The Truth in Lies (The Truth in Lies Saga) (7 page)

My children amazed me. Over the course of working with each child, I’d developed a bond with them.  In a way, I’d grown to think of them as my own, as any good teacher would.  I rejoice in their successes and encourage them in their defeats.  Their minds are so open to the world, and I could only imagine what they might have to say if they had the ability to communicate.  With any luck, I would give them the tools to do just that.

Across the hall from the guestroom, resided the main bathroom for the condo.  Uncertain if Olivia had left yet, I dashed across the hall, slipping quietly into the bathroom.  If she had heard me fall apart, I could only imagine what she thought of me. 

The door closed behind me, barely making a sound in the process.  I turned my head as I passed the mirror located above the vanity and sink.  Just as I suspected, I looked like I had been hit by a train.  My blue eyes were bloodshot and puffy, my button nose was swollen and red, and my blonde hair was glued to my face.  I was a complete mess. I pulled my dress over my head, and my mind flashed to Nate performing the same act only hours earlier.  The pounding in my chest matched the pounding in my head.  Nate wasn’t kidding when he said he would remind me of how Cancun felt, but what he didn’t understand was it was too little, too late.

With a flick of my wrist, I turned on the water and climbed into the shower.  Instant gratification was felt, as the steaming water poured over my aching body.  While it couldn’t sooth the soul, it comforted me physically.  Enough so, that the throbbing in my head subsided to a point that it was bearable.

Resting my hands against the shower wall, I let the water pour over my head.  Scenes from the night before ran ramped through my mind.  Candles burning around us; Nate’s hand trailed up my thigh, deliciously touching me where I needed him the most.  His lips wreaked havoc on my neck.

Each moment played over and over.  Then suddenly, he was hovering over me.  But the man hovering over me wasn’t Nate at all.  My eyes flashed open upon realization as to who my mind had cast in the role of Nate. 

Piercing blue eyes burned into the recesses of my mind as his name dripped off my lips.  Drew.

I rubbed my hand over my face. 
It’s only fantasy
, I told myself. 
You mean no harm by it.  It means nothing
.

Confused, I turned the shower off, and stared at the tiled wall, scared of what I had just done.  I barely knew Drew.  Besides that, he was Olivia’s boyfriend.  I shook my head vigorously, laughing at myself.  He was nice to me, and I crushed on him.  That’s all it was. 

I reached outside the shower and pulled the towel off of the rack.  Wrapping it tight around my chest, I stepped out of the shower, and wiped away the steam from the mirror.  At least the shower helped wash away some of the puffiness from my face. 

I ran a brush through my hair, savoring the feel of the bristles against my aching scalp.  Before leaving the bathroom, I slipped into my panties and bra.  There was no way I was taking any chance that anyone might catch me naked in Olivia’s place.

Cracking the bathroom door, I checked down the hall to see if Olivia was still home.

“Liv?” I hollered.

No answer.  She had already left for work.  With undue haste, I picked up my dirty laundry.  A white object fluttered to the floor, stopping my escape from the steamy bathroom.  I bent over and picked up the card that had dislodged itself from my dress pocket.

“Andrew J. Wise, Attorney at Law,” I read aloud.  I flipped the card over and read the inscription again.  What was it about this man that intrigued me so?  The memory of his request came to the forefront of my mind.  He said to call him anytime.  Now, would be as good a time as any.

I rushed back into my bedroom and picked up my cell phone.  The phone came to life with a push of a button and that was all it took to deflate my moment of giddiness.  Displayed on the screen was a list of missed calls –all from Nate– and a single voicemail indication was present.   

I sat down on the edge of the bed with a thud.  My heart was once again heavy as I pressed play on the voicemail.

“Hey, McKenzie,” he said in a monotone voice.  “I’ve been thinking.  Maybe you’re right.  Maybe space is what we both need.  I’m sorry I haven’t been here for you.  But I’ve never stopped loving you.  Please remember that.  I love you.”

I jumped at the sound of his phone hanging up.  All of the oxygen had been siphoned from the air making it impossible for me to breathe.  I began to rock back and forth, trying to hold myself together.

My instinct was to call him back.  To tell him I was wrong and I wanted to come home.  But I couldn’t do that.  Calling him would only delay the inevitable.  My leaving in the middle of the night proved to him that I was serious with my decision.  I couldn’t take the heartache any longer.  I wasn’t happy, and I had to find happiness again, even if that meant losing Nate forever. 

I curled up on the bed, dropping the phone and business card next to me.  The white ceiling haloed over me, vacant of expression, mirroring my exact feeling.  Maybe Olivia was right.  Maybe I should call in sick.  My mental state was in no way ready to handle a day full of innocent children. 

I absentmindedly traced the beveled black lettering of Drew’s name on the card.  Having it to hold on too felt comforting, as if someone really cared about what I was going through. Skipping work wasn’t my answer.  In order for me to get through this, I had to go on with my life. 

“I’m not a failure,” I breathed, smiling at the note from Drew.  Texting him was a bad idea, and I knew it.  He was a nice guy, but he wasn’t the answer to my despair.  With that in mind, I tenderly placed his card in my purse, along with my phone, and proceeded to get dressed for work.

Lying where I left them was a brown pencil skirt, with a light pink button-up blouse.  I quickly donned my chosen apparel, and matched it with my favorite pair of brown pumps. 

A coat of mascara and lip gloss, which was the most makeup I wore on a daily basis, hid the remainder of my puffiness.  My hair, still damp from the shower, was forced through a ponytail holder to keep it out of my face.  I took one last look at myself in the mirror.  If it weren’t for my bloodshot eyes, I would look like I did on any other given day. 

I decided to forgo breakfast.  The thought of eating churned my already empty stomach.  I finished off my coffee before brushing my teeth.  With one last look in the mirror, I sighed.  My tired, puffy eyes screamed with exhaustion, but there, inside them, I could see me.  The person I’d been missing for a long time.  She was there, and in her, I felt a twinge of a new beginning.  So, I collected my purse and keys, and walked out the door with my head held high.  Today was a new start for me.  I was ready to move forward.

The salty sea air swirled around me in the early morning dew.  The tide was rolling in, essentially creating a layer of salt in the atmosphere.  It was nearly eight in the morning, and I was already running late for work, but I knew Jared would cover for me if anyone asked.

I slid into my silver Prius and started the engine.  Music is my soul and every morning I made sure to play something comparable to my mood.  That was, every morning but this one.  If I played the music that echoed my mood, I would be a blubbering baby by the time I reached work, so I opted for something a little more up tempo; something that would brighten my mood.

Getting to work took little to no time at all.  Olivia’s condo was a mere ten minutes away from my base school, in comparison to the twenty-five minutes I had to drive from Nate’s house.  With the shorter distance, and the lack of highway driving, I wasn’t as late as I thought I would be.

My usual parking spot was still open when I arrived, so I parked my car, grabbed my belongings, and sprinted toward the school.  Just as I suspected, Jared had beaten me to work. The black pearl shine of his 1969 Mustang Fastback gleamed in the morning light.
 That car was his prized possession, and he made sure everyone on campus knew it.  It was evident that he spent countless hours caring for the vehicle.

Children lingered in the halls, some even greeted me as I scurried back to mine and Jared’s shared office.  We didn’t have a classroom like other teachers.  Instead, we had what was called an observation room.  It was a smaller room connected to our office that had a one-way window separating the two rooms.  We were located near the back of the building next to the music room and auditorium.

It was a prime location for us, especially for Jared who was a music therapist.  Where I spent hours teaching children how to use and understand words, he utilized music to build their language skills.  The repetitive nature of a song allowed the child to connect with the words easier.

As I walked into our office, I could hear a sweet melody floating along the air.  I dropped my purse on my desk and walked across the hall to the music room.  There sat Jared at the piano, lost in the song he was playing.

It was a soft, sweet melody, with a twinge of heartbreak underlining the tone.  I stood at the door and listened as the music impregnated the atmosphere.  There was a longing and a desire that reached into the recesses of my chest and tugged at my heartstrings.   I closed my eyes, engrossed in the mellow pitch of the ivory keys.  Tears streamed down my face as his music reached my soul. 

I opened my eyes and watched his persona as he played.
 He sat at the piano with perfect posture.  His tall frame was accentuated with the movement of his body.  I could see the ripple of his muscles flexing under his white collared shirt, as he moved with performance precision.  His skin was lightly kissed by the sunlight gleaming in through the window and his dark blond hair flowed gently over his shoulders.  I’ve never actually thought of Jared as anything more than a friend, but I had to admit to myself, he was a beautiful specimen of a man.  I found it astonishing that he was single, and even more amazing that he wasn’t banging a new chick every night like most single men in this town. 

It was once suggested to me that maybe Jared was gay.  So, I asked him.  To my amazement he answered me with a laugh.  He wasn’t offended by my question and even admitted that he enjoyed the company of a woman, as long as it was the right woman.  It made me smile to know I wasn’t the only person in the world who had the belief of ‘know ‘em before you shag ‘em.’

As the melody climaxed, Jared’s breathing became more erratic.  His head moved with each beat and tone.  Then it came to a stop.  A low C-note hung in the air, teetering as it slowly drifted away.  The music had been pouring out of him so freely that I hadn’t even considered the emotion that must have been flowing through him as well.  Sure, he was a flirt, and a comedian, but he was also an old soul. He hung his heart on his sleeve and wore it there proudly. 
“That was beautiful, Jared,” I whispered through my tears.

He jumped in his seat, turning to face me.
 “I didn’t hear you come in.  How long have you been standing there?”

“Not long.  I didn’t mean to interrupt.  I heard you playing when I came in.”

Jared stood up from the piano bench and walked toward me.  “You didn’t interrupt, McKenzie.  I was just fiddling around.”

He wrapped his arm around my shoulder as we walked across the hall to our office.  “Well, your fiddlin’ was beautiful.  Have you thought about selling that melody?”

Jared released me as we entered the office.  He followed me to my desk and perched himself on the edge.  “My work isn’t for sale.  You know that.”

I sat down in my chair and turned on my computer.  “People need to hear the beauty you write, Jared.  It’s a tragedy for it to go unheard.”

“My music never goes unheard.”  His light brown eyes looked almost gold as he peered at me from under his long lashes.  “I have a wonderful audience in you and the children.”  

He often used his own music around the children.
 The emotion that came out in his music was very soothing to them.  I loved how it would calm a child that was in the middle of a full melt down.  Melt downs were never easy, because the child loses control of their emotions.   Most people believe it’s just a child throwing a temper tantrum, but in reality, it’s a child who can’t gain control, and it’s scaring them.

“Very true, but I want to see you compose outside of this classroom,” I stated firmly.

“Someday,” he replied, patting my hand.  His crooked smile caused me to grin.  Talking about his career helped me take the focus off of my own problems.

“It better be,” I reiterated.

Jared’s laughter warmed me, but it didn’t escape my notice that his smile didn’t reach his eyes.  He was worried about something.  That was plain to see. 

It shouldn’t have come as a shock to me when he asked, “So, are you going to tell me what’s wrong?”

But it did, leaving my mouth drooping like a fish.  “How did you…”

He lightly brushed his thumb under my eye.  “You’ve been crying for awhile.  More so than normal.”

“I knew I should have used some of Olivia’s makeup today,” I scolded myself.  There was simply no use in lying to Jared.  I opted for the truth instead.  “I left Nate last night.”

“You did what?” he exclaimed.

“Don’t look at me like that,” I demanded, instantly forcing him to wipe the shocked expression from his face.  My shoulders slumped forward, resting my elbows on the edge of the desk next to his thighs.  “I couldn’t take it anymore.  The loneliness was stifling.”  I clasped my hands together, staring at my blank computer screen.

“I’m proud of you.  I know you love Nate, but for once you’re thinking of your well-being.”  Jared pulled my fingers apart and took my hand in his.

“Why does everyone keep saying that?  You, Liv, and God only knows my mother will when I tell her,” I huffed.  “I feel horrible about this.  I hurt him.  I left him.  I ran away.”

Jared gently tilted my face to meet his eyes.  “McKenzie, you’ve done nothing wrong here.  He hurt you.  He left you.  And you didn’t run away.  You took care of yourself for once.  Quit worrying about Nate.”

“Easier said than done,” I whispered.

“For you, that’s very true.”

I shook the mouse connected to my computer, and instantly it hummed to life, allowing me to pull up my schedule for the day.  It gave me a great escape from the conversation we were having. 

“Looks like I’m here all day.  My first appointment is at 9:15, so I need to get some flash cards printed out.”

Jared didn’t hesitate.  He knew I meant the conversation was over.  He gently patted my hand.  “I’m here all day as well.  What do you say to having lunch with me off campus today?  My treat.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“My treat,” he repeated. 

I laughed.  “You’re not going to let me out of this, are you?”

“Nope.”  He smacked his lips, as he pushed away from my desk without another word.

I shook my head watching as he left our office and headed back across the hall.  Refusing to think about anything, I immediately threw myself into my work, grateful for something that would finally take my mind off of Nate.
 

The day passed by rapidly, and I was happy that I didn’t take Olivia’s advice to stay home.  I felt better being around the children.  Their bright, smiling faces brought joy to my day. 

My final session before lunch ended a little early, so I began straightening up the observation room.  Moments later, Jared’s shaggy, blonde head peeked in.  “You ready?”

“Sure.
 Where’re we goin’ anyway?”

“I was thinking The Sandwich Bar?”

“Sounds great.”

I stacked the remaining flashcards on the table, and hurried into our office where I grabbed my purse, and followed Jared out of the school. 

“Let’s take my car,” he suggested.

I rolled my eyes.
 He would do anything to show off his Mustang.  It wasn’t my place to argue, so instead, I slipped into the passenger seat after he chivalrously opened the door for me.

Once I was secured, he strutted over to the driver’s side and fell in.
 The roar of the engine would have woken the dead had we been near a cemetery.  Strong vibrations idled through the vehicle allowing its passengers to feel the power under the hood.

Gas poured through the internal combustion system, sending it breezing down the streets of Sarasota, invoking onlookers to bask in its American muscle glory.  Rubber met asphalt leading us to our destination. 

Jared was respectful of my silence. He didn’t pressure me.  Instead, he allowed me to be lost in my thoughts, as I stared out the window. 

When we arrived, Jared wasted no time jumping out of the car to open my door.  He offered me his hand and helped me from the bucket seat.

“Make sure to look both ways,” he teased as he escorted me across Main Street.  Hanging over the front door of the restaurant was a faded brick colored awning with the name of the facility inscribed in huge white letters.  The Sandwich Bar was your average small town institution.  It had been open since the fifties and there wasn’t a soul in Sarasota that hadn’t had one of their sandwiches. 

As we walked into the sandwich shop, my mouth began to water.  The smell of the fresh bread was intoxicating and reminded me that I had neglected my body by missing breakfast. 

Much like any bar around the world, neon signs adorned the dark paneled walls which were contrasted by the light colored tile on the floor.  Leather covered booths lined the walls of the restaurant, while individual tables and chairs were scattered ergonomically for optimal service.  Circular florescent lighting was arranged around the area, casting a dim yet bright glow around the room, and a bar was set up near the back for the afternoon drinkers.

The urge to order a Coors Light was overwhelming, but I refrained since I had to return to school.  I was proud of myself for not succumbing to the power of the delightful brew. 

We were quickly seated and placed our orders.  I ordered my customary salad.  They had the best chef salad in town, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity of enjoying such a treat. 

Our table was stationed close to the front, near a window.  Jared and I chatted idly while we waited for our meal to arrive.  He talked about everything but the elephant in the room.  The waitress arrived with our food.  When she placed my salad before me, Jared groaned with a dramatic roll of his eyes. 

“I bring you to a sandwich shop and you order a salad.  Are you afraid of getting fat?  Because let me tell you, sweetheart, that’s not an issue you need to be concerned about.  You’re perfect.”

I poured Italian dressing over the greens.  “I just like their salads here.”

“If you say so,” Jared groaned even louder, before taking a bite of his overly stuffed Italian meat sandwich.

I tossed my salad, ensuring everything was evenly mixed before taking my first bite.  We ate in silence, watching as people passed on the street.  I always enjoyed people watching.  It was funny to me the things people would do when they think no one is looking.

A heavy set man walked past the front of the building wearing a faded green overcoat that barely wrapped around his sizeable abdomen.  His meaty finger was shoved so far up his nose that his knuckle quite literally disappeared into the recesses of his nostril.  When that wasn’t enough for him, he circled his finger around a little bit, then extract this sausage size appendage from his nose.  Following it was something nasty and green to which he wiped across his jacket.  I couldn’t help but think to myself that he was lucky that his boogie matched his jacket, but it would be unfortunate if someone brushed against him later.

“At least you’re smiling,” Jared said.

My focus on the booger guy was lost.  I returned my attention to the cutie, with his mouthful, dinning with me. 

“Hmm?”

He dropped his sandwich on his plate to take a drink of his soda.  He then cleared his throat.  “Do you feel like telling me what happened over the weekend,” he finally asked.