~06-Oh Bethany~

Mom left for work a few minutes ago.

Beth and I have the entire day planned out-we're spending it with Clara.

Mom would've loved to come but she had to go to work-says she'll join us next time though.

We're going to the Seattle Aquarium-we think Clara will love it there. She always loved gifts of mother nature.

And after that we're visiting the Woodland Park Zoo.

I'm sure Clara will be really happy.

Will, Beth's older brother will be coming back today-that's the last surprise we're giving Clara today.

I can't wait to see the look in her eyes when she comes back home to see her son.

~∆~

The day went really well. Clara had a lot of fun.

Beth and I did too.

Though, we thought Clara would be happy doing fun things that didn't stress her out too much but how wrong we were.

Apparently, she would've preferred to go Skiing or Mountain Climbing or something much more daring.

We both promise to make better plans.

The last surprise for her though will have her more than pleased.

"Clara, there's one more surprise back at home" I inform.

"Oh, really?" She grins

"Uh huh" I nod, grinning right back "And we're certain, you're gonna love this one"

"Oh. I'm so excited, I can't wait" she claps and grins like a little girl about to open her Christmas present.

We drive in silence for about 10 minutes before Clara breaks the silence.

"Thanks a lot, girls" she says seriously "you don't know how much it warms my heart that you're doing all these for me"

"Don't thank us Clara. We're not doing this all for you...we're doing this for us too" I joke when I see that she's on the brink of tears.

"Of course" she giggles "still thanks for spending time with me"

"You're welcome, thanks for spending time with us"

Beth's been awfully quiet the whole ride back.

I think she's been like this since she received a call...I can only guess that it was Clark.

Clark is Beth's boyfriend..they've been together for almost a year now.

Beth loves him with all her heart. He's the centre of her universe but there's something about that guy that puts me off.

I get the feeling that he's hiding something but I can't figure out what.

I don't tell Beth about it though, because why would I want to ruin a relationship that clearly brings her so much joy?

I talked to Clark though, and I made it clear as crystal that if he does anything to hurt as little as the hair on her head, I'm gonna break a lot more than his hand.

Yeah, I broke his hand once when he kept stalking Beth and I...in his defence though, he was in love with Beth and didn't know how to tell her.

It takes a lot of self-control to wait till we get home before I get answers but Clara made it a little bit easier.

We chatted the whole ride about when Beth and Will were kids.

I could tell she knew something was up with Beth but chose to say nothing.

Finally, we arrive home and give Clara her last surprise who thankfully keeps her busy, giving Beth and I some time alone to talk.

"So, what did he do?" I ask out of the blues

"Who?" She looks confused

I don't even answer that, I just stare straight into her eyes.

Seeing pain, hurt and anger flashing through those light brown eyes makes me fume with anger.

I grab her hand and pull her out the door and to the porch.

"What did he do?" I repeat, slowly to contain my anger.

"Nothing" she throws her hands in a frustrated gesture "..and that's the problem, he didn't do anything"

"Anything in particular he should have done?" I ask, feeling the fury slowly fade away.

"I don't know" her voice drops to a low whisper "Maybe he thought I was just being dramatic or I was playing the overprotective girlfriend or maybe he thought I was just seeing something where there really was nothing but..."

I watch as tears flow freely from her eyes.

"There's a girl, isn't there?" 

She simply nods in response.

"He said she was just a friend but I could see it radiating from her, in the way she talked to him, looked at him, said his name...she wanted him...and he pretended to not see it" she sobs "Oh and not to talk of everytime she touched him, I wanted to yank her off of him and let her know he's mine but..."

"But what?" 

She takes a sit on the porch bench

"But I had to control myself..I willed myself to believe in him, trust in the love he has for me and now..." Her voice cracks at the end

"Now what?" I ask, sitting next to her

"It's happened" she shrugs "he's done it -he cheated on me with her"

"Oh, darling" I pull her into a hug.

"He cheated on me. And I don't know if I can ever forgive him" she sobs on my shoulder.

"Does he regret it?"

"What does it matter? The deed has been done" she murmurs, pulling away and wiping her tears with her palm

"It matters because you still love him" 

"I do" she whispers as new tears fall from her eyes.

"You need to talk to him" I whisper.

"I don't want to see him" she whispers.

The bench vibrates and she pulls her phone out of her back pocket.

"He's been calling for the longest time, it's sickening" she groans as we see 'Babe' flashing on the screen.

"Give it to me" I stretch out my hand

"What are you gonna do?" She asks but I ignore her.

"The phone, Beth"

She places it in my hand and I answer the call.

I don't say anything, I let him speak.

"Beth, I'm so glad you picked up. I made a terrible mistake, I know, I'm really sorry" Hearing that, I put it on loud speaker

"I know I hurt you.. I'm sorry. She really was just a friend to me but I know I should I have listened to you.. I'm sorry, babe. Please, forgive me. I really didn't mean for this to happen"

Beth closes her eyes tightly as fresh tears drop.

"Beth? Babe?" He calls and I end the call.

"He seems to regret it" I tell her.

"But it hurts, Danny, it hurts so bad. How can I ever forget?" She opens her eyes, which are now red and puffy.

The phone vibrates again as 'Babe' flashes on the screen.

"People don't stay together because they forget, Beth...they stay together because the forgive"

"But forgiving seems even more difficult now" she sobs.

"It's never easy to forgive, Beth but love...love conquers all that. He made a mistake, people make mistakes, when they have the courage to admit it and are sorry for it...love moves us to forgive. And I know you love him"

"I do" she cries "a whole lot..that's why this hurts so bad"

"Talk to him.. If after talking to him, you still can't forgive him then you can end this" 

"I will" she wipes her tears "...because even after this, I still don't want to lose him"

"He's a good guy" I tell her 'who looks like he's hiding something' I want to add but I bite my tongue-I don't think that would help very much right now.

She nods and picks up her phone.

"Are you sure you want to do this tonight, though? You can talk to him tomorrow"

"No...I want to do this now" she says quietly and she dials his number back

"Thanks, Danny" she gives me a tight lipped smile and I squeeze her hand gently.

"Hello, Clark. Can I come over tonight?" She says.

After the call, she goes in, grabs her keys and hops in her car.

Watching her car zoom off, I hope with all my heart that she finds the happiness she deserves