Loyal

Chapter 86

Vera's POV

            "He hasn't been seeing anyone V," Leah says. We're on the phone and I'm stuffing my face with hot Cheetos while Scandal is on at full volume. Aunty Ray is supposed to be out all day; this is what my life has come to. Eating unhealthy foods and binge watching netflix shows. 

                        "Why are you telling me this?" I ask, licking my cheeto fingers. Part of me is happy she is, and another is upset that I am. I need to be getting over him. 

            "Because, you never even gave him a chance to explain himself! Do you have any idea about what happened? He didn't even rape her Vera!"

                        "Was he at that house with her?"

            "He was at the house but nothing happened. He went there with that rookie player, to try and keep him out of trouble." My heart sinks as I think of Colin, his caring heart. 

                       "It cracks me up how you're all of a sudden his biggest supporter when you used to hate his guts." I do my best to harden myself. 

            "Look, Colin never hurt you. He's not a jackass like Cam! Why are you being so hard on him??"

                        "Because! Leah, he doesn't know what he wants! Sure he says he loves me now, but what about later? Do you really think I can trust an NFL football player with my heart? With my child?" Leah's silent for a bit on the other side. 

            "Vera. You have some damn issues. There is a man who loves and cares about you, but for some goddamn reason, you keep shutting him down. You're wrong for keeping this child from him, I'ma be straight up with you right now."

                        "I don't want to hear it Leah."

            "What are you so damn afraid of!?"

                        "HIM! Leah! I'm afraid of him! I'm afraid of loving him, of how much I love him! I'm afraid of getting hurt! I'm afraid that I'm not good enough!" I drop the bag of hot cheetos, letting the red chips spill all over the top of my protruding stomach. 

            "So the truth comes out."

                        "I gotta go Leah."

            I hang up on her and toss my phone to the other side of the couch. I'm tired of fucking arguing with Leah about Colin. It's been so long, I know I'm long gone from his mind by now. He hasn't texted or called. Reaching for my Arizona tea, I hear something fall down the hall. Swiveling around, I press my fists into the couch, propping my swollen self up.

            "Aunty Ray?" I call into the hallway. Waddling slowly down the hall I check each room. Every one is empty. I turn into the nursery and stand silently at the doorway. The pink decorations are fully up now. Baby girl will love them. 

Baby girl. Colin's voice is in my head now, tormenting me. His voice forming those words, baby girl, that's something I'll never be able to forget, no matter how hard I try.

            Aunty Ray did a great job of hanging simple decorations on the walls, of ballerinas, princesses, all things pink. I reach onto the yellow dresser and straighten the picture frame of my first official ultrasound of baby girl. Squinting my eyes I realize it has been moved. Something doesn't feel right.

            I feel the hairs on my neck prickle. Turning my head quickly I call out once more. "Aunty Ray!? Are you here!?" Silence. I run my fingers along the side of the crib, and then I notice something inside. My heart freezes.

            On the pink bedding, there is the end of a large glass tea bottle. Bloodstains cover the glass. It's the end of the large glass tea bottle I used to bash across Cam's head. I back into the dresser, covering my mouth in horror.