“Samuel, I’m fine, just a bump on my head. I don’t have a concussion, so please don’t worry about it.”
“Can I take a look at it, please?” I took a step back as he took in a deep sigh at my hesitation. “I just want to see for myself. Did you get scans done?”
“Yes, I did. Samuel, it’s not necessary for you to look at my head. I already told you that I’m fine.”
“Please, Reese, humor me and allow me to look.”
I could see he wouldn’t be satisfied until I allowed him to. I knelt down beside him, as he examined the back of my head. Samuel began to cry and professed how sorry he was for hurting me. I cupped his face and cried along with him.
“Oh Samuel, please don’t do this. We both made mistakes here that resulted in the situation we are in now. I don’t blame you for what happened. I should have been honest with you, but I never really had a chance to process everything that was happening. I swear to you that seeing Walker at the restaurant was the first time I laid eyes on him, since my last night with him all those years ago. He took me by complete surprise, and then to discover that our children were dating each other, you can’t imagine how shocked we both were.”
“Riley said that dinner was tense, and you both were behaving strangely.”
“She’s right. It was very tense at first. Walker was angry and confused. He began riddling me with questions about my past, all along knowing already about it. His actions were justified. He only remembers me leaving him…He never knew why.”
“Did you finally tell him the truth?”
“Yes I did, and it came in as a close second to the hardest thing I have ever had to do. He forced me to relive my leaving him, my miscarriage, and everything his father did to me. I was exhausted and drained by all that I revealed to him. Then Walker later found out the rest of the story from his family’s lawyer. It was just too much for either one of us to bear.”
“Did you sleep with him, Reese? I mean really make love to him? I have to know how you feel.”
“No, you don’t, Samuel. Please don’t ask me again.”
“Your aversion to my question tells me what I already know. I just wanted to hear the actual words. When I asked you back on the island, I was out of mind with thoughts of another man touching my wife. When you finally screamed it at me, I can’t even begin to tell you all the dark places my mind traveled to. It was as if I was standing outside of my body. In under a week, our life has completely changed, and now I’m the one that is broken and shattered.”
“Samuel, you’re not broken. You’re one of the strongest men I know. You perform miracles everyday with your patients, and I see how you care about them. Please don’t let what’s happening in our personal life affect who you are.”
“You make it sound so easy, Reese. Am I just expected to wake up tomorrow and suddenly not love you anymore? Is that how it was for you? The minute you saw the great Walker Reed, I became a mere memory, and the life that we shared didn’t hold any value?”
“It wasn’t like that at all, Samuel. You’re dismissing every part of our time together, and what we did have at one time.”
“Forgive me, Reese, but put yourself in my shoes for a damn minute. How would you feel if my ex-lover just appeared out of thin air and staked a claim back on me? How would you feel? You’re simply abandoning our marriage and everything we built, so you can run back into his arms. My god, Reese, have you even thought about how this will affect Riley? She is in love with his son. Do you even know how that looks? You were worried how you and I looked in the public eye. How the hell do you think you will be perceived now?”
Samuel’s words pierced my heart with the hard reality of the state of affairs my life was in right now. Is he right? I knew my stomach was in knots and could no longer continue with this conversation right now.
“Samuel, I have to go, but I want you to know that I will not press charges against you. Once we’re home, I will have my things removed from the house.”
“Why are you walking away, Reese? Did I touch on a nerve?”
“Samuel, you need to make things right with our daughter. I will send her in to speak with you. As for you and me, I’ve said all I want to say at the moment.”
Entering the main cabin, I walked by Walker, as he rose from his seat to meet me. I ignored him and had to find Riley. The way Walker was looking at me was breaking me down. I had to put Riley first. She needed to understand what happened here today. I just didn’t have the strength to deal with Walker’s questions and the heavy conversation that would follow.
I knocked on the door and found Jackson and Riley holding each other. I said to her, “Riley, you need to speak with daddy.”
“Mom, I don’t have anything to say to him right now. After how he hurt you, how can you ask me to do this?”
“Riley, he’s your father, and he loves you. There is so much that I need to tell you, but I just can’t get into it right now. Please go to your father and hear him out.”
“Mom, I already know what you’re going to say. Jackson told me about your history with his father.”
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Briggs, but I couldn’t handle seeing her this upset and being kept in the dark. I already knew, and I figured it would be better coming from me.”
“It’s okay, Jackson. Thank you. Riley, do you have anything you want to ask me?”
“Are you leaving daddy for Jackson’s father?”
“I’m divorcing your father, but not for the reasons you believe. I had already asked your father for a divorce on the morning we left for New York. I had planned on discussing this with you on the plane, but decided against it. Seeing Walker was a complete surprise for me.”
“Do you love Mr. Reed?”
“Yes, Riley, I do. I always loved him, but I have so many things to work out before I make any decisions for my future.”
Jackson interjected. “My dad said…”
“I know what your father wants, Jackson, but our lives are very different, and I need to take it one day at a time. I promise you, Riley, whatever I decide, I will always be honest with you.” My daughter hugged me, and I was thanking God that she wasn’t angry with me for leaving her father. She looked relieved and left to speak with Samuel. I stood by the closed door.
“Daddy, may I come in?”
“Oh, sweetheart, of course. I’m so sorry, baby, for hurting you and your mom. I was out of my head. I can’t tell you how ashamed and embarrassed I am for my behavior.”
“Daddy, you scared the hell out of me; I won’t pretend that you didn’t. I have never seen you behave that way before. You were unrecognizable, and I’m hurt and angry with how you treated mom.”
“There is no excuse for my actions, Riley. I will spend the rest of my life making this up to you if I have to. I swear to you that I’ll never let my anger get the best of me again.”
“I believe you, daddy. I’m sorry that you’ve been hurt too in all of this. Mom told me about the divorce. Will you move out of our house?”
“It’s up to your mother, Riley. I would prefer to remain in our home, but I will leave it up to your mother. You only have a couple of months left of school and then you graduate. I don’t want to see you up and move, especially now. I would like you to stay with me, and then once you graduate, it will solely be up to you where you choose to live.”
“I want to stay at home until I graduate. I’m eighteen now and legally an adult. I want to join Jackson wherever he may be.”
“Oh my darling girl, you don’t have to remind me of your age. I was there when you entered the world. It was the greatest moment of my life. I know I can’t stop you. I know I can’t stop your mom for wanting what she wants. It’s clear to me how much your young man means to you, and you to him. As a father, it doesn’t make me happy knowing my daughter is exerting her fierce independence, but I won’t stand in your way, especially when it comes to your happiness. This is the best time of your life, Riley. Going off to college, meeting new friends,
falling in love. I just want you to be happy. I love you so much, and no matter what happens with your mother and me, you’re my greatest gift.”
“What happens to you now? Are you going to be okay, daddy? What kind of person would I be if I leave you here all alone?”
“Riley, I’m not okay, far from it, but I would be lying if I told you otherwise. Eventually my heart will heal, and I will move on with my life. You’re an amazing young woman. Don’t worry about me. I will work it out with mom. We’ve spent too many years together for us not to. Please dry those tears now, and be my happy daughter that I know you are.”
“I love you, daddy, always and forever. You will always be my number one in my heart.”
“I love you too, sweetheart, and thank you for forgiving me. You will be my light to get me through this.”
Jackson knocked on the door and unwittingly interrupted the father-daughter moment. “Riley, are you okay?”
“Yes, Jackson, I am. Please come in. Jackson, this is my father, Dr. Samuel Briggs. Daddy, this is my boyfriend, Jackson Reed.”
Samuel took a minute to size up Jackson, who was the painstakingly spitting image of his father. It had to be breaking Samuel’s heart knowing that his wife would be reuniting with Jackson’s father.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jackson. I’m sorry it’s not on better circumstances. Riley has been singing your praises for months now. All good, don’t worry.”
“Thank you, sir, and it’s good to finally meet you as well. I’m sorry about my father and how you were treated.”
“Thank you, Jackson, but that’s not necessary for you to say. Your father was right to hit me. I would have done the same thing. Please don’t worry yourselves over our problems. The adults in your life will work things out.”
“That’s kind of you to say, sir. If you don’t mind, can I talk to Riley now?”
“Yes, of course, I will talk to you later once we land,” Samuel responded.
“I love you, daddy,” Riley said to her father.
“I love you too, sweet girl.”
Jackson politely asked, “Sir, can I get you anything? Are you hungry or thirsty?”
“No, but thank you, Jackson. I’m fine. I’ll stay back here until we arrive in New York.”
“Um…Mr. Briggs, we’re not going back to New York. We’re en route directly to Maryland.”
“Thank you, Jackson, for letting me know.”
I watched Samuel as he plastered a weak smile across his face, solely intended for his daughter’s benefit. Jackson and Riley left the cabin and happily smiled at one another. I let out the breath I had been holding, and then Walker was now at my side. Then Walker approached Samuel wanting to speak with him, but I tried to lead him away. Walker was adamant about going in for chat with Samuel. I couldn’t stand there and listen to what he might have said, so I walked away to find the kids.
“WHAT THE HELL do you want, Reed? Haven’t you taken enough from me already? Here to throw salt on my open wounds?”
I said to him, “Don’t make this harder than it has to be, Briggs. Once we land in Maryland, you will get to return to your life, and Reese will be coming home with me.”
“What about Riley? She has already expressed her wishes to remain at home with me.”
“Her place is with her mother, and I’ve already made living arrangements for them, so don’t worry about it. They will remain in Maryland until Riley graduates, and then they’re both joining me and my son in California. You see, Samuel, this was how it was supposed to be, and forces beyond our control kept us apart. I know what you did for Reese all those years ago, and for that I’m grateful, but that’s over now. And you need to accept that.”
“Who the hell do you think you are? You think you can just walk back into her life, destroy what we have, and take my wife while I just sit back and let you?”
“Yes Samuel, that’s exactly what is going to happen. Reese was mine first, and I intend to make her mine again. The days of people trying to take her from me are over.”
“She’s not your fucking property, Reed. She’s my wife! Fuck you.”
I don’t know how he expected me to react to that. I grabbed Samuel by his collar and shook him as if he were a rag doll. He struggled beneath my grasp, trying to break free of my hold. We measured up to be the same height just about, but he didn’t match my strength, especially when I was angry.
“No. Samuel. Fuck. You.” I enunciated very slowly. “Do yourself a favor, and walk away while you still can. If it were up to me, I would have broken every single one of your surgical fingers, but Reese asked me not to. You can’t imagine the level of control and discipline I need to have to respect her wishes with this. I fucking hate that you put your hands on her, not once, not twice, but three times. I know what you did, and only spineless fucks like yourself think that is an acceptable way to handle a woman.”
“You don’t know anything, Reed. I would die for her.”
“Bullshit! If you care for Reese at all, then you would have never raised a hand to her and respected her enough when she said…NO! Walk away, Briggs, because if you ever think of hurting my woman again, then God help you. I will not be so forgiving next time.”
I released him, and he fell back to the couch behind him. Trying to get air back into his lungs, he wanted to say something to me, but he hesitated and continued to cough.
“Enjoy the rest of your flight, Dr. Briggs.”
I threw down a bottle of water to Samuel and exited the cabin. I stopped to take in a few calming breaths before joining Reese and the kids. I restrained myself for Reese, and only Reese. He’s made her feel guilty for her divorcing him and choosing me. Whether I was in the picture or not, their marriage would have seen its ending. I just thank God that I have been given this precious second chance to be with Reese again. I meant what I said to Samuel, the days of people trying to take her away from me are over. I will never let anyone hurt Reese again.
HOW CAN ONE’S life change in only a matter of five days? I pinched the bridge of my nose trying to obviate my migraine that was slowly making my head hurt. Where do I go from here? Walker had all the answers, and he had made it sound so simple: I was supposed to divorce my husband and not give it a second thought.
Walker crashed back into my life like an express train at full velocity. I wanted him. That much was true. My body craved him, and I wanted him burying himself inside of me. But at what cost? I had always loved Walker Reed; he was the owner of my heart. I needed time to process all of this change, and I had Riley to consider in all of this.
She was young and in love, and in a few months my daughter would be living away from home to attend college. I would not allow what was happening in my life to concern or affect Riley. My daughter had too many things going for her to stress over her parents’ marriage, or what’s left of it. Samuel hitting me this morning was a knee jerk reaction to learning about Walker, and add the divorce on top of an already stressful situation, and he snapped. He begged me to forgive him and not divorce him.
Samuel repeatedly questioned me about Walker and if I slept with him. He pressed and pressed me until I screamed it out. I didn’t want to hurt him with that painful truth, but he wouldn’t relent on his questions. My answer to him earned me a hard slap. I knew I broke him at that moment. No matter how many promises Walker and I had made to one another, I was still another man’s wife. I was the adulterer in this story.
Reliving this was just making me feel sick inside. I never wanted it to turn out this way. My head was beginning to feel worse, probably from my over thinking. Samuel was the one that actually got me into yoga and all of its teachings. Over the years it helped me with my headaches. I was diagnosed with migraines in my first year of college back home in Georgia. I don’t believe I ever shared this with Walker. The headache excuse back in New York was just to divert Riley’s questions. I knew how his wife died, and that was one of the contributing factors. It scared the hell out of Walker to see me i
n pain, especially with something that Elizabeth also suffered with. I managed to control my pain with holistic methods, but when they became extremely painful, I had no choice but to seek modern medicine. My migraines increased during my pregnancy with Riley, but I managed to control them over the last few years. I reminded myself to talk to Walker about this. I didn’t want him worried about me every time my head hurt.
The plane was quiet. Riley and Jackson were talking, and Samuel was in the next cabin. The only sound heard throughout the plane was the clicking of Walker’s keyboard. He was trying to work and give me space, but I caught him looking over at me with his worried eyes.
I swear after all of these years, he still has a secret channel to my inner thoughts. How does he do this? I needed to get up and walk around, thinking maybe that would help with my tension.
I walked past Walker and knocked on Samuel’s door asking for entrance. Walker, remaining in his seat, stared at me in shock. I smiled at him. He let out a breath and didn’t try to stop me from talking with Samuel. Samuel, not expecting to see me on the other side of the door, looked surprised, but allowed me to enter.
“Samuel, we need to discuss a few things before we arrive home.”
“Seriously? We don’t have a home anymore. Forgive me for being crass, but the moment you decided to leave me and walk out on our marriage, ‘our home’ was destroyed. Lines were crossed, and trust was irrevocably broken when my hand—these hands—struck you down. I knew at that moment, I had undoubtedly lost my wife. We have nothing to discuss.”
“Samuel, contrary to what you believe, we have to talk, and we need to discuss Riley. She’s pretty upset, and doesn’t understand what happened. It’s been a crazy five days, and her whole world has changed.”
“Whose fault is that, Reese? It’s not mine. I’m not the one fucking my ex-lover and walking out on the life that we built and shared for all of these years.”
“Fine, Samuel. You can call me a whore again if it makes you feel better.”
Second Chance at Forever Page 22