Jared. She must really like him.” We all shared a laugh and they left.

“Are you ready?” My mom asked me and handed me my bouquet. “It’s not too late to back out.”

“Mom,” I groaned. “Really? I’m 24. Pretty sure I’m making the right decision.”

“I sure damn hope so.”

We loaded my mom’s suburban and Megan drove all six of us to the Phoenician, a country club near Echo Canyon Park. Seeing all of the chairs set up outside and the altar really set reality in for me. I was getting married today.

“Mommy’s marrying Daddy today,” I said to Daisy then she scowled her face.

“Not Daddy.”

“He’ll be Daddy today. Are you okay with that?”

“I guess so.”

I looked out the window and I saw John. He looked upset. I’m surprised he even showed up. He took his seat next to Jared and sat there with his head in his hands. Why would he be acting this way on my wedding day?

Then it hit me like a brick wall. He was still in love with me.

-June 4, 2007-

--John--

“Okay, now open your eyes,” she said a few moments after she took her hands away from in front of them. It immediately felt like home. She’d only been here for a couple of days and already she integrated things that represented me and her and it felt like we’d lived there forever.

“Is this my room?” I said and laughed at the smaller second bedroom.

“Yeah. No, I wanted a two bedroom apartment because we might have a kid one day.”

“And that won’t be for a while.”

“You don’t want kids?” She sounded heart broken.

“I do, but not right this second.”

“What about in about seven months?”

For a split second I was confused as to why she suggested such a weird time, then I knew. “Are you...?”

All she could do was nod. She looked scared out of her mind because I just told her I didn’t want kids right now. I felt like the biggest asshole.

As she began to cry, I stepped forward and held her in my arms and she in turn wrapped hers around me. “Are you mad?” She asked me.

“Of course not. Shocked, but not mad.” I pulled her back to look at her. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”

“You had you’re own things going on. You were getting Kennedy to replace Alex and your EP was coming out. I didn’t want to take away from that.”

“You know, you keep things from me a lot,” I stifled a laugh then a few tears came out of my eyes and she wiped them.

“I’m sorry. Do you want to go running away, screaming now?”

“No, Danielle. I want to stay with you right here. I love you.” I kissed her forehead then stroked my thumb under her eye to catch the tears. “Stop crying; it’s okay.”

“I was just so scared on how you would take it. I don’t know what I would have done if I lost you.”

“Well if it makes you feel any better, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

She breathed out and put her head against my chest. “It’s a girl.”