Sophie
Nathan and I sat at the table to eat with Ashley and Riley. "I hope you don't mind, I took the liberty to order a few things for Nathan." She smiles and looks to him, giving him a wink. 'I'm not sure what you like, so I got a few things." She says , taking her seat closer to him and cupping his cheeks, bringing a bright smile to his face. "I got a few dishes. Pasta, chicken tenders with fries, a cold sandwich, oh, I ordered chocolate cake for dessert, do you like chocolate cake sweetheart? It's your dad's favorite." Her eyes filled with tears as she said those last words. It made my heart sink. I was starting to feel so guilty about leaving and not tell them all these years about my son.
"It's ok, I like everything." Nathan smiled and sat straight on his seat. The food soon arrived, and we all began to eat, making small, but pleasant conversations. Ashley hadn't changed much, other than her physical appearance. She was much more beautiful than what I remember her, but she was still her joyful self, joking around and being silly. It took me back to all those fun nights we would hang out in their house.
We decided to walk near the orchards after our lunch, giving Ashley and Nathan time to bond, while Riley and I stood behind talking. I became nervous, and feeling awkward, unable to shake off the feeling of guilt for making the Spencer's lose so many years next to their smallest family member. I had explained to her a little about what had happened, but we didn't quite get to every subject that needed to be dealt with.
"Tell me, does Logan know about Nathan?" She paced with her arms behind her back, and looked down towards all the fallen leaves.
"No, Riley. I haven't told him about him. And I am begging you not tell him. For now, until I am ready to tell him." I looked at her and hoped she'd agree to my plead. She sighed, looking between me, and the two new best friends who were enjoying their company, picking apples from the trees, and placing them in a small wooden pale.
"Sophie, It's not my obligation to bring this news to my son, I can not come between your business and his. This is something you and him need to deal with....on your own. You are both responsible adults, and I know you're a good parent, you fear what Logan will say and how he will react with these news. I can assure you that he is responsible, he's matured so much, even when you were in high school, he showed you he was a sensible, responsible young man. I am pleading with you.... Do not prolong this any more. You will only worsen the situation. Remember- Not only does Logan have the right to find the truth, but others as well need to know the truth about him. Nathan- needs to know who his father is, he needs a father figure in his life, and what better than his own father? Logan can take good care of him, and I know....that if you two were to talk about this, you can both work things out." She smiles, placing her hand on my shoulder.
I know she's right, she.....is absolutely right. But I was so scared of the outcome. I don't know how I'm going to be able to talk to Logan about this. I knowing I am keeping the truth from father and son. They both need to know, and the faster, the better. But Logan and I have drifted apart. Besides, he has Amber already. She's probably still in love with him, and by what I've noticed, Riley didn't know about their daughter either.
I promised Riley it would be sometime soon, and she swore to me that if I didn't tell him by the time specified, she'd take things into her own hands. I've known Riley since I was a little girl, and I knew she stuck to her word. It was so difficult for me to tell her what was happening, and I feared that she'd be so mad at me for keeping Nathan from them. But she also knew how much of a conniving snake Amber was. She knew Amber had a cunning tongue that could fool anyone into believing anything she wanted.
I had no choice but to tell her the truth about that day. How Amber had approached me with the news about her pregnancy and confessing to me that she had slept with Logan on a drunken night at a party while he and I had a break up. It tore me apart to reminisce on the events of that day. It was the same day I fled to Los Angeles and never returned, until the day I found the news of my mom's illness.
"No, no, you're wrong Sophie. He would have told me. He has never mentioned anything to me. And, besides, when you two had broken up, he rarely went out. Other than the away games his team had, he mainly stayed in his room. Trust me, Sophie, it's not true. And if it is, he has a lot of explaining to do." She looked pensively towards the ground. "I don't understand any of this. Why would he not tell me that Amber and him had slept together? Unless she's lying to you. Sophie you have to give him the benefit of the doubt. You need to talk to him, and... you also need to confront Amber about this. And by all means, when you do, make sure that I am there. I need to give her a peace of my mind. How could she walk back into our lives and act like everything is ok, after she deceived us? I tell you what? She's a conniving witch, that's what she is. I can't believe I gave Logan permission to help her get her house and help finance her education. Had I known, why I would of-"she was so mad and irritated.
I knew the feeling too well. The news of her having a baby with Logan made me into an angry, bitter person. It blinded me into taking drastic measures and leaving this town, without thinking of the consequences it can have. I was always angry, until I saw Nathan in my arms for the first time. That's when life changed for me again, and I decided that I needed to move forward and live my life with, or without Logan in it.
"Mom, look, I filled my bucket. Try one, their so good. Do you want one too, grandma?" Nathan smiled and glanced between us. "Did you just....did you just call me grandma?" She said gasping, a stray tear ran down her cheek. "uhm, mmhm." He said smiling and nodding his head at her. She scooped him up, making him spill his small bucket of fresh picked apples on the floor. She smothered him with kisses, making him giggle.
"I can get used to hearing that. It sounds so good. Call me grandma all the time, ok baby?" She says smiling with a spark in her eye. He nods, hugging her and giving her a kiss on her cheek. "Ok, ok. Calm down now Georgina! You're going to squeeze the life out of that kid." Ashley says, coming back with her own pale filled with apples, and one apple half eaten on her other hand.
Riley glances at her with an annoyed stare. "Don't call me by that name. ...wretched woman." She says making Ashley laugh.
"Who's Georgina?" I ask making them glance at each other. That's the name we gave a girl Logan went out with for a few months a few years back. She went around talking about the future she'd have with Logan. Talking about kids, and grandkids, how she wanted them to call her Grammy Gina, and acted out the whole thing." Ashley says making me feel a bit pained by the news.
The possibility of him moving on was inevitable, I knew it. It was possible that if he didn't date Amber, that he'd eventually move on to someone else. But, it still hurt. It hurt because I still had feelings for him, feelings that I didn't want to have any more, and wanted to get rid of, but each time I hear his name, they resurface.
"She was a psycho! That's what she was. She was also sleeping with half of the school, and acted so hurt when Logan finally dumped her ass. I was glad he finally got rid of her. She had the nerves to act like she was a victim. She is nothing but a crazy woman. Logan had to put a restraining order on her, she wouldn't leave him alone."
"Despite the fact she was still sleeping around. She even slept with Steven. Logan and him are still good friends though, she wasn't worth the break up of their friendship. Besides, Steven became a big man whore when they left for college." Ashley added making me laugh.
"Ashley!"
"WHAT? It's true, mom. Everyone here knows how he goes around sleeping with every skirt he can find in this town." Ashley shrugs her shoulders and tilts her head. Riley covers Nathan's ears and nods her head.
"Steven is still in town?" I ask Riley, making her nod. "He is honey. He became a sheriff in town, after he graduated college with Logan and the boys. He came back right into town and joined the police academy, and joined our local sheriff department." I never would of guessed Steven had it in him to become an officer. Everyone seemed to be doing good in town. I was glad for them, they all had good lives and had began to settle down.
I was ready to go back to work as well. I had seen a nice office on the internet for rent nearby. It was in a large building, but it was a good thing though, I'd feel safer knowing there were more people around while I worked, making me feel protected. Soon, I'd open my own small studio and continue my career as a photographer, and write my books in between.
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