Page 80 of Accidentally Perfect

The girls love it. They’ve had a smile plastered on their faces since we first pulled up to the house. I couldn’t be happier. I want nothing more than to make their birthday the best it could be for them. I love seeing all the kids running around. Yelling, having a good time. Seeing them play together is something to admire. They’re still too young to understand everything that is going on around them. In a few years, they’re going to notice things. They’ll see who’s happy and who isn’t and be able to tell who comes from money and who doesn’t. As they get older, the innocence of simply playing and being friends will wash away, and status will matter. Someone who has grown up in the system may feel they are unworthy of a friend who comes from a home with two parents who love them, who have money.

The kids who come from wealth may soon think they are too good for the kids who wear used clothing or have to eat a special reduced price lunch because they can’t afford anything else. Those friends who once brought laughter and smiles to each other may no longer see them in the same light.

Growing up in privilege, I witnessed it time and time again. I saw kids who were once the best of friends no longer look at each other because they felt inferior, or they felt they were better than the others. I didn’t like when my friends looked at me differently because of the cars my parents drove or where we spent our vacations. I look at Addie and Amanda now, and I see how carefree they are. They don’t know the difference between any of their friends. They’re just happy to be playing. I hope they’ll always be like this. That they never look down their nose at kids who may not have as much as them and are always humbled by the life they're able to live.

I know the girls are having a good time playing, but I’m getting impatient for them to open their gifts. I hope they have the reaction I want them to have when they finally get around to opening mine. I haven’t talked to Laney or Brad about my gifts. I didn’t think I needed to. I’m sure they’ll be all right with them. Leaving the party, I head to the study to grab the boxes I had delivered early this week. I didn’t want Laney to see them, and I knew if she asked me what they were then I would tell her. Nat kept them for me to help it be a surprise.

The voice behind me has me freezing in my tracks. “Oh, Nathan.” Christ, it’s Diane.

Turning, I see her standing near the entryway. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m with your father. He went around back.”

“Why is he even here? This day has nothing to do with him.”

“Well, I suggest you speak to your mother-in-law about that. Once you and Laney left the fundraiser, Vivian befriended your father instantly. She told him about the party. She must have got the time wrong because it seems to have been going on for a while now.”

“No, she didn’t get anything wrong. I only invited her for the last part of the party.”

“Oh, I see. Already trying to freeze her out like you do your father.”

“What the hell do you want, Diane? I’m in the middle of something.”

“I want to know why? Why is Laney good enough and I never was?”

“Fuck, you know why. You were, and apparently still are, sleeping with my father. Why would you ever think I would be all right with that?”

“This was never about your father. It's always been about you and me and the fact that I was never good enough for you. Is it because my family doesn’t have billions in the bank? Does money mean that much to you?”

“Fuck no, and if you ever knew me, then you wouldn’t be asking that question. Your family name and what they may or may not have has nothing to do with the fact that I’ve never had any type of feelings when it came to you.”

“I don’t believe that. Not for one minute.”

“Well then, you’re delusional, Diane. You were a fuck; that’s it. Someone who was there when I wanted to get off, blow a load, get my fucking rocks off. To have my dick sucked and feel like I didn’t have to return the favor. That’s it. It didn’t hurt that you looked good on my arm when I needed to show my face in public. You’ve always been a means to an end for me. That's it.” I know I’m being a complete ass, but I’m not sure how else to get through to her. How much more can one person take because they can’t understand that they're not wanted, let alone loved in any capacity? I see her eyes flick over my shoulder.

“I was pregnant, Nathan.”

I hear a gasp come from behind me. I know it’s Laney. I also know she’s reacting the way Diane’s hoping she would react, and she’s doing it on purpose. This is classic. Laney already knows this, she knows what Diane tried to do, and she knows that it isn’t true. This is why I’m so glad Laney and I have been completely honest with each other. “You knew, Nathan; you knew, and you did nothing.”

“Diane, stop it.” Laney takes a few steps closer to me.

“I will not stop it. How do you expect me to act when he can so easily discard me and his child like we meant nothing to him."

“You really need to be on Broadway because your acting skills are impeccable. I should actually applaud you for your performance.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Nathan.”

“Jesus, first of all, I already know about the stunt you tried to pull. So nice try with the dramatic just now. There is no way you or anyone else is going to break the bond my wife and I have. Secondly, there was no child, Diane. Do you think I’m that stupid? Do you think I would ever allow my dick anywhere near you without protection? Do you?”

“Condoms are never one hundred percent, Nathan. I lost our baby. Can you be that cruel to not even acknowledge it? You were going to be a father, Nathan. You were going to have a child, and you never gave me or our baby a chance.”

“You. Were. Not. Pregnant. I own a fucking security company. I spent several years in the military. I’m a pro at recon. Do you actually think you could slip a fake pregnancy by me? If you were really that smart, then you would have gotten knocked up by my father and tried to pass it off as mine.”

“There was no need to fake anything, Nathan because I’m not lying. I don’t care if you believe me or not. I know what was true, and I know the loss I felt when I lost our child. I had to deal with it all alone because you were gone, hooking up with whomever, and fucking her.”

“For Christ sakes, Diane. We have been over for months. Months. I haven’t touched you in I don’t know how long and you’re still trying to play this card? I figured you out long ago when you and my father were trying to pull one over on me and take my company. I outed you, I humiliated you, and you’re still trying to play the “poor me” card, and “Nathan is such a bastard”. How much longer are you going to hold on to things that were never there?”

“I really don’t know what planet you’re living on, Diane.” Laney speaks up.