to see what type of son of a bitch he really was. It’s long overdue…” He swallowed. “He’s playing games from beyond the grave. Keep reading it to me. Aloud so even the damn birds can hear. Read every miserable, worthless word…”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
On the Same Page
Lauren leaned against the barn wall, unconcerned about what filth, cobwebs, and the like might have stuck to her clothing. She hadn’t dared admit to Aries while they drove over that she had her doubts they’d find anything. In fact, she’d been second-guessing herself the entire way. She was going off a hunch, something her mother used to call her ‘dreamy delusions’ when she was young.
Holding the creased letter, she wished more than anything to read it in silence before saying anything, in doing so to protect the man who had grabbed her heart and wouldn’t let go. But when Aries demanded she continue, his voice so deep, poignant and angry at the same time, shockwaves spread through her muscles, down to the bones, swam in her bloodstream and pooled along her tongue with the strength of a million incensed men. She had no choice but to go on and read aloud. Clearing her throat, she began…
This letter is for the eyes of Aries Creed, his mother and son, when he is of age, only. I must state something immediately. I never wanted children.
Aries huffed, crossed his arms, and grimaced. His nostrils flared like a bull’s and the barn seemed to grow colder.
I took measures to ensure that I never had any kids. I had a vasectomy at age 26, despite the doctor’s reluctance to perform the operation on me, since I was so young. Obviously, the procedure proved unsuccessful, and in retrospect, I believe the surgery wasn’t done properly. Nevertheless, when I learned that Sandra Dixon, a woman whom I had a complicated relationship with, became pregnant, I was in shock at first. Sandra and I had an unconventional relationship. Let me preface this by saying, I’d known her for years. In fact, there were familial ties. My father knew her father. Oddly enough, at one point they had attended the same church. My father went on to college while Sandra’s stayed and worked on his father’s farm. I had seen her a couple of times, I believe, as a child. In my teenage years, I saw her once. That, I definitely remember.
I thought she was one of the most beautiful girls I’d ever seen. However, due to circumstances out of her control, Sandra would not have been approved of by my family. My father had let it be known that the Dixons were lower class and had drinking issues. Yet, my father himself drank far too much as well, so we had need for much secrecy and discretion. Nevertheless, I came across Sandra many years later and decided that I wished to pursue her. I’d had many failed relationships for a variety of reasons, and this time, I was going to date who I wanted to date. Not who made the family look good as I had done many times in the past.
My father and I had experienced frequent arguments about this. Right then, I was prepared to tell my family that I was going to court whoever I wished, including Sandra, and face the consequences. I knew I was not going to become a lawyer like my father. I wanted to go to school for architecture and have my own company. I told Sandra that I was going to tell my family about her. However, she didn’t want that. It was her idea to keep our relationship hidden.
Aries’ eyes widened ever so slightly, but he said not one word.
She knew what would happen. I would more than likely be disowned. It was completely insane. My father was very old-fashioned and set in his ways, but I was not concerned about that. However, come to find out later, what Sandra did not tell me right away was that her mother did not approve of my family, either. It wasn’t I specifically whom they found issue with, since she had not shared to my knowledge with her family that we were dating, but evidently the dislike was mutual.
Lauren paused and slowly lifted her gaze to Aries. He looked so impassive, an expression that frightened her more than his anger. She blinked, looked back down, and continued reading.
Sandra and I dated in private, but problems arose in the relationship. It wasn’t her fault completely. It