Francessca walks into the clinic carrying the lunch she'd ordered from the Tai place Jaime and herself since they'd both been so busy over the past few weeks they hadn't had much time to spend together. When they were together all they did was bicker. Coming by with his favorite would be kind of a peace offering she thought smiling to herself .
"Afternoon Ladies." She said as she placed the boxes of cookies she'd bought down on the counter. "I bought you ladies something to go with your coffee later."
"Thank you so much!"
"Jaime hasn't taken lunch yet has he?"
"No, he's in with the last patient before he goes to lunch. You can wait in his office if you want and I'll let him know you're here. And theses," Peggy says dangling the boxes strings on her finger tips. "I'm going to put in the break room. Thanks Doll!"
"Anytime!" Francessca smiles back then hums to herself as she walks back toward Jamie's office. She didn't expect resolution for all the issues they'd been facing lately. But, they needed to start spending more time together. Maybe what they needed was a moment to catch their breaths and catch up. Their lives had been so hectic lately they barley had enough time to say hello. Her bringing them in lunch would give them a few minutes together even if nothing got resolved. She thought as she opened his office door. She places the bags down on top of the desk then walks behind it to retrieve some napkins from the drawer before pulling the contents from the bag and placing the containers on the desk next to them.
"Oh wow! You bought us lunch." Ivy calls from behind her smiling to herself as Francessca jumps her hands and body go into defense stance at the sound of her voice.
" What the hell! Ivy!" Francessca snaps noting the brief satisfied smile on Ivy's face. Ivy places the file she'd been reading on the sofa as she stands and walks towards the desk meeting Francessca's annoyed stare her words sounding unapologetic to Francessca's ears.
"Sorry I didn't mean to scare you." Ivy smirks unable to hide her amusement. Francesca smiles back her hands and shoulders relaxing as she sighs. This woman she thought silently, was not going to steal her glory! Not today!
"It's okay I just didn't see you there. How are you?" She asks over her shoulder as she continues setting up the desk for lunch.
" I'm okay." Ivy responds her annoyance mounting as she notices Francessca had not set a place for her.
"What are you doing in here?" Francessca asks trying to make light conversation as she waited for her husband. She hoped he'd be a long soon so she wouldn't have to speak with this woman any further. Something about her set off Francessca's alarm bells and whistles.
" My office isn't ready yet so Jaime and I are sharing his until mine's finished." She smiled back politely.
"Oh." Francessca said as she folded the empty bag placing it under her purse before shrugging out of her coat and hanging it on the coat tree.
" So are you still working on that thing with your ex?" Ivy asked knowing from her conversations with Jaime it was sore topic between them. If nothing else the topic would certainly slap that happy grin off her face.
" You mean Rego and the 'Founder's Day' celebration?" Francessca smiles back her voice even showing none of the venom she felt at the moment. Ivy was intentionally trying to bait her she instantly saw through the game she was trying to play.
" Yeah that. Jaime was telling me you two are almost done. Boy, will he be happy when that's over! I mean I really admire you for that.
"You admire me for what?" Francessca stares back at her looking confused which she was sure was the reaction Ivy expected.
"You know, being able to work shoulder to shoulder with him after what he did." Ivy states hoping it would take some of the shine off Francessca's apple.
" Well as I said before Rego is family and this is for charity." She smiles back
"Yeah so you said. But, it's got to be just a little uncomfortable for you. I mean I remember Jaime the last time Rego was here. He was going on and on about how annoying his being around all the time was."
"Well you know family's fight and then they kiss and make up. It's nice you and Jaime are getting to know each other so well." Francessca says keeping her voice carefree and absent of her true feelings. Ivy stares back her surprised she could remain so nonchalant.
" Well you know when you work together and share an office you end up chatting and sharing a lot."
"True, I'm sure Peggy and the rest of the ladies in the front office are glad their ears are getting a break." Francessca says with a laugh truly enjoying the frustrated turn of Ivy's lips. This woman was itching for some kind of confrontation and Francessca wasn't sure why. All she knew was she wasn't going to give it to her. She watches as Ivy sniffs at the air as her mind searching for another topic to pounce on and finding it.
"Smells good!" Ahh there's what Francessca had been waiting for. She was fishing for an invitation she wasn't going to get.
"Thanks it's one of Jaime's favorites." Francessca smiles as she pushes the chair closer to the desk enjoying Ivy's notable frustration then change of tacit.
"So what brings you here? I thought Jaime said you were on assignment today?"
" I had a break from work I thought maybe Jaime and I could have some lunch spend sometime together. What about you? Where are you off to?" She asked giving her the first hint she wasn't invited to stay and eat with them
" I was going to run over to "McKays" and bring Jaime and I back something, but now I see don't have too." She giggles looking down at the desk and surmising they could squeeze out more than one extra plate if she really wanted too. The wanting too being the problem and Francessca wanting too was not an option she could tell before she'd even spoken.
"Yeah about that. I'm really sorry Ivy I honestly forgot all about you. I only bought enough for two." Francessca said smiling politely yet letting her know without a doubt that she was not invited to stay even though they both knew there was more than enough. Leaving a very pregnant pause between them only broken by Jamie's surprised entrance.
" Hey honey! What's going on in here?" Jaime says as he comes into the office stopping to kiss his wife before inspecting the containers on desk top.
" I stopped by one of your favorite places and bought us a little lunch."
" Oh wow! Thanks honey!" He smiles broadly before kissing her again this time the kiss becoming more passionate as Ivy looked on feeling annoyed by her back and forth with Jaime's so called wife. As she was getting to know him she still couldn't understand how someone like Jaime would be married to such a polite arrogant bitch.
" Yeah, I was just telling your wife I was going to go to McKays and pick up lunch for the two of us." Ivy says looking at Jaime expectantly the maneuver not lost on Francessca.
" Oh I'm sure we could..." Jaime starts before being cut off by his wife before he can finish the sentence.
" Yeah, I had to apologize to Ivy before you came in. I only picked up enough for the two of us." Francessca says starring back at Ivy daring her to challenge her further her smile broadening as Ivy body language angrily concede the battle.
"As I said before don't worry about it. Really. I'll see you both later." Ivy says as she moves toward the door watching over her shoulder as Jaime and Francessca kiss again then chuckle as they sit and begin opening the containers. She closes the door behind her and walks out to the empty lobby to grab her coat from the rack before heading out the door and towards the parking lot. All hopes of having lunch with Jamie again today were torched as soon as she arrived. Ivy thought as her feet slapped mercilessly on the pavement. Each step further feeding her annoyance. She just dismissed her from her own office! Exactly just who did that bitch think she was anyway? She might be riding high right now but Princess was in for a big fall. It was just a matter of time. Not that she'd notice anyway! She was spoiled used to getting and having whatever she wanted when she wanted. Greedy bitch wanted two men! One in her bed and one waiting in the wings for Jaime's curtain call. A woman like her could never appreciate a person like Jaime who was good and kind christian man. Someone thoughtful and considerate, funny and compassionate. No, she didn't appreciate him and she certainly didn't deserve a man like Jaime. Was her final thought as she revved her car out of the parking lot.
"Baby thank you so much for picking up lunch this is great." He say leaning across the desk and kissing her check.
" You're welcome. I'm really glad you're enjoying it." She smiles back.
" It was just what I needed. Although I feel kind of bad you know about Ivy."
" Yeah me too. I honestly forgot all about her. But really, it's not our responsibility to feed her." She shrugs knowing she hadn't forgotten her she had no intention of including her after the encounter they'd had before Jaime had arrived, she didn't care if she starved! Besides, Ivy had already been there two weeks. Long enough for her to feel comfortable enough to be independent of Jaime and start branching out on her own. Ivy was weird and today proved it. That innocent helpless act was just that! She may have Jaime fooled but she wasn't.
" She new in town it sucks to eat lunch alone."
"Yeah it does. But she's a big girl she'll be fine. Besides how else is she going to meet people? How often do you guys have lunch together anyway?" She asked her curiosity getting the best of her. Jaime shrugs dropping his used napkin into the empty container then shrugs.
"I don't know couple two three times a week I guess. I haven't mind. It's actually been kind of fun." He says then begins to chuckle as he speaks. " Yesterday when we were at McKay's I was telling her about your camping trip with your cousins coming up. I was telling her how you were staying at the cabin and we got in to this debate how it wasn't really camping unless you were actually sleeping outdoors." He chuckles as his wife weakly smiles back at him.
"Actually we're going fishing!" She teases back. "You guys share a lot huh?"
"Well, it's hard not too when you share an office." He replies as he gather up the rest of the waste and tosses it in to the trash bin.
"That's what she said." Francessca retorts making them both laugh. " So what's her story?"
" Not much more than what I've already told you."
"Yeah, like what." She coaches hoping to get more insight in to what made Ivy tick. As Jaime thinks back to their lunch yesterday and smiles devilishly.
"Oh, I bet I never told you she was engaged before she came here?"
"Ooooo do tell." She says rubbing her hands together like a conspirator and laughs
"Yeah, she was engaged to some doctor Kyle I think she said his name was, at the hospital she was working at. They broke up a few months before she took the job here." He shrugs and his wife ponders.
"Did she say why they broke up?" Her curiosity genuinely peaked.
"No, but I kind of got the feeling he left her." Jaime speculates sure he hadn't been listening fully when Ivy had mentioned it. That was only in passing.
"Why? What did she say." Francessca asks. Jaime shrugs.
" I didn't want to pry but it wasn't really what she said but how she said it." He chuckles before reclaiming his chair.
" Oh, interesting. So what have you told her about us?" Francessca smoothly guides the conversation. She'd be lying to herself if she said the things Ivy said hadn't chaffed at her just a little even though she would never give her the satisfaction of knowing that. What was bothering her more was just how deep Ivy and Jaime's conversation got about she and Jaime.
"I don't know just stuff I guess. You know wherever the conversation takes us. Why?" He replies starting to feel a little uneasy at the direction the conversation had taken. Exactly what was she accusing him of now. Wasn't he able to have idle conversation or even confide in a college without checking with her first now?
" Just curious. Some of her comments are a little personal for someone I just met. Do you talk about us with her too?" Jaime thinks a moment to the conversations they'd had over the past few weeks then shakes his head.
"No, I don't think so, I mean may have mentioned a couple of things about Rego after you guys left the other day." He says as a pang of guilt hits him. He said more than a few things as far as Rego was concerned in fact there were a couple of times he'd vented like "old faithful". He'd known he shouldn't but he needed it and she was there willing and easy to talk to. For a change unlike everyone else she made him feel justified and unashamed of his feeling towards Rego. At least she understood without knowing all the details why the man was annoying and he had to admit it was really nice to have someone that understood his side.
" Well that explains it."
" Explains what?" So Jaime had found himself a confidant in Ivy. It explained why Ivy felt comfortable making her comments and her hostility earlier.
"Some of comments she made about Rego and me."
"Really like what?" Jamie asks unable to keep the slight ring of sarcasm from his voice. A tone that didn't go unmissed by his wife.
" Rego." She says flatly her gaze searing his guilty conscious.
" Yeah, I was pretty annoyed after you left the other day. I guess I gave her kind of the wrong impression when we were talking. Sorry." He mumbles as his wife rolls her eyes her hands slapping her legs loudly.
"Come on Jaime! I don't tell all our business to some rando co worker every time you piss me off!"
"She's not some rando. We've gotten to kind of know each other over the past few weeks and become friends. Besides, we're the only doctors here we can't help but talk. I'm sure she was just feeling a little protective."
"Wow, so you've become so close that she feels she can protect you from your wife and you feel you need protection which justifies her actions. What the heck have you been saying to her Jaime?
" Nothing really I don't think. I was just venting."
"How much 'venting' did you do?'
" Just a little." He says sheepishly making her sigh heavily as she reaches over and takes his hand in hers.
"Promise me in the future you"ll be a little more selective about what you discuss with her?" Jaime pulls his hand from hers waving it dismissively his next words tinged with annoyance.
" I was just blowing off a little steam. What do you want me to do? Not talk to people?" Francessca sighs calming her voice before she speaks knowing instinctively that she couldn't let her anger cloud her words or it would just make matters worse.
"No. I'm not saying don't talk to people. Talk to your Dad, Jr, Jake your grand father your cousin Phillip, Brot your stepfather. There are like a million other people you can have that conversation with besides a person you barley known."
"So what topics can I talk to her about with her? Hold on let me get a pen!" He says sounding peeved and amused at the same time.
"Anything else Jaime!" She pleads. "The two of you are free to talk about anything else in the world you like! I'm just asking you not to share our personal problems with her. That's all okay?
" Okay, okay I won't."
"Thank you."
" Wow, whatever she said really got to you huh?"
" Lets just say, it's not the first time but it had better be the last. I don't need attitude from her when I come in here. And, I really don't want it to get mean or nasty okay?"
"Okay." He say pulling her to him and holding her but something in his tone not giving her the comfort she'd hoped.
Jaime and Ivy
Jaime and Francessca
Jamie, Francessca Rego and Ivy
Jamie and JR
© Copyright Takeitish "Pine Valley Chronicles" 2020
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