The Other Man's Child

ed over his shoulder as she sat crosleged ove

gs felt like jelly, and for

bruptly, pushing

d. "What's the mea

my direction. "You, what are you doing here? Ha

is Tom?" the

er - and recogni

mistake her

Tom's fi

eart d

sa," Tom said, his fingers

y shattered into

Sad

retary. "I told you no

ied to stop

ut," he

round sharply

ou had a wife, Tom," Li

think it..

cheeks. My legs th

out of the office, taking

half ran through the lobby on the

too contamina

fast towa

Tom called f

idn't

car and fidgeted wi

wrist and s

reacting, Selen

ng your first love to the office hours after getting a devastating

, okay, Lisa's really sick, and she needs

wanted him to wrap me in his arms and take me inside and

om? What does her being sick have to do with your i

this. We would meet at home." He walked past me

his wasn't the Tom I had ma

yself and walk

d waited. Till I drov

er look

ster's excited voice when she spoke to Marilyn, To

. Aren't you Tom?" She nud

I caught the curve of his lips befo

trace after Tom had an

that he wouldn't wal

n; he claimed he wou

terested in women. That wasn't a good

was a form of

rs blurred my v

dedication throw

e. I couldn't let A

house. My best frien

m the car, she opened t

in between sobs, unable t

ing me into a hug. "W

ak, but the tear

inside," S

lly. We sat on the sofa w

r shoulder, taking in he

the tear

e back and wip

is a t

you," I w

going on

ted, "It

n her lips. "That man –

th Lisa. They were making o

"What! How dare he? Th

e, I am so

ing thing ever. "Heartbroken Selene? You should be angry.

bout Amira? She needs

elene. She has you. I am here t

..." I

ut, Selene. You

as the first time we ha

," she

clutching the edge of the cushion. Sop

om, of every time I had swallowed my pride to keep our

y tears; my fi

aled shakily. "Maybe... ma

ips, I felt doubtful. Was I ready

ing for a hug from Tom and him shunning

dictate my life in this wa