Fragile (18 page)

“Our place?”

“Yeah, our place,” I looked down into her eyes, trying to gauge her reaction.

She smiled, “Let me pack a bag.” Lu kissed me hard and I watched her walk away. I smiled to myself at how lucky I was to have had Lu thrown into my life.

When I turned back, we were being watched again. “What?”

“Nothing,” they both say again before turning back to their game.

Lu returned with a bag thrown over shoulder. We said goodbye to our fathers and left for our home which was family free.

“Aiden.” Lu kneeled down as soon as we step through the door of the apartment.

“I swear, that dog gets more attention than me,” I complained.

Lu looked up at me with a smile. “That’s because he’s so lovable and caring.”

“I’m loveable and caring.”

Lu stood up and kissed my chin. “Yes, you are.”

She went to walk away, but I grabbed her hand and pulled her lips back to mine. “Let’s go to bed.”

“What about dinner?”

“We’ll eat later.

LUCY

“I did it.” Dr Brooks bounced up to me. Her eyes popping out of her head in excitement.

“What did you do?” I asked, placing my hands out, trying to get her to calm down.

“The whole scheduling thing. Someone came in last night and I managed to get the surgery scheduled for that night to be performed by you.” Brooks was clearly happy with herself. Of course she would because now she gets her pick of any surgery.

“That’s great, Brooks. Well done.” I smiled at her, “Just give me a shout when you see a surgery you want in on and I’ll make it happen.” She bounced on the spot and clapped her hands together. I smiled as I walked away to my next consultation.

“Dr. Hunter.” I saw him sitting outside the hospital and decided to get this over and done with.

“Dr Jackson, what a lovely surprise. Have a seat.” He moved aside to make room on the bench he was sitting on.

“I can’t. I have a consultation I need to get to, but a patient has come in and his surgery has been scheduled for the night of the function, so I can’t go.” I tried to sound sorry about the fact, I couldn’t look at him, and so I looked at my feet instead.

“That’s a shame, Lucy. I was really looking forward to it.”

“Me too,” I lied.

He stood up and I saw his feet come into my view. “Maybe we could go out sometime instead, just us.” His hand ran up my arm slowly, getting my attention. It traced up to under my chin so he could lift it, putting my eyes right in sight of his before he put his lips to mine.

I pulled back shocked, but William didn’t let me go far. “Think about it.” He kissed me one more time before walking off.

William’s kiss lingered in my mind for the rest of the day. How could I face Rick after this? I’m not a cheater. I’m not that type of person.

As soon as I could, I got out of the hospital and went to Dad. He would know what to do.

“Dad!” I called into the apartment but there was no answer. “Dad?” I called out again.

Getting nothing back, I called his phone. “Hey, honey,” he answered.

“Hey, where are you?” I put my bag on the bench and waited for his answer.

“I just had a job interview. I’m on my way home.”

“A job, really? Doing what?” I tapped my fingers on the bench top impatiently. I really needed to talk to him.

“It’s a position at Mark’s company, just doing odd jobs.”

“Wow, you and Mark are getting close.”

“Yeah, he’s a good bloke.”

“When will you be home? I need to talk to you.” I pinched the bridge of my nose, wanting the tension to leave my head.

“I’ll be home soon.”

I was sitting on the couch with my legs crossed when Rick’s name flashed across my phone screen as an incoming call. I watched until it rung out and the screen went dark.

“Trouble?” Dad asked. I spun around, stunned. He was watching me from the front door. I didn’t even know that he was there. Not being able to help myself, my eyes started to fill with tears and Dad rushed over to me.

“Someone kissed me today,” I sobbed into his shoulder.

“Was it Luke?” His tone was bitter when he asked.

“No, I work with him, and he asked me out. Rick knows about him. If I tell him this, he will get angry, and I’m afraid of what he might do.”

“He’s a good man for wanting to protect you.”

I wiped tears away from my face and nodded. “So I should tell him, right?”

“If he finds out and you haven’t told him he’s going to be angry at you.”

“You’re so smart, Dad.” I sat up straighter and reached for the tissues, wiping my eyes with them and blowing my nose. After Dad assured me that everything would be ok, l left for Rick’s.

I was sitting on the couch with Aiden when Rick walked into the apartment. “Hey Lu.” He came into the lounge room and sat next to me.

“I have something to tell you.” He instantly went silent. He moved closer to me and held my hands; I could see the uncertainty in his face.

“It wasn’t...I didn’t want to. He just...” I stopped stuttering and closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, trying to get my words to come out clear and correctly. After silently debating with myself over the best way to tell him, I just spat it out, “William kissed me.” My eyes were still closed, but I felt his hands grip mine slightly.

“When...” He cleared his throat. “When did this happen?” His voice was tight. Yeah, he was angry.

“Today.” I opened my eyes to look at him. He put a hand on the side of my face, his thumb running along my lips. “Say something please.” I pleaded.

“Go shower. I’ll be back later.”

“Rick?” I couldn’t help the tears that start to run as he got up from the couch and made his to the front door, shutting it behind him.

RICK

I knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer. Ray looked tired and flustered when he opened it, “Is Lu here?” I asked panicked. “She wasn’t home when I got back, and she isn’t answering her phone either.”

“Yeah and she’s upset.” I closed my eyes and swore softly, “She told you Rick. That has to count for something, and it wasn’t even her. It was the other guy.”

“Yeah, he has a huge thing for Lu. I’m not mad at her. I’m not, Ray. I know this isn’t on her.”

Ray moved aside, and let me into the apartment. I looked around but couldn’t see her. My panic amped up a notch, “Where is she?”

“In bed. Like I said, she’s upset and tired.”

“Is she angry at me?”

“She’s upset with the situation.”

I looked up to the ceiling and ran my hands over my face in frustration, “Another man kissed my girl, Ray. He knew she was with me. I don’t know how to make it any more obvious, other than marrying her, and I don’t think she’ll be up for that right now, especially after what that fucking idiot did to her. What do I do, Ray? I can’t lose her.”

“Don’t blame her...”

“I don’t,” I interrupt him. “Not one bit.”

“Tell her that. She doesn’t want to be the cheater in this relationship.”

“Fuck, does she think that?” My heart hurt for her and I just wanted to gather her up in my arms to assure her that we were good.

“Not in so many words, but I know my daughter.”

I stared down the hallway to where I knew she slept, “I’m going to go see her.”

Ray nodded, “Hey Rick...” Ray called out, “When Lucy’s ready, I prefer you over that other asshole.”

It took me a moment to get what he was saying, and then it clicked. He was giving me permission to marry his daughter.

“That means a lot, Ray. Thank you.” He nodded his head and I turned to find Lu.

When I opened the bedroom door I spotted her in bed. Her eyes were open and on me as I walked over to her and knelt down beside the bed. “Hey,” I started. “I’m sorry, Lu. I wasn’t mad at you. I was angry at Dr. Douche Bag. He knew you were with me and he still kissed you. He made you feel like a cheater, and that doesn’t sit well with me.”

“I’m not a clingy person, Rick. I’m independent and...” She said while tears ran down her cheeks.

“I know, baby. I know.” I stood up and kicked my shoes off before I climbed into her bed and pulled her into my arms where she belonged. I could feel her tears through my shirt. “Don’t cry. We’re fine. Everything is good.” I ran a hand up and down her back, trying to soothe her.

“You just left me there, you just walked out. Where did you go?”

I took a deep breath. I knew that she wouldn’t like my answer. “I went to see Dr. Douche Bag.” Lu sat up instantly. “I just watched him, Lu. That’s all. I wanted to go and talk to him, but I didn’t want to get you in trouble because he’s your boss, but God, Lu. How dare he do that?”

Lu only stared at me. “Lie down, baby.” I gently pulled back her down beside me. I lay on my side and looked at her, tucking her hair behind her ear and left my hand on the side of her face. “I love you, Lu.” I didn’t let her answer, instead I kissed her.

LUCY

The apartment was quiet when I left the following morning, leaving Rick asleep in bed. When I got to the hospital I threw myself straight into my work. I had consultations all day, which kept me away from Dr. Hunter.

“Hey beautiful.”

I smiled when Rick’s voice filtered through the phone. “Hey.”

“What are you doing?” It was late and he sounded tired. We had texted during the day but this was the first time we’d had a chance to talk.

“I’m in the on call room.” I stretched out on the bed and ran a hand through my pony tail that was spread over my shoulder.

“Have you eaten?”

I laughed quietly, “Yes Rick.”

“Don’t laugh, Lu. You don’t eat enough, and I worry about you.”

“What would I do without you?”

“Suffer endlessly.” I could hear the smile in his voice. “Get some rest, Lu. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I fell asleep not long after hanging up the phone. I didn’t get much rest and was woken up multiple times to check on patients. When I left the following morning, I went to Rick’s apartment like he’d asked...well our place, as he likes to call it now.                                                       

I walked into the apartment and was greeted by Aiden in his usual manner. I headed upstairs and showered before going back down to rummage through the kitchen. After finding a note and a meal cooked by Rick, I reheated the dish and headed into the lounge room and found a movie to watch while I ate.

I was lying on the couch with Aiden when the front door opened and the apartment immediately filled with angry voices.

“Don’t follow me.” I looked up and over the couch, recognising Mark’s voice. He was walking down the hallway followed by Mather.

“Just tell me where he is.” Mather said. I watched from the couch as Mark came over to sit by Aiden.

“Hey, Lucy.”

“Hey, Mark.” I looked over to Mather, who looked a bit confused to see me here.

“Everything ok?” I asked Mark who was busy changing the channel.

“No, but don’t you worry about it, Honey.”

Mather sat down on the other couch and looked over to me. “How are you, Lucy?” She asked in her motherly tone.

“Don’t get all motherly with Lucy. She won’t tell you either,” Mark snapped.

“Don’t tell me how to talk to my daughter, Mark,” Mather snapped back.

“She’s not your daughter,” Mark exclaimed, throwing the remote down the couch.

“Do not tell me that Lucy is not my daughter. I brought her up for ten years. I was there for her first boyfriend and her first heart ache. I helped teach her how to drive. I was there when she graduated.”

“And then your other daughter got pregnant by her sister’s fiancé!”

“I did not have any part of that! How dare you think that I would condone what she did?”

“You haven’t punished her for it either. She wrecked Lucy’s life, and you’ve stood there by Ireland’s side as if it doesn’t bother you that your own flesh and blood could be so cruel!” I just sat there, my head bouncing between the two of them as they argued.

“Ireland knows how I feel about what she did.” Mather moved closer to the edge of her chair. Reaching out, she took my hand, “Lucy, I am angry at Ireland. I am, and I want nothing more than to have my family back together. I am sorry that this happened. I am.”

“I know, Mather.”

“Don’t forgive her, Lucy.”

“Mather didn’t do anything wrong, Mark. There’s nothing to forgive.”

He shook his head. “You’re too good, Lucy.”

“You two better not have trashed Rick’s place while killing each other.” Tray stopped in his tracks when he saw me. “Lulu!”