Fragile (16 page)

“Well, if...” He put a hand on my arm and moved me to the side to allow another set of doctors to push a bed down the hallway. “If it doesn’t happen that night what do you say about attending the function with me?”

I didn’t know why I felt so nervous. I kept thinking about what Rick would say if he knew that we were having this conversation. I didn’t know why I was thinking about him, we’re not dating. I can go out with whoever I want.

“What would the pretence of attending this function together be?” I wanted to know his intention behind asking me to accompany him and what he expected of me afterwards.

“We would go as colleagues, and then go from there.” His face was hopeful but his words were cautious.

“If the surgery doesn’t happen, I’ll go.”

Wills face lit up with excitement briefly before he turned serious again. “That’s great. I have to rush but I’ll see you later.” I turned and left for my interns.

“I think I need a dress,” I said as soon as I sat down at a table outside the hospital with my cup of coffee during a break.

“What type of dress?” Amber, another doctor asked, between mouthfuls of food.

“For the function thingy that’s happening soon.”

“I didn’t think you were going.” She sat up straighter, her black hair swaying in the breeze as she removed her glasses, her dark green eyes penetrating me. “Did someone ask you?”

“I am a single, independent, successful woman. I don’t need a date to go to a work function,” I avoided any and all eye contact with her, but she could see right through anyone.

“Yeah right. Who asked you?”

“William.”

Her eyes bulged from her head. “He’s had it for you since you arrived.”

“He has not.”

She brought her coffee to her lips, eyeing me up. “Ah ha.”

“Look, are you going to help me get a dress, or not?” I asked a little pissed off that she was interrogating me over something as little as a dress to wear to a function with a man whom I have no attraction for.

“Yeah, I need one too.” She said happily.

“Who asked you to go with them?” I mocked with a smile.

“Shut-up,” she said with a smile on her face.

RICK

“Aiden!” I called as I stepped through Dad’s front door.

“Hey, Rick.” I stopped walking when I heard and then saw Mather sitting in the dining room. Her hair was different from the last time I saw her. It was shorter and she was wearing glasses now.

“Where’s Dad?” I asked as I took in Ireland and some guy sitting at the table together across from her.

“He’s still with Aiden on their walk.” Dad was supposed to be done by now. “I’m sure he won’t be too much longer.”

“I hope you’re here to take Ireland back.” Ireland was smart enough not to look at me. The guy sitting next to her, however, had different plans.

“Don’t talk to Ireland that way. I don’t care who you are. You have no right.” He stood up from the table. I towered over him. His blond hair looked dirty, his blue eyes equally dirty, and he had a soft body.

“Who...” I was interrupted by Ireland’s voice and my blood turned cold. I saw red. I wanted to go over to him and put my fist in his face, breaking his perfect set of teeth.

“Luke,” Ireland whispered.

“Ray and Lucy don’t want to be a part of this family anymore, and neither do Dad and I, so get out of here. You three bring nothing but bad luck to everyone you encounter. And Luke is it? If I see you again, I won’t be held accountable for my actions. You destroyed the best thing that ever happened to you when you decided to stick it in Ireland.”

“You and Lucy are together?” He asked. How dare he talk to me? He has been the reason for my current heart ache, he has been the reason for Lucy’s heartbreak and now he’s sitting in my father’s house, asking questions that are none of his business.

“That is none of your business.”

“She sure didn’t wait long did she?”

I stormed over and grabbed him by the collar, pulling him out of his chair, “What did you say?”

“Rick” Dad’s voice broke through the gasps that came from Mather and Ireland, “He’s not worth it.” Dad said from beside me.

Dad was right, he wasn’t worth it. “If I ever see you again, nothing and no one will stop me.” I dropped my arms and turned to leave not looking at any of them as Aiden and I left.

LUCY

I walked through the apartment carrying my dress, shoes, make-up, a purse, and sexy underwear when I heard voices coming from down the hallway.

“We can’t tell her.” I heard Dads voice first.

“If we don’t, and she finds out, she’s going to hate us.” Rick’s responded. He sounded serious.

“She’s just getting herself together. This will break her.” Dad said firmly. I put my shopping on the couch and crept closer to the conversation.

“Ray, she will never forgive us if we don’t tell her. I can’t have her hating me because of this.”

“What do you suggest we do, Rick?”

“Tell her!” Rick’s voice was getting louder.

“What do you think Lucy will do if she finds out that Luke is here, and he and Ireland have decided to raise this baby together? She’ll run, Rick. You say you love Lucy so let’s just see where this thing goes before we tell her.”

I tripped on my breath and had to focus on my breathing. She can’t be doing this to me again. Hadn’t she done enough to me? Isn’t she satisfied with the amount of damage she’s already caused?

“We can’t keep her in the dark forever.”

“Just until we see how those two go.” I heard footsteps that stopped abruptly when they reached me.

“Lu,” Rick rushed toward me. I saw him approaching through my tear flooded eyes but couldn’t handle him or anyone at this stage.

“Shit, Lucy,” Dad said from behind him. Rick reached to pull me into his arms but I stepped back and ran to my room. Locking the door and sliding down it, I wrapped my arms around my knees and cried.

“Lu.” The door handle jiggled. “Lu, unlock the door,” Rick pleaded, the door handle jiggled again. “Lu, talk to me please.” I tightened my grip around my knees as I listened to Dad and Rick argue over what was best for me.

“Honey,” Dad started, “we’ll be out here when you’re ready.”

RICK

Sitting on the couch, I faced the hallway, hoping that Lu would come out anytime now. “At least she didn’t run,” Ray said handing me a beer.

“She should never have heard us talking about her that way.” I felt sick about it. When we came from Ray’s room she was pale and frozen, her eyes full of tears. “I’ll be back.” I put my barely touched beer down on the table and stood up.

“Where are you going?”

“To get Lu to talk.” I walked out of the apartment, got into the car and drove away.

As I opened the door to my apartment, Aiden ran up to me. “Come on. Lu needs you.” We got into the car and I drove back to Lu’s apartment. Ray looked at the large dog as we stepped inside. “Anything?” I asked him.

“Nothing.” Ray watched as Aiden sniffed up the hallway, finding Lu. When he found her room, he sat at her door, scratched and let out a cry. Ray stood at the end of the hallway and watched from beside me as Lu opened her door to let Aiden in.

We went back to the couch and sat down until it was late. “I don’t think you’re getting your dog back tonight. I’ll get you some sheets and make up the couch.” Ray stood and moved toward the cupboard in the hallway, returning with some sheets, a blanket and a pillow.

“Should I poke my head in?” I looked down the hall to where Lu was.

“I don’t know? The door might be locked still,” Ray replied placing the pillow down on the couch.

“I’m going to poke my head in,” I stated as I started to move toward her door. Hand on the handle, I gently pressed it down, and to my surprise it wasn’t locked. Pushing the door open slowly, I walked in and stopped to look at her and Aiden sleeping on her bed. She was beautiful. I closed the door quietly and made my way back to the couch.

Sleeping on the couch wasn’t the best. When we chose this couch, we didn’t imagine that someone would be sleeping on it. Stretching my body to get the kinks out, I looked over the couch to see Lu’s door open. Curious, I got up and wondered down the hall to find the room empty.

“Aiden?” I called into the house, but got no response.

Confused, I walked over to the couch and picked up my phone. I heard Lu’s phone ringing in the distance, so she didn’t take it with her. Trying not to panic and go out looking for her and Aiden, I made a cup of coffee and waited as patiently as I could for her to come home.

The front door opened and in walked Lu and Aiden. I wanted to rush over to her and demand that she tell me where she was. Instead I stayed where I was and watched her walk to the kitchen. She filled a container up with water and placed it on the ground for Aiden before getting a glass of water for herself.

“Hey.” She came and sat down across from me at the table.

“Hey,” I replied cautiously. I was relieved that she was talking to me.

“I have to go into the hospital this morning, but as long as everything goes good, I’ll have the afternoon off.” She looked over at me. “I was going to go and get a car.”

Frowning, I looked down at my cup then back to her. She had her attention on Aiden again. “I’ll take you,” I offered. This way, I knew that she’d be getting a decent car and wouldn’t get ripped off.

“You have work.”

“I took the day off.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m worried about you, Lu. I want to be here for you.”

She looked at me, something hiding in her eyes. “I’m fine, Rick.”

I studied her. Her eyes look tired, red, probably from crying. She looked like she had lost some weight. It wasn’t that noticeable, but I could see it. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, Rick.” She looked at the clock on the wall. “I need to get ready.” She got up and walked off with Aiden in tow. “Stay.” She pointed her finger at the dog as she stepped into the bathroom. Aiden cried but lay down outside the door and waited for her to come out.

Ray walked out into the hallway and stopped at the sight of Aiden in front of the bathroom door, “Lucy’s out and about today, I take it.”

“She went out this morning, and is now getting ready to go to work.”

“Yeah?” He was surprised by this. Lu walked out wrapped in a towel and Aiden followed her into her bedroom. They re-emerged a short time later when Lucy was ready for work.

“Hey, honey.” Ray approached her and Lu leant in and kissed his cheek.

“Hey, Dad.”

“You ok, honey?”

“Yeah, I have to head into work then I’m going to get a car. I’ll be heading to the store after that. Do you need anything?”

Ray was clearly stunned. “Yeah, let me know when you’re at the store and I’ll let you know what we need.”

“Cool. I have to go.” She gave Ray a hug and came over to me, giving me a hug catching me by surprise.

“Thank you for bringing Aiden over. He needs to be fed.” She pulled back, gave the dog a pat and left.

LUCY

“Lucy.” William came over to me. “I thought that you could use one of these.” He handed me a cup of coffee.

“Thanks.” I accepted the cup and brought the cup to my nose and I smiled. I loved my coffee and was due for a cup. “I thought you had the day off.”

“I had to check on a patient.”

“Do you have plans for lunch?” He kicked the ground with his toe, not looking at me.

“Ah, yeah, I’m actually going to go and look at cars this afternoon.”

“Is there a problem with the car you’re driving? I can look at it for you, if you’d like.”

“The car’s fine. Lu just thinks she needs one of her own.” Rick said as he appeared from out of nowhere.

William looked from Rick then back to me, “I hope you find a good one.”

Rick put a hand around my waist, pulling me to him, “I’ll see you tomorrow, William.”

We had started to walk off to where I had parked the car when Will called out to me, “I wanted to ask you, on the night of the function, do you want me to pick you up from here or from home?”

Rick’s grip tightened around my waist as I turned to face Will. “I don’t know. I’ll get back to you. ”

“I just want to be prepared, that’s all.” He turned away and I watched him walk back into the hospital.

The walk to the car was tense, “I’ll drive. I know where the car dealerships are.” Rick’s voice was strained, his movements were stiff and he wasn’t looking at me. I handed over the car keys and Rick unlocked the car, he opened the passenger door helping me in before he went over to the driver’s side and slid into the car.