Libra Rising

Sequel to "Scorpio Falling," 6th in line in "The Bridesmaid" series; humans do not control justice or fate.

 

I stomped into the bank, and I got in line. The last time I stomped right to Jason’s window I got kicked out. I waited patiently—in that, I didn’t push people out of my way or try to cut. I crossed my arms and my foot tapped so hard against the dead carpet that my right foot was going numb. I drummed my fingers against my arm, and when the lady before me went to his window, Jason took his sweet time servicing her. As she began to walk away, leaning heavily on her cane, Jason started to put up his “closed” sign, but I stormed over there and I forced the glass door back open.

 

“What’s your problem?” I demanded.

 

“Excuse me, ma’am, is there a problem?” Jason asked in a sickeningly sweet voice. I glared at him.

 

“You know damn well why I’m here,” I spat at him. “Stop it with the ‘helpful banker’ act. You pulled out seven hundred from my account. I wanna know why.”

 

“What, upset because it wasn’t what we agreed to?” Jason asked in the same poison sweet voice.

 

“We didn’t agree to do s**t,” I said, trying not to break through the glass so I could stab him with a shard. “You blackmailed me into this, you son of a b***h!”

 

“You extorted Arianna out of her house and marriage, so it’s a fair trade,” Jason said calmly, sipping his coffee.

 

“Well s**t, shouldn’t she have realized by now that spending everything without working leaves her with nothing?” I said, putting my hands on my waist. “Last time I checked, that’s a basic rule of economics!”

 

“She didn’t major in economics in college,” Jason said, stirring more sugar into his coffee.

 

“I don’t recall there being a college of I-f**k-all-my-husband’s-friends,” I retorted. Jason finally put his coffee down. I forced down a smirk. He had a weak spot after all.

 

“Keep that up, I’ll take more out of your account,” Jason said in a low, dangerous voice. “You don’t have anything to worry about. I won’t take more out of your account than you need to pay rent, your insurance and get food and maybe a few clothes here and there. And I noticed you might need them soon.” Jason sneered at me and I put my hand on my abdomen.

 

“It’s none of your damn business,” I said.

 

“It is if you wanna have that baby,” Jason said, right as his boss walked by. “You really should take better care of your finances because you’re going to need more than that to support a sweet, beautiful baby.” I opened my mouth but closed it quickly, and my lips trembled. His boss shook his head at me before walking off. I watched his boss walk away, left helpless. I was hoping that I could sell my television later, but I had to put it on Ebay soon so I could afford that baby crib while it was still on sale.

 

“I’ll manage,” I said in a neutral tone before turning to walk out.

 

Barry was scowling at people again like he did at the wedding. I held my jacket around my abdomen tighter. I looked down at the carpet and began to speed out. My eyes ached with tears; would I stop crying if I just looked at him?

 

His brown hair was still up in spikes, and it looked to me that he still maintained his workout regimen because I could tell in the way his blue button down shirt that his arms and chest were still well sculpted. The gray weather only made him look more morose than he already was. Barry turned to look at me. Thank God. His Irish green eyes were still there.

 

“You lost some weight,” he said curtly. I didn’t know my heart could keep thundering when it was still in scattered pieces on the floor.

 

“Thanks,” I managed weakly to him. I began to open the door.

 

“By the way,” Jason called after me. “Arianna loves that new Coach purse.” Barry finally looked me in the eyes, questioning why Jason would ever say that to me.

 

I shook my head, and I swore I felt a kick.

 

                                    *            *            *            *

 

 “Angela, run these down to the copy room,” Lilah said, not bothering to turn to look at me. I picked up the forms and made sure they were neat and organized.

 

“Yes, Miss Lotthen,” I said. Lilah didn’t even say thank you. I turned out of her office and quietly closed her door.

 

“While you’re down there, get me a cup of coffee,” Marla said, not looking up from her computer.

 

“Ok, Marla,” I said.

 

“Appreciated, Arianna,” Marla said absent-mindedly. I stopped at stared at her for a second. Marla didn’t even realize I was still standing there. I held the forms to my chest with a huff and walked past what used to be my worktable. The new girl struggled with a drawing.

 

“I don’t get it,” she said a bit dramatically, hoping to get someone’s attention. “The room looks so plain. Oh, this definitely isn’t Kansas anymore, Toto!” She got a few amused chuckles, but I’m not sure if it was because what she said was actually funny or if the other designers thought she was that dimwitted. I stopped by and looked at the picture.

 

“Try a different design for the wallpaper,” I said. “Plain wallpaper isn’t right for this room.” She looked at it again and her eyes lit up.

 

“Why didn’t I think of that?” she said brightly and beginning to scribble on the paper.

 

“You’re welcome,” I muttered, heading for the copy room and forgetting about Marla’s coffee.

 

                                    *            *            *            *

 

“Sit down, you look like skin and bones,” Dana said, mocking our great-aunt Linda. I sighed and sat myself in the plush chair before the waiter could help me.

 

“You should get used to people treating you like a princess when you walk into the room,” Dana said, signaling the waiter to bring me a menu. “Wish I had that.”

 

“You want a little person in your body twenty-four seven for nine months?” I asked, taking the menu. Dana shrugged.

 

“Maybe not nine months, but having a guy in me for hours wouldn’t kill me either!” Dana exclaimed, scaring the waiter standing next to him. I scowled at him and took a sip of water.

 

“Order whatever you want, it’s all on me,” Dana said, opening his tabloid. “Ooooh the planet of love is aligning with Uranus. Grrrowl.” I rolled my eyes.

 

“It’s a stupid tabloid, Dana,” I said. “And those horoscopes are never right.”

 

“What do you mean?” Dana asked. “They always said that there would be a cutie that I would meet to make out with later, and it’s always been right!”

 

“Ok, you’re a man-w***e, of course you’re going to make out with a cutie later tonight,” I said. “Horoscopes don’t do crap for people who actually want something real.” Dana smirked before taking a sip of his shot of wheat grass juice.

 

“When did the doctor say your due date was?” Dana asked.

 

“October 30^th,” I said. “Roughly. He said there might be a chance that the baby could come later than that because that’s his earliest prediction.”

 

“So there’s a chance you could end up having a baby on your birthday,” Dana said. I shrugged.

 

“Maybe,” I said. “The baby would be a week early then.”

 

“Would you choose to have your baby on your birthday?” Dana asked. I blinked my eyes and rested my chin on my right fist.

 

“Maybe,” I said. “It’d make it easier to remember the birthday.”

 

“I don’t know if your baby would appreciate that,” Dana said. I sighed.

 

“Stop being a drama queen because you have to share your birthday with Madonna,” I said. “I thought you looked up to her.”

 

“Well, hey, I got over it, didn’t I?” Dana said, taking a nibble of his roll. “And who else gets to say they share their birthday with their idol?” I rolled my eyes.

 

“It would help if I got to choose my baby’s birthday,” I said. “It would make things easier on me.”

 

“That baby is going to come out when it comes out,” Dana said pointedly. “You don’t control things like that. You don’t control things that are bigger than you. No matter how much you wish you could.” I scowled. I was with Barry for too long.

 

“If this is about all that s**t with Arianna, it was because nobody would teach her a lesson,” I said fiercely. “Everyone else either bought her little sob story or nobody else cared about what she did. I’m sick of her winning all the time. I’m sick of her practically getting away with murder. I lost my promotion and got demoted lower than a secretary, I have to sell things on Ebay just to get a God damn crib for my baby, I’m getting blackmailed by that amoral scumbag that moved in on Arianna while she was with Darrell, and Barry’s gone! And you know why? Because that little w***e couldn’t keep her damn legs closed! She couldn’t resist f*****g around behind Darrell’s back and now look! I’m half-starving to death, four and a half months pregnant and she’s living off the money her sugar daddy is pulling out of MY account! Who the hell’s fault is that?! Everything Arianna did behind Darrell’s back ruined everything! Everything’s a mistake! EVERYTHING!”

 

“Everything happens for a reason,” I heard Barry’s voice clearly in my memory. “Everything. No matter how much they hurt. Or how much we think things should happen in another way.”

 

Dana looked at me knowingly.

 

“I don’t recall Arianna ever forcing you to put those pictures up,” Dana said coolly. “She didn’t make your decision to extort her. Maybe if you hadn’t done that, Jason wouldn’t be blackmailing you. And Barry would be there, supporting you instead of standing behind you all shocked because he didn’t know you’re pregnant.”

 

Barry had never looked that furious before—not even the day Arianna called and told him I had sex with Matt. I stood up, my fight reaction kicking in, but Barry’s eyes traveled lower and saw my bulging belly. I didn’t even realize how pregnant I looked, even though I was eating half the food I had before I was being blackmailed.

 

Barry’s voice remained at normal level, but I hated how he sounded when he spoke to me as if I killed someone he loved.

 

“More secrets,” he said. Then he turned around and barged out of the restaurant. I fell back into my seat. I wasn’t even able to tell him truthfully that the baby was his—especially when I wasn’t so sure myself. Dana opened his tabloid again and read out of it.

 

“Scorpio personalities are vengeful by nature,” he read aloud. “Scorpios will wait anywhere from days to years for the right moment to strike—when it will hurt their victims the most. Beware the Scorpio’s temper; nobody wins when a Scorpio seeks revenge.” I hugged the back of my chair tightly, trying to hold in all the pain. I looked down at my belly.

 

“This wasn’t really the reason why I wanted to take you out today,” Dana said calmly as another guy his age came up and sat in one of the other free chairs. “Because we were going to ask you to be my Maid of Honor at our wedding.”

 

                                    *            *            *            *

 

“For the last time, the point isn’t to HIDE it,” Dana said to the tailor as I was being fitted for the umpteenth time. “I don’t care if you have to cut that whole midsection out! Hell, let her show the whole damn world that I’m going to be an uncle!” I sighed.

 

“Good job,” I said. “You couldn’t wait until I had the baby.” Dana stomped his foot and sighed dramatically.

 

“The world’s not going to stop because you’re pushing a kid out of there in a week the EARLIEST!” he said. “You’re not due yet. You can wait. The doctor sounded pretty sure that the October 30^th date was a bit early so you have next week before you think you can push that kid out! At any rate, Skyler and I want you and the bridesmaids to meet the groomsmen today.” I shook my head as I began to step out of the dress.

 

“You want me as a bridesmaid considering my track record?” I asked. Dana smirked.

 

“I never fucked around behind my fiancé’s back and Skyler and I have NEVER been into photography,” Dana said. “Now stop sucking in your stomach pretending you’re not having a baby and just let it out!”

 

“Babe!” Skyler said, peeking his head into the room. I looked at Dana. He looked so damn content. “The guys are all here! Let’s bring out the ladies!” Then the rest of our cousins poured into the room and Skyler shrugged. “Never mind, the ladies brought themselves instead. Let the guys in!”

 

“Wait, I’m not fully dressed!” I protested, trying to pull up my jeans in a weak attempt to cover my whole body. The guys poured in. Mostly other guy cousins.

 

“Hey, where’s the Best Man?” Skyler asked. Dana shrugged.

 

“Said he’d be here,” Dana said. “You’re the one who should have a leash on him; he’s YOUR cousin.” Skyler giggled.

 

“He almost killed me when I told him I wanted him as my Best Man,” Skyler said, coming in and holding Dana in his arms. “Not the biggest fan of weddings you know.” Before the door opened, I heard the voice.

 

“I don’t hate weddings,” Barry said, coming in and closing the door. “I just hate—Angela.” I hadn’t felt more naked than I did then. Or more burned by his gaze.

 

Barry had obviously had his fitting done because of the pins that were still sticking out in his tuxedo pants. I shook my head in disbelief. I looked at Skyler.

 

“You planned this,” I accused him. He shrugged.

 

“Not my fault he’s my closest relative,” Skyler said, putting his hands up in surrender. “And definitely not my fault you two seem to have a history.”

 

“Yeah Ange, didn’t you know?” Dana said sarcastically. “I always plan fake weddings to get my cousin to talk to her ex.” Dana and Skyler began to talk to the rest of the group about who would pair up with whom. Barry and I continued to stare at each other and from how hard we stared, I wasn’t sure if I loved him or hated him

 

                                    *            *            *            *

 

Last in line again, Dana and Skyler actually decided to save the best for last. Barry refused to look or speak to me. He stood up straight, his eyes caged, and his lips in a firm, straight line.

 

We began to walk down the aisle with no incident from the coordinator. Barry knew his steps by heart and so did I. I forced my tears down, but there was no way I could pretend to be happy.

 

“I don’t know what it’s like to love someone?” I growled, tears filling my eyes. “You don’t think I know what it’s like to love somebody more than I ever thought I’d deserve?

 

I looked at Barry. I definitely didn’t deserve him.

 

My eyes widened in rage as I figured out what he was going to do with my paper letter and paperback book. “NOOOOOO!” I screamed, running at him and knocking us both into the fountain.

 

I could feel the pieces of paper floating on top of the water as I struggled back to the surface. Barry’s hands were forcing me down and closer to him.

 

There was no air from him as his lips touched mine.

 

Barry and I got closer to the aisle. Pretty soon, we were going to our separate sides of the altar. I wouldn’t get to even touch him for God knew how long. I twitched in the dress, feeling like I was wearing the wrong dress. I started to ache. We were almost to the altar.

 

“You came up here for a white Christmas, and it looks like summer. Is this what you wanted?” I looked back down to see Barry staring intently at me.

 

He didn’t say a word to me even as he put one hand behind my knees and the other behind my back and picked me up. He shoved the door of the cabin open with his foot and began to walk inside. I looked up to the top of the doorframe.

 

“Love is the greatest gift of forgiveness,” I read aloud.

 

Barry finally turned to look at me; he must have wondered what I was doing looking at him so much. I almost leaned up to kiss him.

 

I should have thanked Arianna for what she had done. We wouldn’t have been together if it weren’t for her.

 

Realizing this and just stepping onto the altar, I grabbed my full-grown belly and fell to the marble floor as the first contraction began.

 

                                    *            *            *            *

 

The beeping on the machine began to go faster and no amount of breathing was going to stop it or slow it down. I squeezed the metal railing and felt the contraction threaten to rip me in two. Medieval torture probably included labor pains. It must have been a two for one deal: make the woman feel the worst pain possible and bring another worker into the world.

 

“You’re not completely dilated yet,” the doctor said, standing up again. “It’s normal for first time mothers not to be out of the hospital in less than eight hours anyhow. You’re coming along just fine, just give a holler if you need anything.” I looked at the clock. I had only been in here for three and a half hours. Dana appeared with Skyler, still in their tuxedos. I grabbed Dana’s hand as soon as I could reach it.

 

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to spoil your big day.” I was ready for Dana’s outburst, but inwardly hoped that Skyler knew what he was getting into when he asked Dana to marry him. Dana patted my hand gently.

 

“Looks like it was meant to be your day,” he said. “Or rather, someone else’s day.” Dana patted my bulging belly and I felt another contraction start. I grabbed the railing again, and breathed like I was forced to do in Lamaze. Skyler waited until the contraction was finished to speak.

 

“This is going to be so cool,” Skyler said. I nodded my head.

 

“Don’t worry, if this baby pops out after midnight, it’ll still be just your wedding day,” I said. Skyler shook his head.

 

“Actually,” Skyler said, looking at his watch before looking at me again, “I figured it would be cool if your baby was born tomorrow because then he or she would be born on your birthday. He or she would be a Scorpio, exactly like you.” At first, I couldn’t believe he read into that damn horoscope crap like Dana, until the force of it hit me. My baby. A Scorpio.

 

Exactly like me.

 

The same one who would throw away the truest love there could be over a s**t like Arianna.

 

I felt my heart thundering and my head pounding. I felt lightheaded.

 

“No,” I was able to manage out before Dana ran out for the doctor. “No Scorpio…” Even as my brain began to slow down, the thought was still able to attack me: that if my body shut down like this, it was possible that it could slow my labor down. And my baby would be damned by the same day I was born.

 

Some force I couldn’t explain made everything go black before I could do anything to change what was happening.

 

                                    *            *            *            *

 

When I came to, I looked around in the dark for the digital clock. It was the only light in the room. It read 12:25 AM.

 

“Happy birthday,” Dana whispered next to me holding my right hand as Skyler held my left. "Welcome to your mid-twenties." I looked down. My bulge was just about gone. I looked around frantically.

 

“Where’s my baby?” I asked. Horror filled my body. Was my baby not here because of me? Did I kill my baby before he or she was born because I had a panic attack? The doctor came in and sighed patronizingly.

 

“We performed an emergency C-section,” he said. “I told you to remain calm. Your panic attack really messed up the labor.” I fell back onto my pillow. I did this.

 

“Thank God though,” the doctor said. “We were able to recover her in time.” I perked up.

 

“Her?” I asked. I felt air in my lungs and my voice box activated without my thinking. “You were able to save Jasmine?” My eyes popped open. I hadn’t even considered that a name for my daughter by a long shot.

 

“Good, she has a name,” the doctor said, scribbling it down. “Now we have something to put on her birth certificate.” Who knew before I did that it was her name? After we got her full name straigtened out and other details discussed, my doctor read off what he would put on the birth certificate so far.

 

“Jasmine Annabelle Monroe,” he began. “Female, born single, the 22^nd of October, 2008 at 11:24 PM…” I plopped back onto the pillow, crying softly. Dana nodded.

 

"Libra is the sign of the scales," he said quietly. "Just like the ones Lady Justice holds in the courthouse."

 

 

 

Sequel, "The Greatest Gift":

http://www.writerscafe.org/writing/Stars%20Fall%20On%20My%20Heart/303076/

Author's Note

In order to understand this story, you must have read "The Bridesmaid", "Fallen", "Snowing in December", "Coffee", and "Scorpio Falling", AND in that exact order. If you have not, please do NOT leave comments that you did not understand the story. Thank you.

Reviews

[Drew Wade]

here's the problem I'm facing.. First off, I love all the drama and all the twists, but I'm having a problem with the jason character.. he's blackmailing her over very tenuous circumstances. Legally he has nothing to get her in trouble for since arianna is agreeing to all of the expenses angela's drawing up.. so his hold on her is very weak to begin with, especially since arianna now pretty much knows everything anyway, and already ruined angela's life. the second thing I'm having a problem with, is, doesn't jason put himself over a huge barrel with taking out money from her account without her knowledge? now angela has all the power, because she approaches his manager, tells the manager all about it, and what, the manager's going to care that arianna's going bankrupt??? no. jason will get his a*s fired. you know what I mean? that's my main problem. fortunately, the fix is easy.. just have angela do something decidedly more devious to arianna, something which is definitely breaking the law.

other ways, good random details in her conversation with dana. dana should become one of those telephone psychics, he certainly knows his horoscope.

Okay, I think this one could be divided into chapters as well.

this is still very good, despite my problems with it. I think it's easily fixable, too. I didn't notice many grammatical problems in this! good job.

[Nicole (Carpe Diem)]

another fantastic chapter... i am so envolved in this book... i cannot stop reading it!

[~D.A. Phoenix~]

Awww she's a libra like me yay!!! off to read more lol

[DarkAngelWriter]

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