Watching Glass Shatter Page 25

  “So, we should blame it on Zach?” He laughed, as his fist hit the wall, bits of plaster clouds wafting from the puncture. “Look, it happened. I'm not happy about it. I'm not going to forgive you overnight, but it shouldn't stop us from realizing we're getting what we wanted… I'm selling the law firm. We're going to have a baby. And it's our baby, conceived from our love.”

  “So, what do you want to do now?” she questioned.

  “You're dumping this on me, Sarah?”

  “No, I just meant…”

  “You just meant you want me to fix it.”

  “Teddy, please…” She stood, placing her chest against his back and reaching her arms around his waist.

  “I need time.” Teddy pushed her away and walked toward the bedroom door. “I came back because I wanted you to know…”

  Sarah's wistful expression forced Teddy to recognize the negativity that encompassed them both. His eyes fell to her stomach where for the first time he noticed a tiny bump holding his future, showing him why he needed to find a way to work out the disaster that had become his life. “I wanted to let you know we might still have a chance to fix this.”

  Teddy left the bedroom noting he wanted to take a walk to clear his head. Before he turned the corner out of the room, he looked back. Sarah's hand fell to her stomach, and she whispered to the baby, “I reckon your Daddy's coming back.” Teddy smiled though he didn't know if he believed in happy endings anymore.

  * * *

  As the weeks passed, Teddy continued to focus on painting in his free time before starting school and closing on the sale of the law firm. On the morning before the firm's transition, Teddy completed the art project he'd started working on shortly after his father passed away, his pride and hope growing stronger as each hour passed, and every image appeared.

  While cleaning the brushes, he realized he owed one brother a phone call. He dialed the number and connected on the first ring.

  “Hey, Teddy. How are you doing?” Caleb said.

  “I'm good. I wanted to apologize.”

  “For what?”

  “Not going fishing with you and Ethan. I've been a bit of a jerk.”

  “A bit?” Caleb's voice held a high pitch.

  “Okay, maybe more. It's not easy being the oldest. A lot of pressure.”

  “Yeah, I get it. Matt's practically combusted over these expectations at some point. I can only imagine what it's done to you.”

  “It would have taken you down, too, if you hadn't run off to Maine.”

  “Maybe I'm the smart one.”

  “Yeah, seems so. Congratulations on your new son. I'm happy for you. And for…”

  “Jake. His name is Jake.”

  “For Jake. I'd like to hang out with him the next time you're back in Connecticut.”

  “Sure. Congratulations to you, too, Teddy. About the baby.”

  “Yeah, it's great news. A lot going on.”

  “I know about Zach, Teddy.”

  “You know?”

  “I know. No one else does. Zach needed to talk to someone. The stress and frustration over his actions ate away at him.”

  “It should have. To do that to his own brother?”

  “Maybe he had extenuating circumstances,” Caleb said.

  “I know. Drunk. Trying to do something I couldn't do. Sarah wanted me to be happy. I don't relish being a fool. A cuckold.”

  “It'll take time. But with Matt in rehab and Ethan so sick… we have to stick together.”

  “I will think about it.” Teddy shut his eyes.

  “Good. I can't wait to see what you do with this new career in painting.”

  “You'll experience it soon enough. I've got a surprise for everyone.”

  * * *

  Olivia and Teddy, as the two co-signers for Ben's shares of the firm, arrived at the office to execute the final agreement the next day. Upon walking through the frosted glass doors into the lobby and noticing the newest addition to the offices, an immediate and overwhelming flood of warmth filled Olivia's body. On the cream-colored walls behind the reception area were a series of paintings depicting several scenes of Ben interacting with his family. A commemorative plaque positioned above them read:

  In memory of Benjamin Glass, loving husband, father, friend, and colleague to all whom he inspired, taught, and mentored over the years.

  Olivia's eyes traveled across the paintings noticing how Ben grew older in each successive print, culminating in a final one where he sat at the desk in the study enjoying a glass of bourbon with a smile at his fully-grown sons who surrounded him.

  “I could not be any prouder of you than I am at this moment. You have given us a beautiful gift as we close one chapter in this family's legacy, and we look forward to whatever our future holds in a life without your father right beside us. He may be gone, but he could never be forgotten with these incredible portraits you've given us. I can't understand how I've never seen any of your paintings before.” Her eyes welled, and she dabbed a handkerchief to catch the tears before they ruined her makeup.

  Teddy watched his mother's gaze remain fixed on his painting. “Mom, I'm not as strong as you. I miss Dad so much and wish he could be here to support my decision to sell. I talk to him sometimes, and I know he listens. I believe he would understand this decision.”

  “He would, but I'm only as strong as my family allows me to be. I'm bracing for the next few weeks as Ethan slips away from us.” Olivia paused to formulate her response. “You're already going to lose one brother. Are you willing to lose Zachary too?”

  “No, Mom. I don't want to lose Zach. I will speak to him and find a way to accept everything, and not because it's what you or Dad would tell me to do. Because it's what I want to do.”

  * * *

  After a few weeks, Sarah and Teddy addressed the tension still growing between them. Sarah conveyed her doubts and concerns when she had learned that he was the reason they experienced such a hard time getting pregnant, fearing conception would never happen for them. Recognizing some of the anger he felt toward himself, Teddy committed to meeting with a marriage counselor to figure out how to move forward and to focus on the blessings the new baby would bring. After several weeks of therapy and a positive breakthrough one afternoon while wrapped in one another's arms in their bedroom, romance and intimacy returned to their relationship.

  As he navigated her to the bed removing Sarah's clothes until she was naked, Teddy began pushing himself closer to his wife. “Are you sure we can do this?”

  “Of course. I miss you.” Sarah guided his waist on top of hers relaxing her body as he grew harder and pushed inside. “It's been months since we had any physical connection between us.”

  “Are you sure I won't hurt the baby?” Teddy's eyes pulled close together as the doubt grew on his face. “I'll be gentle.”

  Sarah pushed him back, so she could see his entire face, eager to convince him she'd never hurt him again. “Yes. I want to make love to you. I need to make love to you. It's right where I belong.”

  Teddy pulled her tighter against him and kissed her lips. As he pulled away, he said, “I trust you.”

  After Sarah assuaged his reservations, they made love for the first time in months, breathing in the warm, inviting lavender scent of the candles he'd lit, not because they tried to conceive a baby, but because their bodies finally wanted to be near each other.

  Chapter 25 – Matt

  After Matt confessed his addiction to anti-anxiety medication and amphetamines, the entire family regularly checked on him pitching in to babysit the girls, schedule his rehab appointments, and assure one another he would get better. They, too, wanted to put the entire mess behind them. Margaret was glad to have their assistance, as she had a hard time being a supportive wife once the whole situation had destroyed her sense of confidence.

  “Matt, we need to talk,” she said after everyone left one afternoon.

  “Sure, what's up, doll?” His eyes blinked a few times, and he l
owered his head.

  “I need to tell my parents what's going on before they take the girls for the next few weeks while you get settled at the facility.”

  “We agreed you weren't going to tell them. I don't want them to think of me as a failure. It's bad enough I had to disappoint my own family. This is important to me.”

  “I understand, but I don't want to lie to them. If they ask me, I have to say something to them.”

  “They won't ask. They don't know anything.” His voice strained with an elongated pleading, his fear rising to the surface.

  Matt's wistful eyes and tempting dimples stole Margaret's attention. “Okay, but you must promise to focus on your recovery, Matt. You need to stick to the plan and keep me informed whenever you're struggling.”

  “I will. I promise to accept whatever the counselors request of me. I know I've caused this damage to our lives. I will fix it. I want to fix it.”

  Based on the first meeting with his counselor, Matt would be onsite at the rehabilitation facility for several weeks in September to complete a full detox process. He'd eventually phase into an outpatient treatment program for three months with a target to be ready to re-enter the workforce by the end of the year. Part of his recovery included time to remove any of the pressures he'd experienced in both his job and his family life.

  For Matt, the first trigger point he needed to resolve involved tying up any loose ends at his job. Before attending the in-patient treatment program, Matt tried to partner with Teddy to close the remaining items for the firm's sale. He could tell Teddy was angry but couldn't break through his brother's closely-guarded barriers. Given he had his own problems to focus on, Matt ignored Teddy's irrational behavior and spoke directly with Wittleton and Davis himself. When both partners agreed he could re-join the firm, once he completed his rehab program and signed a separate agreement, Matt took a three-month leave of absence and expressed his gratitude for their patience and understanding. He even managed to avoid staring at Ms. Davis' chest despite the several occasions he swore she had intentionally teased him with her surreptitious glances and accidental touches.

  * * *

  Ira Rattenbury closed on Ben's personal estate and distributed the proceeds to the Glass family. Matt turned over their financial affairs to his wife, who agreed to organize everything while he recuperated at the rehabilitation facility. Olivia stopped by their house one morning for an early brunch. Margaret poured a cup of tea for Olivia as they took seats at the kitchen table prepared for a long overdue family conversation about money.

  “I've been thinking about something for the last few weeks, but only realized I was ready to mention it after I spoke with your brother, Zachary. He won his custody case to keep Anastasia and prevent that dreadful ex-girlfriend of his from hurting his child ever again. He's also accepted a new job and decided to move back to Brandywine, so that he can enroll Anastasia at the Madison Academy with Melanie,” Olivia said.

  “That's fantastic news,” Margaret said. “It will be good to spend more time with him.”

  Matt nodded in agreement. “I'm glad we were able to pay off the debts and the girl's tuition with the inheritance Dad left me. It's given me a way to accept the entire situation I let impact my family.”

  “And you should have extra money coming to you from Teddy closing on the law firm,” Margaret said.

  “We should be on track in a couple of weeks, but not fully out of trouble,” said Matt.

  “I thought of a solution benefiting everyone,” Olivia said.

  A wishful glow overtook Matt's eyes, but he remembered nothing these days gave him hope beyond his own recovery. He struggled with forgiving himself for the damage he'd done to his family over the last few months and hoped therapy would provide relief.

  Olivia explained her plan to address their situation, revealing she no longer wanted to sell the family home. She originally thought it would be best to sell the house where she and Ben had lived and raised their children, but as she'd gradually learned of the depth of the issues facing Ethan, Zachary, and Matthew, she'd changed her mind.

  Olivia said, “If you sell your house and move into the family home, you'll earn a profit from all the renovations you started. You'll then have some extra money to support yourselves when the new baby arrives until Matthew returns to work.”

  Margaret nodded. “What about you, Olivia?”

  “Diane and I have a few other plans in mind. I also need to find myself somewhere new away from the memories of the past. I want to keep some things, but I also need a fresh start. I need to adjust to all these changes in my life and figure out what comes next. If you're around, we'll have extra support for Ethan.”

  Margaret nodded at her husband, hoping to understand a sense of what drifted through his mind. She glanced back to Olivia. “It's considerate of you.”

  “Margaret, I know we've had a bit of a tenuous relationship between us in the past. I hope you don't interpret this as me controlling you, or as if you're being forced to move in with Matthew's family.” Olivia reached a hand toward her daughter-in-law, smiling when it was received with a gentle squeeze.

  “It's a brilliant plan, Matt,” Margaret said. “It will give me help with the kids while you work on recovery. You'll get to spend more time with Ethan. The girls will love being around Anastasia. And your mother and I will learn how to work with one another for the sake of this family. It's a win for everyone.”

  “Let me consider it and talk to Margaret.” Matt's voice held a sense of determination as if he knew every decision from this point forward impacted the critical path for his recovery. Matt told his mother he needed a few days to mull over the proposal and would let her know when she returned from her trip to visit Caleb and his new baby.

  * * *

  Margaret left to collect the girls from a babysitter. While she was away, Diane stopped by to check on Matt.

  “Tomorrow's the big day, Matt. Are you ready to check yourself into rehab?”

  Matt sat in the recliner in his living room rocking back and forth. “Yup. I'm a little nervous to leave Margaret alone, but she's been a good sport about the whole thing. I need to get better.”

  “You do, honey. This is quite a mess you got yourself into. It's been a long time since you did anything for you. So much of your time has been focused on helping Teddy at the firm, raising your daughters, and keeping up with Margaret's spending. The intervention was a necessary thing.” She leaned forward and patted his knee. “I believe in you, Matt.”

  “Thanks. Should I sell my house and move in with Mom?” His mellow voice filled a few moments of silence.

  “You won't be moving in with your momma. She and I are gonna be doing our own things… traveling… maybe find a smaller house together like when we were girls. We need time to figure out our futures without any husbands by our sides.”

  “Moving back home would be admitting I failed as if I let everyone tell me what to do because I can't hack it on my own.” Matt's eyes focused on the floor unable to lock eyes with his aunt. He'd not shared these thoughts with anyone else yet.

  Diane stopped his chair from rocking and reached a hand out to his chin, lifting his face until it met hers. “Matt, you listen to me now… you ain't no failure. A failure would have kept on taking those pills. A failure would have stayed hidden. You've admitted you got a problem. You're getting help. You're providing for your family. Think of it as an opportunity to fix your life. Temporary. Maybe you'll only stay at the house for a year or two, then you and Margaret can buy a new place again.”

  “It'd be nice to save money and not worry about that problem while I'm recovering.”

  “Exactly. Now your brain's functioning properly.”

  “What would my father say?”

  “He'd tell you he's proud of you for doing the right thing. That's what he told Zach when he faced his problems.”

  Matt hugged his aunt. “Thank you. I needed to hear that.”

  * * *

  On
her way home from Matt's, Olivia's mind drifted to her impending meeting with Rowena. She'd already decided if Matthew were the baby Ben switched years ago, she would need to keep that secret until after he completed his recovery. Matthew had to focus on his own priorities, and learning his parents weren't who he thought they were could bring his rehabilitation to a grinding halt. As the head of the family, it was Olivia's responsibility to ensure everyone had the right support, love, and focus to move toward the future. She wrote him a note, telling him to open it on his first night at the rehab facility, and letting him know how proud she was of him for admitting his problem and seeking treatment. She assured him she would take care of his family while he healed and would work with Margaret to sell their house.

  * * *

  A few days after Margaret and the girls settled into the house, Olivia asked Margaret to join her for a cup of tea in Ben's study.

  “I'm glad you moved in, Margaret. You've built a strong routine here watching over of the girls, the house, even helping Emma take care of Ethan.” Olivia sat on the sofa motioning to Margaret to sit beside her. “It's time we had a private conversation.”

  “Certainly, Olivia. We should.” She rubbed her stomach comforted by a few swift kicks from the baby.

  “May I?” Olivia said as Margaret flinched at the last kick.

  Margaret took Olivia's hand and placed it on her belly, and they both smiled when another one came.

  “Olivia, I need to say something you may not want to hear.”

  Olivia nodded.

  “You're a tough woman. I've tried hard to be a good wife and mother, to build a relationship with you and Ben… you're not that easy to…”

  “To like?”

  “I suppose that's what I'm saying. I mean, we've always been cordial to one another, but sometimes, you don't seem to like me very much.”