The Ring

THIRTY

[INGRID'S POV]

I go back to the place I haven't been to in days. I'm pretty sure I'll be welcomed with a cold shoulder, but it's still worth the risk. I knock hesitantly on Susan's door and wait for it to be answered.

I try to put on a smile mixed with an apologetic expression.

She opens the door and frowns when she sees me. "Suze!!! Long time no see, huh?" I exclaim with a grin and reach in to hug her, but she shuts the door in my face. I gasp with astonishment.

I adamantly knock on her door again. "Suze, I'm not gonna leave here until you talk to me! You know I could spend the night on your porch. And I may catch a cold, but it's worth it, isn't it?" I shout out loud so that she could hear me. I know she's on the other side of the door. And it's definitely not sound proof.

"Suze!! Please open the door!! Come on, I just want to talk. I'm sorry for..."

I'm interrupted when the door swings open and Suze starts nagging. "Sorry for disappearing for days after dumping your boyfriend for a loser and not giving any explanations to me and Harris? For not picking my calls or answering my texts and lying to us all this while?"

I sigh. "Yes, I'm sorry for that and more. Now if you would allow me in, I could talk to you about it."

Susan rolls her eyes and thinks for a while, before reluctantly allowing me in. I walk over to a sofa and sit down as she pours me a glass of juice in the kitchen.

"Ingrid, I've been worried about you. I've been worried about how you're faring after what happened at your wedding." she says, walking over and setting down the glass before me. "I'm so pissed off than worried right now."

I sigh. "I can explain."

"I feel really bad that I'm married now to Harris, living happily, but you couldn't get the same thing. All because you went behind our backs and had a baby with a bastard who ruined your life. You couldn't even tell me, or anyone. How am I supposed to take that?"

"Suze..."

"If you would've told me, we could've done something about it. Rather than having that Latino guy embarrass you on your wedding day. And you left us worried sick."

"I'm fine. Okay? Raf is a good guy. He's not what you think."

"So if you didn't love Adrian anymore, why didn't you say so? Why did you agree to marry him? Did you think about your mother? Or even your goddamn self?" Susan snaps at me.

"Calm down. Nothing was in my control at first. Now it is. I'm sorry for anything wrong I did. I was just stupid and childish."

"Adrian told Harris that he saw you and the bastard on a date yesterday." Susan says, folding her arms. "Are you and Raphael together now?"

"We are, sorta. "

"But I don't get it. What did Adrian do wrong? How did you meet Raphael and when and how..."

I sigh. "Adrian was sleeping with Sophie. Not once, not twice. I even caught them together on your engagement party."

"Sophie? Ingrid are you kidding me? You mean, Sophie, or Sophie?"

"Yes, her. And Adrian doesn't know what he wants. But I'm not going to be affected by his indecisiveness."

"But how can Sophie do that? She's our best friend."

"She's a slut, that's what she is."

"I don't even know what to say. I'm really sorry about that. You never even told me. You don't tell me anything."

"I'm sorry, Suze." I smile apologetically.

"So you love Mr. Latino?"

"Yes."

"And you're really pregnant?" Susan asks.

I stiffen at her question. "We first met at the bar I work at. We talked all day. We kept meeting each other when we had the chance. And then one thing led to another and we both started catching feelings. One day, I spent the night at his place and...we did the deed and I got pregnant. I know you must be disgusted by me."

"I'm not. I mean, Adrian is an asshole, now that I think of it. You deserve someone better. Anyway, how old is it? You don't have a baby bump."

"It's only some weeks old." I lie helplessly.

"Raf must really love you to have decided to ruin your wedding so that he could have you."

I squint at her skeptically. "Are you being sarcastic?"

"No. I mean, it was an embarrassing thing to do but... it was very... affectionate."

"He did that out of helplessness. He told me several times that he wanted us to be together, but I didn't want to hurt Adrian, even though I loved Raphael. So I said no. And he took matters into his own hands, saving me from... an unhappy marriage." I say, proud of my convincing lie.

Susan shrugs. "I'm still mad that you didn't tell me about him earlier."

"What can I do to make it up to you?"

"When you give birth, you have to make me the godmother. You owe me that." Susan says sternly.

I laugh. "Of course. I will."

"Good."

"I love you, Suze."

"I don't need it. You're the world's worst friend. With a big W. " she points out. I nod slowly, acknowledging that fact.

❇

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