“Just leave it alone.” She said before turning to face him, her arms crossed over her middle.

  “This house has never been this clean. My laundry is wrinkle free and smells great. Something is bothering you and I want to know what it is.” She watched as he swallowed before she looked toward the laundry room. This was the perfect time to tell him. Yet she just could not do it. She had one more day here and then she could fly out and forget this whole mess. She would never forget this man or this mess. That was something that she was not ready to study too closely.

  “I am not Megan.” Marley had met his eyes before that admission slipped out. She was not sure he had heard her. Then his lips pursed and she could not tell if he was angry or not.

  “I know, Marley. I have known since Tuesday.” Marley swallowed hard. Not only did he know, but he knew her name. He had also known before he had slept with her.

  “Why didn’t you say something?” She asked. Because that would have saved a lot of stress and worry.

  “I wanted to see how long you would continue to lie to me.” He hates liars, she thought and was not sure what to say to that.

  “I am sorry.” She really was. If she could just go back in time and change things she would.

  “That doesn’t help. I spent my marriage with a woman who constantly lied to me. I do not like a liar.” She heard the steel in his tone. He was dead serious, yet he had known the whole time they had been sleeping together and had not said anything.

  “But you still slept with me knowing that I was lying to you?” Marley said and was too emotional to think about what that meant.

  “I wanted to get the last laugh.” That hit her like nothing in her life before. She blinked back the tears and the hurt. There was nothing to say to that. He had known all along and had used her to get revenge.

  “Okay.” Was all she could get out. The need to run from that room and pack all of her belongings was strong.

  “Would you have ever told me the truth?” He asked her and she knew she was so very close to tears.

  “I just did.” For her there was nothing more to say. Turning from him she made her way to Megan’s room and started packing her stuff. She was not sure she was going to be able to stay there for another day.

  ‘He knows.’ Was all she was going to send to her sister, because the tears blurred her vision and she made her way to the bathroom for a good cry. Marley tried to keep her mind free of all thoughts as she cried. There really was no way to salvage any kind of relationship with Griffin. Had she honestly believed that there was ever going to be a chance for them? This whole week had been one lie after another and she was just ready to be done. Her phone was ringing when she came out of the bathroom and she picked it up.

  “Hello.” She said after she saw her sister’s face on the screen.

  “What happened?” Megan asked and she was not sure where to start.

  “He figured it out on Tuesday.” She said still trying to digest the fact that he had slept with her, knowing she was not Megan.

  “So before you slept with him?”

  “Yes.”

  “Thank God. I did not want to have to come home to that.” Megan’s relief could be heard through the phone.

  “Are you okay?” Megan asked and she felt the tears building again.

  “No.” The items went into her suit case as she held the phone to her ear.

  “You fell in love with him.” Megan’s words were not a question as much as a statement.

  “I fall in love with everyone.” Marley stated as she folded another of her shirts and put it in the case.

  “Not like this. What are you going to do?” Megan seemed truly concerned.

  “I am packing as we speak. I might call a cab and get out of here a day early.” Because she really did not want to have to face him again.

  “What did he say?” Meagan asked and she knew her sister was going to find out anyway.

  “He got the last laugh.” She was surprised at how much pain those words brought her. Moving into the bathroom she started to gather all of her things. She had a separate bag for these items.

  “Marley, I am so sorry. I don’t know what to say.” That made two of them. She was not really in the mood for this conversation.

  “It is ok, Megan, I will bounce back. But I have to get out of here. Can you let him know that I am leaving?”

  “Yes, and call me before you get on a plane.” Megan said her voice holding a little more softness than usual.

  “I will, love you.”

  “You too.” Megan said and they both hung up. Marley gave the bathroom a once over and made sure she did not leave anything behind. Then she made her way to the bedroom and did the same. The door to the bedroom opened and Griffin stood there.

  “Eli is going to my dad’s when he gets out of school. Do you want a ride to the airport?” He was so cold that she felt the need to step back, she kept herself where she was.

  “I will call a cab.” At that moment she could not meet his eyes. She did not want to be in his truck with him either. No this was not the way she wanted this situation to go.

  “I will call one for you.” Then he was gone from the doorway. Zipping her suitcase she picked it up. There was no way the cab would get there in the next five minutes, but she was ready to be gone. As she made her way through the kitchen she remembered his shirt was in the washer. Leaving all of her things by the door she made her way into the laundry room and transferred the load to the dryer. Turning she found him standing in the doorway watching her.

  “Your blue and black shirt is in the dryer.” Because no matter what he thought of her she did take care of her responsibilities.

  “Why did you do it?” He asked and she was not sure what to tell him at that moment.

  “It is just something we used to do as kids. Megan had a wedding to go to, but she did not want to ask you for time off. One thing led to another and here we are.” Marley felt the walls closing in around her. His presence filled the small space and she wished he would move.

  She heard a horn and started for the door. When she got close he stepped to the side to allow her a small space to pass. Once she was aligned with his body he stopped her. She could not look at him and kept her face to the floor her eyes closed.

  “God, I wish you hadn’t lied to me.” Then he let her go and she moved past him to get her stuff. Griffin stood in the doorway and watched her go.

  “Where are you going?” Tuttle asked as he took her luggage and placed it in the trunk of his Mercedes. He opened the passenger door for her and she got in. When he got behind the wheel she looked at the house. She would never see it again, or the man that lived inside.

  “I am not Megan.” Because she did not want to lie to these people anymore.

  “Are you feeling okay?” He asked as he turned the car around and headed down the driveway.

  “Megan is my twin sister. I am Marley.” Tuttle did not stop the car he continued looking out the window.

  “Where is Megan?” He asked as he turned onto the highway and headed toward the airport.

  “She has been in Hawaii for a wedding all week.” Marley answered before turning her head to look out the window.

  “I am guessing Dr. Valentine found out.”

  “Yes he did.” And she wondered if he would fire Megan. With her leaving he would have a little bit of time to think over the situation.

  At the airport she had to wait a few hours for a flight. That was okay with her, she needed some time to gather her thoughts.

  Her apartment was a welcome haven when she entered it. There was just something about coming home, no matter where that home was. She had talked to Megan before she had boarded the plane.

  ‘I am home.’ Was the text she sent before dropping face first onto her bed and falling asleep. She was just so tired. Emotional stress was the worst kind of stress.

  ‘It’s all good in the hood.’ Was the text she received from Megan on Sunday. So apparently Griffin had not fired her and things were back to normal on that home front. They were not all good for her. Why was it she could think of nothing but him?

  Six

  Monday morning she was back in class, but could not think of anything but him. That last laugh comment still caused her a ton of pain. She was sure that he had not meant to hurt her that way, but it did.

  When she made her way into the office after lunch it was to find her in basket full. That was a welcome sight and she was glad to have something to do. The most important matters were requests from Mr. Taylor, he needed some old case files and it was her job to find them.

  By mid week she was back into her routine and dealing with everything as best she could.

  ‘Eli hates my grilled cheese.’ Megan sent Marley a text on Thursday afternoon and that made her smile.

  ‘Stop burning them.’ She sent back and smiled. Her first real smile in a week. Megan’s reply was an emoji with it’s tongue sticking out.

  Near the end of May she had a lot going on. Megan came with their parents to watch her graduate from law school. Then they were gone again. Her parents on their way to some tropical destination. They liked to travel a lot.

  Marley did not have much time between graduation and taking the bar exam. Her diligence in everything important insured that she passed the bar exam with out a problem. She was very proud of herself.

  ‘I passed the bar.’ Was the text she sent her family, in a group text. She was rewarded with lots of positive comments from them.

  “Hello.” She answered the phone Friday after work. Marley had just got home and was planning on a relaxing evening in.

  “My sister the lawyer.” Megan’s voice said in her ear and it made her smile.

  “Thank you, now I have to find a firm to work for. What’s up with you?” It was nice to have someone to talk to.

  “Griffin sends his congratulations.” She felt the all too familiar pang of hurt at the mention of that name. Months had passed and she still could not hear that name without a lot of regret.

  “Marley?” Megan said breaking into her thoughts.

  “Whatever. Are you still taking classes?” Because the last she heard Megan had achieved her high school diploma and was moving onto nursing school. It was so hard to imagine her sister as a nurse.

  “Yep. Are you okay?” Megan’s words made her bite her bottom lip.

  “He wants to talk to you.” Marley swallowed hard at those words.

  “I can’t, Megan.” The thought of simply hearing his voice was enough to have the tears brimming. “I am going out with friends tonight, and they are waiting for me.” It was only partly a lie. She had been invited out but she was not going.

  “Okay, have fun.” She could tell that Megan did not believe her.

  “Love you.” Marley said.

  “You too.” Megan returned and the call ended. Marley dropped the phone to the couch and sat looking at nothing. She had worked too hard to let this little hiccup ruin her life. Marley could not imagine what Griffin had to say to her. That was just not something she wanted to think about at the moment. Picking up her phone she dialed her friend Elizabeth’s number.

  “Is that invitation still open?” Marley asked and almost changed her mind.

  “Always, Chick, we are walking into Mario’s now. You coming?” Marley could hear the noise in the background of the call.

  “I am on my way.” Marley said before she could changer her mind. She grabbed her keys and some cash and locked her door on the way out. Mario’s was a quick five minute walk and the fresh air would do her some good. Her phone dinged and she saw it was a text from her sister.

  ‘He wants your number.’ Those four words made her trip on her own two feet. She righted herself before she fell.

  ‘No.’ Marley sent back because she wanted absolutely nothing to do with him.

  ‘To late, sorry.’ Well she did not have to answer him if he called. However, she knew that she would. There was a curiosity over what he could have to say to her that would have her answer that one. The phone rang as she reached the other corner. It was a number that she did not know, but it was the same area code her sister used. It had to be him.

  “Hello.” She said trying to inject a happy tone in her voice.

  “Congratulations.” Griffin’s voice said into her ear.

  “Thank you.” Marley doubted that was the real reason for his call.

  “How have you been?” She wondered why he wanted to have this conversation now. The last laugh, sprang up in her brain. She heard him say that as clearly as if he was standing in front of her.

  “Busy.” Was all she was going to tell him. Obviously Megan had kept him up to date on the happenings in her life.

  “Well I don’t want to bother you. I just wanted to say congrats, that is a huge accomplishment.” He did not have to tell her that. She already knew.

  It was what she had wanted from the time she was ten years old.

  “Thanks.” She said again and wondered if he noticed her use of one word answers.

  “The mare is pregnant.” Griffin said and it took her a minute to remember what he was talking about.

  “Congrats.” So am I, but she did not let that bit of information slip. That was not something that she wanted him knowing at the moment. Probably never.

  “Thanks.” He offered, Marley was almost to Mario’s and she saw her friend standing at the door.

  “I have to go, bye.” She was not going to be overly nice to the man. She was not going to be nice at all. This was the way he wanted it.

  “Bye.” Then the call ended. Elizabeth hugged her and they walked into the club together.

  Time had a way of just marching on. When Marley thought a day was going to be the longest in history, it wasn’t. When she thought she could not get through the next hour, not to mention the next five minutes, she did.

  In July she received an invitation in the mail and she doubted seriously she would be attending the birthday party.

  “Hello.” Megan answered on the third ring and she sounded out of breath.

  “I can’t come to Eli’s party.” It was hard to believe that her sister would even ask her to do it.

  “Give me one good reason why.” Megan said and Marley shook her head in frustration.

  “One good reason?” Marley asked not sure what her sister needed other than the ones she already knew.

  “Just one, Eli wants to see us together and he is going to beg you to make him a grilled cheese.” The thought that he liked her cooking that much gave her a little warm feeling. She missed him if she was being honest.

  “I’m pregnant.” That was the only reason her sister needed. This was the first time she had admitted it to anyone. Probably the first time she had said it out loud.

  “Well that is a good one.” Megan stated and she heard the shock in her sister’s words. “How far along?”

  “Four months.” It would not take a smart person to do the math.

  “Are you going to tell him?” Marley did not miss the fact that her sister did not even ask who the he was. She just assumed it was Griffin’s. Well it was but that was not the issue here.

  “I am not planning on it.” She was sure she could raise this baby on her own. Single women, with no other choice, did it all the time. She was a lawyer for crying out loud. Yes she was still working as a paralegal but that was just until she found a firm that she wanted to commit to.

  “Don’t you think he deserves to know?” That was the question that she continued to ask herself daily. It was the one thing that bothered her the most.

  “Megan, I am not going to discuss this now.” Because she had not spent enough time formulating the answers that people were bound to ask. Marley had already started a list of possible questions people would ask.

  Then she would answer those questions and memorize those answers. That way she would never be left unprepared.

  “Well put that damn question at the top of the list, because I am going to keep asking it.” Megan knew all about her question and answer lists, she had made them since she learned how to read. Marley looked down at the list on her table in front of her at that moment and frowned.

  “It is already at the top.” She admitted sadly.

  “Well I am not going to say anything to him, but I think he has the right to know. You come to Eli’s birthday party and I will keep you two apart. But, I want to see you and that is final.” And that was final. Luckily the party was on a weekend and she would not have to get time off from work. Being so early in the pregnancy meant that she was not showing. She still dealt with a little nausea throughout the day but she was learning what made her sick and added that to her avoid list.

 

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