Everything & More (Book 1 in the E.C.N Series)

Chapter 21-Martha

"Wait, motherfucker said what!" The woman filing my nail helped my attention be on anything else other than Lori's reaction to my therapy session. "Jonathan actually admitted that he cheated on you a year prior to his affair and with the same homewrecking slut too?"

All I could was nod as I stared at the process my nails were going through. When I told Lori that the therapist session went as well as that picture of her trying to pull off bangs in high school, she immediately knew my predicament. Suggested we do some self care as a therapy for therapy.

"That evening I even went to a bar and found Ryan with Paola Grant." That was definitely a sight.

Lori looked at me a little confused, "Whose that?" Sometimes I forget that we didn't grow up together.

"Some girl we grew up with. She was like Ryan and all his friends' groupie."

A sly grin came over Lori's face, "Oh so she's an old fuck buddy of Ryan's."

"I mean I could never confirm it when we were teenagers but the way she would look at him as if he was her last meal always made my skin crawl." I shivered slightly.

"So what was he doing with her?"

"He said it had to do with business but the look on her face and the way she was touching him said she was there for a whole lot more." I felt my nose scrunch as I remembered how much she tried to claim him right in front of me.

Lori shrugged, going back to looking at her nails being done, "So what's the big deal? I mean he's single, I'm assuming she is as well."

"Just surprised that Ryan would be interested in someone like Paola Grant." Really didn't think she was his type.

"Why do you care so much?" When I turned my head to look at her she had an amused look in her eyes. It looked like she was trying to hold back a smile. I felt slight heat on my neck and cheeks.

"I don't know! I was just caught off guard. This is a woman who used to try to make my life a living hell behind Ryan's back because she hated the fact that I went to private school. She thought I was too uppity for the area we lived in." I explained, hoping Lori would understand my distaste for this woman.

"What a bitch." She said in disbelief.

"That's what I'm saying." Relieved she was getting it. "Either way, weren't you going off about Jonathan." Even though he was the last thing I wanted to talk about, it was better than exploring Lori's brain and having her come up with something out of nothing.

"Oh right! Yes, um who does that motherfucker think he is by not telling you that key piece of information?"

"I don't know, I honestly think he thought he would never have to tell me. As if I would never ask why."

"Sounds like Bobby to me." Said the woman with a thick New Jersey accent doing my nails. When I first sat down she introduced herself as Teri. She had straight black hair chopped in a bob, bright red lipstick, and a shirt that revealed a lot of cleavage. Her eyes had slight wrinkles on the side which confirmed that she was a little older. The gold hoops she wore were almost as big as her own face and her eyeshadow popped like no other. The smack of the gum in her mouth let you know when she was truly interested in a topic. Right now, it was in full force. "Bobby was my third husband. Had an affair, thought he wouldn't get caught until he did. Same old same old."

Lori and I looked at each other slightly. I didn't know what to make of this. So I just sat back and listened to this woman go down memory lane. "I don't know why men think they ain't gonna get caught." This woman was on autopilot as she worked and spoke.

"How long did he cheat?" Lori asked as I sat quiet and observed.

"Three years..." Teri paused and then added,  "that I knew about."

Lori's eyes widened as she turned to look at me confirming I heard the same thing, "Wait, you knew he was cheating for three years."

She shrugged, "What can I say? I didn't know when to leave."

Lori scoffed beside me as she looked at the work the woman working on her was doing, "Had that been me he would have been six feet under the minute I found out."

"Oh my kind of woman." They both chuckled, it made sense why they got along so well. "So what about you?" I looked up to see Teri's attention on me.

"What about me?" It's different when the conversation is on a stranger's past problem but they're on your current one you just feel naked and exposed.

"Well I heard you tell your little friend over here that... Jonathan was it?" I nodded confirming, "Right that this Jonathan of yours admitted to kissing this Jackie woman two years prior and that only for the past year did he admit to the affair."

She was just stating the obvious. "Yea and?"

"Well, do you believe that?" Teri asked as if it was the most logical question in the world. It was a question I had been asking myself ever since he said it.

Why would he lie? I already knew he cheated.

"I'd like to. Though I'm not sure what difference it's really going to make. He cheated plain and simple."

Lori leaned over and tapped me to gain my attention, "Um if it's so plain and simple why haven't you filed for divorce yet?" I went to open my mouth but shut it because there was only one reason I had, "I swear if you say Paige again I'm going to hurt you."

"Oh, is Paige your little rugrat?" Teri said, sounding intrigued that a child was involved.

I smiled as I thought of Paige, "Yea."

"Well honey I'm sure you heard this already," Teri dropped my hand while still holding onto it and began pointing the nail filer at me with the other one, "but you can't base all your life decisions off of if your daughter is going to be happy with your choices."

"What about you? Huh? You stayed with Bobby for years and knew that he was unfaithful to you. Last time I checked you didn't mention having a kid with the man. So what's your excuse for staying with a man that you could never fully trust?" I was being harsh and I knew it too.

Though if Teri thought so she didn't let it show, instead she leaned in and gave me a sympathetic smile. "Exactly, I had no excuse and even though we never had kids, I know for a fact that that little girl of yours is not a good enough reason to stay with someone you could never fully trust again."

"Then why does the thought seem so tempting?" It was true, I was tempted time and time again to forgive Jonathan and continue life with him. I knew I would always struggle with trusting him but it seemed like it was a good enough thing to go through if that meant Paige would be happy.

She smiled, not a happy one. It was one that was filled with painful memories, "Because we accept the love we think we deserve."