The Battle For Forgiveness

Chapter One

April sat on the worn blue couch, against the west wall of the living room, waiting impatiently for her husband of ten years, Eric, to get home from work. At ten minutes to six, he was late, again. She felt a rift growing between them and wasn’t sure how to remedy the situation. She was hopeful that the news she had to deliver tonight would help close that gap. The phone rang, interrupting her thoughts.

“Hello?” she said, grabbing the closest cordless headset.

“Hi, honey.”

“Eric, hi, where are you?”

“I’m sorry, hon. I’m still at the office. We hit a few road bumps in this project that we've got to get worked out by next Monday.”

“Well, what time do you think you’ll be home? There are some things I want to talk to you about tonight.” April said, standing up and beginning to pace in an effort to control her anger at her husband for being late again. It seemed like he’d been staying late a lot again lately. He seemed to go through phases with his tardiness from work. He’d be late for two or three months and then be the attentive husband for two or three weeks. It didn’t make any sense to her.

“I’m not sure, probably late. Don’t wait up. I’ve got to go.”

“Okay. When are we going to be able to talk?”

“I told you I don’t know what time I’ll be home. I really have to go.” Eric says exasperated.

Choking back her tears, April replies, “Bye, I love you.”

“Back at you, babe.” He hangs up the phone and then he and his intern burst into laughter.

April hung up the phone. She thought she had heard Eric and some woman burst into laughter as he hung up the phone. ‘No, he wouldn’t do that to me.’ She reassured herself. She was afraid Eric was cheating on her but was afraid to confront him. She thought it was better to suspect and be unsure than to have the proof of his infidelity. Especially since she hated being lied to and thought he would lie to her to cover his blunder. Even if Eric didn’t want to be with her anymore, she hoped he’d still be a good father. And any father is better than no father, she supposed. She walked numbly into her bedroom, dressed for bed and cried herself to sleep.

Several days pass and April still hadn’t found an opportunity to tell Eric that she was pregnant. She found she didn’t want him to know about the baby until she absolutely had to tell him. Every day when Eric called to tell her he was going to be late; April listened closely to see if she could distinguish any sounds that didn’t belong in his office. On Tuesday, she thought she’d heard kissing noises and on Wednesday she knew she’d heard the sound of a zipper being undone. April had always thought that she and Eric had a fairly good relationship, but maybe she was mistaken. She figured she had to tell him the truth that night. She didn’t think she could hide the morning sickness or the fact that her period was two months late.

When Eric arrived home that Friday night, he found that there was still a light on in the bedroom. April was still awake and waiting for him. She was still wondering how she was going to break the news to him. He walked up the stairs and down the hall, pulling at his tie as he walked.“April, hon. why are you still awake? I was sure you would be asleep already.”

“I needed to talk to you about something very important.”

“Well, what is it? I’m really tired, and I would like to go to bed.”

"Eric, I'm pregnant."

“What? How long have you known? And why didn’t you tell me?” He asked, not pausing for a breath, his voice escalating with every syllable.

“Don’t yell at me. You’re the one who is always at work. You’re the one who can’t be bothered to pay any attention to me anymore. You’re the one who hasn’t been home all week. You’re the one who has been cheating on me with god only knows how many women. “April screamed back before bursting into hysterics. “Now, if you want to calm down, I’ll explain everything.” She said, more calmly.

“Why should I be the one who has to calm down? You’re the one who is accusing me of cheating on you, which I’ve never done; I’ve never even considered cheating on you. I really have been working extra hours all week. I’ve been trying to save some money so we could talk about adopting a baby, but this is great. Now, we won’t have to.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” April starts to cry at how sweet Eric is.

“I wanted it to be a surprise.” Eric admits.

“Oh, that is so sweet.” April sighs. “I’ve only known for about a week now. At first I didn’t believe it, but I went to the doctor yesterday and he confirmed it. I’m finally pregnant. But he also said that given my medical history and that it’s taken me over ten years to get pregnant it’s probably going to be a very difficult pregnancy. I may have to spend the final months on bed rest.”

“We’ll get through it, like we always do. Now, let’s go to bed.”

“Okay, baby. I love you.”Eric gets undressed and climbs into bed, a relieved look on his face. He’d gotten away with cheating, again. This time though, April was actually suspicious of it. Maybe, he thought, he should stop cheating. After all, he’d barely come up with the lie to cover it this time. If she hadn’t told him she was pregnant, he wasn’t sure he’d have come up anything. And now all was forgiven. Things could go back to normal.

That weekend went pretty much as usual. Eric even surprised April by taking her to a restaurant Sunday night for dinner.Monday morning when April woke up she was so happy that she decided to surprise him with a home made lunch so he wouldn’t have to go out to get a greasy hamburger or something else that was equally bad for his health. She made ham and cheese sandwiches with a thermos of clam chowder and packed them all up in one of the coolers. She packed everything up in the car and drove the short distance to her loving husband’s office.

“Good morning, Estelle. Don’t say anything to Eric. I’m here to surprise him with lunch. “April whispered to Eric’s secretary as she walked into the outer office.

“Don’t worry; your secret is safe with me.” Estelle winked. She knew what April would find on the other side of that door and hoped that Eric would finally get what he deserved for the hurt that he had caused April over the last three years without her even knowing it.

Pushing through the door, April says, “Surprise! Eric…” She stopped in the middle of her sentence because Eric had his intern, Linda, pinned to his office couch his penis half in her vagina, both of them naked. “You… You lied to me. You said you would never even consider cheating. You said you were saving money so we could adopt a baby. Am I not pleasant enough for you? Do you look at me and cringe? What happened to our happy marriage I thought we had?”

“April, go home. We’ll talk about this later.” Eric handed Linda her clothes and she put them on before walking out the door. He then got dressed himself.

“No. Eric, I think we need to talk about this now. We need to talk about our baby that you helped create. I don’t know what happened to you. I don’t know when our marriage turned you to your intern as opposed to me. I don’t know you anymore.”

“April, please don’t do this here. I really think we should talk about this later at home. I am supposed to be working, you know.”

“What is it you’re so afraid of? That the others in the building are going to frown on you for cheating? Or is it that the other guys will be jealous that you’ve nailed your intern when everyone else wanted her too? What is it, Eric, what are you so afraid of?”

“Linda’s husband works upstairs. She doesn’t want word to get up there any more than I wanted word to get to you. I’m just trying to protect her.”

“OH! So you care more about what is going to happen to her than to me and YOUR baby. Tell me something Eric, how long has this been going on? How long have you been lying to me? How many other women have you had on this couch? I know I never have been. I know I haven’t been the one to light up your eyes for at least a week now. I know that every time we’ve had sex in the last six months, it was because I initiated it. Not because you’ve been even remotely interested in me. What would happen to you or your job if Mr. Anderson found out that the real reason his wife has been coming home late was a married man? Shall we go find out? Do you want to tell him or should I? Honestly I think it would sound better coming from you. But it’s your decision.”

“April, don’t ruin her life because you’re mad at me. That isn’t fair to her.”

“You want to talk about not being fair, Eric? You’re not being fair to your wife by having an affair, you’re not being fair to your unborn child by causing more stress to me than I need with an already unstable pregnancy, and you’re not being fair to her by knowing neither one of you can really have anything more than sex on your office couch without hurting the other parties who are, whether you like it or not, involved by marriages. Besides, it’s not me ruining her life. She did that the day she decided to fuck you on that couch rather than be faithful to her husband. I had no say in the matter and absolutely nothing to do with it.”

“April,” Eric exclaims. “Don’t do this. That isn’t what I meant and you know it. I know I’m not being fair to you, but you continuously point out all of my mistakes, you constantly criticize me, so what am I supposed to think? That we’re still happily married? You can’t tell me you’ve never thought of cheating as the solution to our problems. You drove me to this. Don’t you understand that? You did this to us. I had to go somewhere else to find someone who would accept me for myself, rather than criticize me all the time. So don’t blame me for this. Blame yourself.”

“If things were really that bad, you should have come to me. You should have told me that was how you felt and I could have changed. Now, it’s too late for that. And no, Eric, I never thought of cheating. Not after everything we’ve been through together. Not when you stayed by my side even though I couldn’t get pregnant. I don’t think with my privates, unlike you. I use my brain to think with but apparently that’s too much to ask of you. Obviously cheating wasn’t the answer. You’re still not happy are you? How long has this been going on?”

“No, I’m not happy. Today was going to be the last time. I shouldn’t have done it. I realize that. Please forgive me?”

“Nice try, Eric, but it doesn’t go away that easily. Don’t bother coming home tonight, you’re not welcome there. Within the next week I’m moving back in with my mother. The next time you hear from me, will be through my attorney. Don’t try to contact me. I want nothing to do with you. Now let’s go break the news to Mr. Anderson.”

Together April and Eric walked out of his office, toward the elevator.

“April, please don’t make me go through with this. Why can’t you leave well enough alone?”

“Because this is part of the consequences you unwittingly chose to accept in having an affair with a married woman. This is what you deserve to go through before I’ll even remotely consider taking you back.”

“Fine, I can accept that. What are the chances of us working this out?”

“Slim to none as far as I’m concerned. I want nothing to do with you right now. Give me time and I’ll let you know how realistic our working things out is.”

Mr. Anderson’s secretary was absent that day because she was sick. So they walked directly into his office.

“Excuse me, Mr. Anderson, I’m Eric Winters. I work downstairs in accounting. I have a confession to make. Your wife, Linda, is my intern. She and I have been having an affair for the last several months. Now, if you’ll excuse my wife and me; we have some serious talking to be doing right now.”

With that Eric turned and walked back out of his office.

April walked to the elevator, trying her hardest not to burst into tears, not wanting Eric to have the satisfaction of seeing her in tears. She got on the elevator and made sure to close it before Eric could catch up to her and ride the elevator down with her. She couldn’t stand to be with him right then. As soon as she got home she was going to call her mom, and pack a bag. She didn’t think she could stand to be in the house where she’d thought everything was going so wonderfully.Numbly she walked to her car, and drove home. She was amazed she’d lasted this long without bursting into tears.

She drove the two miles to the house and rushed inside. She grabbed the phone and dialed the most familiar of numbers. Impatiently she waited for someone to answer.

“Hello?” Her mother, Kate answered the phone after three rings.

“Hi, Mom, how are you and Dad doing?”

“We’re doing fine. April, what’s wrong? You sound like you’re crying.”

“Eric and I are having some serious problems. Can I stay with you for awhile; until Eric and I can figure things out?”

“April, you know you’re always welcome to come stay with us. What kind of problems are you having? Is there anything I can do to help?”

“I don’t know, Mom. I found out last Thursday that I’m pregnant.” April says glumly.

“Honey, that’s fantastic. Haven’t you been trying for quite a while now?”

“Yeah, I guess that’s the part I’m happy about. The rest of the story isn’t so good. I was so happy about life that this morning I decided to surprise Eric with lunch. Well, I walked into his office and he and his intern were in a compromising situation. He’s been cheating on me. For at least the last few months, though I suspect it’s been longer than that. He wasn’t very forthcoming with the information.”

“Well, are you going to try to work things out with him?”

“I don’t know yet. I know I just need some time right now. That’s all I can promise for now.”

“Ok. When are you going to get here?”

“As soon as I get some clothes packed. I can’t imagine spending another night in this house right now. I don’t want anything that reminds me of Eric at all. I’m so angry with him.”

“Okay, see you soon. Love you.”

“I love you too.” April hangs up the phone, and walks down into the basement to grab a suitcase. She grabbed the smallest one she could and lugged it up the stairs. She dragged it into the bedroom and started throwing clothes into it. When it was full, she zipped it up and took it to the car. She put it in the trunk and left for her parents’ house in the nearby town of Alpine Terrace.

Chapter Two

Upon arriving at her childhood home in Alpine Terrace, April gets out of the car and grabs her suitcase. She knocks on the door and then walks into the house. “Hello? Mom? Dad? I’m here.” She yells. She gets no response. She walks through the house pulling out her cell phone. She calls her mom’s cell and waits for her to answer.

“You have reached Kate Greene. I am unable to come to the phone right now. Please leave your name, number and a message and I will get back to you as soon as I can.”

BEEP!

“Hey, Mom, it’s me April. I was just wondering where you are. I just got here and you don’t appear to be home, so call me back.” April hangs up the phone.

Just then the front door opens and Kate and Robert walk in.“Hi, honey. Sorry we weren’t home when you got here. We had to run to the grocery store and pick up some food for dinner tonight.” Kate explains as she hugs her eldest daughter.

“Its fine Mom, I’ve only been here for a few minutes anyway. You’re not all that much behind me. So what’s for dinner tonight?”

“Nothing good,” Robert grunts. “Your mother is on a health food kick. Oh, and hi baby. It’s good to see you.”

“It’s good to see you too, Dad. Health food really isn’t that bad. And it’s good for you.” April laughs.

“We’re having chicken alfredo.” Kate announces. “Isn’t that your favorite?”

“Yes, of course it is. Thank you. And thanks for letting me stay.” April responds.

“Not a problem. Now why don’t you go fill your father in on what’s going on while I start dinner.” Kate says.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather have my help making dinner? I feel like that’s the least I can do.”“You’re supposed to be taking it easy. Now go.” Kate shoos them out of her way.

“I don’t hear any talking.” She says as they head towards the living room.

“So what’s up pumpkin? Mom told me you’re going to be staying with us for awhile but she didn’t tell me why.”

“Well do you want the good news first or the bad news first?” April asks. Unsure of what her father’s reaction will be to her news about Eric, she is hesitant to tell him what is going on. Robert had always gotten along with Eric very well and she didn’t really want to ruin that friendship.

“Let’s start with the good news.” Robert says.

“I’m pregnant.” April says with a sigh of relief.

“That’s great. But if that’s the case, why are you staying with your mother and me and not at home with Eric? Isn’t that where you should be?” Robert wonders aloud.

“I’m not staying with Eric because I caught him cheating on me this morning. It’s been going on for at least the last several months if not the last several years.”

“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry to hear that.” Robert sympathizes. “So what are your plans as far as he is concerned?”

“I don’t know. I’m going to wait a few days and then see how I feel. I don’t think I can forgive him for this though. Maybe if it had only been a one time thing. But he admitted to it being more than once. I think I need to find an attorney.”

“Well, I happen to know a few good ones. How are you going to pay for it though?”

“I don’t know. I guess I’ll have to get a job. That shouldn’t be too hard right?” April asks hopefully.

“I don’t know honey. How long has it been since you were working?” Robert asks racking his brain to see if he can remember anywhere that is hiring.

“I’ve never worked Dad. Eric said he wanted me to stay home so that when we had kids, I wouldn’t feel like I had to give up my career to stay home with them.” April says regretfully.

“Then I guess it might be a touch harder than you think it will be.” Robert replies honestly. “Your mom and I will help you out however we can.”

“Thanks, Dad, but I hate feeling like a charity case.” Aprils says.

“We’re family. It’s not charity. You need help and we’re able to provide it. That’s all there is to it. Now why don’t you lie down and rest while your mom finishes up dinner. It sounds like you’ve had a pretty rough day.” With that Robert turns and walks out of the room and into the kitchen.

“Mmm, something smells good in here.” Roberts says walking up behind his wife.

“Where’s April? Did you and she have a nice talk?” Kate asks.

“She’s lying down, resting. It sounds like she’s got a rough couple days ahead of her. Do you know what I did with that lawyer’s phone number? I thought I’d give him a call and see if he’d be willing to take her case.”

“I don’t know dear. Did you put it in your palm?” Kate asks. “So she decided for sure to divorce him then?”

“I don’t know. She’s really hurting right now maybe in a few days she’ll have changed her mind.”

“I don’t know either dear. Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes.”

“That’s just enough time for me to call and set up an appointment.” Robert announces.

“Maybe you should ask April if she wants you to do that, before you just start doing things for her. After all, she is an adult now.” Kate warns.Twenty minutes later everyone sits down at the kitchen table to a wonderful dinner of chicken alfredo with a side of broccoli and a chocolate cake for dessert.

“This food looks really good, Mom. Thanks again for letting me stay.” Aprils says before digging into her plate full of food. She takes a small bite. “I was right. It is really good. Thanks.”

“Don’t worry about it. We’ll do anything to help you honey.”

“I know. Sometimes, it’s just nice to be able to depend on you guys. I’m going to finish eating and then go to bed. The doctor said I’m probably going to have a rough pregnancy, so I’d better take it easy for the duration of the pregnancy. Even though I’m angry with Eric, I don’t want anything to happen to my baby.”

“Why didn’t you say something about that earlier? We could have picked you up and drove you out here. We’d do anything for you. Including watch out for your baby.”

“I don’t know. I didn’t want you guys to worry.”

“Of course we’re going to worry about you. We’re your parents; it’s inevitable for us to worry about you. Especially while you're pregnant. There’s no way around it. Now finish eating and go on up to your room.”

Deciding not to argue with her mother, April slowly finishes her dinner. “Thanks. I’ll go lie down now.” April gets up and heads up the stairs to her childhood bedroom. Looking at the wall paper, she smiles, remembering all the good times she’d had growing up. She lay down on the bed and before she realized it she was asleep.The next morning April woke up kind of late. She hadn’t slept well and had been plagued by nightmares about her unborn baby turning out exactly like his or her father. At that moment she decided that Eric had no right to call himself the father and she wasn’t going to go back to him. She decided to stay with her parents until she could afford to find a place for her and the baby. She got out of bed and started getting ready for the day. She knew that her pregnancy would be difficult, but without Eric to support her, she was going to have to support herself. She quickly showered and walked down the stairs to greet her mother.

“Good morning, Mom.” She said as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

“Good morning, you missed breakfast but I can make something for you if you would like.”

She opened her car and got in, starting the ignition before she put her safety belt on. She put on the belt and then backed out of the driveway. She drove to the nearest McDonalds and asked if they were hiring. They gave her an application and she proceeded to fill it out. She knew McDonalds wasn’t the best place to work but any job is better than no job. Especially when one is pregnant and has no prior work history.She handed the counter person her application, walked out the door, and got in her car. She drove to the local Wendy’s and repeated the process from McDonalds. Throughout the course of the day, she applied at six fast food restaurants and three grocery stores.