by Jill Sanders
“Before you go any further in this investigation, I believe there are a few people in the front office that would like to speak to you.” Sheriff Brogan looked up from his pad with a questioned look.
“It does pertain to what transpired at the Golden Oar.” Aaron left it at that. Both the Sheriff and Aaron’s father followed him into the waiting room, which Betty had cleared out waiting patients after rescheduling every appointment for the following day.
Megan sat holding Matthew; Todd, Iian and seven other people were crowded into the small room all standing protectively around Lacey.
Sheriff Brogan approached and nodded at the brothers. “Afternoon Lacey, I hate to do this, but that young lady in the other room wants to press charges. Unless I have witnesses saying otherwise,” he looked at the group of people. “I’m going to have to take you to my office to get this matter cleared up.” he began walking towards her.
“You will do no such thing!” Everyone looked around the room to see who had spoken.
Megan stood up holding little Matthew in front of her. She turned and quickly but gently handed the baby to her husband. Then she walked over and stood in front of Lacey, shielding her.
“What I’ve witnessed today is the information you need.”
Fifteen minutes later when they walked back into the small exam room, Elizabeth was still coddling Jennifer, whose face had turned an even darker shade of purple. She held a small ice pack on her cheek.
“Elizabeth, I think it’s time we left.” Aaron’s father said harshly. Without waiting for a reply, he walked over and grabbed his wife’s hand then walked her out of the room as she sputtered questions.
“Miss Andrews, some witnesses have stepped forward with more information as to what happened at the Golden Oar. No charges will be pressed against Lacey Jordan at this time. I’ll file this report as negligent. If you have any further questions, please feel free to call our offices.” He handed her a card and without anything further, walked out of the office.
“What? What just happened? I want that woman in jail where she belongs. What are you doing?” She stood and started to follow the sheriff.
Aaron reached over and grabbed her arm. “No! Jennifer, your games won’t work here. Someone saw what you did.” The simple statement stopped her.
“What I did?” she asked yanking her arm away from him.
“How you did that.” he pointed towards her face. “You must be very desperate to do something like this.” He crossed his arms over his chest.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I got this from her.” Jennifer pointed to the open door. Lacey stood just outside looking in. “I’ve told you what happened. Ask anyone in that place, they’ll tell you. She hit me.” Her voice had gotten louder and it came out as a screech.
“Someone saw you Jennifer. It’s over, go home. For God’s sake, get out of my town.” Aaron walked out the door and grabbing Lacey’s hand said softly.
“Come on, Lacey, let’s go home.”
Later that night as they lay in bed, the dogs lying on the foot of the bed, they talked. Aaron told her the full story of his relationship, as the fire started to die in the fireplace, every detail of the break-up came out.
He didn’t hold back. His feelings, his hurts, his anger, everything was out there for her to see. Looking over at her, the firelight in her hair, he reached over and pushed a strand of dark hair off her forehead. Her crystal eyes reflected the lights and sparkled. He realized he trusted her, completely. But, more importantly, he realized he loved her, loved her like he has never loved anyone before.
“I meant it you know.” He turned onto his side to get a better look at her.
“What?” she turned to face him.
“I do love you.” This was met with silence. Reaching up he wiped a tear from her cheek.
“Lacey.”
“No, ssh.” she touched his mouth with her fingers.
“I just want to lay here, listen to the rain, hear the dogs sleeping by our feet, and hear you say it again. Please say it again Aaron.”
He smiled and pulled her closer. Kissing her forehead, he said it again. “I love you with all of my being.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
It had been three days since she’d been humiliated. She was getting more upset every time she thought of it. She had been trying to call the Stevens, but they were no longer returning her calls. She made sure to leave long voice messages explaining how everyone had lied to cover up what had really happened. Thinking that if she just had a chance to talk to them and explain everything, they would come to see her side. But, when she got back to the old man’s house, no one answered. She stayed there, parked in her rental car for almost two hours and no one came back. She was about to drive away, when she saw the old man drive up.
He told her that he’d just dropped Bradford and Elizabeth off at the airport an hour ago.
They had left her here!
What she hadn’t told anyone was that she was broke. Since she had quit her job after Aaron’s parents had contacted her. For the last few months she’d been living off of them.
How was she going to get home? To what home was she going to go? She knew the rental car she was driving had been under their name, so she was safe to keep it as long as she wanted.
How was she supposed to live?
She looked around after Dr. Stevens had left her standing in the rain. She’d banked everything on Aaron taking her back. She wasn’t about to lose. It was time for drastic measures!
Lacey had spent every night at Aaron’s place since his parents had left town. They had spent almost an hour talking to them before leaving. Apologizing several times to both Lacey and him, for their part in Jennifer’s scheme. They’d agreed to spend their summer break, a whole week, in Pride.
Aaron had gone out of his way the last few days to spend as much time with her as possible. They’d taken the dogs on evening walks almost every night. The weather had been fairly dreary, but the dogs didn’t seem to mind. It had been almost two months since they had gotten Cleo, but she and Bernard were inseparable.
Aaron made a point to show up every day when she worked the lunch shift, but today was another busy day for him. He hated to call off lunch, especially since it was Valentines day. But, he had a nice quite dinner planed for later that evening. He was just too busy to get away for lunch.
When Aaron called off lunch, she decided to take her lunch break and deliver some sandwiches to him instead.
Stepping outside just as the rain started, she realized she loved living in Oregon. Most people who lived here tolerated the weather. Lacey lived for it. Every since she was little the rain had been more soothing to her then anything.
As she drove through town, she realized the people in Pride never really ran indoors when it rained. The three old men still sat out on the bench smoking their cigars out front of the barber shop, safe from the rain under its large porch. There were people standing out front of the market under the large awning, and as she pulled up to Aaron’s office she saw Betty heading out the door towards her car with a large red umbrella.
Parking her sedan across the street, Lacey had the sandwiches tucked under one arm, a thermos of tomato soup in the other. She was heading for the door when she heard the squeal of tires. By the time her head snapped up, there was no time to do anything, but scream.
Aaron had been busy every day since last week. The chicken pox had run their course in the small town.
He was sure every child under twelve had all been exposed. Things had started slowing down, that was until a wave of mono hit the High School.
His office was no longer filled with crying itchy children, but filled instead with coughing, moody teenagers. He preferred the small children.
He really hated canceling lunch with Lacey, since it was his one chance to break free from a normally mundane day. Things had never looked better in his life, his parents had not only shown respect about his decision to move to Pride, but,
after the Jennifer incident, he had actually felt like they had connected for the first time.
His relationship with Lacey was mended. His parents hadn’t really commented on it, but after Jennifer, he got the feeling they preferred to keep out of his love life.
He was filling out, what he thought of as the hundredth prescription for the day, when Betty came running in.
“There’s been an accident out front, hurry.” He’d never seen the old lady move so fast. She ran into the front office. “I’m calling an ambulance.” she said without looking up at him.
By the time he ran out into the rain, there were several people gathered around, all holding umbrellas over the small figured that sat on the curb, cradling her left arm. When he reached the small body, his mind shut off.
Her purple rain coat was torn; her pants and shirt were as well, there were scratches on her knees and arms.
Lacey looked up into his eyes and everything switched off. All his medical training, years had never prepared him for this.
“The car just came out of nowhere and I swear it aimed right at her, it didn’t even stop. Who would do that?” Betty said, now standing behind him, she handed him his medical bag. He reached down and grabbed it from her and bent down over Lacey and got to work cleaning her wounds.
His hands shook when they had reached for her. His mind finally clicked on and instincts had taking over. But, when they reached the hospital, he could no longer mask the fear in his eyes. She was scratched and blooded, and would no doubt have many bruises, possibly a broken arm, but other then that he hadn’t heard one complain from her.
Once the ambulance had reached the hospital in Edgeview, Dr. Berger had taken over leaving Aaron to wait in the room with the rest of her family.
Aaron had met Dr. Berger on many occasions, he liked the man, and he trusted him. Now, however, half an hour later as he sat in a small room packed with Lacey’s family and some of the town people. He wanted nothing more then to waltz back into the examining room and take over.
Just as he stood to do so, the doctor walked out.
They all walked forward to hear what he had to say. Todd signed for Iian as the doctor started talking.
“She has a slight concussion, just a sprained wrist, but I want to keep her overnight, they’re checking her into a room now.” Aaron looked down the hall to see her being pushed in a large bed towards the elevators.
Just then, his phone rang. Stepping away for a minute, he took the call from his grandfather.
A few minutes later the three men and Megan walked into her room. Aaron was the last one in and stood in the very back.
Her brother Todd spoke first, “Hi sugar.” he tried to smile at her. Megan was holding Matthew close and she could see the quiet tears roll down her face.
Iian came over and held her hand not wrapped in a tight splint. Instead of signing he spoke.
“How’s my big sis?” His voice was like water in the desert.
“I’ve been better. Aaron?” she looked at him standing in the corner. His eyes were red, he had something close to panic in them.
“What is it Aaron? Whats wrong?” He stepped forward and everyone in the room looked at him.
“I just got off the phone with my grandfather. The Sheriff talked to Betty, and well.” He walked around, pulling his hands through his hair wanting to pull it out. “It’s all my fault.”
Everyone continued to look at him, no one said anything.
He continued. “It was Jennifer. Jennifer was behind the wheel. She did this, almost killed Lacey, because of me. It’s my fault. I should have been…”
“Stop it!” Megan stepped forward, holding little Matthew close. When Aaron started to speak, she interrupted. “No, you’ll listen to me for a while.”
She gently handed Matthew to her husband. “For years I blamed myself for the hell I went through. I told myself it was my fault, the fights, bruises, broken bones, and all that pain. But then I woke up one day, I guess it was another one of my many hospital visits, but I just knew that no mater how hard I tried, I couldn’t justify what had happened to me. There was nothing I could have done to make Derek’s crazy go away. I was not to blame for anything he did to me or the craziness he had. Just like now, there was nothing you could have done to prevent what Jennifer has done. Nothing!”
Walking over to Lacey, Megan took her bandaged hand in her own. “If I know anything about you,” she looked down at Lacey. “And I think I do, I know you would never blame Aaron for this.”
“Of course not! I agree. Aaron, there was nothing you could have done.” He walked over and took Lacey’s hand from her brother, who quietly stepped back.
“If I had just…” he started to say.
“Shhh.” Looking up into her brother, Todd’s eyes, she pleaded with him.
“We’re just going to take a walk.” Todd walked to the door holding Matthew. Megan and Iian quietly followed him out. When the door shut with a light click, Lacey continued.
“You know how much you mean to me. I have never and would never blame you for..”
Aaron leaned over and kissed her lips, quieting her with his mouth.
“I don’t want to lose you, I can’t lose you. Stay with me, be with me.” He leaned his forehead against hers. “Be with me, forever.” she pulled back and looked at him, understanding.
“Are you sure? Because I don’t play games Aaron. If I say yes, I come with a family, town, a dog, the whole nine yards.” she looked into his eyes. “I don’t want to move to the east coast, California, or…”
His mouth covered hers again. “I want all of that Lacey. All of it! If it comes with you. What do you say? Please say yes.”
Looking deeply, she saw the truth. “Of course, yes.” she smiled and was kissed again.
To Lacey it seemed like a three ring circus, she had spent Valentines night in a bright room, being woken up and checked, what seemed to her, every five minutes. Aaron sat in the chair next to her bed. Sleeping in between nurse visits. Always watching over what they did and even double checking everything again after they left. After successfully making it through the night, with out killing anyone, she was released, and sent home.
A few hours later she sat propped up at Aaron’s house. She had a dozen or so towns people around her chatting and eating the food that everyone had brought. Aaron announced their engagement shortly after arriving home. The news was followed with cheers.
It was more a tradition then anything, that the town people seemed to come out in spades when one of their own was hurt. She had been there for others in town. When Betty had lost her husband, when Tom and Becca had been married, when Matt had died, she had been there for everyone. She had also been there when Megan had been recovering from the explosion that was her ex-husband.
Now, however, everyone was here for her. She was propped up on the couch, her left arm tucked close, wrapped tight in a splint, her cuts all bandaged. Bruises were beginning to turn a darker purple, and the Motrin she had taken earlier was starting to wear off. But, still she smiled and chatted as best she could. She was finding it harder to concentrate on conversations, but these were her people and they had come out for her. To show her how much they cared, how much they loved her.
She was on orders to rest for the next week from her doctor, a doctor who was standing across the room, helping dish out some of Betty’s wonderful angel food cake. It had snowed again last night, and to her it seemed that spring was years away. She enjoyed the snow, she even enjoyed being out in it, but just now, she wished for the warmer rains of spring.
Aaron watched her from across the room, she was pale, bruised, cut, and could have ended up dead, all because of him. Oh, he heard everything Megan had said yesterday, but to be honest, he kept playing everything over and over in his mind.
If he had just handled Jennifer differently, maybe, just maybe he could have gotten through to her. Thinking of what could have happened to Lacey, his mind fogged. Lacey. Sweet, trusting Lacey.
Thinking of the differences between the two women, there was no doubt about Lacey’s honesty. He had never really trusted Jennifer it had always been something else. Desire, he had wanted something he had never had before, and he thought he would have it with Jennifer. A family. Now, however, he looked around his crowded living room. This was what he had always thought the true meaning of “family” meant.
Lacey was bored. Three days of doing nothing. Did Aaron really believe she needed this much time to recover from a few scratches and a twisted wrist? She was determined to tell him so, just as soon as he got home. She was determined to go to work tomorrow. She didn’t care whether he had lots of fancy degrees and years of medical school. She was feeling well enough to go to work. So, she would lay off caring heavy trays of food for a while, but at least she could do simple things. The sitting around was driving her nuts.