You Always Have Me

Part 21

Jeremy cried himself to sleep after he wrote that letter. He wasn't sure if he was going to send it, but he thought that at least writing everything down would make him feel better a little. He couldn't be that much of a coward even if he admitted it himself, he made a mistake, a huge one, and he had to face Stevie, despite how hard it was going to be.

Waking up the following morning, Jeremy just lay in bed on his side, staring through the window, although he wasn't seeing much, just the clouds in the sky. Not much later, there was a knock on the door and he knew it was Nicole with his medicine as well as breakfast.

"Good morning." She said, walking in with a tray. She set it down on the floor to first help Jeremy sit up against the headboard. "I'll put your pills here, make sure to take them when you're done eating." Nicole put them on the nightstand, as Jeremy's eyes followed her movement. He then frowned. "What's wrong?"

"An envelope was here before I fell asleep last night. Where the hell is it now?!" He grew instantly angry, ordering Nicole to check under the bed. 

"There's nothing, Jeremy. Maybe you put it somewhere and you can't remember."

"I'm paralyzed, but I'm not a fucking idiot."

"I didn't say you we-"

Jeremy cut her off mid sentence. "Get Evelyn in here." Sighing, Nicole was about to open her mouth, but she saw the look on his face and decided against it. 

Going to Jeremy's room, Evelyn already knew why she was asked to come there. Still, she plastered on a smile, going in, but she didn't get to say one word.

"Where did you put it?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You know, Evelyn, please save your act. Where the hell is my letter?"

"Oh, the letter. Uh, well... I came to check on you before I went to bed, the light was still on. I noticed an envelope, it was sealed, with an address and everything. I was going to the post office in the morning anyway, so I thought I'd take it and send it as well." She lied, she drove all the way to Stevie's and delivered it herself.

"YOU SENT IT?"

"Yeah, what's the big deal?"

"You have no fucking idea what was in it and you sent it!"

Of course she knew what was in it. She had carefully opened the envelope, then sealed it again once she was done reading it. "Well, it was addressed to your wife, so it couldn't have been a secret you were keeping from her or anything like that now, could it?" She smirked.

Jeremy scoffed, shaking his head. "You have read it."

"You know, Jerry, you shouldn't feel bad. Come on, your precious Stevie doesn't even compare to Nicole. Nicole is much younger and she's so beautiful. If you wanted, I'm sure you two could even have another kid. You wouldn't have to take care of someone else's. I knew you didn't want her, who in their right mind would?"

"I wanted Stevie to be happy."

"But why?" Evelyn asked exasperated. 

"Because I love her, don't you get it? I don't care that she's older than me, it's not her age I'm in love with - it's her. In my eyes, she is absolutely perfect."

"I highly doubt she thinks the same about you. I mean, that guy, Lindsey or whatever, he's there by her side all the time. He even drove her here and took her back home too. Are you honestly trying to prove to me they're not fucking? Your whole marriage is a sham." Putting on yet another mask, wanting to appear as if she cared, Evelyn placed her hand on Jeremy's arm. "I only want what's best for you, don't you see it? I admit it, I should have approached it differently, but by bringing Nicole here, I thought you'd realize it's her you still love."

"But I don't! Evelyn, you can try all you like, I just don't love Nicole!" Jeremy yelled, frustrated. Evelyn sighed, not having ran out of arguments yet, she was about to continue, but Jeremy's phone started ringing. "Get out." Waiting until he was alone, Jeremy only then answered, taking a deep breath. 

He heard Stevie's voice and immediately knew she was in tears. "Were you at least drinking when it happened?"

"Steph..."

"Were you?"

"No, we were both sober. But please understand that I didn't mean for it to happen! It was a mistake! Probably the biggest of my life... Stevie, you have to believe me, please!"

"I don't have to anything." She cried, swallowing the lump in her throat, before saying. "Just what happened to us? Everything was so perfect!"

"I'm begging you to forgive me, Steph! I- I couldn't be more sorry! I'm such a fucking idiot for hurting you and for what? It wasn't going to change anything anyway! Baby, please find it in your heart to forgive me if you love me at all and I know you do. We'll make it through this!"

Sniffling, Stevie was surprisingly calm, Jeremy thought she was going to be in hysterics. "You know, you've forgiven me the same thing before and you're right, I do love you. I could forgive you that, but... When it comes to Lily. She's more important to me than anything or anyone ever since she came into my life, I love her to pieces and I won't let anybody hurt her. She is MY daughter. If you can't love her, then I can't love you either."

"Wh- what are you saying here, Stevie?" Jeremy gulped.

"I'm going to file for divorce."