Chapter 12

I laughed. Like I really laughed. Shoulder shaking knee-slapping laugh. Anger long gone. That fire I felt when I was ranting died quicker than any emotion I have ever felt. I'm sure I looked insane right now, seeing as how that wasn't the reaction she was hoping for. It made sense now, why she seemed to have gained weight.

Joelle stood there with a sour face, arms folded across her chest. "What's so funny?" She spits.

"Sorry. First congratulations that must be exciting." I finally calmed down a bit. "I honestly thought about the worst-case scenario when I came here." I smiled at her.

I took a deep breath and thought back to why I really came.

"I really thought after everything you two had put me through would make me scared to come here. Yet, here I am not phased one bit by your news." I confessed. Saying the words out loud, I felt lighter, freer. They didn't break me then, and they won't break me now.

"Malcolm, I'm happy you finally got the one thing you wanted in life. I'm just sorry it wasn't with me. I honestly thought we were end game. Turns out I was just a game." The humor now was gone from the situation and I let my anger flow once again.

"I loved you with everything I had in me, every part of my being! Yet, you took that part of me and burned it to ashes. Treated me like shit and laughed in my face while you did it. Both of you!" I yelled.

"You two were supposed to be my best friends! You were supposed to stick by me!" Something bizarre came to mind and I was honestly shocked I didn't figure it out sooner. "You two were messing with each other behind my back way before I met you weren't you?" I pointed an accusing finger at Joelle. The thought had never crossed my mind until now. After the situation, I always thought she started seeing him after we met.

"Our meeting was purely intentional wasn't it?" It was all clear to me now, she didn't want to hang with me because I was a good friend. She only did it to find a way to spend more time with Malcolm and I stupidly gave it to her.

I looked at her wide teary eyes. So I was right.

"Pathetic both of you! Why pretend to be my friend when you had no intention of really being there for me? Then to make fun of me behind my back every day? I thought you were better than that?" I asked now looking Malcolm dead in the eyes. The man I had once fallen in love with was long gone. Before me were two strangers I knew nothing about.

"I thought you weren't like the rest of these sleaze bags out here who use women for their personal gain. I'm starting to believe you never loved me at all. You only stuck with me because I was convenient for you. Then when you found out what was coming my way, you saw that as an opportunity to get your hands on something that didn't belong to you."

"You're rotten and a huge piece of shit!" My heart no longer hurt but it felt numb at the sight of them. No anger, no hurt, no pain, just numbness.

"Don't turn this around and make me out to be the bad guy." Malcolm finally spoke up. "You were difficult to be with. You never wanted to go out and have fun. You never wanted to do anything besides control every situation. You wanted control over every little thing in life, you never saw that I had fallen out of love with you a long time ago." He confessed.

"SO WHY STAY!?" I yelled back. He was making no sense at all. If he had stopped loving me why stay? Why pretend to love me when it was all a lie? Deep down I knew the truth, I just wanted to hear him say it out loud. I wanted him to own up to what I knew to be the truth.

"Because of the inheritance!"

I just stood there as his words confirmed what I had said earlier. Again, I doubled over in laughter finding this whole situation amusing. This was turning out to be a lot better than I had hoped.

"So you thought marrying me would grant you immediate access to money I wouldn't even be getting in full? How stupid did you think I was? When I learned about the inheritance, I had the account set up to only deposit partial payments. I was never getting the whole thing." I just shook my head not really sure why I was explaining any of it to him. He didn't deserve to know.

"I was never going to incorporate my inheritance into our joint accounts." I said now understanding just how he thought he would get access to it.

"Em, I'm really sorry I wasn't a better friend to you." Joelle said softly as tears wet her face.

"Save your lies I don't want to hear it. You're only sorry because things didn't turn out in your favor. I just wanted to finally put an end to this part of my life so I can move on with happier people. People who don't see my need for control as a burden but for who I am. They accept me and don't put me down every chance they get."

"I finally found someone who's patient with me. He tries to find new ways of helping me get past the need for control. He actually took his time in understanding why I am the way I am. I care for him deeply and I felt it was unfair to string him along and this part of my heart was still closed off."

I paused as I really thought about my words. I cared for Vincent deeply, and he's done everything in his power to try and understand me. He's done more in the past two months than Malcolm has ever during our entire relationship.

"You know what? You two are pathetic and you deserve each other." I had no more energy to deal with them together. "Congratulations on the baby. I hope it lead a better life than its parents.

I was finally okay with myself and I wasn't going to let them ruin it again. I stormed out of the living room leaving the house. Leaving my past behind me once and for all. I climbed into my car and drove around a bit. Even though I wasn't hurt, I still needed to clear my mind and my heart. It was a lot to take in and I wasn't sure how okay I really was.

I parked my car on the street once I reached the small strip of stores. I got out and just walked, window shopping as I would if I were back home. The loud ringing of my phone scared me as I looked into the various windows of the shops. I dug in my back pocket and saw that it was Megan calling. This girl always had a sense of when to call.

"Hey." I answered.

"Sooo.." She dragged out. "How is operation fuck boy going?" She laughed. I rolled my eyes at the stupid name she gave it. I simply told her I was coming back home for business and may visit family. She came up with a whole plot on how I should shove my happiness in Malcolm's face. I didn't see what kind of satisfaction that would bring me, but I entertained her crazy idea anyway.

I guess in a way I did shove my happiness in their face when I spoke my mind. When I finally grew the confidence to tell them both off.

"First of all, stop calling it that. Second, it actually went better than I had ever imagined. I honestly wasn't going to see them, but as fate would have it, I bump into Joelle first. That's what the message was about." I said referring to the message I had sent her the other day when I ran into Joelle in the bakery. I knew it was a matter of time before I saw Malcolm, so I just decided not to wait and go for it.

"What happened you have to tell me everything!" She said excitedly.

"Don't you have work to be doing?" I laughed as I looked down at what time it was.

"No I just took an early lunch so I could call you and get the scoop. I couldn't wait any longer."

I rolled my eyes and I imagined her with a wide grin on her face bouncing on the balls of her feet ready to listen. I told her about the angry tangent I went on before Joelle thought it was a brilliant idea to announce her pregnancy. Megan's reaction was the same as mine. She laughed.

"Why did she think that was going to do anything? Just because she's having his child? What gain did she really get besides some extra pounds and stretch marks in her future."

I couldn't help but laugh at her words. I proceeded to tell her about the whole ordeal and how Malcolm finally confessed to only want my money, and Joelle only wanting to reap the benefits.

"I'm done, for real this time. I can finally breathe, and I feel like I have a better handle on life. Thank you for being such a wonderful friend for the past year. I never had the luxury of making many friends in my life. You and Lenny have helped me to grow and appreciate life again."

"Don't you mean your new boy toy has helped you appreciate life again." Megan giggled.

"Shut it Meg! We're just friends, and yes I do owe him thanks as well."

"Sweety, if he just wanted to be your friend he wouldn't have hung out with you for an entire week, just because you were freaking out about not having to work. That man has had his eyes on you for a while and even I can see that."

Was she right? Did Vincent really like me in that way?

"Whether you're right or not, I'm not getting into any relationships until I'm more comfortable with myself. I can't jump back into things until I'm fully ready to commit to something like that." If what she's saying is true, I truly hope that Vincent will be okay with my plan of action.

"I understand love. You need to date you first, which I am all for. Just don't forget about us single people when you finally say yes to your man candy."

"You, my friend are impossible." I laughed walking into Betsy's to pick up my mother's cake. "I have to go but, I'll give you a call before I board the plane."

"You better or I will hunt you down and fight you." I rolled my eyes but couldn't keep the smile away.

"Yes ma'am." I hung up putting my phone back in my pocket. "Hey Betsy!" I greeted her. "My mom wanted a pineapple cake. Do you have any more?"

"Yes I do. Your mother called a while ago and asked if I could put one up for her." She rushed to the back and grabbed a cake box sliding it over the counter to me. "I baked these just for you to take back home with you." She handed me another small bag with lots of baked goods inside.

"Thank you, Betsy, you didn't have to do this."

"Nonsense. Just promise you won't stay gone for a year again?"

"I promise." I paid for the cake and walked back to my car. This trip was a lot more successful than I could have ever thought.

"Emory Vine, I think you just reached a new level.