Better Than This: A Nine Minutes Spin-Off Novel

by Beth Flynn

  I finished changing out their water bowl and was about to set their food dishes down when I heard Henry scratching at the back door. After letting them in, I noticed my cell phone on the kitchen table, but avoided it. I’d snacked at the hospital while waiting for the taxi so, instead of food, I opted for a long hot shower. I refused to let myself think about Jake and his bombshell. After putting on my most comfortable pajamas, I headed for the kitchen and popped open a bottle of wine. I was getting ready to pour myself a glass, but I stopped to get something stronger. I headed for the pantry and came out with a jar of moonshine. I picked up my phone and headed for the couch.

  I thought about calling Darlene but immediately dismissed the idea. The last thing she needed while welcoming a new grandbaby was my drama to ruin it.

  I saw that I had a few missed calls from Jake. He’d left one message saying how sorry he was and that none of the things I’d accused him of were true. He also said if he hadn’t already committed, he would’ve canceled his trip to drive the Leavitts to Cleveland, but he couldn’t bring himself to disappoint them at the last minute. It was the one thing he said that I believed, and was secretly happy the Leavitts gave me a respite from the man who’d stolen my heart and then crushed it. Just like my father and grandfather had. Just like Kenny had. Just like Richard had. I was wrong when I’d told Darlene the only game changers would be if Jake turned out to be a serial killer or married. It turned out there was a third one. A man who murdered my first love, and then had the nerve to come masquerading into town as a good guy.

  I woke up the next morning with the monster of all headaches. I spent the day on the couch, avoiding my cell phone and only got up to care for the dogs and relieve myself. I even stayed away from the kitchen, the thought of food making my stomach roil. I basked in my misery, letting the disappointments in my life morph into an endless pity party that failed to satisfy. I stayed like this for almost three days, even avoiding two calls from Darlene. She was none the wiser about my current predicament, and after hearing two joy-filled messages about her grandchild, I made the conscious decision to keep it that way. Thank goodness I never had the chance to tell her about my acceptance of Jake’s marriage proposal.

  By the end of the third day, my bloodshot eyes glared at the remote on the coffee table. I raised my arm in its direction in a feeble attempt to Jedi mind-trick it into leaping into my outstretched hand. When that failed, I decided it was time to switch tactics and rescind my invitation to my self-imposed pity party. I hauled my unwashed and ripe body to the kitchen and started pulling things out of my refrigerator. I whipped up breakfast for dinner and realizing I was famished, I barely stopped short of licking my plate clean. I took a shower, got dressed, and opened my laptop. I had a ton of emails to read through, including three more from the casting associate about the reality show. I deleted those without even opening them.

  I tried to not think about Jake, but found it impossible. He was in my head, and no matter how much anger I dredged up, I couldn’t seem to evict him. I turned my thoughts to Kenny instead and tried to remember how much I’d heard about his death. I knew he’d died in a prison yard fight, but couldn’t remember if I’d known how. It would seem to be a detail I would’ve easily recollected had I known. The physician in me couldn’t let it go. I had to see the official document that would provide the cause of Kenneth Pritchard’s death. Deep down inside, I hoped Jake was lying to me, even though I couldn’t fathom a reason why he would. I wasn’t sure how I would go about requesting a 2010 autopsy report from a state penitentiary in Florida. I didn’t have a clue how that would work or if there would even be an autopsy for a prisoner who’d died while in custody. I could’ve called in some favors, but that would mean dealing with professionals from my past. I preferred not to do that. I decided to enlist the help of family. Without needing to know why, Darlene’s daughter, Danielle, told me she’d see what she could find out and get back to me.

  I wish I could say I slept like a baby that night, but I didn’t. However, I did get up the next morning with a plan. Jake would be home day after tomorrow and I didn’t want to be here when he came for Henry. I enlisted one of Darlene’s nieces to come stay at my house while I took a little trip out of town. She was more than grateful to get away for a few days, as she had college midterms coming up and needed a quiet place to study. My house was perfect.

  I was packed and ready to leave when she arrived. After introducing her to Henry and Lady, and explaining their needs and Henry’s peculiarity for bringing home presents, I showed her around the house. I told her that Jake would pick up Henry day after tomorrow and he would probably offer to take Lady home. I told her to let him know it wouldn’t be necessary since she was staying to care for Lady until I got back.

  “What if he asks me when that’ll be?” she wondered.

  “Tell him you don’t know. You have my number and I’ve left you cash in case you need anything. If for any reason you can’t stay longer, let me know and I’ll get someone else to stay here.”

  She waved me off and said, “I can stay here as long as you need me to. It’s only ten more minutes from here than my house to get to school. It won’t be a problem.”

  I thanked her and bent low to hug the dogs goodbye, mourning the relationship dynamic that would be shifting thanks to Jake’s revelation. I was walking out the front door when I spotted something on the fireplace mantel. I retrieved my birthday gift from Jake and handed it to Darlene’s niece.

  “I’m almost positive these are bath bombs. You can have them. I’m sure you’ll want to use the tub upstairs.”

  She lifted it to her nose and smiled. “Smells amazing. You sure you don’t mind?”

  I shook my head and headed out the front door. I stood on the porch and inhaled the first breath of fresh air I’d had in days. I looked to my right, and my fury resurrected itself when my eyes landed on the housewarming gift from Jake. I dropped my bags on the deck and walked toward it. With a sudden strength I didn’t know I possessed I picked up the bulky chair and threw it off the side of the porch and out of my sight. I heard it land with a crack. Good, at least something else besides my heart is broken. Take that, Jake Chambers!

  I got into my Jeep and left Pumpkin Rest.

  Chapter 43

  I Don’t Want to be Rich or Famous

  I drove toward Greenville, not having a specific destination in mind, just an urgency to get as far away from Pumpkin Rest as possible. The irony of doing the exact opposite almost two years ago wasn’t lost on me as I drove down familiar streets. I continued to avoid Jake’s calls but knew that if I didn’t answer when Darlene called, she’d know something was wrong.

  After checking into a nice hotel, I walked around downtown Greenville and discovered a new restaurant. I treated myself to an early dinner, which was a waste of money since my lack of appetite had returned. I looked at my watch and wondered if I had enough time to retrieve my car from the hotel and drop in at my realtor’s office to check on the status of my condominium sale.

  To a stranger, I probably looked like a woman enjoying an afternoon to herself. It’s funny how most of us make assumptions based on external appearances. It had been a deliberate effort on my part to climb out of bed and pull myself together this morning. I’d put on makeup and picked a favorite outfit to wear. Nobody I met in passing would know that inside I was crumbling. That I’d been devastated by one blow too many. That it was a tremendous effort to make myself do something that resembled normal.

  After another glance at my watch, I deduced there wasn’t enough time to walk back to the hotel for my car and get to the realtor who was closing in twenty minutes, so I hit the shops.

  Two hours later, I walked out of the last boutique with three sweaters, two scarfs, gloves, earrings, and two sets of pajamas.

  As I approached my hotel, I passed a woman pushing a grocery cart filled with her possessions. I stopped her and piled my bags on top of her cart. I pulled out my wallet and yanked out a coupl
e of hundreds and handed them to her. “You can have what’s in the bags and this too,” I said while pressing the bills into her hand. Her mouth was still hanging open as she watched me walk away.

  After closing the hotel door behind me, I fell face-first on the bed and thought about how life had tricked me. Again.

  I must’ve dozed off because the next thing I remembered was automatically reaching for my phone. I saw that it was Dar, and took a deep breath, preparing myself to act as if nothing was wrong.

  I was greeted with, “Finally, you answered! I was afraid I wouldn’t get to say Happy Birthday.”

  Oh, that’s right. Today was my birthday. I’d lost track of the days and hadn’t even remembered it when I handed off my birthday gift from Jake to her niece.

  I was glad to let Darlene ramble on excitedly about her new grandchild. She also touched on the accident in Pumpkin Rest, and as heartbreaking as it was, I was relieved to have something to talk about besides Jake. Unfortunately, my best friend knew me too well and it wasn’t long before she asked me what was wrong. I tried to brush her off, but she wouldn’t have it.

  “Spill it, Barbara Jean Anderson. If you don’t, I’ll cut my trip short and come home tomorrow.”

  I knew she’d do exactly that, and like a dam on the brink of bursting, the events of the past week came flooding out. She didn’t say a word as I told her everything that had transpired between Jake and me since I’d met her for breakfast. Our first fight, his proposal on one knee, my acceptance, Fancy’s visit that prompted the conversation leading up to him knowing Kenny in prison. And finally, the coup de gras that delivered a death blow to my and Jake’s relationship. I even admitted to asking her daughter to help me obtain Kenny’s autopsy report.

  “I can see why you ran away, Barbie. It’s all too much. But I don’t peg Jake as a murderer. I can’t even imagine it. There has to be more to his story.”

  Even though she couldn’t see me, I shook my head. “I don’t know what else there could be to know, Dar. I flat-out asked him if what he said was true and he said yes.”

  “You must have some hope or you wouldn’t have asked Danielle to track down Kenny’s death records.”

  “Don’t read too much into that. That’s just me. I’m a stickler for detail, especially when it comes to this kind of stuff.” I was sitting cross-legged on the bed and assumed a haughty posture before adding, “You know me, the Monster of Monteith Medical who has to cross every ‘t’ and dot every ‘i.’”

  “Stop making fun of yourself, Barbie,” she snapped.

  “You know, when I was dealing with that accident, I wasn’t thinking about Jake or Kenny or anybody. I’m wondering if a move back to Greenville might be something I should consider. If I immerse myself back into my work, it’ll help me get over this.”

  “No, it won’t!” she roared. “It’ll only help you bury it. You have to deal with it now. Not run away from it, Barbie.”

  I felt my shoulders slump. I wasn’t sure how much fight I had left in me, and certainly didn’t feel like arguing with Darlene. So I changed the subject.

  “Did you know about Jake killing Kenny, Dar?”

  “Heavens, no!” she screamed through the phone. “He never shared that part of his story. I’m hearing it for the first time from you.”

  I started drawing patterns on the hotel bedspread. “Then tell me what you did know. What was your tiddlywink moment when you knew there was more to Jake than he was telling us?”

  “It was when you told me the morning after you sewed him up that his nickname had been Doc.” She excused herself to sneeze and then came back on the phone. “I didn’t immediately remember what seemed familiar about that nickname, but then it came to me. You know that early on Kenny and I exchanged a few letters.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Kenny had mentioned in one that he’d been thinking of taking some college courses. He mentioned that another prisoner, Doc, was working on his degree. I didn’t even know convicts could get college degrees but they can.”

  “Jake told me he had a college degree,” I huffed. “At least that’s something he hasn’t lied about.”

  “I don’t think he’s lied about anything, Barbie. It’s the exact opposite. Sounds to me like he’s told you everything and probably even more than you need to know.”

  “He still hasn’t told me why Kenny left, and I’m not sure now if I even want to hear it,” I lied.

  “From everything you’ve said, you didn’t give him a chance to tell you.” She snorted. “And you’re a horrible liar, Barbie. Of course you want to know. You just don’t want to face Jake to ask him.”

  After almost two hours, I insisted that Darlene go back to fussing over her new grandbaby. I ordered some snacks from room service that sat untouched, and fell asleep while watching one of those ridiculous medical shows that are way more exciting than real life.

  I spent the next two days in Greenville, visiting some of my old haunts and reconnecting with a few friends. I was welcomed with open arms and felt a slight stab of guilt for fleeing town without so much as a backward glance. I’d checked in with Darlene’s niece every day and wasn’t surprised to hear that Jake had returned and done exactly what I’d thought he’d do. He offered to take Lady and asked when I would be back. After relaying to him what I’d told her to say, she hadn’t seen him since. I asked if Henry showed up and she said no. That was curious, but I figured Jake was keeping him at home as a way to respect the space I needed.

  I knew I couldn’t stay gone forever, but prolonged my absence from Pumpkin Rest to coincide with Darlene’s return. I didn’t want to admit it, but I wanted her close by once I got back and faced reality.

  It was my last day in Greenville and I found myself digging for the check that had been tucked away in my wallet. I still had reservations, but wanted to find out for sure. Before I knew it, I was yanking the phone away from my ear as Fancy’s squeals of excitement blasted through the speaker. She thanked me profusely and agreed to meet me for lunch before I drove home.

  I found myself staring slack-jawed at the woman sitting in front of me as we picked at our lunch at a quaint sidewalk café. It was my sister, but it wasn’t my sister. Fancy was different. She’d changed. She babbled on about finally finding something she loved. Not someone, but something.

  “You know I’ve never had a passion before, Barbara Jean.”

  Actually, I hadn’t known that. I never knew my sister well enough to become acquainted with her interests beyond other women’s husbands and their bank accounts.

  Fancy had a glint in her eyes when she leaned over the table and said, “I’ve been told I have a presence.”

  “What kind of presence?” She had my curiosity piqued.

  She sat back and took a sip of her wine. “In front of the camera.”

  I could see that. Fancy was attractive enough to be a model. “Modeling?” I asked.

  “Well, yeah, that too, but I’d like to try out for local commercials. Like a spokeswoman for a car dealership or an insurance firm.” She reached in her purse and removed a compact. “Just to start with.”

  “That’s wonderful, Fancy. I’m glad you found something that makes you happy.”

  She powdered her nose and reapplied her lipstick. I don’t know if it was the way she clicked the compact closed or how she looked at me, but my hackles were immediately raised. I’d seen the look before. She was plotting. I didn’t have to wait long for her to vomit out the truth.

  The casting associate who’d approached me about the hospital series had found my sister, and after realizing that a character like Fancy would be pure gold in a reality show, enlisted her help in trying to convince me to return to Greenville and my old job. Husband-stealing Fancy would be the perfect contrast to me, the Monster of Monteith Medical, the studious sister with a failed marriage and an ex-con boyfriend. If they dug deep enough, would they discover that Jake was responsible for Kenny’s demise? There was no way I was going to let that happe
n. I would put a stop to this immediately.

  I reached into my purse and took out Fancy’s check. I knew then that the person trying to persuade me must’ve given Fancy some compensation for her part in trying to get me on board. Well, it had failed. I placed the check on the table and said, “This stops here. I’m not cashing it because you’re going to need it more than me.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous, Barbara Jean. We can both be rich and famous.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t want to be rich or famous, Fancy. And for the record, I’ve researched the person who keeps hassling me. She’s a nobody, a wannabe with some cash in her pockets. Why she would waste it on you, I have no idea. I don’t know how many times I have to tell myself I’m done with you, but now I can say with certainty: This is our final goodbye.”

  If looks could kill I would’ve been instantaneously vaporized from the face of the planet.

  “Tell your contact to stay away from me and my life or I will get an attorney involved and sue for invasion of privacy and harassment.” I stood up and scooted in my chair as I repressed the urge to give vent to a few choice words. She stood up too and threw her napkin on the table.

  “You ruin everything, Barbara Jean. You always have! I take back my apology because I didn’t mean it. You are a snob and I’m glad I trashed your condo before I moved out.”

  I found her last comment about my condominium confusing, but ignored it as I turned my back on her and walked away. My first instinct was to call Jake and tell him all about it. But I could no longer do that. Because Jake had murdered my Kenny.

  Chapter 44

  Let’s Go Get Our Men

  This wouldn’t be the first time I drove away from Greenville convinced I was finished with my sister, but it would undoubtedly be the last. The queen of second chances had finally run out of free passes. I had none left to give.