The Second Wife by Melinda Mulera (book club reads .txt) 📗

"What!?" She stood up this time and shot me an overwhelmingly shocked glance. "Iris... You knew..?"

"I found out yesterday." I nodded slowly as I glanced towards Avery who glanced from me and towards who-knows-what. "I was just as surprised as you were."

"And you still like him?" She sat back down with raised brows. I clenched my jaw and glanced down to my fingers instead, knowing I shouldn't even be with him right now. "Iris... That's so not you. You know you can't fool around with a married man! Better yet, even if you two marry, he'd do the exact same thing his doing to his wife!"

"No I wouldn't. I really love Iris and if you heard the full story, you'd understand why she's still here, with me." He finally said, getting me out of the corner. "My wife's relationship with me is purely business, so she doesn't give a fvck about how I feel. She really hates men to top it off and uses the marriage to block off any tempting men. She knows I fool around and won't be surprised if Iris comes home with me. She's infertile too, so this is the only chance I can even have a kid from someone I like." His was almost begging her, and I knew he was relying to get her agreement. He was dying to have her say yes to him and support us, but knowing Linda, it will be a lot harder.

"I don't know how you feel about her, if it's real or not." She sighed out, looking at the floor now. "I'm scared for her. She's making the most weird decisions with the wrong person. Her mother already likes Hazel, meeting you will set an alarm."

"She can learn to like me." Avery said confidently. "Believe it or not, I'm really good with parents-"

"I've been telling her about you and she pretty much hates you. You remind her of her husband that just walked away from her." She said coldly and I clenched my jaw as I glanced towards the cars passing by in front of us.

"Why were you going your way to tell them that?" I heard him ask as I caught sight of a woman crying a wailing baby and seeming to have a harsh conversation with a man in front of her. They didn't seem the least happy and she seemed more frustrated. She looks my age, if not younger, and the man looks older than her by ten years.

Linda and Avery began to animatedly exchanging their angered words towards each other obviously.

This was going to be a long day.

*
"What the hell is wrong with your friend?" Avery asked the moment he drove out of the parking lot and into the road. "She hadn't even met me and she already seemed against me."

"That's Linda for you." I simply said out as I gazed out of the window and towards the passing cars.

I mean, she wasn't wrong, what if Avery actually resumes his cycle of cheating on me once I give birth and I'm a bit boring to him. Would I eventually fall into my mother's destiny?

"Hey." His fingers suddenly appeared in front of me and grabbed me chin, turning me to him. "What's wrong?"

"Hm?" I deliberately act clueless as I removed his hold from my chin. "Nothing." I smiled before turning back to the window. Slowly dropping my smile.

The car suddenly came to an abrupt stop and I cared less of looking towards him at the moment. Probably wants to check the tires.

"Iris." He called and I reluctantly turned to have him with a forced smile.

"I'm okay, Avery." I assured him but he clearly didn't look convinced. Instead, he reached down to my hand, bringing my hand to his lips where he softly pressed his lips on the sink of my knuckles. I simply watched him as he kissed my hand a few more times before looking up at me.

"If what Linda said has you thinking, please know I really love you." He whispered out softly. I glanced down to my laps and bit onto my lower lip, now afraid about it all. It seemed too easy yesterday. I accepted it too easily and now it's hitting me hard.

"I'm just afraid you'd do the same thing and let me leave my mother's life." I shakily said out as I avoided his eyes.

"Iris..." He reached down to my thigh and squeezed his hold tightly. "Trust me I wouldn't."

"It's a lot easier to say out than do it." I chuckled forcedly as I took back my hand from him and laced my fingers together.

"You don't trust me?" He asked in a soft whisper. "I'm not that surprised, but give me a chance."

I simply nodded and glanced out the window.

Well, my lovely little creature growing inside of me, I hope you are really happy about this trauma.