Jamie slams the file into the rack before leaving the nurses station and heading down the elevator then through the lobby. He'd finished his morning rounds and was stopping by Krystal and Carmen's to meet Zach for lunch then it was back to the clinic to interview pediatricians for the rest of the afternoon. He was glad to be busy it had kept him from thinking about seeing Francessca in Rego's arms last night.
He'd walked into the foyer on his way up the steps to check on Francessca and Logan. She'd gone up to check on him some time ago and hadn't come back when he'd spotted Rego kissing his wife! She'd said it was just a spontaneous action on his part after a close moment! Way too close if he had anything to say about it but he hadn't. He'd remained cool and nonchalant he'd just nodded at their explanation and made the momentary small talk until he'd left. Maintaining his composure had been his close moment his fist had itched to punch the polite grin right off his smug face!
"Oh hello Jamie. What's going on is your absolutely wonderful wife just sold me a house." He says looking at Francessca and winking making the later laugh. Jamie looks from one to the other confused and mildly uncomfortable with their closeness.
"What?" Jamie says the look on his face making both Francessca and Rego laugh.
"Francessca will explain it to you I have to get going. Good to see you Jamie. Thanks again Cess I'll be in touch." Francessca smiles back as Jamie looks on.
" Bye, try to have a good night" Rego laughs turning back as he get to the door.
"From your lips to God's ears love." He says making them both laugh as he opens the door.
"See ya Rego, talk to you soon." She says watching him walk toward the door as Jamie watches her. He waits a moment for the door to close behind him before turning back to his wife.
"Do you mind explaining what the hell that was that all about?" He grumbles his eyes burning into hers. Francessca glares back him annoyed by his tone yet amused by his jealousy.
" What's with the attitude?" She asks her eyes and tone challenging him back. Jamie steps away from her rolling his eyes as he runs his hands through his hair.
"Come on you know what the attitude is about. I don't like him hanging around."
"He wasn't hanging around he was moving out. If you remember your step father threw them out this afternoon. I went upstairs to check on Logan and Rego was putting our son to sleep. All I did was give him Miriam's phone number so he could find a place to live. You have a problem with me not wanting your stepbrother and his pregnant wife to be homeless? I didn't know you thought I was the world's biggest shrew!" She glares back at him aggravating him more.
"You know that's not it and you know darn well why I don't want him around and neither should you!"
"What is wrong with you Jamie? What do you want me to do? How unnatural would it be if I didn't want the man that delivered my son around? The same person who is also his Uncle a member of his family. Oh, and acted like an overprotective idiot every time I saw him?" She finishes her voice dripping with sarcasm as Jamie stares back at her shamed into silence.
"You know if I didn't know any better I'd say you were jealous." She says walking past him and back into the living room smiling to herself.
She was wrong about the other thing she'd said he wasn't jealous he was worried. Of course he didn't want Rego around for the obvious reason and neither should she. But, she was also right when she pointed out how ridiculous it was to hide Logan from him. That would only be more suspicious. Still he didn't trust Rego or the strange bond that had developed between them. He especially didn't like the way he still looked at her. There was that longing in his eye. It had been there since the delivery and he didn't like it. Then again who could blame him with the albatross he'd rung around his neck. But it wasn't envy or a longing for what should have been he still wanted her. He could tell! Why else would he constantly be in their orbit? Everything about Rego was too close lately for his liking and today was proof!
The image was burnt into his brain and as hard as he tried he couldn't fight the overwhelming feelings of jealousy he'd felt at that moment as irrational as it was. He knew his wife loved him he didn't doubt that and he trusted her. What he didn't trust was Rego and his wife's ability to not tell him the truth about their son. What telling him about Logan would do to the family they had built together and what having Rego back in their lives as a constant would do to it as well. He was happy with the status quo. He loved his wife and his son he loved their life and he didn't want any of that to change not if he could help it and keeping their secret was the best way to keep it that way. He thought as he walked through the entrance of the restaurant. He looks around quickly spotting Zach at one of the tables and heads towards it.
"Hey Zach! Thanks for meeting me." He says quickly shaking his hand then sliding into the booth across from him.
"Nice to see you Jamie. I umm have to admit I was a little surprised by the invitation. Everything okay with my niece and great nephew?" He says leaning back in the seat his eyebrows raised questioning smirk on his lips. Jamie shakes his head as he leans forward lowering his voice as he speaks.
"No, they're perfect. I ahh just had a couple of questions I wanted to ask you?" He says nervously then waiting as the waitress sets glasses of water in front of each of them then handing them menus before leaving. Zach smiles and nods his head at the waitress as he opens the menu speaking to Jamie as he reads it.
"What's on your mind Jamie?" Jamie looks back at him sheepishly. Now that the moment had come he wasn't sure exactly how to phrase his question. The moment made even more difficult as Zach sat staring back at him expectantly.
"If you could do it all over again would you have ever let Ryan know he was Spike's father?" He blurts out. Zach raises one brow as he sits back in the seat and contemplates Jamie's question. What would he have done? He thinks back to everything that had happened in his mind since he'd switched the sample vials all those years ago. Telling the truth back then may have saved them all a lot of pain but would he have the life he had now?
"Jaime things happen the way they do for a reason. What's going on with you? Are you worried about Rego and Francessca?" Jamie grimaces pushing the menu to the side.
" I'm not worried about Francessca." He grumbles.
" So you're worried about Rego why? What's he done?" Jamie stares back at him feeling silly and ashamed. He couldn't think of anything Rego had actually done all of it was within the lines of brother or uncle would do the exception kissing his wife.
"Honestly nothing other than being his normal irritating self." Zach looks at him feeling slightly irritated.
"Then I don't understand the problem Jamie?" He says as he raises his hand signaling the waitress they were ready to order. Jamie groans in frustration.
"Honestly Zach I don't know I just feel something. Somethings not right Zach I can feel it." Zach sighs heavily.
"Jaime, and trust me on this. You can't spend your life worrying about what might happen. You can't prepare for it and you can't avoid it. And from my experience no matter what you do to try and stop it, it's going to happen anyway. Whatever is coming is going to come and there's not a dam thing you can do about that. Look you have a a beautiful wife who loves you and a beautiful son. Don't go looking for trouble okay? Just enjoy what you have now. The future will take care of itself." Jamie nods his head in agreement knowing Zach was right. He was just buying trouble.
"I know, you're right, you're right" Jamie mutters. Zach sits back in the booth stretching his arm along the back of the seat and takes a good look at Jamie. He looked pensive and mildly annoyed but he wasn't sure at whom and there was something else he couldn't quite put his finger on.
"You want to tell me what's going on with you Jamie? Are you really that worried about Rego from what I hear he's got his hands full."
"I don't know he just seems to always be around more and more lately and he and Cess..." He starts his voice trailing off for a moment as he swallows hard. He and Cess what? Stopped hating each other and you liked it better when they did? Whispered the small voice that had been haunting him.
"I'm just afraid that she's going to...." His voice trails off again as he stops and looks around them. Zach smiles and nods in agreement.
"When and if she ever does you'll deal with it but I know my niece well enough to know she wouldn't do anything without discussing it with you first. Jamie nods his head.
"I know." He grumbles. Zach smiles remembering his Ryan years and the complete albatross he'd been.
"I empathize with you Jamie I really do. Perhaps now that he's no longer living at your mother's and this "Founders Day" thing is over they'll have a lot less chance running into each other." He smiles reassuringly hoping his words would somehow help and his next ones not hurt.
"But, even if she does it's her choice remember that. " He warns then looks down at his ringing phone.
"Hold on a second I have to take this.... What's going on?" Dax breathes a sigh of relief in the other end.
" Zach I have a bit of a situation here. I've managed to contain it but I think you should get back here." He says as Zach's brow creases.
"What are we talking about?" Dax chuckles into the phone.
"We're talking trashed ex sister in-law of district attorney, wild party trashed room a sundry of alcohol and catering bills and the icing on the cake gambling debts to certain members of our professional gambling community as well as to us. Entire suites of rooms shut down. Oh and did I mention Cops everywhere."
"I'll be right there and I'll call you back from the car." Zach's says ending the call and turning back to Jamie as he pulls his clip from his pocket pulling off a couple of bills and laying them on the table.
"Sorry Jamie I have to go I have an emergency at the casino but I'll make it up to you. Lunch is on me and why don't you stop by the house later and watch a per game with me we can talk some more if you want." He says rising from his seat as Jamie stands to meet him.
"I have late shift at the clinic I'll give you call. Thanks." Jamie smiles shaking his hand.
"Good and one more thing Jamie don't let your jealousy get the best of you and do something stupid. I'll see you later" He says reaching for his ringing phone as he walks toward the exit.
*Copyright Takeitish Pine Valley Chronicles 2018
Rego and Francessca
Cassandra and Rego
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