Raging Blue (26 page)

Chapter
56

Mia

Jay met the mailman halfway down the walkway as he had every day for the past few weeks. Mia watched him from the window upstairs as she gently rocked Myla in her arms. She’d begun to anticipate the mailman’s arrival as much as he did. The confirmation would set her free. Only minimal conversation had passed between the two of them since they'd returned from New York. And even less since the baby came. She didn’t know how much longer she could stand it. She laid the sleeping baby
in her frilly pink bassinette and marveled at the sweetness of her pouted lips. It was too early to tell who she looked like, but so far, she had Mia’s fair complexion and almond eyes. She leaned forward and kissed the baby’s chubby cheek, then gently tousled the large black curls framing her angelic face.

Mia’s resolve completely dissipated under the influence of her precious baby. Jay had been unmoved from the day she was born. Even Mia questioned his doggedness to maintain such distance.

Mia wandered down the steps and found Jay standing in the doorway with his face buried in a letter. When he looked up, the look of relief made Mia’s heart fall into her stomach. She didn’t want to ask.

Jay handed her the letter.

She refused it.

“Read it, Mia,” he said.

She turned away and walked to the kitchen. Jay left the door open and followed her.

He extended the letter to her again, raised his brow, and repeated, “Read it.”

Mia snatched the letter from his hand. She tried to push back the lump in her throat and looked at the floor. After a while, she lifted her head to face Jay.

“So now what?”

“This is it!” he said.

“We can—” she started.

“No, we can’t. This is over,” he told her.

Mia folded her arms across her chest and looked away. “This doesn’t have to be the end of us,” she said.

“It’s not just this,” Jay admitted.

“Then what is it?” she asked.

Jay took a moment to respond. “I saw the DVDs.”

Mia covered her face with her hands. “I can explain.”

Jay held his hand up. “No need to. The baby isn’t mine anyway. Just find yourself another place to stay. You have two weeks,” Jay said and walked off.

None of her jumbled thoughts made it past her lips. She couldn’t think clearly enough to
focus on a way to get Jay to allow her to stay
. Mia dropped her shoulders. This chapter was closed, and she knew it in her core. She'd wanted so badly for Jay and her to be together.

Mia tried to shake away her sadness as
she trudged to her room. The next thought stopped her in her tracks. Based on the timing of her pregnancy, if the baby wasn’t Jay’s, then she knew who the other possible father was. He had a wife who was a force to be reckoned with. Mia knew she’d have to prepare for a battle. For the first time, she almost bemoaned her decision to have a baby, but it was far too late for regrets.

Chapter 57

Blue

Blue sat next to Victor in the Atlanta courtroom wringing her hands, much like she had a few months back. She refused to acknowledge Jay's or Mia’s presence. From her peripheral, she could see both of them staring at her. She looked back at Gavin seated in the front row. His wink and supportive smile reassured her. The past few weeks with Gavin had been the best of her life. In the short time they’d been together, he'd showed her how a woman could be loved the right way. They'd agreed to take things slow, yet had already talked about getting engaged once the ink dried on the divorce papers.

Jay had finally relented and rescinded many of his outrageous demands. Once the rest of the paperwork was completed on the divorce, both of them could go their separate ways with no strings attached. They had already sold the Atlanta townhouse and split the proceeds. Jay had found a modest condo and was in negotiations with the local team. There was a strong possibility he would be playing again soon.

She smiled back at Gavin and felt the heat of Jay’s glare. It was apparent Jay still wasn’t used to the idea of Gavin and Blue being an official couple. Blue looked his way and read his pain. It was familiar. Mia fidgeted next to him. Blue turned back around, straightened her back, and took a deep breath.

“Don’t worry, Blue. This will all be over today,” Victor told her.

“I know, but I just don’t understand why it had to take so long,” she said and huffed.

“Scott managed to keep getting the dates postponed because of Mia and her baby,” Victor said.

Blue glanced back
at a petite Latino woman, with tanned skin and narrow eyes, seated behind Mia and Jay, rocking the baby girl all wrapped in pink. She pouted her lips and cooed at the baby. A lump formed in Blue’s throat, surprised the betrayal still stung—especially in person.

Judge Samuels finally lifted his
head from the paperwork and scanned the wood-paneled courtroom over the rim of his glasses. As he opened his mouth, a hush swept over the room.

The only sounds Blue could hear were that of her own heart beating as if it were trying to break through her chest cavity. She sucked in two deep breaths to slow
her racing pulse. The moment had come. Once again, reservations gnawed at her conscience. Maybe she didn’t have to go this far. Then again, she did. Mia and Jay were like fire, and she had to fight fire with fire.

The judged ordered Mia and Jay to stand.

The pace of Blue’s heart rate increased again. She took another glimpse at the people around her. Victor was cool and professional. Gavin had scooted to the edge of his seat. A single stream of sweat crept down the side of Jay’s face. A clear view of Mia was blocked by Jay’s overbearing stature, so Blue couldn’t see what she was doing. She could imagine what was going on in Mia’s head, though. With her desire for the finer things in life, surely she wasn’t built for jail. Blue doubted the penitentiary housed celebrity hairstylists or uniforms in the hottest colors or latest styles.

Judge Samuels handed down their sentences. Mia gasped out loud when the judge told her that she’d have to pay five thousand dollars in restitution, serve two years of probation, and would not be allowed to leave the state of Georgia for the duration of her probationary period. Jay got off a little easier since the home was really his. The judge slapped him with one year of probation and ordered that he remain in the state of Georgia for the duration of his probation, as well. He also had to serve eight hundred hours of community service and pay one thousand dollars in restitution.

Blue opened her mouth and realized she’d been holding her breath. She'd accomplished her goal and sent a strong message. She doubted they’d take her for granted ever again. Jay didn’t look totally happy, but she knew things could have been worse. Mia grabbed her baby from the nanny and held her tight with her eyes closed.

“We’re all done here. Are you okay with the outcome?” Victor asked.

“Yes. These past few months have been a nightmare,” Blue said.

When Gavin placed his hand on Blue’s shoulder, she stood to embrace him.

“It’s finally over,” she said with her face buried in his chest.

“I know.” Gavin rubbed her back.

When Blue pulled away, she saw Jay staring. He didn’t look angry.

“Come on. Let’s go and get something good to eat before we head for the airport. Now that the butterflies have left my stomach, it’s empty.”

Gavin smiled, took her by the hand, and turned to head out of the courtroom.

“Blue,” Jay called out to her.

Several heads whipped in response to Jay calling her name. Gavin tightened his grip on her hand. Mia glared, and the attorneys simply stopped what they were doing and stood still.

“Can I talk to you for a moment…privately?” Jay looked at Gavin when he said ‘privately’.

Blue gestured towards Gavin to gauge if he was comfortable with Jay’s request, but Gavin gave no indication. She placed a reassuring hand over his. He raised his brows and released her hand, then walked toward the back of the courtroom. Mia walked up behind Jay.

“You wanted to speak to me in
private
,” Blue said to Jay, then looked back at Mia.

Jay caught the signal and turned around. Mia stood behind him with pleading in her eyes. Then she walked back to the other side of the courtroom. She rocked Myla in her arms until the nanny gently took the baby.

Returning his attention to Blue, Jay leaned in and whispered, “I took a DNA test. The baby isn’t mine.”

“Good for you,” Blue said sincerely and forced a reassuring smile.

His posture slumped when Blue walked past him. She paused briefly and looked at Mia, who owned a bitter but pitiful expression. When Mia caught her staring, she looked away.

Gavin reached for Blue, but she gestured for him to give her a moment. She started towards Mia but stopped midway. She decided there was nothing more she needed to say. Instead, she painted a smile on her face and held her gaze long enough for Mia to feel the heat of her glare. When Mia finally looked her way, Blue raised her head, admonished Mia by shaking her head in a way that exuded pity, and sauntered off holding Gavin’s hand in hers.

~~~~

             
Renee Daniel Flagler is a teaching artist, award-winning freelance journalist, marketing professional, and the author of four novels,
Mountain High Valley Low
,
Miss-Guided
,
In Her Mind
and,
Raging Blue
. Renee resides in New York and is currently at work on her next novel,
Still Raging
and her first nonfiction work,
The Relationship Survival Guide.
Connect with Renee on Facebook, Twitter or
www.ReneeDanielFlagler.com
.