Liza presses the button for the elevator and waits for the doors to close before retrieving her phone from her purse. She looks down seeing Wellington calling her again and slides it back inside. She’d been avoiding his calls all morning allowing them to go directly to her voice mail. She couldn’t speak with him right now. Not yet. She needed to talk to Tad. Why, she didn’t know something in her just needed to talk to him before she told Wellington it was over. She looks up at the signboard as the floors pass and passengers get on and off till she reaches the long term care suites and exits the elevator car. She looks around at the newly renovated floor admiring all the detail put into it from the carpets and plants to the atrium and broad windows. It was much more cheerful and gave it much less of a hospital feel she thought as she walked towards Tad's room. She stops in front of the door takes a deep breath and exhales slowly before pushing it open.
"Hey buddy how are you feeling?" She says leaning down hugging him close then kissing him.
"I'm great good to see you gorgeous. What brings you by?" He laughs giving her a good once over and noticing the slight turn of her mouth and worry lines creasing the corners of her eyes.
"I was on my way to court and had a few minutes so I thought I'd stop in and check on you. What's all this" She say marveling at all the screens as Tad whips through clicking then typing.
"Yeah isn't it awesome? All courtesy of my little brother and Slater-Courtlandt" He smiles closing the last screen and turning towards her.
"Wow! It's incredible! So what do spend your time playing games online and watching soaps now?" She teases as she places her briefcase and jacket on the small sofa.
" You are hilarious and no. I'm actually working and I admit it feels a lot better than just laying here watching my toe nails grow." he laughs nodding towards his leg dangling above the bed.
"I'm glad. That had to be driving you crazy." Tad rolls his eyes and snorts out a laugh.
"I was about ready to climb the walls! So what about you? I guess life with Wellington agrees with you." He says watching as the turn of her mouth deepens at the mention of Wellington's name.
"Wellington's great. I think I'm the problem." Tad snaps to attention at the sound of sadness in her voice hoping it wasn't something like she'd gone through with Ryan. He didn't think Wellington was anything like Ryan was then again, he'd have never thought that about Ryan either.
"I know exactly what you're thinking and it's nothing like that at all. Wellington has been nothing but good to me I swear. The problem is me."
"Okay I'll bite what's wrong with you cause if you ask me you look okay to me."
"Ha ha! You're hysterical! I'm serious Tad!"
"Okay, okay I'm sorry seriously what's going on with you?" He asks the jocularity stripped from his tone and attitude.
"I don't know I just get the feeling it's time for me to move on you know?" She asks her eyes searching his looking for what he wasn't sure.
"Wait, I thought you and Wellington were blissfully in love and happy together so what happened?"
"Nothing happened really. I just.... I don't know it just doesn't feel right anymore."
" What do you mean "Doesn't feel right"? He says crossing his arms over his chest one eye brow raised his mouth twisted in distaste. Liza stares back at him striking the same pose.
"Alright prefect example was last night. Actually last night was what made me realize how wrong this relationship really is."
"What the hell happened last night to bring you to this epiphany?" He asks throwing his hands in the air his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"We met up with some friends of his from college last night and I just realized I had absolutely nothing in common with these people."
"You're not dating them." He scowls. Liza shrugs her shoulders in concession then sighs.
"True but then they started talking about their hobbies like going out rock climbing, skate boarding and snow boarding and blah blah. Then Well said how long it had been since he'd done any of that. And I realized I never wanted to do any of those things ever! Then they started reminiscing about the old days and old friends. One specific old friend." She almost whispers as she thinks back on the previous nights events before snapping back to the present. A moment not lost on Tad.
"So this old friend wouldn't happen to be an old girl friend?" Liza smiles her voice dripping with sarcasm.
" Oh she was more than just an old girlfriend. From what I could gather she was the love of his life. Tad, the expression on his face when her name came up. He's still in love with her."
"Are you sure honey? Did you even talk to him about it?" Liza laugh sadness tinging her voice.
"Trust me Tad he may not know it yet but I can see it and so could everyone there last night. The way he looked.... He's never looked at me like that. I want...." She stops then starts again her voice firm and assured. " No, I deserve to have a man who does."
"Do you love him? Is that it?" He asks searching her now puzzled expression.
"No and yes." She sighs heavily plopping down into the chair next to the bed. "I love him Tad but I'm not in love with him."
"Then move on sweetheart." Tad smiles and shrugs as Liza shakes her head.
"Come on Tad you and I both know it's not that simple. What am I going to say? I've already traveled that road and this time I'm taking the detour." Tad chuckles and shakes his head.
"You and I both know it actually is that simple. Look Wellington's not a stupid guy. I'm sure he already knows something up. I'm sure he can feel it without you even saying it. " Liza nods in agreement
"I Know. I just don't want to hurt him. " She looks back at him the pain etching her face.
"I know you don't but don't you think it will hurt more if you draw it out. You and I both know even when you soak the band aid it still hurts a little. No matter when and and how you do it it's going to hurt. You're the only one that can decide how much pain you're going to inflict on the poor guy."
"You're right Tad. When the hell did you get so dam smart?" She laughs
"The day I asked Taylor to marry me." He says growing quiet for a moment lost in his thoughts.
"How are you doing. I mean I know it's hard but are you okay, really?" She asks taking his hand in hers and giving it a loving squeeze.
" Not a day goes by that I don't think about her and the baby. She'd probably just be beginning to show. Sometimes I lay here and think about what that all would have been like. Would I have been running all over town fulfilling all her cravings or daily foot rubs. Arguing over names, who's going to do diaper changes and midnight feedings. Getting to tell her how beautiful she looked. It would have been the first time in my life I would have been there from conception to birth for one of my kids and not missing somewhere in between or all together." His voice becoming strained with his suppressed emotions causing her own tears to sting the back of her eyes.
"I'm so sorry Tad. I can't even imagine what you're going through. I wish there was something I could do to help you."
"Honey there's nothing anyone can do, I wish there was. Just letting me talk about her it helps more than you know. Everyone else seems to want to avoid even mentioning her name. They think I'm going to break or something." He sighs then clears his throat.
"You know I get their just trying to help but..." his voice trails off a moment as if lost in thought.
" Anyway," He says after a moment his emotions back in check. "Enough about me what are you going to do?" Liza shrugs as she checks her watch then walks to the sofa and retrieves her things.
"I knew what I wanted to do before I walked in here. I just need my friend to let me know it was okay." She smiles reaching down and giving his hand a squeeze then kissing his cheek.
"What ever you decide I'm here for you." He says with a smile then gives her hand a reassuring squeeze before letting it go.
"I'll come back tomorrow and let you know how it goes." She says walking toward the door.
"You'd better!" He calls back as the door closes.
"Are you finished "Dear Abby" Phil says with a grin from the side of the bed. Tad looks over at him and rolls his eyes.
"What now Phil I'm kind of busy here." Tad moans as he reaches for the mouse and begins to bring up the screens he'd been working on.
" Have you remembered anything else from that night?" Phil asks hoping Tad had been able to recall more on his own.
"No, and to be honest Phil I don't know that I want to. Why is this so important anyway? What difference does it make huh? Taylor will still be dead and I'll still be here!" He growls shutting a screen and opening another.
"The difference is you could save a life and in doing so save other lives in the process. That's why it's important! Now come on lets see if I can pull anymore out of you." He says reaching his hand toward Tad the later jerking from his grasp.
"Look Phil there's nothing more I'm going to remember about that night that's going to help Jesse find Taylor's killer."
" Come on Tad there has to be something else." He says reaching out and grabbing Tad's hand making Tad feel relaxed and light.
"What did you see while you were lying at the bottom of the ravine. Think Tad." He murmurs softly as Tad's mind floats back to the quiet of the ravine and the tail light flashing on and off. His mind catching on a piece of paper with an odd design he'd stared at as he'd struggled to remain conscious.
"There was this weird slip of paper that kept glittering every time the light hit it with this design." He murmurs as Phil smiles.
"Good Tad good. Now concentrate till the image is etched in your mind." Phil says holding his hand a moment longer then releasing it.
"What the hell Phil?" Tad grumbles snatching his arm from Phil's grasp and rubbing it.
"Big baby I told you, you still had something! Now lets go through this thing and see if we can find it!" He says sitting on the side of the bed and putting his feet up.
"Why don't you do it yourself? Better yet why don't you get what you need from the guy upstairs? What do you need me for?" He says shoving Phil over and reaching for his mouse.
"Because it doesn't work that way dummy most of all we don't question his methods we just do as he tells us. Now use that thing to find it when you do contact Jesse." Phil says climbing off the bed and standing. "I'll see you when you're done." Tad stops his search and glowers up at him.
"So basically you stopped by to give me more work?" Phil smiles down at him before walking to the window.
"I stopped by to help you find the man who destroyed your life before his actions destroy everyone you love. Now get moving!"
"Wait! What?
" I'll see you later bro."
*Copyright Takeitish "Pine Valley Chronicles" 2018
https://takespinevalleychronicles.blogspot.com/2017/08/liza-and-wellington-08092017.html
No comments:
Post a Comment