The Aftermath
In Part 3, Katie tells Eric she is pregnant and leaving her for Sam. Eric has sought solace with a new girl Helen.
Helen and I stayed together for a few months but it didn't work out so we parted company leaving me alone again.
Katie brought around divorce papers to the house and said she needed to 'move to the next stage of our lives' whatever that was supposed to mean, even though she said she still cared a lot for me. We both had a cry and a hug then she was gone again.
It was a no fault and quick divorce and I didn't contest. She didn't want anything from me and she offered to buy my share in the house, not that we had much equity, and let me live there rent free for a year. She must have felt guilty.
Some months later, about a week after the divorce was final, I got a call from Katie of all people asking if we could meet at a restaurant for lunch as there was something we needed to discuss. My first reaction was to refuse because I just wanted to forget her and move on, but I was curious about what she wanted.
I turned up and there she was waiting for me, all smiles and a big bulge.
She greeted me with a warm hug and said she hoped I was feeling a bit better now after some time has passed.
I asked her why she wanted to see me. She explained she still cared for me a lot, and she and Sam both felt guilty about how I had suffered because of them and wanted to try and make amends in a small way.
Then she handed me an envelope saying that inside were the ownership papers for the house, free and clear of the mortgage, with my name listed in the title deed. I told her I couldn't accept it, but she put her arm on my shoulder, smiled, and gave me a passionate kiss that left me breathless and bewildered.
She said she hoped it would be possible to stay friends in the future. I told her that it may be better for me if we made a complete break.
She smiled again and said "Eric, you never know what may happen in life if you believe in serendipity."
Then she said, "I also have something else for you." Just then a stunning girl walked up and greeted Katie and sat down at our table looking surprised at my presence.
Katie introduced me to Jane. After a few minutes polite meaningless chat Katie looked at her watch, then apologised to us and said that she couldn't stay for lunch as she had to run off to an appointment. She gave me a quick peck on the cheek, a wink, and was gone.
Jane looked at me and just laughed and said that it seemed that we had both been well and truly set up. We decided to stay for lunch and we talked a lot. She told me she worked with Katie and had recently escaped from an abusive marriage. We chatted for what seemed like only an hour, only to be interrupted by the waiter saying it was four pm and the restaurant was closing.
We started dating, and to cut a long story short, I soon realised I had really met my own soul mate and was the happiest I had ever been. As much as I had loved Katie, this relationship with Jane was different, deeper.
Maybe Katie was right all along after all about the next stage in our lives?
Though I knew Katie and Jane remained friends, I kept my distance from the three of them.
I was surprised a while later to get an invitation to Sam and Katie's wedding. After contemplating my feelings for a while and talking to Jane, I decided to try and put my demons to bed and accepted.
It was a small intimate wedding. Katie looked radiant and also amusing squeezed into a wedding dress with an eight month bulge. Meeting Sam again was not as bad as I expected, he greeted me warmly and made us very welcome and said he was happy I had found love again.
I couldn't help still harbouring resentment against him for what he had done to me but realised hate would just consume me so I put that aside. I didn't mind if Jane stayed friends with Katie but I just wanted to keep away.
Katie delivered a bouncing baby boy soon after that they named David. About four weeks later Katie called and asked if Jane and I would come to dinner at their place. I didn't want to go but Jane dragged me there with a bit of 'kicking and screaming' on my part.
Their house was in an unfamiliar area so we drove via GPS directions and arrived outside a large stunning house on the hillside above the ocean. I turned to Jane in amazement and she asked me what did I expect? When I still looked bewildered she told me that the person who owned Triton Industries could afford almost anything. The penny finally dropped and I realised why the name Sam Jackson had been somehow familiar.
Dinner was lovely and we made pleasant small talk as we ate. After our meal was finished, Sam led me into his den. He started by saying though he felt it was fate at the time and he had no choice, he was truly sorry for what he had done to me and asked my forgiveness.
He said, "I also have a confession. You know, if you two had decided not to take up my deal in the cabin with shelter for the night I would have just let you stay. I figured if that happened, my son was not meant to be conceived."
He then said he had a huge favour to ask which he didn't deserve to get. He left and came back a minute later carrying his little son. He asked me if I would consent to be David's godfather and put the sleeping boy in my arms.
I was astounded and asked "why me?"
"Because that is what is meant to be, one day you will know," he said.
I stood there and looked at him wondering how to say no politely to his request, then David opened his deep blue green eyes and looked directly at me and smiled. Oh my god, I felt a shiver through my whole body. I felt like that this tiny baby was looking directly into my soul.
Totally against all the odds, over time, I did bury most of my demons and the four of us became friends, somehow inexplicably bound up by this remarkable little boy, and despite my great scepticism about such things, almost as if it were meant to be.
Needless to say Jane and I became doting god parents of David, and then Susan 18 months later.
Jane and I also got married and were very happy together.
Sam helped me set up my own business and under his guidance it was soon flourishing. It really helps to have a rich, powerful and wise friend. We often were at each other's places and spent holidays together, but I did baulk at visiting the cabin ever again.
The only thing missing was children of our own despite trying with Jane for some time. After we had some tests I discovered that I was infertile. It was a great blow to Jane and me. We talked about adopting but Jane really craved for her own child so we contemplated artificial insemination though Jane was not that enamoured with the clinical procedure nor having some strange man's sperm injected in her.
