Megan was glad they worked out the birthday party, but it was a few weeks away. Peter was right, because she had enough to deal with. It annoyed her of when he was that way - thoughtful and concerned.
As much as she would like, she couldn't avoid her ex, because raising the twin together required them to see each other. Megan needed him for parent conference week. She had to have one day with evening appointments, so she relied on him to watch the twins.
Her conferences typically went fairly well. She expected having to explain that her maternity leave would not affect their children. Then there was always a parent or two who thought their child should be doing better. Some students were capable, but lacked the effort, while others were in a class that they shouldn't be in.
She had been talking with her father about just that last weekend. She and her father met a few times a month. More when the greens were not playable - very little kept him away from playing his eighteen holes.
"How are you getting along princess?"
Megan didn't feel like a princess. "I'm fine Daddy."
She knew he liked when she called him Daddy.
"Work's going well?"
"Yes, just busy preparing for my leave."
"You're a hard worker. You always have been. No one tried harder in school than you."
"I wanted to make you proud."
"I'm sorry for all the pressure I put on you."
Her father had long since accepted her decision to teach. He was proud of her, even though she didn't make a lot of money and he'd been secretly giving her money for years. He would press a few bills into her hand and say, "Just a little something to make life easier."
Megan would kiss his cheek and thank him and tell him he didn't have to. Secretly she was very glad no matter the amount and waited until she was alone before she looked at how much. Often it would be several hundred dollars. He kept this from her mother, but apparently her mother knew when he was meeting her and refused to acknowledge it.
"Listen, the attic at the house is full of baby things from the twins."
"I figured she cleared it out, like she cleared me from her life."
"She never gave up hope there'd be another baby in the family."
"Probably Peter's not mine. She certainly is not happy about this baby."
"I think she always thought you and Peter would someday."
She cut him off. "Dad, stop!"
"I just think you'd be happier if you could find it in your heart to forgive." He had said that before.
Megan was never sure who he wanted her to forgive - Peter, her mother, herself, all the above. In a tone that meant don't go there, she said, "Dad."
"Well, you can have anything you need from the attic. Peter will help."
"And Mom will let you?" She swallowed the bitterness.
"We'll do it while she's out."
"If you're sure, then thank you. I don't have room for much - only what a newborn needs for now. Peter will know."
Megan preferred to go to the supermarket out of town. She didn't like running into students and their parents or worse old classmates. However, the day before conferences, she had to stop after she picked the kids up from aftercare. They needed yogurt and juice, two staples in her house.
She walked through with Nick holding her hand and Sophie holding his. Megan stopped in her tracks when she saw her. She tried to turn down an aisle to avoid her, but it was too late. She was walking towards them.
"Oh, look at Megan. Looks like you've gained weight again." Harmony looked her up and down.
"Yes, that's what this is." Megan quipped, "Too much ice cream."
She tried to walk away, but Harmony stood in her way. "I guess you got your claws back into Bren. He didn't mention you the last time I was with him."
Megan thought about correcting her, but decided she would let the bitch think what she wanted. Why give her more ammunition?
When they walked away, Nick said, "I know that lady. She talks to Daddy."
"Does she? At his house?"
"No, in stores sometimes. She's mean," Sophie said.
"She's not very nice." Megan agreed.
Megan couldn't help remembering another time that Harmony called her fat. The twins were about two months old. She and Peter were exhausted and just started to get their new life under control. A group of Peter's high school friends were meeting up on the beach. They had debated whether they could go and decided that they could walk down for a visit between feedings. So after she fed the babies, they settled them in the carriage and Peter walked down to the beach while Megan spent a few minutes to freshen up.
When she walked across the boards leading to the beach, she noticed all the girls in the gang gathered around Peter who was holding one baby. Then she saw her holding the other. Megan's protective mother instinct kicked in and she walked right up to her. "I'll take my baby. Thank you."
Handing Sophie back to her, Harmony said, "Looks like you've packed on the pounds."
Walking away Megan heard her talking to others and pointing at her and saying things like, so fat. Megan had felt fat since the babies and hearing her say those things made Megan feel worse. She was determined to smile and not run home, which was her first thought.
Peter put his arm around her. "Don't listen. You're perfect."
Megan could not believe him that day or any other day after that. Her self-confidence was on shaky ground and the fatigue of having infant twins didn't help.
She sat on the blanket with her babies and a lot of nicer friends took turns holding them. She and Peter stood out, because they were the only ones in the group married and with babies. Most of the guys were just starting to have more serious girlfriends. She watched as Peter tossed the football. She could watch that all day.
Anytime a baby cried, he'd come right over, even when his friends ribbed him about it. Eventually Megan had to go home to feed them. She said he didn't need to come with her, but he did. He told her, that he didn't want to be near Harmony without her nearby. He wished Sully would give up on her and stop inviting her. "I told Sully that she's poison and he wouldn't listen."
That night, they had two sleeping babies and Peter approached her to make use of their time together. She kept her shirt on telling him she was too fat. When he touched her belly, she pushed his hand away. The bitch was in her head and she believed her. It wasn't until Megan lost a lot of weight in the whole divorce process that she felt good about her body weight again.
Seeing Harmony had set off a bad mood. She was so angry with Peter. If she had anyone else to watch the kids, she would have and told him not to come. But she didn't, so he was at her house when she came home from conferences the next night.
"Hey," he said when she walked in.
"Goodbye." She stood at the open door.
"What did I do? I had a few party details to run by you."
"I saw your slut at the store. She hasn't changed, nor has my order that you keep her from my children." Megan spat out her words like venom.
"This town is small. I've bumped into her when I'm going about my business. Believe me if I never see her again it would be too soon!"
"She doesn't feel that way." Megan raised her voice.
"I've made a lot of mistakes in my life, but she was by far the worst!" He raised his voice back at her and stormed out.
YOU ARE READING
Shattered Hearts (TP1)
Romance(Complete) Peter isn't prepared for the reality of another man spending the night with his ex. He should be, but his heart has never let her go. Peter, who was abandoned by his father as a young boy, will do anything for his kids. He won't stop unt...
