Broken

by Robin Nadler

  Lila shook her head. “He isn’t angry. He is just worried about me.”

  Susan sighed. “He’s right to be angry. I haven’t been totally honest with him.”

  Lila felt the uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach return. “What do you mean?”

  She looked at Lila and began. “You know what happened to David, right? You know what June did?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, I was the one who helped June get to David, indirectly, but it doesn’t matter.” She looked at her hands. “I went out of my way to tell David not to treat her. I had a feeling that she was bad news and I angered her enough to come after David.”

  Lila listened to what Susan wasn’t saying. “You’re lying to me.”

  “What?”

  “You’re not telling me the truth. Whatever you’re holding back, David deserves to know what happened.”

  Susan smiled. “You’re feisty, aren’t you?”

  “When it comes to those I love, there is nothing I won’t do. I pray there isn’t some dark secret you’re hiding, because David adores you, but this needs to end.” Lila felt her eyes fill as she spoke to Susan. She needed this to be okay for David.

  “Straightforward. I like that,” Susan nodded. “Okay. I needed money. I would love to say it wasn’t something so basic and guttural, but it is what it is. June offered to pay me if I would get her in to see the famous Dr. Bryant and I did. She told me she wanted a baby and couldn’t get pregnant. I felt terrible about it because everything about her was wrong, her paperwork made no sense and after she came, I began to get phone calls from her husband, asking me to get David to donate for them.”

  Lila was livid. “You said Paul was her brother. You knew he was her husband? You met him in my room. You saw him in my house and you didn’t tell us? You knew how dangerous they were and what they wanted? ”

  Susan cried. “I made up the story about Paul being her brother because I was trying to get David to be careful and take the threat seriously. Paul was very dangerous, but I had no idea they would go so far.”

  “What did you think they would do? They would just ask David to give them sperm? Susan, how could you not tell him?” Lila was shaking she was so angry.

  “I know. I should have told him, but I didn’t think they would take it so far. I had no idea what they were planning.”

  Lila’s eyes flew open. “What do you mean they?” She looked at the older woman and her heart sank. “Paul was the other one in the room when June attacked David, wasn’t he.”

  Susan nodded. “Yes. I put the pieces together when David went missing and called the police.”

  “How could you not tell David any of this?” Lila repeated incredulously.

  “I didn’t think it mattered, but then Paul came after you and I didn’t know how to tell you. I got in so deep that I didn’t know how to get out. I’m truly sorry.” Susan wiped her eyes.

  “What else is there? There’s more you aren’t saying,” Lila countered. “What are you leaving out?”

  “What does it matter? Both June and Paul are dead and they can’t hurt you anymore. I love David like he was my own son and I messed up, I get that. I just want you to know that I’m sorry. Maybe you can talk to David and explain why I did what I did. I let him down and you down and Julia down. I will do whatever I have to in order to win his trust back.” She stood up and looked at Lila.

  “I’m sorry.” She began to leave and Lila looked at her.

  “Wait.”

  Susan turned around and looked at her.

  “You helped me when I was really sick and you have helped David for a long time. I believe people deserve second chances, and family should always get the benefit of the doubt. I can’t promise David will agree, but I would like to try and mend this relationship,” Lila said. “I don’t want David to lose faith in what he thought was real and true.”

  Susan nodded. “Thank you Lila. I can’t say I would do the same thing if I was in your position.”

  “I’ll call you in a while,” she said.

  “Thank you,” Susan said and left.

  Lila sat down and put her head in her hands. She didn’t know how she was going to tell David what Susan did. She didn’t have a lot of time to think because David pulled into her drive.

  Chapter Fifty-Seven:

  David came into the house and put his bags down. He was so happy to be there and for them to be together. He walked into the family room and peeked in on Little T and Adam and Eve.

  “They seem to be doing well,” he grinned and turned to her, seeing immediately something was bothering her.

  “Lila? What’s wrong? Do you feel okay?” he sat down and touched her face.

  She took his hand in hers and smiled. “I’m fine, I feel amazing.”

  “So what’s wrong?” he was confused.

  “Susan was here. I need to talk to you about some things.”

  He sighed. “I’m not going to like this, am I?”

  She felt her eyes fill with tears and she slowly filled him in on what Susan had said.

  David sat there, stunned. He tried to process what she had said. He stood up and paced before he stared out the window.

  “Do you want me to leave you alone?” She walked over to him and stood back a little, not sure what to do.

  He turned to face her. “Lila, how could she do this to me? How could this have happened?” His eyes were watery and he wiped them angrily.

  “I’m truly sorry, David. If it helps at all, she seems truly sorry.” She walked to the couch and sat down.

  He watched her and walked to sit next to her. “She let them do things to me and you that are horrific, Lila. I thought my life was over. You were held prisoner and left to die as well. How can I ever look at her again? How can I trust that anything I knew growing up was real? Family doesn’t do that, Lila.”

  She shrugged and felt her tears spill over her cheeks. “I’m sorry. I wish I had an answer to help you. I wish I could say I understood. There are holes in her story and to be honest, the more I think about it, the more questions I have.”

  He brushed her tears and tilted her face to his. “What are you thinking?”

  “She said it was about money. Why didn’t she just ask you? Why would she allow a psycho woman to manipulate and blackmail her instead of swallowing her pride and simply asking you for help?”

  Shaking his head, he sighed. “I don’t know. It doesn’t make sense, but what possible motivation would she have? “

  “I don’t know. I don’t understand any of this. I just want you to be okay, David. I need you to be able to move on from this.” She put her hand on his thigh.

  He pulled her to him and hugged her tightly. “I am with you and that’s all that matters. We are going to start fresh and nothing will stop that.”

  “I just don’t want you to doubt your instincts or what you have always known to be real. Susan is the woman you have known your whole life. This doesn’t change your memories or your past. She was wrong, absolutely, and I don’t know if we can get past that, but it will be so much worse if you let this haunt you,” she coughed and he was concerned.

  “Hey, that sounds bad, Lila. What’s going on?”

  She motioned for him to grab her inhaler and she used it again. He sat with her while she caught her breath.

  “Okay, I’m good.” She saw his worry. “I had to use this a few times today after cleaning. It’s okay; my lungs aren’t 100% yet.”

  “I hate that you were so sick. I hate everything about this.” He ran his hands through his hair. “I’m going to talk to her.”

  “No, I don’t think you should just yet. I think we need to think this through and figure out what we’re missing. I think there is someone involved that Susan isn’t saying.”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know what to believe anymore. I trusted her with my life, Lila, what does that say about me?”

  “Whatever it says, I’m involved, too. I trusted her the same way.
I know this is a mess, and I don’t know her motivation, but I do know that she loves you; however she shows it. Please don’t doubt that.” She stroked his cheek and smiled. “Right now I am sitting here with the man I love and for the first time in months, I am truly happy.”

  He nodded. “Me too. I don’t know how I would have gotten through this without you. As horrible as this is, being with you makes it seem less bad.”

  “I’m glad. At least that’s something,” she yawned and he looked at his watch.

  “You should take a nap,” he said.

  “I want to take a bath and then I will. I think a nice soak will be soothing.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Okay, but I wonder if you would have more fun if you weren’t alone.”

  “You do? Who did you have in mind?”

  “Adam isn’t coming near you in the tub. I think you need a handsome and debonair doctor to attend to your needs,” he nibbled on her neck.

  “I think that would be amazing,” she said and they made their way to the tub. Lila went to get undressed while David filled the water. She stood at her bed and sighed as she tied her hair up on top of her head.

  “Tonight I will sleep in my bed,” she said to no one.

  David stood there and watched her. He knew it was bothering her not to be able to sleep in bed and he would try to get her over that hump tonight.

  “It’s ready,” he said.

  She turned and saw him with a towel around his waist. She walked to him and dropped her robe, taking his hand as they both got in and sat down, facing each other.

  “Tell me something,” he said.

  She smiled and lay back, her feet by his thighs. “Sure.”

  “What do you see when you look at your future?”

  She was quiet at first. “If you had asked me that six months ago, I would have had a very different answer. I guess my priorities have changed.”

  “How?”

  “I never thought I would fall in love. That changes things, in a wonderful way. I never saw myself wanting to spend time with another person and now I can’t imagine not being with you. I see my future as happy. That’s strange for me,” she shrugged.

  “I can understand that,” he moved to close the gap between them. “But don’t forget; the feeling is mutual. I see you as well, in every dream I have,” he pulled her mouth to his.

  She ran her hands over his body, the water trickling down and around. She rested her head on his shoulder and he rubbed her back.

  “I love you, so much,” she whispered. “We’re going to get through this.”

  Chapter Fifty-Eight:

  They had sat in the tub for a long time, holding each other and talking about everything and nothing. Finally, David decided they needed to have dinner and then Lila needed to sleep. He helped her out of the tub and went to get something ready while she got dressed.

  Lila brushed her hair and pulled on a t-shirt and a pair of shorts. Despite the turmoil of the situation surrounding them, she felt an amazing sense of peace and love, and it was all because of David. She walked out of the bathroom and saw him waiting for her.

  “Are you feeling okay?” he asked her softly.

  “I feel amazing and kind of hungry,” she smiled.

  “Well then pizza is here. Let’s go eat.”

  She paused. “Can we eat in here?”

  He was surprised. “In bed?”

  “In bed.”

  “Your wish is my command,” he grinned and went to grab the food. He came back and put down a few beers and some plates and the hot box of pizza that was just delivered.

  “So shall we stand and eat?” he grinned.

  She laughed. “I’m working on it.”

  He sat down on the bed and looked at her. “Come sit with me.”

  Nodding, she walked over to the bed and sat down on the comforter.

  “Think of it as a soft table. A soft table with a handsome man waiting to eat with you.”

  She exhaled and looked at him, taking the beer he handed her. He put a piece of pizza on a plate and put it next to her and then he took one for himself.

  “So, tell me about your first boyfriend,” he grinned and took a long drink of his beer.

  She ate some pizza and smiled. “Justin Butler.”

  He laughed. “Gee, you didn’t have to even think about it.”

  Blushing, she shrugged. “When someone gives you their cupcake during lunch, you have to remember them. A way to a man’s heart may be through his stomach, but never underestimate the power chocolate has on a girl, even in elementary school.”

  “I see. So I should have brought a chocolate cake for dinner?”

  Her eyes opened wide. “That would have been amazing.”

  They both laughed and she looked at him. “Okay, who was your first girlfriend?”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Mabel Diskin.”

  “Mabel? That’s old fashioned; I like it.”

  He took another slice of pizza. “Her mom never wore a bra.”

  Lila almost choked. “What?”

  “All the guys wanted to go to her house because she wore sheer clothes and never wore a bra. I was lucky enough to be invited over a lot.”

  “Very nice. Poor Mabel never knew you were using her to gawk at her mom,” Lila took another slice.

  “I made sure to gawk at Mabel as well, don’t worry.”

  “That’s comforting.” She laughed and then sighed.

  “What is it?” he cleaned up the pizza and put it on the table next to the bed.

  “Nothing. I just can’t believe how much has happened in such a short time. It’s overwhelming to think about it.”

  He put his beer down and took hers as well. He moved closer to her on the bed and brushed her hair behind her shoulder. “I know what you mean, but I look at it as the journey we had to take to find each other. We will never have to be alone anymore, Lila. I love you and I need you.”

  She reached up to cup his face in her hands. “I love you, too.” She pulled him to her and lay back on the bed, his mouth on hers and her hands moving over his back.

  “Do you know how beautiful you are?” he asked as he lay next to her, his hand tracing a line across her cheek to her chin.

  “When you look at me like that, I feel it in my toes,” she smiled. “No one has ever seen a part of me you have. I have never let anyone so far into my heart.”

  “Isn’t that a good thing?” he moved his hand to her shoulder, never breaking contact with her body.

  “It is, but it’s also terrifying. You have incredible power over me, David. I don’t think I’ve ever felt that way.”

  He smiled. “You act like that’s one sided. You own my heart, Lila. You have the ability to make or break me and just like you, that’s not something I give easily. With you, it wasn’t a choice. I just need you.”

  She pulled him against her and he moved to pull her shirt off before he pulled his shorts off as well. They moved under the covers and he grinned as she felt his erection against her side.

  “Do you want to know something?” he asked huskily.

  “I want to know it all.”

  “I don’t even think about it anymore. When I look at you, my body responds. Do you have any idea what a gift that is?” he ran his hands over her body.

  “That’s the sexiest thing you could have said,” she whispered and watched him cover himself before he quickly slid into her, causing them both to moan as the sensations filled them.

  They didn’t talk anymore, they simply loved each other, every move a powerful statement and every kiss a bond. They truly were it for each other and the efforts it took to get them to this place was worth it. This was a profound love, and one neither of them wanted to end. Tonight was about them, and nothing else.

  A while later, Lila lay next to David, her head on his chest and his arm around her back. They were both sound asleep, for the first time, in her bed.

  Chapter Fifty-Nine:

  “Are you nerv
ous?” David asked as he and Lila made their way into the hospital the next morning. Lila was heading back to work and he knew it would be hard to face things in her office.

  “I was, but now I’m just excited to move forward, you know? So much of my life has improved and I am going to look forward and not back.”