Two Steps Forward ✔️

Chapter 13

"What are you doing here?"

I looked up to see my mom and Scott enter my mom's living room. "I didn't feel like going home right now.

Scott shook his head, sitting next to his brother, "what is going on? I would assume Gemma to be upset, but not that upset."

I groaned, putting my head in my hands. I looked back up at my brother as my mom left the room, "I slept with Gemma. Twice. Once this morning." Before I could continue, Scott leaped up from the couch.

"How could you do that? Lead her on?"

I stood up, "I wasn't! I'm not! I'm in love with her. I told her I'm leaving Mallory. I've even seen an attorney already." I hesitated, "that was before all this."

Scott scoffed, "you mean before your wife got pregnant? And now what? What do you plan on doing? I thought Gemma was happy with Lucas?"

I sighed, "Lucas knows everything that's gone on between us. Their relationship only started as a way to make me jealous, which he knows. And as far as what I'm doing, I don't know! I still plan on getting a divorce. And I'm not convinced she's pregnant anyways. I told her to wait until she went to the doctor."

"And if she is pregnant?"

We both looked up to see our mom in the doorway. I groaned, "I can't do it anymore. I can't be with her. I never should have with her to begin with." I looked back at my mom, "how much did you hear?"

"Enough. How could you do this to Gemma. Haven't you put that girl through enough?"

I groaned, sitting back down with my head in my hands as the tears began to fall, "I never meant to do anything to her." I sat for a while until I heard them both give up and leave the room.

**********************************************

"Do you want to talk about it Gem?"

I shook my head at Lucas, "not really. And please, don't call me Gem. Okay?"

Lucas nodded, "of course. I'm sorry."

I groaned, "no. Luke, I'm sorry. Getting you involved in all of this. I can only imagine what you must think of me."

He shook his head as he sat on the bed next to her. He wrapped his arms around her as she cried again, "don't be sorry love. The only one that should be sorry is Chris."

I groaned, standing up from the bed to pace, "but I willingly became the other woman Luke! I gave in to him. One moment of weakness and I gave in."

"No!" Lucas stood up from the bed, grabbing her arms to make her stop, "he made you the other woman. He took advantage of your feelings for him. He's the one that should be sorry. Not you."

I nodded as I heard someone come into the house.

"Gemma?"

I recognized the voice, "upstairs." I turned to see Scott enter my bedroom, wrapping me in a hug without saying anything.

"Chris told me everything. I'm so sorry Gemma."

I wasn't able to control the sobs as I wrapped my arms around Scott, the closest person I ever had to a brother. "I don't know what I'm going to do now."

Scott groaned, letting her cry until she calmed down before pulling away. He brought his hands to her cheeks, wiping the tears, "I'm sorry. Is there something I can do?"

I chuckled, "kill your brother?"

Scott laughed, "I think my mom may be doing that already."

I looked back at him shocked, "your mom knows?!"

"Sorry. She overheard Chris telling me. It's fine." He looked at Lucas, "we all know this is all on Chris." He saw Lucas nod in agreement before looking back at her.

I groaned, sitting back on the edge of the bed, "soon everyone will know." I looked back up at Scott, "where is he?"

Scott shrugged, "he was at our mom's house. I don't know if he still is or not."

I nodded, standing up, "he leaves for filming soon doesn't he?"

Scott nodded, "in a few days."

I left them both in the bedroom calling for me as I left the house. I drove to Lisa's house, letting myself in as I have done thousands of times before. I see Lisa in the kitchen, "is your son still here?"

She nodded, pointing outside. Lisa grabbed her arm before she could walk away, "are you okay?"

I shook my head, "not really." I walked to the back patio and found him leaning on the rail, looking out over the yard with his back to me.

"How could you do this to me?"

***********************************************

I felt my heart in my stomach when I heard her voice. I turned around to see Gemma standing in front of me, "Gem." I put my arms out but she shook he head and crossed her arms. "Gemma, I'm sorry."

"No! You're not! You made me the other woman Chris! The other woman to a fucking pregnant wife!"

I groaned, shaking my head, "I don't even really know if she's pregnant. I told her not to say anything until she went to the doctor. Please, you have to believe this isn't what I want."

"How many times do I have to hear you say that? Not what you wanted? Yet every decision you make is yours and yours alone Christopher!"

I saw the tears streaking her cheeks again as she approached me.

Gemma hit him in the chest, "I hate you so much! I wish you never would have came back! You should have stayed in LA!"

I shook my head, grabbing her hands as I felt my own tears betraying me, "no. I couldn't stay away from you. I couldn't leave you."

Gemma scoffed, backing away from him, "you already left me once! You should have just left it there! Instead you had to come back here and rub her and your family in my face. The family that should have been mine! The son that should have been mine! And you continue to twist the knife in even more with everything you do!"

*********************************************

I hesitated, turning away from him for a moment before turning back, "how long are you going to pretend that boy is even yours? Everyone knows he isn't."

Chris shook his head, "no. You don't know that."

I laughed, "I knew you when you were ten Chris! He looks nothing like you!"

He shook his head again, looking at the ground, "don't say that. It can't true."

"Why can't it be true?"

He looked up at her, "because that means I left you, I've hurt you, over and over again for nothing. And I can't believe that it's all been for nothing."

I shook my head, "well it was all for nothing Chris. And I meant what I said, I don't want to hear from, or see you. Unless it has something to do with Harrison. I'm done with you."