CHAPTER 12 – BAGGAGE


Jasmine reached over in the darkness to answer the phone.
“Hello?” she mumbled still half asleep
“We need to talk” AJ announced loudly
“I have nothing to say to you McLean” she hissed down the phone, sitting upright in her bed
“Look I don’t know what is going on in your head, but you are seriously mixed up if you think that I would hurt someone I cared about” AJ stammered
“Cared about? My ass, you perverted asshole. Look you got what you wanted, you can leave me alone now”
“I didn’t touch you Jasmine, I have more respect for you than that. I said when you first came into my house that it was purely professional, and I meant it”
“I don’t believe you”
“You really think I raped you?”
“I don’t know what to think”
“All I can tell you is the truth, if you wanna hear it then I’ll tell it”
“I'm listening” Jasmine said softly
“You were drunk, and you were happy. But I never laid a hand on you, even if I wanted to I wasn’t going to let things happen that way between us. You can believe what you want about me Jasmine, and perhaps I am the perverted asshole you think I am, but you can sing, you have that gift and there is no way I would jeopardize that. Because you are going to make it, and I want to be there right beside you the whole way. That’s the truth Jasmine, now you have to do with it as you see fit” AJ sighed, his voice raspy and tired
“I have to go” Jasmine sniffed before hanging up the phone.
She wanted to believe him, but she’d been in this position more times than she cared to remember, and she wouldn’t ever again trust someone’s word, even if she wanted to – she just couldn’t.

~ AT THE SAME TIME ~

“Better?” Tara inquired as Brian walked out of the bathroom
“Yeah” he mumbled warmed only slightly by the hot shower he’d had
“I know they’re girls clothes and all, but they should it you” she smiled patting the pair of baggy pants and blue jumper she’d laid out for him
“You really don’t have to do this” Brian remarked holding the towel around his body
“I know, but I'm doing it anyway”
Brian smiled as he walked back into the bathroom with the clothes in hand.
He emerged soon after dressed in a pair ok khaki pants and Marvin The Martian jumper. He sighed quietly as he sat down onto the couch. Tara walked over to him handing him a cup of hot chocolate. The silence was awkward as Tara searched for something she could say.

“Sometimes things happen for a reason” she smiled awkwardly
Brian looked up and managed a slight smile.
“That doesn’t make in any easier” he coughed
“It’s not supposed to make things easier, it just makes them understandable. I'm sorry, I'm not really very good at this whole offering comfort, it’s like a new concept to me”
“You’re doing okay” he laughed
“You know Brian, I see things how I see them, and I know first hand people sometimes don’t appreciate that, but can I tell you what I see?” she breathed slowly
Brian looked at her intrigued then nodded slowly.
“I see a person who loves simply because he thinks it’s the right thing to do, and I see someone else who uses that form of love to manipulate things. And I see a person who’s hurting inside because he knows that.”
Brian’s eyes heated up, he was sick of hearing the same thing from everything.
“It was a mistake to come here, you’re 18, how could you possibly understand anything about been an adult?” he announced slamming the cup down onto the table
“I may only be 18 Brian, and I may not have the life experience you have. But at least I'm not blind to the obvious, your marriage is tearing you apart, and you know what else? I bet your wife is enjoying every minute of it, because to see you suffer means she has you wrapped around her finger. That’s what I see, and I bet that’s what you see, but you’re just too scared to admit it” Tara declared back “Older doesn’t always make you smarter” she added, starring him down
“You don’t know me, and you don’t know Leigh Anne”
“And I don’t think you know yourself either”
“I should go”
“Maybe you should”
The tone in each ones voice was stiff and rigid. Brian opened the door to the pouring rain.

“Brian wait” Tara sighed as he began to venture outside “I'm sorry, you’re right, I don’t know her, and I made a judgment. Like I said, I say what I see. Just don’t go out there, it looks like another bad storm” she continued, folding her arms awkwardly in front of her.
Brian closed the door again.
“It’s my life, and lets just leave it at that” he sighed

~ THE NEXT DAY ~

“He’s recovering well, we expect him to be out of the hospital in a few days” the doctor smiled as Eve clung to Howie for support “He’s awake, and that means a lot” he added with sure conviction
Eve thanked the doctor as she opened the bed to the hospital room.
“Do you want me to come in?” Howie whispered as he still hung onto her arm
Eve nodded slowly. “I want the two most important people in the world to know each other” she smiled

~ AT THE SAME TIME ~

Alicia sat in front of the computer screen, staring at the words and they bounded off the screen, she knew so little about the disease that had her in its sights. She’d blocked out the thought of it for so long, and now she was acing it head on. The words meant little to her, and the words of comfort on the page seemed to hold none.
“Whatcha looking at?” Nick inquired appearing in the doorway
“Nothing” Alicia smiled as she slammed the laptop closed
She stood up wrapping the dressing gown around her body, and she slid past Nick out the doorway.
“You can avoid speaking to me, but your eyes never lie” Nick mumbled as he caught her arm
“And by that you would mean?” Alicia questioned as she yanked her arm away
“Something is wrong, you’ve been acting strange. Are you seeing someone else?”
Alicia yanked her arm from his grip “You’re pathetic you know that?” she snapped, her entire overcome with a type of feeling she didn’t know how to deal with. Pushing people that care about her out of the way, was the only way she knew how.
“Fine, whatever. Do what you gotta do” Nick called as he stormed away in the different direction
Alicia sighed quietly to herself, she hated the way she’d reacted to him, but right now she had so much emotion baggage piling up on top of her, she didn’t know what to do.

Chapter Thirteen

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