[ - ]
Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story Microsoft Word Chapter or Story
- Text Size +
Part II Chapter 56

In the morning Nick and Howie took Win to the recording studio to start work on the song. Kevin met them and Brian showed not long after. Clive and Dennis also showed, and AJ was last to show up. He approached Win cautiously and with looks of daggers from Nick and Howie.
"Can we go outside and talk?" he asked.
"Fine." Win said getting up.
"We got to get started, hurry up!" Dennis called to their retreating backs.
Outside Win walked to the front of the building and turned to face AJ. She folded her arms and waited. When he didn't say anything she decided to say something.
“What do you want to talk about?” she asked. He wouldn't look her in the eye.
“I have something to tell you, something that happened last night, after you left.” AJ said looking at the ground.
“What happened?” Win asked.
“She heard us fighting, and she came upstairs, to talk. I didn’t mean for it to happen, you have to believe me.” AJ said desperately.
“What didn’t you mean to happen?” Win asked confused. AJ shrugged his shoulders and bounced from one foot to the other.
“I was angry, and I was upset, and I didn’t want it to happen, but,” AJ stammered.
“What, AJ,” Win said getting thoroughly annoyed.
"I kissed her." He replied.
"You did what?”
“I kissed Edith, I knew that it was wrong, and I couldn’t stop it. I didn’t want it to happen.” AJ said coming towards her.
“Get away from me!” she yelled.
“Win, please, I am so sorry. I love you so much.”
“And you can't trust me? How long has this been going on?" Win said annoyed.
"Win, it's not like that."
"Then tell me what it's like! Make me understand!" Win was past all pretenses that she was in any way at fault for what had transgressed the previous night. Her tears fell out angrily and burned her cheeks.
“That’s not all of it Win. Before I went into rehab a bunch of our family and friends had gone out, and I got really smashed. When I woke up the next morning, she was in my bed. We agreed to forget about it."
"So you had a one night stand with her as well?" Win asked. He nodded, still looking at the ground.
"And there’s something else.”
“What else could there possibly be?” Win asked crying freely now.
“That one night stand, that was the night Latecia was conceived. She’s my daughter." Win felt her world crumbling around her. She remained quiet for a long time, just trying to feel again, trying to remember how only a few days ago she had been happy.
"What do you expect me to say?" she asked after a while. He took a few steps towards her.
"Win, I love you. I don't know how much, or how long it will take me to make it up to you, for what I did. But I want to prove to you, that I love you. I know I hurt you, and I will do anything to fix it." He stepped closer to her, reaching out a hand to touch her but she yanked out of his reach.
"How the hell am I supposed to trust you! Wasn’t it just the other day that you got on your knees and promised me that you would never let anyone hurt me, that you, would never hurt me? Wasn’t it you, who gave me this ring, as your promise to me that you were going to take care of me!" she shouted.
"I don't know. Win, I meant everything I said. I didn’t intend to hurt you, from the bottom of my heart I didn’t intend for it to be this way!" He said, his eyes full of tears. He touched her arm and she smacked at his hand, but he wouldn't let go. She kept trying to push him away, but he wouldn't let go.
“A hell a lot your intent means! To hell with what anyone’s intent is! What happens is what matters AJ! Seeing Red’s intent meant nothing until it happened. Your promise meant nothing until you couldn’t go through with it!” Win shouted, continuing to pull away from him, smacking his hands away from her arms.
"Please don't push me away, I know I deserve it, but please, give me a second chance!" he pleaded.
"Get off of me!" she screamed as he fell to his knees and clung to her waist.
"Just let me go!" she yelled trying to pry his arms off of her. AJ just held onto her, crying. She continued to try and push him away, but he wouldn’t let go of her. She shook her head and felt her hands entangle themselves in his hair.
“Why’d you have to do this?” she asked closing her eyes, “Why did you have to do this?”

Later, after AJ and Win had returned, to a load of questioning looks, they recorded a bit of the song. It took a while to get the song the way Clive wanted it, and it was obvious that they were not going to get any further today, so they departed. Out in the parking lot, Nick gave Win a look. She told AJ to go wait in his car.
“So are you two back together?” he asked looking away.
“Somewhat, not that we were ever really apart. We’re making some ground rules before I agree to go any farther.” Win replied picking at her nails.
“What did he tell you?” Nick asked looking at her.
“That he kissed her, last night. And that he had a one-night stand with her before he went in to rehab. And, he’s Latecia’s father.” Win replied awkwardly.
“He’s actually Latecia’s real father?” Nick asked with raised eyebrows.
“Yeah, he is.”
“Win, don’t go back with him. He’ll do it again. If Edith is still around, which she will be, she’s the mother of his child for christ’s sake. He won’t have a reason to be loyal to you, he won’t have a reason to open up to you.” Nick said with worried face.
“Nick, I know you don’t understand, but I want to work it out with him. Is your offer to stay at your place still open?” Win asked biting her lip.
“Of course it is, you can come stay with me when ever you want.” Nick replied running his fingers through his hair.
“Thank you so much Nick, this really means a lot to me. You’ve been such a help.” Win said smiling.
“Win, please, don’t go with him.” Nick pleaded.
“Thank you Nick,” Win said again and pecked him on the cheek before running back to AJ’s car and getting inside. Nick stood by the car and watched them pull out of the parking lot. Howie came up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder.
“They working it out I see.” He said.
“He’s just going to do it to her again. He’s only going to break her heart.”
“Her heart, or yours man? Give it up, if she wants to be with him, she’ll be with him.” Howie said patting his shoulder and getting in the car.