Laynie
I find a nurse on the phone making an appointment for a patient. She has long, puffy, curly brown hair and smile that would melt a snowman. Her name badge says Lyla.
"Okay Hun we will see ya here real soon." She says in what sounds like a southern accent. She hangs up the phone and puts her bright pink pen with a giggly purple spider on the top in her hair as a hairpin. "Oh, hi there. You must be Mrs. Cole. Ya'll done in there already? Need ya discharge paperwork? Candy asked me to get it for ya." She says walking over to the computer.
"Oh, no my husband is still in there being checked out. I was just wondering if I can speak with nurse Candice. I just need to ask her something." I say hopeful. I really want to get to the bottom of what's going on with her. I am not sure why I feel like I have to solve the mystery with her.
"Um. Sure hun. She is in her office. Down that hall to the right and make your first left." She says pointing me in the direction of the office.
When I find the office, I find it slightly ajar. I peek inside and see Candice on the floor next to her desk in tears. I Knock quietly on the door and her head pops up quickly. She immediately starts rubbing the tears from her eyes as I walk in. I sit quietly on the floor in front of her with my purse clutched tightly to my arm. I put my hand gently on her shoulder and start rubbing up and down. I don't know what made me do this, but something in me has me reaching out to this girl. I don't want to see her hurt. She just stares at me, and after a few minutes, clears her throat. I get ready to explain why I am here in her personal space when she beats me to it.
"He is an asshole." She says still wiping her eyes. "I h-hate h-him so much. I'm usually not the kind of p-person to hate, but that man can bring out the demon within an angel."
Before I can ask her who she is talking about she speaks again. "Nicholas Ryan Cole is a cruel man. And I feel sorry for you that he is your father in law."
"We don't see him much. He was never a big part of Jared's life. He certainly never attempted to have a real relationship with Jared. Not even a verbal one." I explain wondering how we got on this topic so fast. Yes, I wanted to know how she knew Jared's father but I figured she would just tell me it was none of my business and kick me out of her office. Something tells me should could really use this break down.
Candice takes a deep breath and apologizes. We sit there quietly until I eventually break the silence and speak.
"When I first met Jared, he would tell me that he just has a mother. I didn't understand what he meant at the time. Was his father dead, in the military, or maybe just not in the picture? When we started dating he asked me to meet his mother after school. When we got there, I noticed a black car in the driveway. Jared must have too because he cursed. We walked into the house and there his father was in a suit and tie looking over some mail. His mother was sitting next to him in tears. I didn't know what was going on, Jared didn't seem to either. I told him I could just leave but he wanted me to stay.
We walked hand in hand into the kitchen where they were and he introduced me. His mother got up, cleaned her tears, sauntered over and hugged me. His father closed his eyes in a sigh and said, "He is just gonna dump you once he tires of you." Those were the only words he has ever spoken to me." I finish telling Candice my own story of Nicholas Cole. I never liked him. He is a terrible man, I then understood why Jared said he didn't have a father, he didn't.
Candice looks at me and then down at her lap. She closes her eyes almost relishing in my story.
"Thank you Laynie. I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels that way towards that monster."
I decide to get up and get to Jared so he doesn't wonder where I am. Candice stands as well fixing her scrubs and says something that stops me in my tracks.
"He never cheated on your Laynie." She confidently states.
I turn around so fast I almost get whiplash. My feet are glued to the floor and my eyes are wide and already filling with tears. What is she talking about? How did she know?
"I am so sorry Laynie. I should have told you woman to woman when we first met but I couldn't." she says
I nearly collapse on the floor, tears falling down my cheeks. She is the woman he cheated on me with? But she said he never cheated. Does that mean he wanted to go further but she stopped him? Oh God, I can't do this. I cover my face with my hands and put my head down. I feel her get close to me and hold me while I cry. Then she speaks and blows my mind once again.
"I know what you're thinking, and you couldn't be more wrong. I didn't sleep with Jared. I would never do something like that. I was at the bar that night, he was pretty drunk and everyone knows who Jared Cole of Cole Industries is. This tramp came up to him and tried to kiss him. She was all over his neck and face but he kept trying to push her off." She tells me while I'm ready to puke at the image.
"I finally had enough of her desperation. I got up and shoved her off of him, told her to go get a life instead of trailing men that were married, and she ran off. He looked at me with such sad eyes. He was so broken. I called him a cab and waited outside with him for it. While we were waiting he told me that he would never cheat on you because you were everything to him. He just hates himself and in turn hates you. You held his heart and he was mad at his heart, so in turn, he was mad at you. It didn't make sense to me but I have a feeling that it would to you. When the cab came, I helped him inside, after he told that driver the address he thanked me and left. That's all that happened that night Laynie, I swear." She tells.
I want to relish in the fact that he never cheated. That was the worst day of my life but she made it just a bit better for me. However, I'm still very confused.
"How did you know he was married Candice?" I ask her. Jared left his ring that night at home. That's why I wondered where he went the whole time. He may have been a terrible husband but he never took his ring off. Not once. That night he did.
Candice takes a deep breath and looks down. Tears filling her eyes. "Because I was trailing him. I won't tell you any more than that. As much as I want to, I can't. Not yet. I knew he was married and I knew when you saw his collar or smelled his shirt you would assume. I'm sorry I let you believe that for so long, you didn't deserve that." She says blowing my mind once again.
She was trailing him? What is that supposed to mean? Before I can ask her anything further she puts her hand up to stop me.
"I can't tell you any more than that. I'm sorry, but he is still my patient and I can get in really big trouble if the hospital knew I was following one of their patients. So please don't say anything to anyone, including Jared. Just know that I won't be interfering in your guy's life anymore. It wasn't right of me to do so in the first place." She says in a sad tone.
I start walking to the door and she joins me. There are so many questions I have for her but I think this is more of Jared's business. The way she looked at him, being in his father's office, even telling me just now that she was trailing him, that incident was almost three months ago. How long has she been following him? I know I won't get an answer to my questions even if I did ask them. I thank her, nod my head and leave her office. It's time to take my husband home.
Jared
Laynie was pretty quiet on the car ride home. She asked me about the appointment and what the doctor expects but hasn't said much else since. The appointment went well. Dr. Toring says my injuries are just about healed. My ribs still hurt a little if I exert myself too much, but other than that I feel great. They gave me different pain meds and I only take them once a day now. I can also start driving. Even though I drove last night, I feel a little better knowing my injuries wouldn't put Laynie in jeopardy. Dr. Jones did a CT scan and a few other tests on me. Told me everything looks fine to him. He needs me to do another one in a few weeks, but he will be back in Jersey by then so Dr. Toring will send him the results and he will call me and discuss my options. For now, we wait. Again. To be honest I'm fine with never remembering. Too much pain may be caused if I do.
"Laynie? You okay?" I ask getting a little worried about her. We have been parked outside our house for a few minutes and she is just staring straight ahead.
She startles in the seat not realizing we are home. She shakes her head as if she is trying to clear her head and looks up at me with a smile.
"Yes, I'm okay. Just thinking." She responds.
She seems to be a little clearer minded so I let it go. I have to remember that just because I don't recall this past year doesn't mean she doesn't. The pain is still there I'm sure. We walk in the house where she goes to make us some lunch, and I sit on the sofa and open up my phone to call Alan and let him know how the appointment went. We have stayed in close contact since they left a few days ago.
After lunch is served we binge watch some movies that came out this past year, eat some junk food and make love on the sofa. Feels like heaven. That becomes our routine for a few weeks. I wake up in the morning doing some exercises that Dr. Toring wanted me to do to help with my ribs. Laynie makes us breakfast, and we go down to Maggie's to clean, order, and make love on the floor. Okay so that last one we only did once, but hot damn she looked good showing me what the uniform will be for the waitresses. Laynie goes to her follow up appointment for her injuries and everything has healed perfectly. We talk to Alan and Anna almost every day. Usually through facetime since Alan can't text for his life. Life becomes perfect.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Laynie asks me as I walk into the office for my attorney. Today is the meeting for me and my father, to relinquish the company back to him. I have tried calling and leaving my father messages so we can sit down and do this right, but he refuses to answer me or budge. Says the company is mine, he won't take it back. Makes no sense to me, doesn't seem like he even wanted to retire so I'm not sure why he won't take it back, but I don't want any part of it. Not after I found out it may have changed who Laynie married.
"Yes, I'm more than ready. I don't want any part of the company that has cause us so much pain." I say.
I know Laynie doesn't feel like the company is to blame for my sudden demeanor change, but I just can't shake that I moved us down here so boldly, just so I could work for my father. I thought I had more pride than that.
We walk in and shake hands with my attorney and my father's attorney. My father is nowhere to be seen. Typical. We sit and go over everything we need to sign the company back over to him. Because he is not here the ball is now in his court. All he has to do is accept and the company goes back to him. If he chooses not to accept than I signed a clause that has the company go up for bid. I was serious when I say I want nothing to do with it.
Later that day, we were out at lunch celebrating her newest addition to Maggie's, a three-stage dishwasher, whatever the hell that is. I make a mental note to google it when she goes to the restroom so I can keep up with the conversation.
"I'm happy for you baby, I was thinking that you may be able to open in six months." I say to her feeling her excitement.
"Jared, I can't open in six months I have to apply for a loan from the bank. I need to hire, and do more repairs and that's going to cost money." She says seeming overwhelmed.
"Baby, part of the agreement for my father not purchasing the company back is that I can sell it.My lawyer told me that I already have offers lined up for that. If my father does want the company back then there is a clause there to pay me out. Don't worry, we will have the money for Maggie's." I explain.
She nearly chokes on her salad. When she clears her throat enough times she continues.
"Jared are you serious, I wouldn't accept that money from you." She almost yells.
"Laynie, think about it. What if you did go straight to work when we moved here? You would have been making enough money to save up for your own place by now. At minimum, the down payment. Let me help you with this. Please." I plead.
I have put her through absolute hell and she stuck by me. The least I can do is allow one of her dreams to come true. The other one I'm still working on with Anna's help.
She just stares at me and I think she is about to argue but she places her fork down gently, stands up and walks over to me. She leans down and slowly kisses me. Gently at first then it gets a little heated. I stop her before I have an accident in my pants and look up at her. Her smile is worth every single penny I'm turning over to her for her restaurant. We are married after all. The money is hers as much as it is mine.
When we get home, we start to resume where we left off at the restaurant. I'm in the middle of leaving a trail with my mouth along her thighs. I stand up to remove my shirt when I trip over something. Laynie laughs her ass of while I try to get up. I look for whatever tripped me so I can somehow blame it on Laynie, the girl leaves her shoes everywhere. What I find has me stopping in my tracks. It's that little blue blanket I saw before. When I flip it over I see there has been some added stitching to it. It's a baby blanket, and it has the name Adam written on it with that stitch lettering stuff Laynie used to love playing with. I hear a gasp and look up to see Laynie with her hands on her mouth and tears in her eyes. I look back at the blanket too afraid to ask the question I know will end us. I can't see the future, I can just feel the present shifting. It's not a good shift.
"Laynie, what is this?" I ask, hands shaking.
"Jared I'm s-so s-sorry." She cries. She is shaking as bad as I am. I look from her to the blanket several times before I turn towards the door with the blanket in hand. I reach the guest bedroom that is locked. What a fucking fool I am. I always thought it was her room away from me when I was the old me.
I reach it and slam my body into the door. Shattering the wood. I hear Laynie scream out but I can't look back and check on her. Not because I don't want to. I want to hold her, tell her it's okay, let her know I'm sorry, but I have to figure out what I'm seeing in front of me. This room is furnished, just not with a bed I can sleep in. The whole room is painted in the same blue that that marks the blanket. There is a mahogany colored crib, a changing table that matches and a white rocking chair in the corner. The name Adam is written on the wall in bold white wooden lettering. There are little flags hanging around the room in decoration and a picture of me and Laynie at my prom on the dresser. She always said that was her favorite picture of us.
I look back at Laynie who is crying sitting on the floor holding the blanket right outside the nursery. My world shifts, it feels like I'm going to throw up and pass out at the same time. I turn to head towards her and fall to the ground. I feel the darkness finally take over.
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