The Song

Part Forty-Nine

I woke up the next morning to a strange sensation… a slight pressure against the base of my back.

“Oh god,” I giggled, burying my face in the duvet as I tried to slide away from Aston.

“Hmm…” Aston yawned, moving his hand off my waist slightly, “Oh fuck! Sorry!” he said startled, practically springing away from me.

I couldn’t help but burst out laughing at the situation, wheezing slightly as I tried to mask it.

“Stop! I’m embarrassed,” Aston said.

“Well I’m flattered,” I laughed, watching him jump out of bed and scurry into the en suite. I couldn’t help but let out one last laugh as the shower switched on.

I mean seriously. I knew we were married and we did stuff, but this had never happened between us. Or Aston was really good at hiding it.

In an effort to ease the tension I pulled on a dressing gown and went to the kitchen, making cheese omelets and some toast.

“This is an, ‘I’m Sorry for Laughing at You’ breakfast,” I giggled when Aston came into the kitchen ten minutes later.

“You’re being so mean!”

“I’m not trying to,” I defended, “It’s just so awkward that I’m getting the giggles.”

Aston flushed red as he poured a glass of orange juice, the color apparent all the way up to the tips of his ears.

“If it helps at all, I thought it was sweet,” I joked.

“Stop!!!” Aston groaned, a small smile starting to play on his lips.

“What… I’m glad you think about your wife that way. At least I hope you were thinking about your wife!”

“I was…” Aston trailed off.

It was my turn for my cheeks to burn red, and soon I was retreating to the bedroom to get ready for the day. Things had taken a turn for the too much too fast and I needed to take a deep breath.

“Jess!” Aston called, “I’m going to the studio!”

“Ok!” I shouted back, coming out to the kitchen.

“What are you going to do today?”

“Piano for a bit and then probably go lay at the pool.”

“Sounds good,” Aston said, smiling awkwardly before backing his way to the door and practically running out of the flat.

I couldn’t help but burst out laughing again as soon as I was left alone. It was all so absurd and weird to think that something so normal for a couple like us was actually really awkward right now. I can only imagine what would have actually occurred if I had my memory and we were living in our perfect little bubble.

That morning I tried to work on the song I was writing, sitting at the keyboard and picking at the keys. The problem was, I was stuck. Really stuck. In fact, ever since the accident I hadn’t been able to string a song together. All I had were little melodies and ideas that didn’t fit together. It was so frustrating.

After a sandwich I pulled on a bikini and went out to the pool, taking a book and my phone so I could listen to music. The LA sun was hot and intense, and I really wanted to get a good tan going before we left.

I was out there for about an hour and a half when a shadow fell over me, a girl sitting at the chair next to me.

“I heard you guys were here, it’s been awhile,” she said.

“Hi!” I said quickly, pulling out my ear buds and eyeing her up. Aston had tried to teach me about my LA friends, and the one with the curly blonde hair was… Karen! “How are you?” I smiled.

“Great,” she replied, “Mind if I sit next to you?”

“Sure, I’m heading in soon though,” I said. I didn’t want to be around her to long in case she caught wind of things. Aston said we were only mild acquaintances and I wasn’t comfortable letting her in on my little secret.

“Looks like you made up with Aston then,” Karen said.

“Sorry?” I asked, confused. Why would I need to make up with him? According to him things were perfect.

“You know, that big blowout over the pregnancy test.”

“Oh right,” I lied, my heartbeat picking up. This was all news to me!

“I could not believe you actually left a week early,” Karen said off-handedly, “Must have been some fight.”

“It was a bit nasty,” I lied, not sure what I was talking about.

“But it seems like all is forgiven now and you’re back with your man.”

“Yup,” I smiled awkwardly.

I watched Karen lean back into her sun lounger, spreading her tanned LA legs out in front of her. As obviously as I could I checked the time on my phone, giving her a crooked smile as I jumped up from my chair and went inside.

I needed answers, and I needed them fast.

Making my way straight to the en suite I started digging through drawers and cupboards, looking for any evidence of this supposed pregnancy test. I was about to give up when I found a paper bag shoved in the back of the linen closet, an unopened test and a receipt inside.

“What the fuck?” I muttered, inspecting the receipt. There were multiple tests on it, and I knew just from reading the receipt that I’d taken the missing ones.

I knew I couldn’t bother Aston at the studio, but I was dying to know what the hell Karen was talking about. Why hadn’t I heard about a pregnancy test? Hell… did I have a kid that I didn’t know about? What wasn’t Aston telling me?

I was starting to get pretty riled up, pacing the front room in my sundress and bikini, when the door swung open and Aston came in.

“I thought you were going to be at the pool?” he said, taking in my wrangled look.

“We need to talk,” I said.

“Um, sure…”

“What the hell is this about a pregnancy test?” I asked, jumping straight to the point, “About a huge fight? About me leaving LA a week early? I thought you said everything between us was perfect!”

“Um…” Aston said awkwardly, avoiding eye contact.

“Aston!”

“So… I may have exaggerated a few things,” he said slowly.

“You’re kidding right?”

“I didn’t think it would hurt,” he shrugged, trying to pull an innocent look.

I stared at him for a minute before turning and sitting down on the sofa. “Sit. And tell me the truth.”

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