A Woman Ignored (A Woman Lost Book 2) Read online

  A WOMAN IGNORED

  A novel by

  T. B. Markinson

  Published by T. B. Markinson

  Visit T. B. Markinson’s official website at tbmarkinson.wordpress.com for the latest news, book details, and other information.

  Copyright © T. B. Markinson, 2015

  Cover Design by Erin Dameron-Hill / EDHGraphics

  Edited by Karin Cox

  Proofread by Jeri Walker-Bickett

  e-book formatting by Guido Henkel

  This e-book is copyrighted and licensed for your personal enjoyment only. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any forms or by any means without the prior permission of the copyright owner. The moral rights of the author have been asserted.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Chapter One

  “Lizzie, I think you should sit down.” Sarah, my girlfriend—I mean wife (Why can I never remember that?)—motioned to a chair on the opposite side of the room. I did as she instructed.

  Sarah, along with her mom Rose, and Maddie, my brother’s former fiancée who had ditched him at the altar, sat across from me, staring at me with blank faces. Too blank. They were really trying not to scare the shit out of me. It wasn’t working. I started to squirm in my chair like a child sitting in front of the school principal.

  “Um, what’s going on?” To say I felt uncomfortable would be an understatement.

  “We wanted to have a chat with you,” explained Sarah with forced nonchalance.

  “A chat—oh…” I didn’t finish my thought. I feared one of them was sick. Rose? Cancer? I flashed a concerned smile at Sarah’s mom.

  “No, dear. This isn’t about me, but thanks for assuming that, since I’m the oldest.” Rose’s narrowed eyes suggested she was still pissed at me for something I had done a few years back. Even though Sarah had forgiven me, Rose clearly hadn’t, and I wasn’t sure she ever would, not completely. Sarah, an only child, was Rose’s sole purpose in life.

  I looked away. “So, what is this, an intervention?”

  I thought my behavior had been on the up-and-up lately. That hadn’t been the case when Maddie first entered our lives a few years ago. The year of my brother’s engagement wasn’t a stellar year for me. Sarah called it my lost stage. I didn’t know what I wanted, and I made some stupid mistakes, including trying to seduce Maddie. Sarah left me, rightfully so, and I had to pull my shit together—fast.

  Until Sarah left me, I didn’t realize I was madly in love with her. I knew I loved her, but I couldn’t see how much, let alone comprehend what life would be like without her. Since winning her back, not a day went by that I didn’t thank my lucky stars.

  Her mother, however, still seized every opportunity to remind me how fortunate I was to receive her daughter’s forgiveness. I took Rose’s abuse. If I were Sarah’s mom, I would have wanted to kill me as well.

  “I wouldn’t say an intervention…” Sarah turned to Maddie for help.

  When I’d hit on Maddie, she put me in my place as soon as I made a pass, slapping me across the face—hard. But I knew that she also felt sorry for me. Maddie knew better than most what it was like growing up in the Petrie family. Eventually, Maddie had helped me realize why I had pushed Sarah away.

  Since then, all of us had moved past the unfortunate incident and mended our relationship. Thankfully, Rose never held anything against Maddie; I was the only one she glared at menacingly. Sometimes, when only I could hear her, she imitated a car sound: reminding me of her threat that if I ever hurt her daughter again she would run me over with her Cadillac. She made that threat a few years ago; I believed it then, and I still believed it now. Sarah didn’t entirely believe me when I said her mother wanted to mow me down. And sometimes I wasn’t sure if I’d actually heard Rose revving a car engine, or whether my guilty conscious caused me to imagine it whenever Rose was around. It was difficult to link Rose—always dressed immaculately, always so put together—with homicidal tendencies.

  “Let’s just say it’s an informational get-together,” suggested Maddie, her storm blue eyes twinkling mischievously.

  “Yeah, informational.” Sarah didn’t sound so sure.

  Rose gave me a wink, implying I was in for it now. At least someone was enjoying this.

  I felt clammy and wondered if my forehead was breaking out in a sweat. I envisioned sitting in a police station, being interrogated by a team of detectives—a light bulb dangling over my head, swinging precariously for added effect.

  “Okay, what kind of information involves the three of you sitting across the room staring at me like I’m in trouble?”

  “You aren’t in trouble,” explained Sarah.

  “Not yet, at least,” said Maddie with a sardonic smile.

  “Will someone just tell me what’s going on?” I was close to my breaking point, which was never a good thing. I could be an ass when I felt threatened, and I didn’t want to take it to that level.

  “Lizzie…” Sarah started, and then faltered.

  Maddie gave her an encouraging smile.

  “Lizzie, I wanted, with the help of Maddie and my mom, to tell you something. Something that I’ve been wanting for a while.”

  Wanted? What did she want? She had already convinced me to marry her two years ago and to buy a house together: the two issues that first sent me into the tailspin I explained earlier.

  “I want to have a baby.”

  The room grew silent—the type of silence that fell when a judge walked into a courtroom to pronounce a death sentence.

  I opened my mouth, but I couldn’t speak. I was fairly certain I had stopped breathing. There I sat, frozen in confusion, words unable to penetrate my feeble mind.

  A baby!

  What is a baby? Think, Lizzie! You can figure this out. Think! You know what a baby is. For Christ’s sake, you have a PhD, admittedly in history rather than biology, but still! Baby—small, right? Cries a lot? Baby!

  “Should we get her some water or something?” asked Maddie, obviously concerned, although she never stopped grinning.

  “Is she having a stroke?” pondered Rose. The corners of her mouth quivered oddly, making me wonder if she was trying not to smile.

  “Lizzie‌…‌Lizzie…” Sarah rushed over and kneeled down before me. “Sweetheart, it’s okay. Are you okay?” She patted my knee.

  “Are you fucking insane!” I sputtered.

  “Whew! I thought we’d lost you for a moment,” declared Maddie, obviously completely satisfied with my response.

  “A baby? What would I do with a baby?” I jumped out of my seat and began to pace. “A baby?”

  Sarah laughed and returned to her seat. She crossed her legs. One flip-flop swayed, about to fall from her foot. “Love it, of course.”

  Oh, of course! Love a baby.

  Like it was that easy.

  “I know this is a big shock for you. That’s why we decided to break the news to you together.”

  I stopped mid-stride and glared at Sarah. My head spun. I slumped back down in my chair.

  “I think this is going pretty well, considering,” Maddie told Rose.

  Rose nodded. “For Lizzie. She’s handling it much better than I thought she would.”

  “I’m still in the room. I can hear you,” I said, snarkily.

  All three of them sat there grinning, watching m
e like I was a three-year-old throwing a tantrum.

  Maddie turned to Rose. “Pay up.”

  “Not yet. This isn’t over.”

  “Mom, what did you bet?” Sarah flashed Rose an accusatory stare and crossed her arms, but I could tell there was no real threat. Sarah enjoyed her mother’s feistiness, and why not? She was never the brunt of Rose’s spiteful comments or stunts.

  “I bet her that Lizzie would faint.” Rose, not ruffled at all by her daughter’s demeanor, glanced in my direction. “From the looks of her, she still might. She doesn’t have any color in her face.”

  I gritted my teeth and forced an angry puff of air out of my mouth. “And how do you suppose we acquire this baby?” I asked Sarah.

  “Acquire? Lizzie, we’re talking about a baby—a living thing. You don’t acquire one like a sack of potatoes.” Sarah laughed nervously.

  There was much more to this, and I totally feared what was to come. “Are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?”

  “By Jove! I think she’s coming around,” crowed Maddie.

  “For the love of God, Sarah. I’m not getting pregnant.”

  “You!” Sarah screamed, before breaking into hysterical laughter.

  Maddie’s jaw hit the floor before she immediately joined in the hilarity. Even Rose cackled some.

  “Oh, Lizzie, I do love you. But, you are hopelessly and completely clueless.” Sarah wiped away some tears. “I would never ask you to do such a thing.”

  “So, you want to adopt, then?” I pushed. I might be able to live with that.

  “No. You’re missing the obvious.” Maddie eyeballed me as though her stare might force the right idea directly into my stubborn pea-brain.

  “Surrogate?” I whispered, as if it was a dirty word or a despicable concept.

  “No, silly.” Sarah sashayed over to me and sat on my lap. “I want to get pregnant.”

  “Oh.” I stared, stone-faced. “How?”

  “Really, Lizzie? You can’t be this stupid.”

  “Don’t underestimate her,” said Rose.

  I wanted to tell Rose off, but she was right: I was clueless about Sarah’s plan.

  “Okay, how can I say this? I want to get pregnant using a sperm donor and one of your eggs.”

  I stood up abruptly, grabbing Sarah before she toppled off my lap entirely and setting her upright. “My egg? You want to suck some of my eggs out of me. Why would you want my egg?” I paced the room again.

  “Because I want to have your child.” Sarah said that like it was the most natural thing in the world.

  “B-but, you said it yourself: I’m an idiot‌…‌completely clueless. Why would you want to perpetuate my genes? You’ve met my family. Hateful people. Despicable.” I stopped pacing and set my legs firmly apart. “No. We can’t do this to a baby. No one deserves that. Not even a baby.” I started pacing again, afraid that if I stood still they’d corner me.

  “Not even a baby! You’re funny.” Maddie turned to Rose. “Pay up. She’s not going to faint now. She’s far too worked up.”

  Rose sighed and reached for her purse where it lay on the coffee table.

  Sarah stepped into my path. Both hands on the sides of my face, forcing me to stop and stare into her eyes, she whispered, “I love you. I want to have your baby.”

  Speechless, I stood there, staring into her shining chocolate eyes.

  “This is so exciting!” Maddie clapped. “I’m going to be an aunt.” She rushed over and threw her arms around us both.

  Rose stayed seated, smiling. “And I’m going to be a grandmother.”

  Sarah grabbed one of my hands and placed it on her stomach. “Just think, we’re going to be parents, Lizzie.”

  I staggered backward. Before the room went dark, I heard Rose say, “Pay up, Maddie.” I wasn’t positive, but I thought she followed it up with, “Timber!”

  * * *

  After I recovered from my humiliating fainting spell, Rose and Maddie left us alone. I lay on the couch while Sarah pampered me, fixing me a cup of tea with extra sugar—even if she had lately forced me to forego sugar altogether—placing a pillow under my head, rubbing my forehead. Maybe I should consider fainting more often.

  “Are you feeling better?” she asked.

  “Yeah. I feel silly, though.” I dipped a shortbread cookie into my tea.

  “You went down like a ton of bricks.” Sarah stole one of my cookies and plunged it into my cup. “Are you ready for your second shock of the day?”

  “Second shock? Are you trying to kill me?” I sipped the tea again, thinking she was joking.

  “Not just yet. If I wanted to bump you off, I would amp up your life insurance policy first. Then I’d have to wait a few years, so I wouldn’t be a suspect.” Her expression was deadly serious.

  “Very funny, wise guy. You need to stop watching Law and Order,” I said, hoping she actually was just joshing.

  “We’re having dinner with Ethan and Lisa in a couple of hours.” She said it casually, as though we had dinner with them all the time; Sarah had only met my best friend, Ethan, for the first time at our wedding. Lisa wasn’t able to attend, as their daughter, Casey, had fallen ill. Which meant that I, in fact, had never met Lisa either—and now I was having dinner with her this evening.

  “You have been busy, haven’t you?” I raised an accusatory eyebrow.

  “Why, Lizzie, whatever do you mean?” she feigned ignorance.

  “Don’t act all innocent. First you set me up today—”

  “Set you up!” Sarah cut me off. “You make it sound like I framed you for a crime or something.”

  “I think having me as a parent is a crime—a crime against humanity.” I was only partially kidding.

  “Oh, stop it. You’ll be a great parent.” She tried to placate me with one of her winning smiles.

  “Oh, please. How did you get Ethan and Lisa to agree to dinner?”

  “I just called him and asked.”

  “That’s it? You didn’t have to trick him?”

  “Trick him? Why would I have to do that? Have you ever considered that it might be nice to have dinner with your best friend and his wife?” Sarah pinned me with a glare, one eyebrow arched.

  Baffled, I replied, “I’ve never met her.”

  “You’ve never met Lisa, not in all these years? How long have you known Ethan?”

  “We met in grad school, over eight years ago.” People skills weren’t my strong suit. In the past, on many occasions, I had been accused of being self-involved.

  “You continue to shock the hell out of me.”

  “You say it like it’s a bad thing,” I winked. “How long do we have before dinner?”

  “Two hours.” She peered at me suspiciously, leaning closer. Her ample breasts strained against her tight Broncos T-shirt as she eyeballed me. “Why? Are you going to try to squeeze in a bike ride?” She made no attempt to hide her feelings about that, just sat back away from me, one manicured nail picking at the side seam of her jeans, which were even tighter than her tee.

  I was an avid bike rider and generally logged at least twenty miles a day, but bike riding was the last thing on my mind. Sarah looked sexy as hell.

  “I hadn’t considered it, but now that you suggested it…”

  Sarah pinched my side and growled, “Don’t be an ass.”

  “Don’t pinch me.” I rubbed my side dramatically, even though she had barely touched me.

  “God. You can be such a baby sometimes.”

  “Baby,” I repeated quietly to myself.

  I must have sounded scared to death, because Sarah placed a loving hand on my cheek. “Are you okay? I didn’t mean to startle you again.”

  “No, it’s fine. I’m—”

  “I know. You don’t handle change all that well. We’ll go slow, Lizzie. I promise. Just not too slow. My clock is ticking.”

  I stood up and extended my hand. “Care t
o join me in the bedroom?” I asked with a suggestive wink. I knew I must have looked a fool, compared to her. I was the type who wore sweater vests, and sweater-vest people weren’t usually associated with sex appeal or charisma.

  “I suppose,” she joked. “Only if you feel up to it.”

  “Hey, if you aren’t interested, I can still hop on my bike and take that ride.” I playfully tossed her hand away and started to march to the garage.

  Sarah grabbed my arm and yanked me around, kissing me to both shut me up and lure me back. I considered it the best way to be told off, and she had perfectly mastered this shushing technique.

  “And, since you’re so worried about my health, I’ll let you do all the work this time.” I kissed her again cutting off any protest.

  * * *

  We sat at a table in a new trendy restaurant in Fort Collins: the kind that served the same food as Applebee’s or Chili’s but gave each dish a fancier name, a sprig of garnish, and a ten-dollar price increase. Sarah’s newest fascination was locating it restaurants. Ethan and I usually met at the same coffee shop whenever we got together; however, we hadn’t met in ages, not since he and his wife adopted their daughter and Sarah and I got hitched. I had the feeling that this dinner was just one weapon in Sarah’s ongoing battle to convince me that having children was grand.

  “I still can’t believe you haven’t met Lisa.” Sarah placed a napkin in her lap.

  I shrugged while I filled her water glass and mine from the fancy water jug on the table and replaced the glass stopper. The joint had ramped up the hip factor by adding slices of cucumber and weird, unidentifiable green twig things to the water. It didn’t look appetizing, but I was thirsty enough to give it a try.

  “Never really gave Lisa much thought,” I shrugged.

  “That’s so like you.”

  “Hey, Ethan didn’t meet you until our wedding day, and that’s only because he was my best man.”

  When Sarah and I got engaged, Ethan had joked he should be my best man. You should have seen his face when I asked him for real. I didn’t subscribe to the notion that a bride should be confined to a maid of honor. Anything goes at a lesbian wedding. Ethan actually cried during his toast—well, we all did. Of course, I later refused to admit that I had cried, too. To this day, I swear I had something in my eye.