He stared down at his empty shot glass, gently twisting it between his thumb and forefinger. “I don’t know.”
Crystal, who was tending bar, overheard. “Cole?”
He looked up at her.
“Did you say Mandy got pregnant at the first of the year?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“It’s July, going on August.”
“Yeah?”
“So, she’d be six, going on seven months pregnant. My sister’s about that far along, and she’s already big as a house.”
Cole and Crash looked at each other.
“You sayin’ she’s making it up?” Cole asked. She had a small baby bump under her clothes, but to be honest, he’d not seen her naked since he’d come back from Arizona. He hadn’t wanted to. He’d been sleeping in the guest room, and had not had sex with her. He couldn’t bring himself to touch her.
“Look, I don’t know, Cole. I always liked Angel. Mandy? Not so much. But that’s your business. Have you been to the doctor with her?”
Cole shook his head. To tell the truth he hadn’t been interested in going with her, and come to think of it, she’d never asked him to go. Now that he thought about it, he’d yet to see any type of doctor bill come in the mail. Usually, even if all you did was pay a co-pay, he still knew that doctors sent an itemized bill, showing the charges that were covered.
He pushed off the barstool, and headed for the door.
“Hey, where ya goin’, brother?” Crash called after him.
Cole replied with out turning around. “To find out what the fuck is going on.”
Cole walked in the back door, slamming it. He called out for Mandy, walking from room to room. He noticed her purse sitting on the dining room table, and then heard the shower running. He started to head for the bathroom, but paused, staring down at her purse.
Sticking out, next to her makeup bag was a small round case. He’d recognize the package anywhere. Birth-control pills. He pulled it out, and opened it. The first thing he noticed was that about a week’s worth of pills was missing.
He looked at the prescription label stuck to the inside cover. It clearly said her name. He searched the label for the fill date. The date listed was just a week ago. So these were new pills.
He carried them with him as he walked to the bathroom. He opened the door, and stepped in. The glass shower stall was covered in steam, but he could see the outline of her body. He yanked the glass door open.
Mandy screamed, jumping back. “Cole. You scared the hell out of me.”
His eyes roved over her slim form. Her stomach was as flat as ever.
She saw her mistake, and quickly turned away from him. “Cole! Please, I’ll be out in a minute.”
“There’s no baby, is there?” he demanded.
“Of course there’s a baby. I’m just small, and carrying it low, the doctor said.”
“Don’t lie to me.” He held the pills up. “You’re on the pill. I found them.”
She stared at him.
He shook his head in disgust. “You lying bitch!”
She turned the water off. “You’re being ridiculous. It’s not what you think.”
“I heard you called Angel.”
“Oh. So, this is about her, isn’t it? That bitch from Arizona!”
Cole reached in, and grabbed her by the neck. She gasped, clutching at his hand. Bringing her face to within an inch of hers, he gritted through his teeth, “You ever call her again, and I swear to God, I’ll kill you myself.” He shook her. “Do you understand?”
Mandy nodded.
Cole shoved her back against the shower wall, and stormed out. He could hear her pleading with him as he walked out.
“Cole, please! I love you. I’m sorry.”
*****
A week later, Cole walked back into his house. He found Mandy sitting at the dining room table, smoking a cigarette. He’d called, and told her he was coming.
She looked at him with a hostile expression. “What’s so important?”
He held up some folded paperwork. “You need to sign these.”
“What are they?”
“Divorce papers.”
“Like hell. I’m not signing those.”
Cole stared at her. “I’m getting a divorce, one way or another. Why drag it out? I don’t want you anymore.”
“Why drag it out? Why should I make it easy on you?” she smirked.
He stared at her, and shook his head. “I’d hate to see something bad happen to you, Mandy.” That got her attention. Who the hell did she think she was dealing with?
She tapped her cigarette nervously in the ashtray as he walked around the table to her.