Another Winding Road
Part 2
By Yuki Wildstar
EDF Headquarters
Office of Captain Nova Forrester Wildstar
1st of September, 2219
5 days later . . . . .
“Enter,” she called out to the knock on the door. Peeking in, he gave her a smile. “Michael hello, come in. What can I do for you?”
“I just stop by to say goodbye.”
“Goodbye? I don’t understand. Where are you going?” Nova looked at him confused.
“You don’t know?”
“Know what?”
“When did this happen and why didn’t you tell me?”
“Well it happen the day after Derek came home.” He said and thinking about what Wildstar told him. Screw him, he thought. I just can’t leave and she not know that I left without saying good bye. “I thought it would be a good idea after, well, you know. I know that you love Derek and maybe it’s best for me to go and start fresh. Maybe I can find a wife.” He grinned trying to make light of it. “I’d thought that at least let me say good bye to you. After all you were my favorite nurse and friend.”
Sitting down she felt her heart break slightly to hear him say he was going. How she would miss him so. “I’m going to miss you too, Michael. I don’t know what I’m going to do without my friend. You’ve been so supportive with Derek and me. I hope that we can stay in touch.”
“I’ll give you call once I settle in. I should go. My flight leaves in a few hours. I just wanted to say goodbye.”
“That soon? Do you have time to say goodbye to Derek?”
“Um, sorry no. Anyway I said goodbye to him before.” He stood up as did she. “Well I hope to talk with you if you’re not busy.” She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. “Thank you for everything Nova.” He said and gave her a kiss on the lips.
“I’m going to miss you so much Michael. Call me please. I don’t want to lose touch with you.”
“I will.” He said but knew that he would never call her. If he ever found out that he talked with her he would carry out his threat and he didn’t want to hurt Nova. “I have to go.” With a tear in his eye he walked out her office door.
“Yes ma’am.”
She marched down to his office, walked past his aid and threw open the door. “I need to speak with you right now.” She said with a stern look.
Wildstar looked up and from the expression on her face he knew it was important. Turning to his colleague he said, “Gentleman can you all excuse us.” Quickly they all made their way out of his office. “Okay what is so important that you had to interrupt my meeting?” he said annoyed with her.
“You bastard, how could you!” she snapped angrily at him.
Taking a deep breath he hoped that this wasn’t going to lead into an argument. “What is it that I did now?”
“You know what you did. You had Michael transfer to the states. Why Derek, why?”
“Don’t you think that this is something we should discuss at home and not here? I was in the middle of a meeting.”
“I don’t care if you were talking to Jesus himself. You transferred him and I want to know why?”
“Why? Because it was time for him to go, that’s why. They need doctors in the states and since he is an excellent doctor I thought of him. He can start fresh there, away from you.”
“I told you it was a mistake and I regretted it. I was lonely and angry, that’s all.” She snapped back.
“And the next time you are lonely and angry will it happen again?” he said with sarcasm. Taking a deep breath he continued to talk. “Maybe you were lonely but I’ll feel better knowing he is over in the states. I don’t need to go away again and know that he is hovering over you like some vulture, just waiting to swoop down on you and the boys.” He lean further in his chair then stood up and walked over to her. “Look Nova, I know I haven’t been the best husband and father. I put you through a lot and you’ve forgiven me too many times to count. But I will not stand by and let him weasel his way into our lives.”
“Then what you’re saying is that you don’t trust me either.”
“No I’m not saying that. I just want him out of our lives. That’s all!”
Raising her voice she was almost yelling, “You could’ve told me! I didn’t have to hear it from him!”
“You saw him! WHEN?!”
“Does it matter when I saw him?”
“No,” he said and thought to himself of their agreement of him not attempting to get in contact with her. “But I would have liked to say goodbye.” And choke the living crap out of him. He thought to himself
“It wouldn’t matter anyway he leaves in a few hours.”
“Shame, maybe I’ll catch him on one of my visit to the states.” So I can really choke him. “Nov, let’s not argue about this. Sorry I didn’t mention it to you sooner. I didn’t think it was my position to tell you. It was order’s that’s all.”
“Order’s that you gave him! Orders that you could’ve warn me about. I never knew that you would be this underhanded Derek. I love you and I would have never betrayed you, ever!”
“I have had about enough on this matter! My patients are wearing thin Captain. I suggest that you leave before we both say something we both will regret later. Especially me! He got his orders now it’s over.”
She stood there wondering how she never saw this part of him. “So what happens if you ever grow tired of me? Are you going to transfer me too?” She snapped.
Walking back to his desk he looked at her. “Nova, go back to work. This subject is closed I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Not here or at home. It’s over!” he said as he slammed his hands on his desk making her jump. “Anyway, you had to have some kind of feelings for him to sleep with him.” He said in a low tone. He looked up and saw her expression and regretted it the minute it left his mouth.
She stood there shock at what he said. “I don’t know what to say to that. It hurts that you would think that I could love someone else. I love you Derek and I would never have done what I did if I wasn’t feeling like you abandon me and the kids.” She said then walked out of his office. She walked past her office as everyone watched. Their argument was loud enough for all to hear. She took the elevator down and outside to the small park that was in front of the building. She sat down in a quiet part and cried. Looking out in the distance she could hear a group of women behind the tall bushes talking.
“Honesty I heard them argue all the way down to the 6th floor.” One said.
“But have you heard?” another said.
“What?”
“I heard that he was having an affair with that queen Mariposa. The reason they were extended was because she was pregnant by him. Honesty a whole year away without war something had to happen. And I don’t blame her for having an affair with Doctor Spada. He is just as hot as her husband.”
“Lucy, how do you get this info?” one asked.
“I have my sources. And you know I am always on target. Remember I told you guys about General Stone and his secret tootsie.” Making them all laugh. “I kind of feel sorry for her. She is a sweet girl.” Nova sat there stunned to what she heard. Could it be true that he was detained because of an affair? She ran back into the building and up to her office.
“Suki, how close are you to that guy in records?”
“Very close, why?”
“You think he can pull the captains log for the Argo on its last trip?”
“Sure, I’ll give him a call now. I’ll have him send it up.”
“No, can you go down there and get it for me. It’s really important.” She almost sounded panic.
“Of course, be back in a jiff.” She said then ran to go get the log.
She sat behind her desk trying to make logic of it all. Never did she believe rumors that were spread about them, but something in her gut kept feeling unease. She turned her chair to look out and began to bite her nails. Could this be true? Was he having an affair with Mariposa? Maybe that is why he was so forgiving when she told him about Michael and her. Could it be that he was just as guilty as she was? It would make sense. Her phone rang and she stared at it. Taking a deep breath she picked up the phone. “Captain Wildstar.” She said into the phone.
“Nova, can we talk?”
“Not now Derek, I’m waiting on an important phone call.” She lied. “We can talk at home.” She listened as he began to talk when her aid walked into the office. “I have to go Derek. That phone call is in,” and hung up on him in mid sentence.
“Here it is.” She said as she placed the log in front of her.
“Suki, I have to ask you something and please be truthful with me. I need to know. What is the latest rumor about me now?” She asked knowing that she is always in the loop on things in office talk.
“Ma’am?”
“Please just tell me. I’m sure that it’s all a lie anyway.” She rolled her eyes and tried to smile.
“Are you sure you want to hear this.”
“Please just tell me.”
“Well rumor has it about you.” She said pointing at her, “that you and the handsome Doctor Spada have been sleeping with each other for months.” She watched her face and it show nothing, pausing she continued on. “As for Admiral Wildstar, it didn’t come out right away. But it was said that he and Queen Mariposa were also having an affair. She had lost someone close to her, not sure who. And well one thing led to another and they were sleeping with each other months prior to his return. They also say that she was pregnant. I’m not sure if she had it or not. But you know how the rumor mill goes. One innocent thing can turn into something big. By the time it gets to the 5th person he was living with her and three kids.” She giggled at the thought.
Nova gave her a smile and said. “Yeah I know how it goes. Thank you Suki, and please no phone calls and cancel any appointments. I don’t want to be disturbed.” She nodded at her and closed the door behind her. Nova opened up the book and began to read. The log started off normal with minor problems with the ship. Reading on she finally came up to the part when he was ordered to Zazba to aid the Queen in a death. She requested his presence there. Continuing to read on it wasn’t long until she came up to the entry of his close connection to her. It didn’t go into detail but was clear in his writing of how he was confused as to what to put in it. He wrote about a still birth and no name was mentioned. After an hour of reading the log over and over she put it down. Tears of pain and anger rolled down her face. She finally got up, grabbed the log and left her office. Suki watched as she walked out without a word and left the floor. She went home and called her mother. “I’m coming home.” She said and hung up. Hours went as she packed her things and her sons things before he came home with their sons. He walked into the house and saw suitcases everywhere. He told the boys to go to their rooms and he made his way to their bedroom.
“Nova? Are you going somewhere?” he asked as she continued to pack.
“I’m leaving! Now get out of my way.” She said pushing him.
“Leaving? But why? I’m a little confused here can you help me out.” Picking up the log she threw it at him almost hitting him in the face. “Where did you get this?” he said feeling his heart drop.
“It doesn’t matter how. The fact is that you have lied to me and then have the nerve to make me feel like a cheating wife. In the mean time you had a whole new family elsewhere. When were you going to tell me Derek?” Staring at the log he was lost for words. “Well! When?!” She screamed at him.
“Nova I never meant for this to all come out. Not like this.”
“When would have been a good time, Derek?! After your child is grown up?”
“The baby never made it. She was still born.” He said in a low tone looking away from her. “The baby died.”
“Well you should have died with it. How do you think your sons would take this? That their father had another family with some alien bitch! I’ve had enough. I’m leaving and it’s over. I’ll have the lawyers draw up the divorce papers. You can have the house. Maybe your Queen would like living here. I’m going back to the states with MY sons. I don’t ever want to see you again.” She said then walked over to him and slapped him twice on the face. “Leave me alone.”
“You’re not taking my kids! I won’t allow it!” he raised his voice at her.
“And what are you going to do?! Who will take care of OUR sons when you leave again to meet up with your other wife?!”
“That’s not fair. Have you forgotten that you aren’t innocent in all this?”
“Don’t you even use that as an excuse, you left us first.”
“It’s my job!” he yelled back.
“And I understood that! I understood it when you needed to be out there. I stood by you on ever decision you made. I never question you and I never stood in your way. I didn’t want you to resent me. So I agree to everything. And to tell you the truth, it was one time that I was weak. ONE TIME! I felt like crap for days and I told you about it. I didn’t want a secret between us. It would have destroyed me to keep something like that from you.” She sat on the edge of the bed and began to cry. “Do you love her?” she asked in a low voice. He sat down in the chair across from her, tears streaming down his face. “Well do you!” she snapped at him. He shook his head and couldn’t answer. She stood up and brushed at her dress. “I have a car coming for our things. I’ll have the lawyers contact you.”
“Where are you going to stay?”
“I was going to stay with my mother, but I’ve decide to take the boys to New York. My father and mother have an apartment there. I’ve already made arrangements for the kids to go to school there.”
“What about money?”
“Don’t worry about it. I don’t need anything from you. I still have my inheritance and I have money coming in from my share of my father’s companies. I’ve already have some job offers. It’ll take awhile but I have to think about the kids right now.”
“What are we going to tell them?”
“I don’t know yet, I’ll figure something out once I get there.”
“Can I at least say goodbye.”
“Yes Derek, go and say good bye. I have to finish up here anyway.” She turned her back to him and continued packing.
They hugged their father crying and not wanting to let him go. “I want to stay with daddy!” Mark cried.
“Why can’t he come with us?!” DJ yelled.
Alex stood close to his mother and took hold of DJ. “Daddy will see us soon, DJ.” He said trying to consol his brother. He knew that something was wrong between his parents and he wanted to protect his baby brothers.
“Alex, come here.” His father said. “You’re the man of the house now. You take care of your mother and brothers. I will come to see you as soon as I can. Remember that I love you very much and I am just a phone call away,” then hugged him.
“Daddy, please don’t leave us.” He whispered into his ear.
“Alex I’m not leaving you. I will always be there for you.” He said as he tried to keep from crying.
“It’s getting late, we have to go. Boys get in the car.” Nova ordered. Alex rounded up his brothers and pushed them into the car. “Goodbye Derek, I wish you well.” And with that she got into the car and it drove off.
Wildstar Residence
2nd of March, 2220
For weeks he drank himself to sleep. Sandor and Yvey watched as his better judgment was sliding at work. His personal life was starting to take a toll on him and they began to worry. “Wildstar! Open the damn door!” Sandor yelled into the house. Since Nova left he began to go into a deep depression. At first he tried to throw himself into his work. But Sandor could see how he hurt. He avoided going to an empty house. Yvey and he would ask him to dinner hoping to keep his mind off of his wife and kids leaving. He began to lose his grip at work, snapping at everyone for minor things. Sandor tried to keep him focus but he began to drink and he started to become concern for his friend. “Wildstar open this door right now!” he said with a stern voice.
He took Yvey’s hand and made their way towards the back of the house. Denise and Pesci stood on the porch worried to what they witnessed. Wildstar sat on the patio chair past out. Three bottles of Saki laid near him a glass still in hand. “Is he alright?” Yvey asked worried for her friend.
Giving him a shove Sandor could tell he was pass out from drinking. “Okay Wildstar time to get up.” He tried to shake him awake. Moaning out loud he tried to get up and fell to the ground. “Give me a hand, Pesh. Yvey make some coffee, lots of it. We are all going to need it.” Together with Pesci they moved him inside to the bathroom. Turning the cold water on they both put him in and let the water hit him.
“What the FUC..!” Wildstar yelled out to the cold water that now hit him. “What the hell do you think you’re doing!” he snapped at both Pesci and Sandor.
“We were going to ask you the same thing!” Sandor snapped back. “You have got to pull yourself together. We have been trying to get in touch with you for two days!”
“LEAVE ME ALONE! JUST GO AWAY!”
“Not until we get you clean up and sobered up. Now get into some dry clothes we need to talk.” Sandor said with authority. Sandor and the rest went into the kitchen and waited for him to come out of the room. Yvey and Denise looked around the house and couldn’t believe the shamble before them. Pizza boxes, takeout food and bottles and bottles were everywhere. Yvey grabbed a bag and began to throw things into it while Denise began to clean up the kitchen. Wildstar walked into the room wearing his robe and towel on his head. Sandor pushed a cup of coffee into his hand and said. “Start drinking. Now sit down we need to talk.”
“What’s there to talk about?
“What do you think you’re doing? Drinking is not going to solve anything. It won’t bring her back and it sure as hell is not going to make things go away. In the end when you sober up the problem is still there and she still will be long gone.” He hated to be direct but he had to do it in order to wake him up from all the drinking. “When are you going for arbitration?”
“In two weeks, why?”
“Well are you going to go after her?” He said.
“What?” Derek asked confused.
“Are you going to go after her? It’s obvious that you still love her, so are you going to try to at least win her back. You have another chance when you go for the arbitration.” Sandor told him.
“Yeah Derek, are you going to go after her. Because I know she still loves you.” Yvey said.
“What makes you think she still loves me? I mean she made it clear that she never wants to see me again. She never talks to me and I’m lucky she that she lets me speak to the kids.”
“You have to try.” Denise said.
“Do you guys even know the whole story as to why she left me?”
“Yes we do. She told me everything. She told all of us and at first I was really pissed at you. We all were. But that is something that you two have to work out together. No matter what you still love her and she loves you.”
“Yvey I, I don’t know if she will even be there. I haven’t spoken to her in months and she won’t return any of my calls. She just makes Alex call. Gosh poor Alex, how could I’ve done this to them.” He said placing his head in his hand.
New York City, New York
Office of Grumble, Stellar and Feinstein
25th of March, 2220
Months later. . . . .
He sat in the lawyer’s office waiting for her to come in. How he missed her. Sandor was right this will be the last chance to try to work it out with her. The last thing he wanted was get a divorce from her. He listened to his lawyer talked while his mind drifted to his soon to be ex and sons. “Admiral, what about the property on Great Island?” he asked bringing him back to reality.
Her heart almost stopped when he spoke. It has been a while since she and he spoke and hearing his voice made her shake. How was she going to get through this? She had agonized over being pregnant. The last thing she wanted was to get into another argument with him. She even thought about not coming to the arbitration but her lawyers informed her that she had to be present. She took a deep breath and walked into room knowing that he would question her. “I’m sorry Admiral but my client insists that she stick to the proceedings. So if we can begin.”
“Nova when were you going to tell me?” he spoke across the table at her.
“Admiral, please do not address my client.” Her lawyer said.
“Shut up! I’m talking to my wife. She IS still my wife. I want to know is it mine?!” he asked.
“When are you due?”
“It doesn’t matter, it’s not yours. Now can we please get this over with?” She rolled her eyes at him and looked over to her lawyers. They began to talk to each other. Each time her lawyers asked for something Derek agreed. They would divide custody of their sons and he gave her everything. She refused the house on Great Island telling him he needed someplace for the kids to be when they came to visit.
“What about the baby?” he asked looking in Nova’s direction.
“My client says it’s not yours. If you want to fight for her unborn child then you will have to prove it’s yours by taking a DNA test. If it proves to be yours then you can start proceedings for custody.” They wrapped everything up and Derek grabbed her by the arm. “We really need to talk. Please Nova, just give me 5 minutes.”
She turned to her lawyers and nodded and said, “It’s alright.” They both watched as they all left the room and then she turned to him annoyed, “You have 5 minutes. What is it?”
“Please Nova don’t do this. I want us to work this out. We both made mistakes but I want to make this work.”
“You’ve made more then I have and you crucified me. Mean while you had another life with someone else. What kills me most is that you were there to hold her hand. When I lost our child you didn’t even stick around to even see how I was doing.”
“We were in a middle of a battle. I had a fleet to command if you don’t remember.”
“Still you always made a point to see any other crew member when they were injured. Yes you were there for a few minutes and I understood that you had a fleet to command. But when everything calm down you didn’t even bother to see how I was doing. Yet you stayed long enough to bury a child you had with another woman. Do you even know how I feel that you took the time to be with her when she lost her child?! Meanwhile you made me feel like it was my entire fault when I lost our child! I still beat myself up thinking about it. AND NOW THIS! Had your daughter lived would you have come back to us?”
“Of course I would. You and the boys are my life.”
“Apparently you hope that it would never come out.” She took a deep breath trying hard to control her temper. “I have to go.” She said feeling her blood pressure going higher thinking of his affair.
“Nova please can I just at least see the kids.”
“They’re in school. I made this arbitration at this time so I don’t have to explain anything to them. They’re adjusting to New York fine and I don’t want them to be disrupted with you here.”
“I am their father! I want to see my sons! And if this is how you are going to get back at me then call the lawyers back in here now. I will fight for my sons!”
“You had your chance and you chose to have another life. They don’t need you putting things into their heads and then backing out at the last minute like in the past! You’re not here to see their face’s when I have to explain why daddy can’t make it home on time because he was out there having a child with another woman! You did this now live with it!” she yelled as she poked his chest. “I loved you, loved you. That is past tense, now leave us alone. Go and chase whatever skirt you want to chase. I don’t care anymore! I just want you out of my life and the boys. Go back to her maybe she can give you another child!”
“And whose child are you carrying?!” he yelled back.
“None of your damn business, you lost that right when you had a child with someone else!”
It was a sore spot in his heart to lose not one but two babies and in a way he was glad that she didn’t live. It made it easier for him to walk away. When Mariposa told him she was pregnant he felt his whole world collapse around him. How would he tell Nova that he was having a child with another woman? It was a night of weakness for him. He missed his wife so much and then the death of her friend. It was a mix that should have never happened. 5 months into her pregnancy she went into labor and lost their daughter. He cried for her but was relieved that he didn’t have to explain it to Nova. Too bad for him she found out. It was something that he hope never happened. Now they stood here in a law firm getting a divorce. “Please Nova I’m begging you, please don’t go. I love you and even if that is not my baby I’m willing to step up and be a father to it.”
“Nova! Nova! Baby, are you alright?” he said as she fell into his arms. “SOMEONE HELP ME IN HERE!” he screamed out into the hall.
To be continued . . .
. .