Note from the author:
Hi, guys. Sorry, it took so long, unfortunately. I had some technical issues, and then I was swamped with finishing the first parts of the sequels. I will post more frequently now and post FomEB and MNPA soon.
The Life With Nathaniel
.
.
A couple of months later.
I wish I could tell you it went smoothly from then on. That the love we had with Nathaniel made everything possible... But in reality, life doesn't go that way, and we knew that.
.
The Saturday I met with Ashley was pure hell! I remember it started pretty civil, and Nate and Jerry were trying to keep Ashley and me calm, but there was too much resentment. I am sure we both care about one another in some way, but this affair destroyed the relationship between Ashley and me to such an extent that I wasn't sure if we would ever be able to repair it.
.
Now, when I look back on those first months Nate and I tried to date, I feel awful for him. As he tried to balance life between the two of us, I honestly wondered why he even did that... I would have given up after two weeks. That's how bad it was... One good thing, though, was that he and Jerry became better friends this way, as Jerry was helping Nate immensely and was also rooting for our relationship.
.
For Nate was very important to keep both Ash and me in his life. We've tried many times to talk, and I suppose each one was a bit better, but so many hurtful words were spoken in those months that I believed that even if we managed to talk with each other one day, there would be things we would never forgive.
.
Thankfully, Ashley didn't want to forbid Nate from raising their child, but the thought that he would do it by my side was painful for her, and she hadn't forgotten to mention it every single time.
.
I found a place, and at first, Nate spent most of his nights with me while he still kept living with Ash, which was torture for me. After about two months like this, I was ready to give up. I wish I could be the mature one here, the one who understands and is patient, but no matter how understanding I tried to be, this was seriously killing me!
.
One night, he came, absolutely spent and exhausted, and asked me if he could live with me. I was over the moon and agreed. Ashley didn't contact any of us for over a month after that.
.
I wished we could at least enjoy the summer. We really tried, but with all the stress, pandemic, and everything happening all at once, we were happy sometimes that we could just curl up next to each other at night and hold on tight. If I ever came close to depression, it was in these months right here...
.
June and July passed like this, and in August, Ross and Kyle finally finished Jerry's basement. He and Ashley were like siblings they never had by this point. Yes, I mean this sentence with all seriousness. Jerry kept trying with Nate to somehow keep the four of us in contact. He was ecstatic when he called us with Nate to come and look at his new studio, and for a short moment, we all thought this would help us break the ice. We didn't even get to see it...
.
The following Monday, Ashley knocked on our door. At first, I thought it would be Nate forgetting something, but seeing her there made me double-check if I saw it correctly. I swore under my breath and opened the door.
"Hi, Nate is not here."
"I know. Can we talk?"
"Sure, come on in."
She stepped in and looked around since this was the first time she had entered this space. Her belly was now starting to show. She was about six months.
"How do you know he is not here?"
"I talked with him over on the phone. He is at Brandon's."
"Yeah."
"Can I sit?"
"No, I will make the pregnant woman stand..." I shook my head and pointed at the couch. "Just sit down, Ashley."
"I wasn't sure if you would want to speak with me."
"Why? Because you kept screaming at me for like an hour and kicked me out of the house?"
"I may have been a bit emotional then," she said to the carpet as she sat on the cushion.
"Nooo, I got used to it by now, don't worry."
"I swear, Richard, you are the only person that can make me this livid."
"Same here. What do you want?"
I stood in front of her with my hands in the pockets of my jeans.
"I've been to the doctor today," she started quietly and looked at her hands.
"Is everything all right?"
She looked solemn. No matter how cruel we can be toward one another, I care for her well-being.
"No."
I sat. There was no sneer, no maliciousness in me anymore. From the way she looked, I got genuinely worried.
"What is going on?"
She looked severely into my eyes.
"Do you mean it seriously with Nate?"
"Not this again, Ashley. What is going on?"
"Answer me, Richard."
"Yes, I mean it seriously with Nate. I wouldn't do this otherwise. I am not that cruel person to take your husband from you out of spite."
She nodded.
"Then I want to make a deal."
"What?"
"I will stop. Well, I will do my best to stop treating you like the traitor that took my husband away."
"Why?" I was now seriously worried for her life! I know reading only words may sound like a fantastic gesture, but one, she is not the kind of person to do this, especially after I saw her these past months, and two, she looked pale and apprehensive.
"I just want us to be a family," she started crying!
"What is going on, Ashley?!"
"I want this baby, Richard!" She held her belly and started shaking and crying.
I jumped on my knees right in front of her and hugged her as she cried. "What is going on?!"
She shook her head and clutched her arm around mine.
