When The Wrong One Loves You Right

The Lucky One

Six weeks later....

I stared out the window into the backyard of the Altman home lost in a reverie, not seeing the bare tree branches heralding cold weather or the grey sky. Instead a thousand thoughts were racing through my mind. I was thinking of that weekend trip I had made out to Las Vegas, booking the trip on a weekend when I knew Phillip had to be at the store. I felt guilty but it was just to meet with Steve Wynn and walk through the Mirage. I just wanted to to see it. To see if I could truly live without that. 

I did not sign the contract. I instead told Mr. Wynn about my pregnancy. Not a problem, he had said. You can work until you can't stand on your feet and I'll pay for your maternity leave. Just please...say yes.

And I would have said yes then and there...except images of Phillip in his button down and tie, already back to work at the store as if he had something to prove, sitting across the table from me at family dinners giving me his signature mischievous grin, lifting me up off the ground when he kissed me. I shook my head. 

"Come over for dinner Christmas night," he'd asked me.

I looked at him oddly. "Your family celebrates Christmas?"

"Yeah, well, Mom's not Jewish and Dad barely was," Phillip laughed. 

My eyes went wide and I smiled. "Don't tell my mom that," I warned jokingly. "Some of that sun that shines out of your ass just might dim for her."

Phillip had laughed uproariously at that. He took my hand and kissed it. "I doubt that," he said cockily. 

I wiped the last dish dry and handed it to Mrs. Altman. She took it with a warm smile at me. A very warm smile. She had warmed considerably toward me since my pregnancy had advanced.  

"That was a lovely dinner, Mrs. Altman," I remarked. "Thank you."

"I'm glad you could join us, Cameron," she said, leaning a hip against the counter. "Any idea on yours and Phillip's future plans?"

I laughed and looked down. "Well you certainly cut to the chase."

Mrs. Altman smiled wider. "Well, if you don't want to light a fire under my son's ass, I will. He has absolutely no business going into the new year without putting a ring on your finger."

I shrugged and pushed down my guilt. "Phillip's still convalescing, Mrs. Altman," I assured her. "Besides it's not him. I...I don't want to rush it."

"Convalescing?" she laughed. "Is that what you call it? Well maybe you don't want to rush things, but that little one certainly will." She gently poked at my barely there bump. "I'm not what you would call the traditional type, but I should say things would be a little bit easier if you two were at least living under the same roof?"

I bit my lip wondering if I should tell Mrs. Altman. "It just doesn't feel right. I still don't have a job, I'm living with my mom again, and..."

Mrs. Altman broke in, "Don't worry about a job right now Cameron, Phillip can support you until you find something. Right now all you need to worry about is yourself and that little one on the way." She patted my belly. "Besides, I think the extra responsibility would be good for Phillip. And something will come up for you."

Again I felt that wave of guilt wash over me as I thought about the numerous phone calls back and forth between myself and Steve Wynn. He couldn't understand what the holdup was. Did I want more money? Did I want my own penthouse suite perhaps? He could work it out for me, he assured me. All I had to do was name my price. And yet how could I work in Las Vegas and have a relationship with Philip? I knew deep down in my heart Phillip would never go for it, but then again would he really try to stop me? I needed this, needed to be independent so bad. And just today, Wynn had called five times. It went against my very nature to let a man take care of me as Mrs. Altman was suggesting. Even if it was just temporarily.