Sister Pact: One Night Stand (book 1)

Chapter 5: What?

Tate didn’t know to begin to look for Viola, sure the community was small town everyone knew everyone but it wasn’t like he was the type to go into town much. In fact when his truck rolled into town, everyone assumed it was either Joe or Bill driving it.

You surely need to get out more don’t you think? He thought to himself whilst scanning the area for Viola. He thought of asking around but that wouldn’t be a good idea, in a town where everyone liked the sound of gossip he, refused to be the talk of the town for at least a month.

He couldn’t understand why people would rather sit around in bars where they would talk about their problems and women would gossip about each other at the local super markets rather than do something productive.

After nearly looking for Viola for almost an hour, Tate doubled back and went to the grocery store instead. It was empty just like Tate liked it. He entered the store and greeted the store manager, who didn’t hide his shock of being Tate at the super market.

He picked up a basket and made his way to the cold meat fridges and pulled out a few meats and later a few vegetables from the veggie sections when he heard a whisper of people talking in the next aisle. Tate took a breath out and he prayed that t wasn’t any of those ladies that love to gossip about things that did con concern them.

He quickly remembered that he had forgotten to buy himself coffee, something which he really needed in his life. As soon as he turned into the next aisle, he dropped his basket and was staring into someone who he thought he would never ever see again.

**

Viola didn’t know if she was to be excited or mad but she knew that even here mother standing next to her wouldn’t dare stop her from doing what she was about to do. Without thinking Viola raised up her hand and it landed right onto Tate’s face. Tate couldn’t believe what had just happened, out of nowhere Viola had slapped him and he didn’t even know why she did that but one thing he was sure of was that that slap left a burn on the left side of his face.

And just like the wind Viola dropped her basket and walked out of the store before he could stop her. Tate also couldn’t understand who the older looking lady was still standing there and staring at him, with a smile on her face. She stretched out her hand at him and smiled and him.

“Good afternoon, you must be John” just before Tate could ask who this john was, he realized that that was the name he had given himself while he was in New York City. So he just nodded his head in agreement.

“Well I’m Viola’s mother and I think its best you follow her outside, I have a feeling you two have a lot to catch up to” Tate watched as the older woman picked up the basket that Viola had dropped and continued with her shopping.

Tate in return dropped his basket and limped out of the super market and right before he could exit, the manger was looking at him in a strange manner, and Tate knew that within a few minutes he was going to be the talk of the town for months to come.

As soon as he walked out of the Super market he found Viola at the parking lot standing by his truck. Tate walked up to her and instinctively she turned around to face him.

“You know just when I saw this car I knew that it was you, no doubt about it” she smile but it was sarcastic and she made sure that Tate knew that it was.

Tate couldn’t help but notice the way Viola crossed her arms over her chest or how beautiful she looked even with tears in her eyes but he couldn’t understand why she was crying. For the little moment that passed none of them spoke to each other, leaving an empty gap and time for Tate to notice her belly. He couldn’t help but feel jealous of the man that had the honor to make a beautiful woman such as viola his but there was nothing that he could do about it.

“Congratulation” That’s all Tate could say at the movement even though it hurt him to say just that.

Viola stopped her constant mumbling and looked at him, then he saw that his eyes was directed at her stomach and that’s when she k new what the congratulations was about.

The i***t doesn’t even know. Viola thought to herself, she couldn’t for the life of her figure out how a man such as himself couldn’t do the math.

“Look I know its weird meeting up like this but I just have to say I wish you luck on your baby and the new man in your life”

“John what makes you think that I have a new man in my life?”

“Well you are pregnant— wait so the father of the baby isn’t in your life after all?” Tate asked Viola and when she didn’t reply he knew exactly that the man wasn’t in her life.

He couldn’t explain the anger that rose from within him. He couldn’t for the life of himself understand why would a man leave such a beautiful woman like Viola would be left alone to take care of a child all by herself.

If you had just stayed with her and stayed in contact, she might not have needed in some loser’s hands that left her while she needed him.

“No the father of the child isn’t in our lives in fact I’m trying to find him for a while now” Viola felt like slapping Tate again, because he didn’t get that he was the father of her baby.

But she also couldn’t help but notice how Tate would clench his fist at the thought of another man leaving her to raise a child on her own. He seemed so protective of her and the baby.

Out of nowhere an old lady walked by and greeted them both.

“Good afternoon Viola—Oh! Tate I didn’t see you there honey”

“Good afternoon Mr Bristle”

As soon as Tate looked back at Viola her face was reddening and she didn’t seem for calm anymore and he didn’t know why.

“Is there anything the matter, Viola?” he asked her hoping that no one upset her.

“John that old lady just called you Tate” Tate felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured onto him and he knew that he and a lot of explaining to do and he better do it soon.

“Viola I can explain”

“Good because I would love to hear this explanation of how you suddenly became Tate and not John”

“Oh come on Viola, we met in the club and we are both adults. That night was supposed to end at that apartment and we both have moved on, because clearly you have and you’re expecting a baby”

“Of course I’m expecting a baby and you’re the damn father!” Tate stopped in his tracks as if his mind was trying to register what Viola had just yelled out to him. He was sure if she was joking but then realization hit him hard the moment he realized that she was in tears.

Then everything came back to him about what she was saying earlier, about finding her baby’s father and how she’s been looking for him… he was the baby’s father.

“John— I mean Tate, I’m four months pregnant and I’m sure you’re the father”

“Viola it can’t be, you told me that you were on the pill damn it!”

“ I was on the pill but I guess it just failed— and don’t you even try to say I planned it because my life was fine and simple before all this baby thing came to be” she didn’t have to tell him a thing, he knew he wasn’t the type to force him into fatherhood.

Tate couldn’t help to think of being a father in the first place and surely his father was a great father, the best but he died when Tate was younger and all that was left of his father were fond memories and pictures.

He looked back at Viola and the woman he once thought was emotionless was sobbing and he couldn’t afford to show any weakness because she needed him to be strong for her and the baby. He tried to get closer to viola and hug her but she pushed him away.

“Look I’m not here to trap you or anything like that, I just wanted to make you aware of your baby that’s all. I’m not asking for you to be in the baby’s life—“

“Of course I’ll be in my child s life, what do you take me for” Tate cut her off, shocked that she would even think that he would run away from his responsibilities like a little child.

“I’m sorry I know this must come as a shock and you’re still probably taking all this in” Viola said to him as he played with her hands, which made Tate smile. He remembered that gesture very well, she did that when they were at the club and right before they made love.

It’s been four months gone and he couldn’t understand how he remembered the intricate details of that night. Although all his was a shock to him, he couldn’t deny that he had a responsibility and that was to take care of Viola and his baby. The thought of calling the baby his baby sent butterflies flying in his stomach.

“I think we have to do what’s best for the baby—I mean our baby” Tate quickly recalled his previous sentence”

Just before he could suggest something to her, which he knew quite well that she wasn’t going to like very much Viola’s mother showed up. She had two shopping bags with her and a smile on her face as she made her way to them.

“Oh mom this is—“

“The baby’s father. Don’t be surprised that I know, after all the slap that you gave him in the store was enough to tell me that you tow have history together”

Viola was so embarrassed that her mother knew immediately who Tate was from her actions inside the store, which now that she thought about it wasn’t how women in her family were raised at all.

Viola’s mother looked at Tate and smiled at him and looked back at her daughter and just like that she walked away from the two of them. Her mother made her way into her own car, leaving Viola and Tate standing their looking at her.

“From what I see, my grandchild is going to be the prettiest baby in the whole world!!” her mother yelled out to them, so loud that a few people that were walking past turned their heads to look.

As soon as Viola turned to look at Tate his face was white as a sheet, she tapped him on his arm and that’s he came back.

“Why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?”

“It’s nothing Viola” he shook it off but Viola was not going to let it go so easily.

“John—I mean Tate what is the matter?”

“It’s just that town folks… well they tend to talk a lot and it seems like we’ve given them a lot to talk about for one day”

That’s when it hit Viola that Tate was not the type that liked drama, which was the total opposite of what she was. Before she could reply to him her mother honked and Viola knew that it was time for her to leave, she did not want to leave him but she had to. She pulled out her business card and handed it to Tate and she watched as he examined the card.

“Who would have thought that you were a real estate agent?” Tate questioned Viola and she did not look too impressed with him and she made it known to him immediately.

“Oh and I bet you thought that I was a spoil brat… otherwise and air head” Tate rolled his eyes when he realized what he had done, he’d just offended Viola even though he did not mean to do it.

And this is why I stay away from relationships damn it, I never know what to say. Tate thought to himself as he tried his best to try to mend the situation but Viola was already waking away from him and all he could do was to watch her walk away.

“I’ll see you tomorrow!” she yelled out at him as she got into her mother’s car and they drove away.

I’m going to be a father! He repeated it to himself over and over as he got into his truck and road back to his ranch. As soon as he got out of his truck, his mind was on one thing and one thing only, he was going to be a father and Viola was his child’s mother.

He could hear his ranch men greeting him but he simply just murmured a reply to them, to keep them satisfied. Although his leg hurt, it didn’t bother him anymore. Everything seemed to disappear at that particular moment.

He couldn’t remembered how he unlocked the doors to his house, how he took a cold shower or how he even got into his bed but all Tate knew was that he had to make a plan and his child a name.

Suddenly all the hard worked he had been putting into the ranch did not seem enough at all. Him waking up at four in the morning and getting back at six in the evening was not enough, he felt like he’d been letting his child down and therefore he had to work harder than he’s ever worked before.

There was barge on his door and suddenly the door was flung open and Billy and Joe appeared, looking all out of breath. This is the time that Tate usually got anxious to know what was wrong with his friend, but this time he felt nothing, so he simply just stared at them.

“Please don’t tell me that’s its true, because if it’s true Tate I’ll strangle you” Tate could understand what was going on and to be honest half of him did not really care. He was not one to mind idle town gossip but he’s friends loved it and for their sake often he’d listen.

“What is it exactly that I’ve done?”

He asked his friends in the calmest way possible, because he wanted to get through with this so that they could leave him in peace. All he needed was piece and time to think about his life.

Both Bill and Joe looked at each other and then back at him. Bill walked up to Tate’s bed and sat down and took a deep breath before speaking to Tate.

“Is it true that the Albertson’s are hiring you as a hit man to kill the man that got Viola Albertson pregnant?”

Tate couldn’t believe what his friends were saying or the fact that they would think he would think of taking someone else’s life.

“Why would you even think that?” Tate asked them in disbelief.

“Well Tim Jr is going around town saying that” Joe told him. Tate was not liking it one bit. Tim Jr was the son of the owner of the super market in town and therefore he was the manager. The same manager that greeted him when he walked into the store earlier.

This made Tate even more paranoid and it was things such as these tat he had to protect his child away from.