When I Lie With You

Chapter 34

Rory

A couple of weeks had passed and Ian and I were still a mess. We did sleep in the same bed, but he stayed on his side and I stayed on mine. My pants were getting hard to fit into and it seemed like I was getting bigger every day. Ian left for the office every morning and I stayed in bed until he left. He didn’t call or text and he didn’t come home until late. This relationship had fallen so far out of reach that it was time for me to move out and get on with my life; just me and my baby.

I spent the day looking online for apartments out of state. I didn’t know where I wanted to go, but I knew I couldn’t stay in California. It would be too painful. I would be able to afford my own place for a while, but I would have to start looking for a job. The money Ian put in my bank account wouldn’t last forever. I had decided that when the baby was born, I wasn’t putting Ian’s name down as the father. He didn’t want anything to do with this baby, so I was going to make sure there were no ties to him at all. As I searched online, my phone chimed with a text message from Andre.

“How’s my beautiful American girl? Is Ian still being a dick? If so, move to Paris and I will take care of you and your baby.”

I smiled when I read his text. He was such a sweet and great friend. But that was all he was.

“Thank you, Andre. I’m okay and yes, Ian is still being a dick. I would love to move to Paris and I’ve considered it, but I would never allow you to take care of me and the baby.”

“Friends, Rory. Friends take care of each other. I would see to it that you got a job and I could help out while you’re at work. Give it some thought. Raising a baby here would be a wonderful life.”

“I’ll give it some thought. Thank you, Andre.”

“You’re welcome. Take care of yourself and your beautiful American baby.”

I continued looking at the map of the United States to figure out where I wanted to move. Maybe Paris wasn’t such a bad idea after all. I wouldn’t be completely alone there with Andre, and I loved Paris. I could rent a furnished apartment and not have to worry about moving anything but my suitcase. I could buy all of the baby things I needed once I got there. It was settled; I was moving to Paris. I purchased a one-way ticket for the day after tomorrow.

I went to the bedroom and pulled the suitcase out of the closet. I figured it would be best to start packing. As I began to pack, Ian walked into the bedroom.

“What are you doing?” he asked sternly.

“I’m packing because I’m moving.”

“Where are you moving to?”

“I don’t think that’s any of your business. You will never see me again once I leave. It will be easy for you to get back to your normal life and forget that you ever met me.”

“Bullshit! It is my business,” he yelled. “That’s my baby you’re carrying.”

I turned around and stared him straight in the eyes. My blood was on fire and all I saw was red. “Your baby?!” I screamed. “The baby you don’t want and the baby you can’t be a father to? How dare you, after all these weeks of ignoring me and pushing me out of your life, you say that! Who the fuck do you think you are?!”

“Do you think that it’s going to be easy to forget you? To forget everything we’ve shared? You’ve hurt me deep down, Rory. You let me down,” he screamed.

“I let you down? No, it’s the other way around. You let me down, you heartless bastard!”

I was in tears and I was so angry. The words were on the tip of my tongue and they were about to spew out of my mouth. I shouldn’t have said it, but it was how I felt and I had no choice.

“I hate you, Ian Braxton. I want you out of my life. You don’t deserve someone like me. You deserve a ruthless, heartless bitch that you can control.”

He stood there in anger. “You’re right, Rory. It will be easy to forget you,” he said as he turned and started to walk out the door.

Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen and I let out a scream and doubled over. Ian turned around and looked at me.

“Are you okay?” he asked as he ran to me and took a hold of my arm.

“I have to go into the bathroom for a minute,” I said as a tear ran down my cheek.

“Let me help you,” he said.

As I jerked my arm out of his grip, another pain shot through me. I doubled over again.

“Rory, sweetheart, please let me help you.”

“Stay the fuck away from me,” I whispered as I went into the bathroom and shut the door. I pulled down my pants and noticed there was blood. I started to panic. I opened the door and looked at Ian.

“I’m bleeding, Ian.”

“I’m taking you to the hospital,” he said as he walked over, picked me up, and carried me to the car.

When we arrived at the hospital, Ian helped me out of the car and grabbed a wheelchair. Once I was registered and explained what was happening, the nurse immediately wheeled me up to Labor and Delivery.

“Hi there, Rory, I’m Carol, and I’m going to be taking care of you while you’re here. This must be Mr. Sinclair.” She smiled.

“No, I’m Ian Braxton, the baby’s father.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

I was consumed with worry as I changed into the cloth gown and lay down on the bed. Carol, the nurse, asked me some questions and took my vital signs.

“The doctor will be in shortly. I want you to stay calm and relaxed. The more relaxed you are, the better for the baby.” She smiled and then turned and walked out of the room.

Ian walked over and sat down in the chair next to the bed. He placed his hand on mine.

“Everything is going to be all right, Rory.”

“You don’t know that. You can’t tell me that. That’s what they said about Stephen and looked what happened.”

“Shh, sweetheart. Don’t get worked up.”

“You can leave now. I don’t want you here,” I lied.

I did want him there. I wanted him to hold me and kiss me and tell me that he loved me. But I knew he couldn’t do that as long as I was carrying his baby.

“I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying here with you. End of discussion.”

“I’m moving to Paris,” I blurted out.

“You mean you’re moving there to be with Andre.”

“NO! I’m moving there for you,” I said as I turned my head.

“For me? How the fuck is that for me?”

“So you won’t ever have to worry about running into me or the baby.”

“Rory,” he said as he grabbed my hand.

“The ticket is already bought. I leave the day after tomorrow.”

Just as Ian was about to say something, the doctor walked in.

“Hi, Rory, I’m Dr. Klein. When did your pain start?” he asked as he examined my stomach.

“A couple of hours ago,” I replied.

Dr. Klein asked Ian to step out of the room for a moment while he examined me. Ian got up and kissed my forehead.

“I’ll be right outside the door,” he said.

Dr. Klein finished up his examination and told Ian he could come back into the room.

“How is she?” he asked Dr. Klein.

“I’m going to do an ultrasound. Rory, have you been under a great deal of stress lately?”

I looked away from him and closed my eyes. That was when Ian spoke up.

“Yes, doctor, she has been under a lot of stress.”

“Well, the first thing you need to do is eliminate all stress.” Dr. Klein smiled.

“I will be in a couple of days,” I mumbled.

“I’ll send the nurse in to wheel you down to the ultrasound room and I’ll meet you in there.” He smiled as he walked out of the room.

Ian’s thumb was softly moving back and forth across my hand. “Why are you doing this?” I asked.

“Doing what?”

“Staying here. Are you hoping that I’ll lose the baby and then things can go back to normal with us?”

“How the hell could you even say something like that?” he sternly asked. “My God, Rory, I know you’re worried and upset, but that was totally out of line.”

“Whatever, Ian.”

Carol walked in and helped me into the wheelchair. Ian walked beside me as I was wheeled into the ultrasound room. She helped me onto the table and Dr. Klein walked in. Ian sat down in the chair on the other side of the table.

“Okay, let’s take a look at your baby.”

He squeezed the warm gel onto my stomach and began moving the wand around slowly. He stopped and pressed some keys on his keyboard.

“There’s your baby’s heartbeat. It’s a strong one too. That’s a good sign, Rory, and there’s your baby.”

Ian grabbed my hand and squeezed it. I turned my head and looked at him. He was staring intently at the monitor.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Dr. Klein said.

“What. What is it, doctor?” Ian asked before I had the chance to.

Dr. Klein turned his head and looked at both of us. “See this right here?” he asked. “That’s another baby. Congratulations, you’re having twins.”

I swear my heart stopped beating when he said that. I was speechless. I didn’t dare look at Ian because he was already pissed about one baby and now there were two. Oh my God, I was going to be a single parent to twins, just like my mother.

“Rory,” Ian said.

I turned my head and he kissed my lips and smiled. I didn’t know what was going on and I didn’t want to know. All I could focus on at that moment were my babies.

“Everything looks good with the babies. I don’t see any problems. I’m going to send you home and I want you on complete bed rest for the next forty-eight hours. There is to be no stress in your life during the next six and a half months. Do you understand?” Dr. Klein asked.

“Yes, doctor.” I smiled.

“Good. I’ll take you back to your room and I’ll get your discharge papers ready. I’m going to contact your OB doctor and tell him what’s going on and I want you to make a follow up visit with him next week.”

Ian took my hand and helped me from the table and into the wheelchair. Dr. Klein took me back to the room and I sat on the end of the bed, waiting for him to come back with the paperwork. Ian was quiet and I was worried. He stood in front of the window and looked out onto the beautiful day. Suddenly, he spoke.

“I guess this means you won’t be moving to Paris the day after tomorrow. You heard the doctor, you are to be on bed rest for the next forty-eight hours, so that means no Paris.”

“We’ll see,” I said.

He turned around and looked at me. “You’re wrong, Rory. There is no ‘we’ll see.’” He walked over and sat down next to me on the bed. He put his arm around me and pulled me close to him, kissing the side of my head. “It’s not a request. It’s a command, Rory.”

I didn’t respond. I sat there enjoying the warmth of him and the tender touch of his lips pressed against my head. I missed him so much and every time he touched me, I became weak for him. But this wasn’t about me anymore. I had two babies to think about. I pulled away from him.

“Rory, what the hell?” he exclaimed.

I remained calm for the sake of my babies. I pointed my finger at him and spoke softly.

“You don’t get to do this anymore. You don’t get to comfort me whenever it suits you. I needed you the past few weeks and you totally shut me out. You hurt me in ways that I never thought possible. You were the only person in my life I needed the most and you turned your back on me. I don’t know if I can ever forgive you for that. I’m sorry, but I’m still moving to Paris,” I said with tears in my eyes.

He didn’t say a word, but his eyes started to fill with tears. He got up from the bed and headed towards the door.

“I’m going to pull the car up. I’ll meet you downstairs,” he said with his back turned.

A few moments later, Carol came into the room with the papers for me to sign. She helped me into the wheelchair and wheeled me down to the exit where Ian had the car waiting along the curb. He got out and opened the door as I climbed in. The ride home was silent.