Tristan's Redemption (5 page)

“
Yes.” Abby added another piece to her plate and liberally applied parmesan cheese. She plucked a piece of pineapple off the pizza and ate it.

“
Does your family still garden?”

“
Oh yes. My parents, uncles and aunts do. The children that live nearby help. This year, I won’t be allowed to.”

“
Ah, concern for the baby.”

“
Exactly. I’ve been informed by the familial powers that be that if I put one foot on the farm with the intention of working, someone will sit me down, put a glass of tea in my hand and watch me until I can be safely delivered back home.”

Tristan took a sip of coffee.
“They are watching out for you. That’s natural.”

Abby huffed.
“I’m pregnant, not helpless.”

“
No, you’re definitely not helpless. Anyone can see how strong you are. But, by the same token, you’re doing the most important job you can, which is nurturing your child. I don’t think taking a summer off from harvesting is too much for a woman in your situation.”

She frowned, not happy with the direction this was going.
“But the baby and I are going to eat. I should pitch in.”

“
You are, Abby. This Thanksgiving, when everyone is gathered around for your holiday celebrations, don’t you think the family will rejoice in seeing you and your baby safe and healthy?”

“
Well, yes, but—”

Tristan held up a finger and spoke in a nurturing tone.
“And don’t you think they will all be happy to see your child’s face when he sees the Christmas decorations?”

Abby nodded in agreement.
“Of course they will.”

“
Then allow them to do this for you.”

“
You have a point. Even though I don’t like the thought of sitting back.”

“
So do something else. Can you bake?”

Abby chewed on her lip and thought.
“My coworkers love it when I bring blueberry muffins in.”

“
Then on the days when your family is working, why don’t you bring them muffins? That can be your contribution.”

“
Tristan,” Abby smiled, happy with the idea, “you are brilliant. Thank you.”

“
You are most certainly welcome, Abby.” Tristan looked embarrassed by the praise, which was oddly endearing. Such a beautiful man had to be used to compliments from women. When she looked down at her phone, she frowned at the time. She stood as the waiter packed her leftover pizza. “Sorry for cutting out of here like this, but I’ve got some crafts to assemble.” At his questioning glance, Abby explained. “My mom is running crafts at her church’s Bible school and I’m helping her out.

Tristan rose.
“I understand. I’ve got some things I need to do as well.”

They made their way to the door.
“You don’t need to leave on my account. I’m sure you wanted to finish your tiramisu.”

“
I did.” Tristan pointed at the table and the empty plate.

“
Oh—” He took advantage of Abby’s turned head and took her bill out of her hand. “Hey, what are you doing?”

“
Paying for your dinner. If you hadn’t been in here, I would have eaten alone at the bar. You made my last minute attempt to satisfy my sweet tooth well worth it.”

Abby wasn
’t going to win this argument, but she had to try. “I can pay for my own dinner.”

“
So,” Tristan said with a wink and a grin, “can I.” He paid and led Abby to the door. “Besides, I’ve been told that I need to get out from behind my desk more, something about tiramisu being therapeutic.” He shrugged with a wry grin.

“
Fine, but I’m paying next time.” Abby’s eyes widened, and she wished she could take back the words as they left her mouth.

Tristan smiled like a kid in a candy store.
“Deal. I’ll see you in group later this week.”

“
Yeah, see you.”

Abby walked to her car deep in thought. It had taken David two
weeks to talk her into dinner—she hadn’t wanted to seem too enthusiastic, even though she’d been nursing a serious crush on him for months. So how had Tristan, a virtual stranger, managed to pay for her meal and make tentative plans for a future date—if you could call it that—so easily?

Abby stowed her pizza on the passenger seat and started the car. As she put it in gear, a car slowed beside her. It was Tristan. She waved and mouthed the words
good night.
He did the same and pulled off. Abby’s chest tightened when she realized that Tristan was doing the same thing David used to do.

Oh
, David.

He
had never stopped ensuring her safety. The last thing she ever saw him doing was watching her drive away, even after he had sex with another woman.

Wiping tears from her eyes, Abby hit the gas and headed home.

“Abby, do you have a few minutes to talk?”

Julie, the group counselor
, looked at her with matronly concern, which was amusing, considering that Julie was five years younger than Abby. She lost her husband in Bengazi after his convoy struck a roadside bomb. Julie, like Abby, was pregnant when her husband died. David, like Julie’s husband, would never hold his only child.

“
Sure, Julie. What’s up?”

Julie politely nodded at a few of the participants who were leaving.
“That’s what I wanted to find out from you. How are things going with you and Peanut?”

Abby had nicknamed the baby Peanut. On her first ultrasound, the baby was roughly the size of a peanut and the nickname stuck. Abby patted her belly and smiled.
“Peanut’s fine. Likes pineapple now, apparently.”

“
Good. Pineapple tastes much better going down than coming back up.”

Abby cringed and shook her head.
“Don’t remind me.”

“
Other than the dietary changes, how are things?”

“
The doc says my weight is good—apparently I’m right on the mark—but the latest ultrasound puts Peanut ahead of schedule. Doc’s going to watch the size closely because he isn’t ruling out a C-section at this point.”

“
Good. If Peanut is a big boy, Alabama’s football program is—”

“
Woah.” Abby held up her hand. “My son will go to Georgia Tech for football, thank you very much.”

Julie smirked and bent to Abby
’s belly. “Kid, we’ll handle your mama when it’s time.” Raising up, she took a deep breath. “Now, let’s talk about what’s going on with Abby.”

“
I’m having the nursery painted.”

“
That’s good. It’s also related to the baby. Just pretend Peanut is sitting in a pod outside your body for a few moments and tell me how
you
are doing.” Julie emphasized this with a light tap on Abby’s shoulder.

Oh God.
Abby should have realized, by the looks Julie gave her during the meeting, that she’d picked up on her mood. “I’m fine, Julie.”

“
Bullshit. And don’t give me that look—I can say that to you if I want to. I’ve been there, done that, got spit up all over the t-shirt.” Julie’s tone softened and she touched Abby on the arm. “It’s only been six months, Abby. You aren’t fine yet.”

“
No, I’m not. But I should be. I wasn’t the one crawling all over another man that afternoon.”

“
You’re carrying around a lot more than grief over losing your spouse, Abby. There’s everything else. The infidelity. Being left to raise the baby alone. Do you think it would help if you talk to a professional about this?”

Abby frowned.
“Doesn’t this count?”

Julie tapped her chin in thought.
“Yes and no. I’m here to facilitate a group meeting where people of similar circumstances can cope with loss. And I’m here to listen when individuals in the group need individual attention. But as your friend, Abby—and that is what I am—I can also raise concerns when I think you may need some extra help. Do you feel like you do?”

“
I’m not sure. It’s like I have a big question mark where all the love used to be. Why, when I would never have thought about looking at another man, would David not grant me the same courtesy? Why was I so easy to replace?”

“
I’m not excusing what he did, not one bit, but he didn’t replace his wife. He slept with another woman.”

She gaped.
“There’s a difference?”

“
Depends who you ask. For me, I would say no. Indiscretion, whether it’s physical, in the heart, or both, is still indiscretion. But others, perhaps someone without a uterus, would feel differently.”

Abby frowned.
“You think I should talk to a man?”

“
What I think isn’t part of the equation. I can only offer suggestions. If the question of why is plaguing you, and you can’t answer it, why not go to someone who, perhaps, can?”

Abby looked around at all the empty chairs. Tristan hadn
’t been there tonight, not that she would’ve felt comfortable asking him this sort of question anyway, and she didn’t want to share her shame with just anyone.

Then she remembered her schedule for the next day and smiled.

“Do you think it’s worth a shot, Abby?”

“
Yeah,” Abby admitted with a smile. “I do.”

~

Ehron looked about as uncomfortable as Abby had ever seen a man look. He scrunched his nose and kept his attention on the border for the nursery. Anything, other than Abby’s face, seemed preferable at the moment.

“
Well?”

“
Mrs. Daniels—” His cheeks were red. Was he blushing?

“
Abby, please.”

“
Abby, then. I don’t know what to say.”

“
It’s fine, really. A friend advised me to get a guy’s opinion, and you’re the only guy I know who won’t be a regular part of my life.”

“
No one knows that your husband cheated on you?”

Abby frowned and shook her head.
“Other than my counselor in group sessions, you’re the first person I’ve ever told.”

Ehron exhaled and shifted his weight to his other foot in a nervous gesture. Which said a lot. Someone with his presence didn
’t seem like the type to get nervous. “Mrs. Da...Abby, if I may be forward...”

“
Please do.”

“
That big wedding portrait hanging over your fireplace?”

“
Yeah?”

“
No man looks at a woman like that unless he loves her. “

Abby smiled and leaned against the wall, resting her hands on her belly.
“David used to say he hoped that our children got my eyes, so when they met the person they loved, the other person could see forever, just like he could. I forgot about him saying that.”

Ehron nodded
then cocked his head to the side. “If I may ask, were you married when he said that?”

“
Yeah, we were. Why?”

“
Because honestly, he’d already sealed the deal. He didn’t need to seduce you or whisper sweet nothings to get you to marry him. What he said then had to be from his soul.”

Abby was confused.
“Soul...why not his heart?”

“
Some love goes with you beyond the grave, Mrs. Daniels.” He straightened and blew out a breath. “Okay, enough of that. Frankly, I’m a guy. I think I’ve waxed poetic enough about feelings for one day.”

Abby laughed.
“Good point. I’ll get out of your hair now.”

She walked to the fireplace and looked up at the portrait. It was taken on her wedding day, nearly six years ago. David never strayed from her side and he always kept a supporting hand around her waist or resting at the small of her back.

He teared up during their first dance and Abby treasured the feeling of being held by someone who loved her so much. As he held her that night after making love, David told Abby that she was the best thing that ever happened to him and he was so excited for their happily ever after. For the rest of their marriage, whenever he introduced her, he always beamed and said “and this is my wife, the best thing that has ever happened to me,” repeating the same words he’d whispered to her on their wedding night.

So where had it all gone wrong? Every memory she had of her husband was tainted by the last. Even if David had lived, if that drunk woman hadn
’t hit him, would Abby have been able to forgive his betrayal?

She did not have an answer for that. For that matter, Abby didn
’t think she ever would.