Loveland

Chapter 2

Over the next couple of weeks, I managed to get 10 years of my life, 10 years' worth of memories packed into boxes. That's 7 rooms, 1000 sleepless nights hundreds of fights. But also 10 Christmases and birthdays. It's where Aiden took his first steps. Where he said his first words. I stand in the living room looking out the large bay window at our small yard. Aiden learned how to ride a bike in that yard. I remembered when he fell off and nearly broke his arm. I was more frantic than he was. Paul insisted it was fine. Nothing to worry about. But I wouldn't be satisfied until I heard it from a doctor. 

A quick visit told us he was okay. I remember the smug smile on Paul's face. I looked into his ocean blue eyes, thinking he was once handsome to me. But at that moment I couldn't remember why. 

Paul and I had gotten along fine at the beginning of the relationship. That is until we were married. I thought back on the day we told his parents. Shivering at the thought. 

We walked through the huge mahogany doors of Paul's house. Walking into the old house the first thing you see was the incredible staircase that matched the wood of the front doors and porch. The floors were cream-colored marble. With extremely high ceilings it didn't feel like a home. More like a museum. I never felt comfortable in that house. Especially that night. 

When we walked in we were greeted by Gloria Cooper. Her perfectly styled blonde hair and signature tight smile seemed nervous. Must have been in the air. She had always been polite to me but quiet and reserved. Always busy baking or organizing a banquet for all the wealthy families in Franklin. 

She walked us into the study. The room was smaller and warmer than the rest of the house. But something about it seemed off. The walls were dark wood. A massive fireplace was on the opposite wall of the door. Books stacked from floor to ceiling. Sitting in the middle of the room was a heavy wooden desk. And standing against the desk was the devil himself. 

He was tall and lean. But had an ora about him that was terrifying. James H Cooper had been known to strike fear in the hearts of grown men. His blue eyes pierced through my thoughts and I started to sweat. I looked at Paul who suddenly dropped my hand and became very interested in his feet. 

Mr. Cooper gave Gloria a stern look. She took the hint immediately and scurried out of the room. Her perfectly pressed gray and lavender pantsuit swooshing as she walked. Gloria ran out of the room and Paul couldn't even look up from the floor, and this man literally hadn't said a word. 

With his hands behind his back, he took a single step forward. I noticed how Paul flinched. I realized he wasn't going to start the conversation with his father so I took initiative and tried. 

"Mr. Cooper, I know this isn't the best time. Not for either of us. But Paul and I love each other-" He simply raised a hand to signal me to stop talking. Being taken aback by the gesture I stopped. Before I could speak again he took an intimidating step towards me not saying a word. He looked me up and down and back up again. He sucked his teeth and chuckled in his throat. Clearly, a woman had never stood up to him. 

Before I could try again, I got one last look from both of them and took a tip from Gloria. I walked out of the room without another word. The doors closed tightly behind me. I found a wooden bench adjacent to the stairs and waited. I didn't have to wait long, as Mr. Cooper's voice echoed through the walls. 

"You, dumb, ignorant waste of DNA. You come into my home, with that gutter trash to tell me what!? That you screwed up? That you forgot who you were, that you are a Cooper!? She's pregnant with your child, isn't she? You wouldn't be here otherwise. DO NOT INTERRUPT ME, BOY!" This wasn't going well at all. And apparently, I was gutter trash. I honestly didn't care what James H Cooper thought of me. But I did care about Paul. I didn't like being out here helpless while he sat in their alone being grilled and berated. 

Mr. Cooper must have said something I didn't hear because the response from Paul was unexpected and frankly unbelievable. 

"Dad no! I don't wanna quit school! No! I'm not giving up my life! Not for this. It was only supposed to be temporary. Please don't make me do this dad" 

My heart sank. I thought up until that moment that Paul and I were on the same page. That he loved me. I thought we would be in this together. His words from earlier replayed over and over in my head. "we'll get through this together Autumn..." Then it hit me. If he never planned on staying together, never planned on us being a family, what he did think was going to happen? What did he think his father would do for him? The possibilities running through my mind made me sick. Or it could have been morning sickness. Who knows? All I knew at that moment was I needed to leave. Go home to the safety of my parents. But I ran out of time. 

The heavy doors to the study swung open and Paul rushed out and up the stairs. Without saying a word to me. Once he was out of sight, I heard a deep hollow voice from inside the study call my name. " Miss Callaghan? Come in here please." I could tell it wasn't a request. 

As I walked into the office I noticed that Mr. Cooper was now sitting at his desk. He had put his glasses on and peered over the top of time to look me in the eyes. He politely asked me to sit down. 

As I sat down he looked me over again. I felt like a cow at auction. He offered no smile or warmth as he spoke. 

"Miss Callaghan, I don't need to tell you that this is a mess of a situation. The worst possible timing as My son has just begun law school. He was going to have his own firm. But you knew that when you screwed around didn't you? Paul insisted that you didn't plan this but I beg to differ. I'm sure someone like you feels like they've hit the jackpot getting knocked up by a Cooper. But let me tell you in your case, that would be false. Paul is done with school. I'm not going to pay $100,000 dollars in tuition for his schooling if it means supporting him AND his wife and child. He'll have to do that on his own. Don't worry, he'll marry you. I'm not going to allow a stain like a bastard born out of wedlock tarnish the name of my father. Not for my i***t son's sake. I'm a religious man so abortion is our of the question. Despite Paul's wishes. You'll be married by the end of next month. Gloria will take care of everything. Tell your parents what you wish but this is your only option if you want a decent life for you and your child. That's all I'm going to speak on it now." 

I was in a state of total shock. This man, this cold heartless man just completely mind f****d me. I felt sick again. Paul wanted to have the baby, our baby terminated. My throat started to swell. I couldn't tell if it was heartbreak or rage I was feeling. But this man who I always hated just save my unborn child's life and ruined Paul's future all in one breath. 

I remained seated in the chair. I was frozen. I was speechless. Mr. Cooper suddenly stood up and leaned over the desk getting close to my face. 

" I don't know if you planned this. I don't really care otherwise. Right now your carrying my unborn grandchild. That's what matters to me. As long as you remain married to my son and take care of my grandchild you'll have my support. Your going to need it. My son may have inherited my good looks but he got his mother's intelligence. And even worse, my father's temper. Whatever you need in the future, you come to me directly. Understand?" I took his words to heart. I stood up and started to walk out of the room. With a look over my shoulder, I simply said "thank you, Mr. Cooper"

  As I walked out of the office my mind was racing. Part of me hated the man for attempting to control my entire future. The other part of me loved him for being a grandfather and caring about his grandchild. Paul wanted to abort my child. OUR child. He didn't want to marry me. I was temporary as he said. My rage started to bubble as I exited the house And walked to my car. I didn't bother to say anything to Paul. I couldn't face him at that moment. I opened the car door and sat behind the wheel. 

I was pregnant. Getting married in less than 2 months. My fiance if that's even what he was, hated me and thinks I ruined his life. And I was stuck with him for the rest of my life. I pressed my head against the steering wheel. I wouldn't cry. I didn't have time for that. I decided that if this was going to be my life I was going to do it right. I was going to be a damn good mother. And protect my child from evil people. If I had to be married to Paul to take care of my child id do it. But I wouldn't let him control us. I cranked the car, put it in gear, and headed home. 

  Over the years throughout our marriage, Paul and I rarely ever saw eye to eye. Paul resented me for having to give up his dreams and settle down. He always said he loved me and Aiden but I knew better. I never told him I heard his conversation with his father. I kept my mouth shut and went along with the lie. I would give up my own happiness to be a good mother to my son. I tried to be kind to Paul I guess I hoped with time he would learn to love me. But it was fruitless. 

When I was pregnant with Aiden I went to most of my doctor's appointments alone. For the gender reveal, I insisted that Paul come with me. The nurses made a comment that they didn't even know I was married. When the doctor announced that we were having a son I thought for a moment that Paul would show some excitement. A boy meant he would have someone to throw a ball with. Someone to watch football with. But when I looked into his eyes I saw nothing. No excitement. No joy for the future. Nothing. It reminded me of the same look he had the day we got married. 

We stood there at the Alter of Franklin springs first Methodist Church. I felt sick to my stomach. My dress was a hand me down from my mother. Long sleeves in lace with a short train. It was a princess gown with a ton of poof under the skirt and weighed a ton. I hated it. I felt suffocated. Paul's face mirrored my thoughts. He looked blank. Empty. When the pastor asked if he'd take me as his wife, I thought he might say no and run out of the church screaming. But instead, he swallowed hard, and without looking at me said "I do." 

I knew from the beginning that my marriage was a sham. We didn't even have s*x on our wedding night. Paul, Rudy, and Teddy More one of the guys from our high school baseball team went out and rip-roaring drunk. While I spent some time with my sister. We sat on the living room floor of what was our new house. It was mostly empty still. Paul's parents had helped us get it and never let us forget that over the years. 

Melissa had been against the marriage since we announced it. I couldn't tell my parents the truth. That we weren't in love and I was being forced into this by his father. So I lied as best as I could. My sister however saw right through it. 

" I can't believe you actually did it. And for the life of me, I can't understand why." Melissa said while she chugged her beer. 

"I'm gonna have a baby, Melissa. I need to do what's best for this child. Even if that means I have to stay married to an asshole for the rest of my life. Mom and dad told me I was doing the right thing." I could hear the skepticism in my own voice. 

"Yeah because Jean and David Callaghan are the best people to seek marital advice from. You don't love each other. He wanted to ditch you and your baby so he could keep partying at school. He lied to your face and made you think he was there for you. I'd papa Cooper hadn't put his foot down Paul would have made you get an abortion. That's f****d up Sissy. And what's worse is now you gotta live with the jerk. Raise a kid with him. Sleep next to him at night. Are you even sleeping together anymore? I mean it is your wedding night and your here... And he's not." she looked around our empty house and shook her head before continuing "I mean the house is nice and all but there's no way your gonna be happy Autumn. You deserve better than this. Your kid deserves better than this." 

  " I'm gonna be fine, the baby will be fine. I'm going to do whatever is necessary to give my child a good life. And no to answer your question, Paul and I are not currently sleeping together. He asked if I wanted to the other night but I turned him down. Morning sickness seems to last all day right now. Plus..." I paused to gather my thoughts. Honestly, I hadn't thought about why I really turned him down until just then. "I can't bring myself to sleep with him. To let him touch me, the thought makes me gag. I know that's unhealthy. But what am I supposed to do? I held back tears as I looked into my sister's eyes. 

"You were supposed to put your foot down and stand up for yourself against old man Cooper and live your life how YOU decided to. But you were scared and alone so I get it. But now you're married. I guess the best advice I could give you is, take care of yourself. Be a good mother and keep your distance from Paul. Maybe you can stay married but live your own lives separately? How's his new job going?" Paul had started at Simon's & Pell a week and a half before the wedding. He hated it. It was a factory job. They manufactured plastic parts that were used in large electronics. The money was decent but it wasn't what Paul wanted for himself. 

"He's miserable."  I was going to continue but Melissa's phone began to ring from inside her purse. 

"Hello? Hi Matt. What's up?... WHAT!? DAMMIT!!! I'm leaving now. Don't worry I'm on my way." She stood up and grabbed her bag. "the pipes in my dorm room busted. Now all my s**t is probably ruined. That was the guy I'm training to take my place as RA when I graduate. He's freaking out. I gotta bail." She suddenly grabbed me and pulled me in for a long and right hug. " Sissy, you've gotta take care of yourself too sometimes. Don't forget that your happiness matters too. I love you okay? No matter how idiotic our parents are or how big an asshole that your husband is you'll always have me. Okay? Call me every day. Keep me posted." I walked her to the door and she turned around and added before walking out "if he hurts you, you call me immediately. Understand?" 

"I got it, Melissa. Thank you." I said rolling my eyes. But I couldn't help but feel uneasy about her words. Like she knew something that I didn't. But I would soon find out.