The Love of Lies

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Ashton’s POV

Cori has every right to be upset. I too would be mad if I were her, but she’s not giving me the chance to explain myself, and judging by the look Chris gave me from across the room, he couldn’t help me either.

I told Cori that she was cute when she’s angry, but right now, she looks miserable, and I hate that I’m the person who made her feel that way.

I silently follow her to the bar, watching her sit in one of the empty stools at the furthest and darkest corner, and literally seconds later, she’s offered a drink by Julia’s favorite cousin.

“You religious or something?”

“No, she’s pregnant.” I position myself behind Cori, knowing that she’ll just move again if I stand between them.

Brandon looks the woman up and down, scoffing as though he doesn’t believe me, and because she’s angry, Cori doesn’t give the man any indication that I’m telling the truth.

“I guess that’s a good reason, but you can’t blame a man for trying, especially since she and I are on the sh*t list at this event.” Brandon winks at Cori, who I thought would be offended, but she has the opposite reaction.

“Cori isn’t on anyone’s sh*t list. Seating was a mistake.”

“Ah… a mistake. You know, I was also a mistake, but I still got put at the table I chose.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“Nothing at all…”

“You can walk away now.” I want my words to come off as threatening, but Brandon isn’t the type to get angry over petty things.

He’s spent most of his life in verbal disputes, so this interaction means nothing to him. Likewise, I know first-hand that the man has a barbed tongue, and when he wants to use it, no one is safe, except Julia and Troy.

“I think I’ll take that advice.” The man picks up his drink, looking between Cori and I with mischievous eyes before he tilts his head to better look at the woman’s face. “Want to join me back at the chicken table?” Cori giggles, but I didn’t expect her to actually get up and follow the man.

“Cori, if you walk away with him, you can forget about us.”

“Is there anything I want to remember?” Those words were like a knife through the heart, and almost immediately, I regret saying them. I didn’t, and do not want Cori to forget anything, I just didn’t want her to leave my side, but I shouldn’t have gone that far.

Cori’s POV

As soon as I’m back at the table, I notice two things, one, that Ashton didn’t follow me, and the second, is that Chris and his wife are gone.

“So, what's the backstory on that? Isn’t Ashton with that Vanessa woman?” I’m not really comfortable gossiping about Ashton or his love life, so I shrug in response. “Well, just be careful. You’re likely at this table with me because my uncle and that woman’s father are close friends. Stay away from Ashton, and you may be promoted to salmon at the wedding.” I chuckle again, liking the man’s personality, but I don’t want to lead him on.

“He wasn’t lying about what he said.”

“About you being pregnant? Is the baby his?” I nod, not really sure why I feel like Brandon is someone I can talk to without having to keep my guard up. “Damn… You look a little young.”

“Twenty-one.”

“Idiot.” Again, I chuckle, even though I know I was just insulted. “You know that he isn’t going to change for you, right?” I just stare at the man who I feel is reading me like a book. “My mother was like you.”

“And what happened?”

“Here I am, and there he is.” The man points to where I assume his father is talking to Mr. Lewis. “Don’t get me wrong, he’s tossed a little nepotism my way a time or two; he just has his family, and then there’s me.” My lip quivers, and I place my hand over my belly, terrified that my child will suffer the same fate. “You better not cry… I don’t do crying, and I Promise that I’ll get up and walk away.” I laugh at the man’s threat, which successfully pushes back my tears.

“I just… Ashton made me think something different.”

“I saw, in fact, the whole room saw, but at the end of the day, he’s a man.”

“And you aren’t?”

“I absolutely am… I just grew up in a household with mostly women, so I learned how not to be a complete d*ck. The Lewis’ missed the mark with Ashton, they got it right with Troy though.”

I feel like truer words have never been spoken, and once I note that Julia and Troy are alone again, I excuse myself, bidding the couple goodnight before dipping out of the dining room to order a taxi.

Fortunately, Ashton didn’t see me leave, and while I have no plans to run away, I don’t want to be in the same car as him right now.

I input my destination, knowing that the cab will take me anywhere I want to go without stipulations, and for me, that place is a twenty-four-hour diner that takes carryout orders.

I'm feeling generous right now, so once I arrive, I buy a slice of pie and a coffee for my driver, who looks like a tired old man. It’s not so long ago that I was also exhausted in the same way, and random acts of kindness were sometimes all that kept me going.

“You didn’t have to do this.”

“I know, but you look like you need a break.” The man doesn’t respond, but his face tells me that I’m right.

“You don’t mind if I take a few bites?”

“Not at all.” The cost of my ride won’t change, but the amount of time we spend on the road could call the driver into question, so I tell him to blame the delay on morning sickness. I’m sitting in the front, so I press down on my dress, showing him the roundness of my tummy.

“You're different from the people I usually pick up from that area.”

“That’s because I didn’t belong there in the first place.”

Today taught me a valuable lesson, one that I will keep with me for the rest of my life.

I’ve spent so long keeping to myself that I feel like I’ve missed out on building important friendships with people, and while I may never get the chance to go back and change that, I can at least afford to open up a little, if only to put a smile on someone else's face.

I know Ashton must be looking for me, but I want to enjoy the peace I feel for a little longer. He and I are not a couple, and never will be, but that’s okay. As long as we can parent amicably, I’ll be fine.

Ashton’s POV

Watching Brandon talk to my girl is like torture, but before he left, Chris told me to give her space and time to cool off, so I’ve been distracting myself by mingling with the crowd, talking to people I haven’t uttered a word to in years.

I didn’t mean what I said, and before the night is over, I intend to show Cori how sorry I am. I was just angry because it looked like she was flirting with someone else, but thinking back on it, she probably felt the same way, she just has a different way of expressing herself.

At just past ten, the event comes to a close, and parting speeches are given, giving me the perfect excuse to find Cori, but she’s not in the hall. Everyone leaves, and because I don’t know if she’s in the restroom, I have someone check, but I’m told there’s no one inside.

“Still looking for her?” Mark is drunk, but I know he came with Clarence, so I’m saved the trouble of having to get him home safely.

“Yeah, have you seen her anywhere?”

“I sure that I saw her leave with that Brandon kid; the sh*t talker.”

“When did you see that?”

“Like ten, fifteen minutes ago… I wasn’t really paying attention.” Clarence is sober, so he’s quick to pick up on what Mark is insinuating.

“Ash Bro, he’s drunk… He could have seen anyone.”

“So what if I’m drunk? There was only one hot girl in a pink dress here tonight, and I know what I saw.” Mark is for certain not himself, and his ‘compliment’ wasn’t rude, so I ignore it as a drunk mind speaking a sober truth.

Still, I’m not willing to just leave; my parents would have told me if Cori went with them, and I’m almost positive that Julia and Troy aren’t going straight home, but that only leaves me with Mark’s theory.

“Maybe he just gave her a ride back. Did you already try calling her?” Of course I’ve tried calling Cori, but I pretend I haven’t, not wanting to appear anymore foolish.

I head to my car, hoping that maybe the woman went to stand outside of it, but she’s not there either, so I send her a text, scared that she may have been run off by someone.

[At least tell me where you are.]

A few minutes later I get a two-word text response, and I’m so angry that I find myself speeding home.

I go into Cori’s room, expecting to find the woman there, but she’s not home, so I text her again, angry because she really f*cking left me.

I don’t know what to do, so I sit right in front of the door, bouncing my leg like an angry parent waiting for their teenager to come home. My anger eventually turns into more worry, and I text Cori again, wanting to know when I should expect her.

[I’m just pulling up.] I swing open the door, expecting to see Cori climbing out of Brandon’s car, but it’s an old man behind the wheel, and based on the vinyl plastered on the side of the vehicle, he works for a ride share app.

“Why did you just leave, where did you go, and-” Cori has a bag of what I can tell is food in her hands, giving me the impression that she was so hungry she had to go buy food. “You should have told me that you needed something to eat.”

“Ashton, I’m tired.” Cori walks right past me, locking herself in her room without saying another word, so I start knocking on the door, wanting, and needing to talk to her. “Ashton, I have a doctor's appointment in the morning, please let me rest.” Cori spoke through the door, and because tomorrow is another day, I leave her alone, but I call Chris for further advice.”

“You shouldn’t have even touched that girl’s phone.” Pauline is shouting, but I knew that I was on speaker phone from the beginning of the conversation, so I’ll take it.

“Babe… Please don’t go into labor now, we only have the babysitter until twelve.”

“Fine, but if I do go into labor, Ashton is paying for the delivery.” I pull my phone away because if the woman hears me laughing, she really will pop.

I don’t mind paying for her delivery, in fact, it may help me restore my relationship with Cori, who feels guilty about ‘ruining’ the woman’s baby shower.

“Just tell me what I should do. We have some sort of scan to see our baby in the morning, and I really don’t want this to ruin the experience.”

“You knew that and you were still flirting? Chris, hang up…” I know that Pauline isn’t joking, so I save my friend the trouble.

I know he’ll call me back, but in the meantime, I’m completely lost.