Bride to Be

28: Whole Again

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: WHOLE AGAIN

July 26th, 2020

5:03PM

Gemma was home alone that afternoon, laying on the couch while American Horror Story played on the television. She was wrapped up in a blanket watching her favorite episodes from Murder House, half asleep when she heard a knock on the door. She was not sure if she actually heard a knock, or if she was just imagining it in her half awake state. Though when Gemma heard the knocking again, she knew that someone really was at the door.

She groaned, not wanting to get up from her comfortable spot on the couch. Though when the knock was heard again, more urgently this time, Gemma threw the blanket off of her and with a yawn, made her way towards the door.

When she opened the door, she was expecting a package, or maybe a neighbor stopping by. What she did not expect, was to see Rowan Taylor at her door, with bloodshot eyes and fresh tears streaming down his face.

"Rowan?" Gemma was shocked and confused as she took in the sight of Rowan in front of her. Instead of responding, Rowan threw his arms around Gemma, where he cried on her shoulder. As if an instinct, Gemma wrapped her arms around Rowan, as well. She was confused, but did not hesitate before hugging him back. Although she was confused, she was enjoying having Rowan in her arms.

"Gemma," Rowan wept. Gemma pulled away from Rowan for a moment, taking in his features once more. She grabbed his hand and led him into the living room, where he sat down and wiped away the fresh tears streaming down his face.

"Rowan," Gemma kept her fingers laced with his as she sat down. "What happened?"

"She - " Rowan's words were slurring, and that's when Gemma knew that he was drunk. She was not sure how she did not notice before, though as they sat down, Gemma could smell the booze on him. "Avery cheated on me."

Gemma's jaw dropped. Her heartbeat increased, and she was speechless. She did not know what to say, but all she wanted to do in that moment was comfort Rowan, because it was clear that he had just found recently.

"What?" was all Gemma could muster out. She was trying to piece together how Avery could have cheated, and with whom, but she could not get over the initial fact that Avery did cheat, and instead of going home, Rowan ran to her. Gemma's heart did some flips at the thought of Rowan running to her in this shocking time of need.

"She lost the baby - " Rowan cried. He opened his eyes to look at Gemma, though through tears and being drunk, she was blurry in his field of vision.

"Oh my god,"

"And the baby - it wasn't mine. She fucking slept with someone else."

Gemma squeezed Rowan's hand. In response, he inched closer to her on the couch. Gemma sat there, still holding his hand, unsure of what to do.

"I'm sorry, Rowan."

Rowan's tears slowed down as Gemma's face came more into his view. He blinked away the tears, and although the room was spinning due to how much he drank, he could see her much clearer.

"I'm not," he laughed. Surprisingly, his laugh was genuine. Gemma cocked her head to the side, taking in his sudden change in appearance as she waited for him to say more. "I didn't want to be a father."

Gemma just nodded, still not knowing how to respond. All she was focused on in the moment was the fact that with each word Rowan spoke, he was inching closer to her on the couch.

"Now that I'm thinking about it, I did not even want to get married."

Gemma's eyes widened. His words brought her back to mini golfing only two days ago, when Rowan asked her the strange question of what Gemma would do if she were in a situation that she did not know how to get out of. For a moment, Gemma started piecing everything together. Rowan did not want to get married -- that was the situation he was referring to, only two days previous.