My Old Friend

Chapter 24

TIM POV: I want to die... I physically --and mentally-- am ready to die... 

Reporters scream outside my window. Some people chant as I try to cover my ears. My manager walks into the room, proud of his work. 

"That took care of that bitch!" He says, completely unaware of Faith's press conference. 

"We had a deal..." I say slowly. 

"You know that was all bullshit. She'd never post those pictures." He says, laying back. I take a deep breath. 

"She held a return press conference and is releasing the pictures with an interview to People this week." I say. He nods slowly, and rubs his jaw. 

"We will figure this out--" He starts, heading towards the wet bar and grabbing a glass of whiskey. He shoots it down and grunts. "We should just get rid of the whore." He says, piercing my ears. 

"This is my fault, not hers." I say. He looks at me with wide eyes. 

"Is it now? You're such a blind asshole, it's insane." He says, grabbing another glass of whiskey. Liz trots in the room, as if this was exactly what I needed. She has a frown painted on her makeup slathered face. She throws a magazine at me and crosses her arms. 

A picture of my face is plastered on the front. I must've been drunk, or half asleep because I look horrible. Another picture is to the side, of Faith and I at our high school dance. Looks like junior year Prom. Across my face, the word babykiller is printed in red. 

"Look what she has turned you into..." My manager says. Liz looks at me with intense eyes. 

"Fix this..." She says. I throw my arms up. 

"How? How in the hell do you want me to fix this? I was perfectly fine with sticking with the conditions we agreed to. I don't know why we had to go and turn on her like that..." I say. Liz marches towards the door. 

"Fix this, now." She says. My manager stops her before she leaves. 

"Liz! What if you said you were pregnant?" He yells. Liz pivots slowly. She looks back towards me and bites her lip. 

"How would that help?" She asks. I wonder the same thing. 

"They would see him as a grown man who is ready for a family, and can take care of that responsibility. It also shows that he has completely moved on from the skank." He says. 

"Knock that off!" I yell. 

"Oh, shut up Tim." Liz says. "Fine, I'll do it. But we have to try pronto, because I'm not going to lie about a baby." Liz turns towards me, cutting off any say I have. 

"That should patch up any lack of intimacy the public sees also. You guys better look like you're on your honeymoon." He says, slowly leaving the room. 

We announced the pregnancy today. Coincidentally, the same day Faith released the pictures. I wear a sweatshirt and sunglasses out to the gas station, and pick up a copy of the magazine. A picture of Faith with the girls is on the front, titled How We're Moving on: An Inside View of How Single Mother, and Country Sensation, Faith Hill, Has Overcome Emotional and Physical Abuse. I get in my car and drive to the middle of nowhere. 

I take a few breaths before touching the magazine. I look around where I am. I look out onto Radnor lake. The water looks gray, as the dark sky casts a shadow upon it. Rain begins to fall on the hood of my car, making me feel weak. In a sudden urge of desire, I grab the magazine and flip to the main article.