Crashing Into Me (Crashing Into Me #1)

by R. L. Jackson

  It was Kayden and he’d just posted. She quickly clicked it, but no page popped up. Blocked again, she thought to herself as he often did this to her. She closed the Twitter window down and clicked a program on her desktop, that began running a string of code. A little gift she received from an M.I.T friend of hers, that could unblock her access, it always came in handy. The process would take about twelve hours, but that was fine by her. She needed to keep an eye on what he was up to, in order to know if the plan she and Maureen cooked up had worked.

  Inside she knew it was a little intrusive, but her philosophy was that you never got anything you wanted in life by being passive about it and she applied that as fiercely as she could in every situation. Kim downed the last of the Chardonnay in her glass and refilled it from the bottle that sat next to her computer. She reopened her web browser and clicked on another saved tab. It was a state board of nursing page and Kim smiled to herself as she scrolled the page and sipped her wine in silence.

  ***

  After finishing a dinner of shrimp skewers and risotto, Kayden was back on the phone with Taylor and Associates discussing their course of action for the injunction. It was nearly nine o’ clock and Lana didn’t want to disturb him, so she went upstairs to grab some laundry to throw in the wash to keep herself busy. In her old room she grabbed her jeans out of the hamper and heard her cell phone vibrating. She hadn’t checked it since her last text conversation with Carmen and she really didn’t feel like getting any updates about Sam. It could also be her mother and she didn’t want to worry her as she hadn’t called to check in, in a while either.

  Digging the touch screen device from the pant pocket, she saw three missed calls. One from the Nursing Agency she worked for and two unknown numbers. Who would’ve been calling me from a two-one-two number, she thought?

  She slid her finger across the screen and listened to the first voice mail. It was the charge nurse from the E.R asking her to call about returning early but she hit “seven” and deleted it. They knew her better than that and she would never leave an out of town vacation to return to work early. Who would do that anyway, she asked herself as she listened on.

  The next message was from Maureen. She wanted Lana to call her about an urgent matter and would wait to hear from her. That was from yesterday. Keep waiting lady, Lana thought as she pressed “seven” and deleted it. The third message was from Maureen again, and this time she said it was regarding the state pressing charges.

  “If you care for my son, like you claim you do. Call me immediately,” her message said in its regular demanding tones.

  Now Lana was worried. Was Maureen really about to use her son’s freedom as leverage to get her own way? The message was from earlier that morning when they were out visiting Aunt Mae.

  Lana was pissed and she had some choice words for Maureen, but didn’t want Kayden to hear the conversation either. Easing the door of the room closed, she pressed “CALL BACK” on the phone, it rang once before she picked up. She held her breath as she waited for Maureen to speak.

  “I’ll be making one last stop to the house, Ms. McKenzie. I’ve decided what I have to say needs to be in person.”

  Lana wasn’t sure what to say to her and before she could reply the phone went silent. She sank to the bed in the room, her mind spinning. What is this woman up to now, she thought as she sat there twirling the thin phone around in her hands? She knew when Maureen arrived it would be with her mini entourage. This was a game to her and it was obvious she wasn’t near ready to end it. Dropping the jeans and the rest of the clothing she had, she left the room, preparing to give Kayden the bad news.

  When Lana got down stairs, Maureen was already in the living room, removing her white leather gloves. She was so conniving, she actually answered her from right inside the house. Keeping her head held high and her eyes on Kim who was watching her like a hawk, Lana entered the living room ready to face the music. Kayden was outside chopping wood now and she could see Heathcliff outside with him, the glass doors, pulled closed. How long was I upstairs, she thought, as it wasn’t that long ago he was sitting at the table on the phone.

  Maureen smiled un-genuinely and motioned for Lana to sit next to her. She thought about sitting as far away as possible but opted not to give into those thoughts and sat right next to her. Sitting this close to someone so cruel, made her skin crawl and she couldn’t believe Kayden was produced from this woman.

  Kim sat across from them with a grin on her face, revealing she knew something Lana obviously did not. She thinks she’s won. It’s like Kayden is a trophy to her, Lana thought as she rolled her eyes waiting for Maureen to speak. She watched Kayden swinging the axe outside as Heathcliff appeared to keep him distracted. It was all so calculated and from the look of it, she doubted Kayden knew what was about to transpire.

  “Lana,” Maureen said evenly and slow. “There’s been some interesting developments lately regarding the accident on February twenty first.”

  Lana’s eyebrow raised, her physical manifestation of what stage her patience was at.

  “And what would that be?” Lana asked crossing her arms over her chest waiting for a reply.

  “Before I get into that, I want to clear up one thing first.” She stood from the couch and started her circling act again. Kim kept her eyes on her, the smile on her face widening. It was like she was a hungry hyena waiting for prey to finally die so she could take a bite.

  “I love my son. More than you could ever understand.”

  Lana scoffed.

  “I would do anything for him—anything. No matter how much he’s disappointed me.” She stopped and looked at him through the glass as he chopped wood, his back still facing the door and she spun around and faced Lana again.

  “But there is no one, and I mean no one, I would allow to take him from me,” she finished, her stare burning through Lana’s cornea’s.

  “Do you have a point you’re trying to get to? What’s this have to do with the state pressing charges against him?” Lana asked.

  This time Kim scoffed and crossed her legs keeping her eyes on Lana, waiting and watching.

  “I never said the state would press charges on him,” Maureen replied, the big smile on her face revealing dimples that were quite pretty, but showed just how maleficent she was. At first Lana was confused and furrowed her brows not quite getting it.

  “Take your time dear,” she said stalking around the living room and finally sitting next to Kim.

  “What, you mean me?”

  “Yes, dear.”

  “That’s ridiculous!”

  Lana couldn’t believe her ears. This woman was truly insane if she thought something like that would hold up in court.

  “Is it?” Maureen asked, leaning forward across the coffee table. “You see, one could argue that you were practicing outside your scope of medicine and in providing those services you contributed to the embolism that claimed poor Rachel’s life. You’re not licensed in the state of Georgia are you? So providing any medical service under the title of Nurse makes you liable to any outcome therein.”

  Maureen’s eyes flashed with excitement as she said this, never taking them off Lana. Instantaneously, Lana couldn’t breathe. How could this be happening? Why? Why was this woman hell bent on ruining not only her son’s life, but now hers?!

  “I’m an ER Nurse so of course trauma is within my scope of practice,” Lana said weaker than she intended.

  “True, but that’s in the state of Florida. See here in little old Georgia, your Florida license means shit.”

  It was like a wave of evil crossed her face when she said it and Lana knew she was right. The state could press charges, she could go to jail and with a powerful enemy like Maureen, she wouldn’t stand a chance.

  “I told you to give up, bitch,” Kim chimed, winking at her. Lana didn’t have the energy to deal with her just then.

  “Why are you doing this?” Lana asked, the tears welling in her eyes.

  “B
ecause I know my son. He would fight tooth and nail for you and spend every last dime he had making sure you had the best legal team and trust me honey, he would need every penny to come up against me.”

  Lana could only listen as the tears fell from her eyes. In this moment, she had never felt more hopeless and defeated in her entire life.

  “After all his money is gone, of which he will eventually lose his company, the property he owns and the house he’s building—what will he have then?”

  She stood up now and looked down at Lana. From this angle Maureen looked like the sea witch in the mermaid fairy tale, towering over her. She had never felt so small.

  “He will resort to his old behavior again and probably end up doing something foolish because of it. And for what? You?” she asked pointing at her.

  “Forget your nursing career because you’d never practice in that field again either,” Kim chimed in.

  “At least I went to school and got a degree in something important.” Lana managed to say.

  “So did I honey.”

  “I didn’t know they gave degrees for fellatio,” Lana retorted matter-of-factly.

  Kim’s mouth dropped open but she didn’t say anything.

  “Let’s be a little more respectful here ladies,” Maureen interjected. Lana just smiled at her, her face full of tears.

  “So this is my ultimatum, otherwise I’d be in handcuffs already?”

  “Yes and its simple. Leave Hamby and go home. Don’t leave him a note or an explanation—nothing. Just disappear into the night the way you arrived and move on with your life.” Maureen deadpanned.

  “You’re truly a monster,” Lana said and stood from the couch. She turned her back, not wanting to give them the satisfaction of seeing more of her tears, but mostly she wanted to run outside to the man she loved and tell him everything that had just happened. But she knew she couldn’t.

  “You have three days. The plow trucks will be arriving just in time for you to be able to get back on the road,” Maureen said, “If you contact him after the fact in any way, you’ll live to regret it.”

  “That’s a promise,” Kim finished.

  Lana’s shoulder’s heaved as the pain she was feeling was too great. It was just all too much, but she turned and faced them anyway.

  “How am I supposed to get home? My car is ruined.” Lana managed to say evenly, as she took slow even breaths.

  “I’ll make the arrangements, don’t worry about it. You call me and I’ll have the Captain collect you and your things.” Maureen replied.

  Lana nodded her head, turned around and walked slowly up the stairs. With each step, the tears streamed faster. She placed her hand over her mouth, this time, to stop the scream she felt bubbling up inside of her. She was losing him now, no matter what she did.

  Maureen and Kim looked at each other after Lana disappeared upstairs.

  “You think she’ll tell him?” Kim asked.

  “No, I think she actually cares about him enough not to. She knows he’d ruin himself and she couldn’t live with that. It’s a done deal,” Maureen replied and winked at Kim.

  Heathcliff and Kayden came back inside and Maureen handed him a large manila envelope.

  “I should have known,” he said glaring at Heathcliff. “What, were you both hiding outside when I let him in?” he asked as he tore open the envelope. He looked at the contents and it contained his contract for Aunt Mae’s.

  “What’s this?” he asked confused.

  “That’s Capshaw Realty backing off our offer and allowing KND Properties to continue with your original plan,” Maureen exclaimed.

  Kayden dropped the envelope on the dining room table.

  “Why? What’s your angle mom?”

  “No angle. I heard you the other night is all. It’s time I backed off a bit and let you handle things your way” she lied.

  Maureen walked over to him with her arms outstretched and gave him a hug. He looked over at Kim who smiled and shrugged her shoulders as if she was unsure of what was happening. He hugged her back, not sure what to think.

  Is this real, he thought to himself as she kissed him on the forehead.

  “Come on Captain, let’s go back to the hotel. Give my son the chance to share his news with his fiancé.”

  Heathcliff tipped his hat and the four of them walked down the foyer. When they stepped outside, Kayden grabbed Maureen’s arm.

  “Thank you. You don’t know what this means to me.”

  “Yes, I do,” she replied, and walked towards the snow mobile. Kayden shut the door and spun on his heels yelling, “Baby! You won’t believe what just happened.”

  He ran through the house and up the stairs still not sure of what made his mother change her mind. Things were getting better but they still had a lot of work left to do.

  12

  Lana stood over the sink in the bathroom washing her face free of her the tears when she heard a yell. It was Kayden and he was worked up about something, and she wondered if she should just tell him what happened for a moment. She couldn’t get Maureen’s words out of her mind though and she decided against it. Despite her attempts at “shielding Kayden” from the pain about Rachel, what she would do to him in a few days would be far worse.

  It would make her no better than Kim, Maureen or anyone else who had hurt and turned their backs on him in the past, and there was nothing she could do about it. She was no actress, but would put on her best performance to ensure her physical freedom as well as Kayden’s future. Beaming the brightest smile she could muster in the mirror, her face showed no signs of the previous twenty minutes of her life. Kayden sailed into the bathroom and literally swept her off her feet, as he spun and kissed her.

  Realizing all at once that these would be some of the last kisses they’d share, she returned them passionately, vowing to herself to make the remaining days with him memorable. Her only hope was that someday he could find it in his heart to forgive her, or that somehow he saw through the farce eventually. The truth was, this time next year he could probably be married to Kim. There was no doubt in Lana’s mind Kim would swoop in to comfort him once she was gone. Kayden began talking a mile a minute about what had happened downstairs.

  It took a lot of effort, but Lana put on the best show she could in an attempt to appear excited. He was so busy talking and pacing back and forth about contractors, interior designers and city permits; he didn’t notice the few moments the façade of smiles fell away and turned to heaves as she fought desperately to keep it together. As she spoke, his words faded to muffles and she studied him as he continued. The fact that she would miss waking up to him every day was unbearable. And an understatement, she thought as his voice broke the trance.

  “I’m going to go call Taylor,” he said finally, giving her a peck on the lips and leaving the bathroom.

  She followed him into the room as he left and when he descended the stairs, she closed the room door quietly and locked it. She walked over to the bed and fell onto it, grabbing a pillow and burying her face. She let out the loudest muffled scream she could and wept until the pillow was soaked.

  ***

  Later that night, they made dinner together and all he could talk about was the restoration of the diner. He was on full throttle and there was no way she could think of to tell him the truth without serious repercussions. After they had gone to bed for the night, she waited for him to fall asleep before rolling out of it. Lana put on his bedroom slippers, his thick coat and went downstairs where she raised the dimmer switch to a low glow. The snow had stopped and had blanketed the town again.

  Through the glass windows it looked like a million twinkling lights, the way the moon light hit the snow. She eased the doors open and stepped onto the frosty lanai. It was so quiet you could hear the breath of a butterfly. There was no wind blowing, no birds, not even the rusting of leaves from the huge trees. Everything was just silent.

  It was as if the town was holding its breath and it was the calmest
moment she’d had since arriving in town. Everything with Kayden had been danger, excitement, adventure and drama. Why did you have to step in and help at Aunt Mae’s that night, she asked herself. Because that’s who you are an inner voice replied to her. Why did you have to fall in love with him, she asked herself.

  Because you don’t get to choose who that is, the inner voice replied to her again. Looking up at the moon and the beautiful light show it was giving off, she knew she would never see this view again. Not him, not this house, never step back into the town of Hamby. The tears sprang to her eyes again and this time she didn’t wipe them away. She reached into the jacket pocket and pulled her cellphone out.

  She pressed “Paula” on the screen and waited for the familiar tone of her best friend’s voice. It rang three times and went to voicemail. She hated leaving messages, and hit “End”. She looked down at the phone and hit “Messages”, and then “Carmen”. She pressed “Reply” and typed through her salt water drenched face.

  LANA: I’m coming home.

  A few seconds passed, then her phone vibrated.

  CARMEN: Why?

  LANA: Long story. Ask the charge nurse to put me on the schedule in 72 hrs. The shift doesn’t matter.

  CARMEN: OK…Where’d you go again?

  LANA: Hamby, GA.

  CARMEN: What, too hot to handle?

  Lana looked up at the sky then the bird bath covered in snow.

  LANA: Heat’s the thing that’s the problem here.

  Lana turned the phone off and slipped it back into the pocket. She wiped her face, then took a long icy breath in. Out of nowhere, Kayden’s warm arms were wrapped around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder and it made her jump. She tried keeping her head tilted to the sky hoping he wouldn’t see her still wet face, then he kissed her neck.

  “What are you doing out here?” he whispered in her ear. She shrugged being unable to form words and trying to hold back everything she wanted and needed to say. He turned her around.