AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I knew it was fraud,” she says confidently and hands the iPad over to me.
“After some internal investigation and pretty intense interrogation, we found out that Chad Bellview, our president of sales, was behind it, along with one of our accounts payable interns whom he had manipulated after a sexual affair had started between them.”
Brontë’s eyes bug out of her head.
“That dickless shitbag?” I can’t hold back my laughter and Jonas’ head snaps to the right to look at me as Brontë giggles. Jack, who I haven’t seen make a single facial expression since meeting him, can’t hold back and even cracks a slight smile at my comment.
“We have fired him immediately, along with the intern, and are pursuing legal action. We are also working to make restitution to our employees,” Bryan says.
“I knew I didn’t like that guy, apart from being a sexist prick. I guess the silver lining is, it was someone I would have fired immediately after the acquisition went through.”
“You’ve always been a fantastic judge of character, Beckham,” Jonas says, clapping my shoulder.
“All right, now that we’ve established who was doing it, you men need to work to get your ducks in a row at Pierce. For now, the acquisition is paused until this is resolved. I won’t have my name or Jonas’ involved in this any more than it already is.” I stand up and button my suit jacket, shaking Jack and Bryan’s hands before ushering them out of my conference room.
* * *
I leave work early, heading straight over to the women’s clinic where Venus mentioned she’s having her twenty-week scan. I sit in the car outside, trying to gather up any ounce of excitement I can, but it’s just not there.
“You okay?” I hear her muffled voice outside my window as she taps gently against the glass. I smile half-heartedly and open the door, walking inside the building with her.
I stare at the monitor as the doctor moves the wand around Venus’ swollen belly. I can’t make sense of what I’m seeing but seconds later I hear a loud, rapid whooshing sound that fills the room.
“And that is your baby girl’s heartbeat. Sitting perfectly right at one hundred forty beats per minute.”
“Baby girl,” Venus gasps, reaching her hand out and grabbing mine, tears in her eyes as she looks from the monitor to me. I squeeze her hand with both of mine, looking at the monitor, but no matter how hard I try, I feel nothing.
I listen to the doctor, but it sounds like everything is just echoing around me. I nod and smile; I hold Venus’ hand, but I feel so empty, so broken.
Am I broken? How can I be hearing my baby’s heartbeat and feel nothing? What kind of man am I? What kind of father could I ever hope to be?
I sit in my car in silence for several minutes after the appointment. Venus waves goodbye as she leaves, and I contemplate driving around for a few hours. The last place I want to be is home alone.
I reach for my phone and decide to try one last time. I find Brontë’s name and give her a call.
“Hello?” Even her voice sounds empty.
“Hey.”
Silence.
“I know you already told me a dozen times, but I can’t—I need to see you, please. I just want to talk.”
“Why? What is left to say?”
“You were my best friend; I miss talking to you. Confiding in you. I don’t know what else to do, Brontë.” I’m pleading. It’s pathetic but I don’t care.
“I’m down by the lake. Montrose Beach.”
“I’ll be there shortly and thank you.”
I hang up and fly through traffic, my heart feeling like it’s about to beat out of my chest at the thought of being able to talk to her again.
When I get there, she’s sitting all alone on a bench, the sun slowly setting behind her. I take a seat on the bench silently, both of us staring out at the water for several minutes.
“I just went to the twenty-week ultrasound today with Venus.” She doesn’t respond but I can feel Brontë tense beside me. “She’s having a girl.”
“You’re having a girl,” she corrects and it makes my stomach flip.
