Rock Me Gently

by HK Carlton

  Lainey sent Jason a pathetic plea for help. He grinned at her discomfort. She’d backed herself right into that one.

  Henry and Jill headed for the door. “Well, that was easier than I thought it would be,” Henry said.

  “Told ya, piece of cake,” Jill responded as the door swung shut.

  “This has been the strangest day of my life,” Lainey remarked.

  “Close up and let’s go home, and I’ll try to top it.”

  “Sounds good.”

  Lainey hurried to close the shop.

  * * * *

  Jason watched as Lainey pored over the paperwork spread all over his counter at home. He wished she’d just sign the freakin’ papers already. He’d talked to Cam several times during the day. He was Jason’s attorney and a family friend. He’d gotten Jason out of quite a few little scrapes while he was living the life of a rock star. Plus, their moms had been best friends since forever.

  “I don’t see anything wrong, Jason, but I just don’t feel right about it. Something seems off. I mean, silent partners? I don’t get why they’d want to invest in a sinking ship.”

  “Well, obviously they don’t see it as such. They must see your potential.”

  “What potential? I’ve obviously done a fine job, running the place into the ground so far.”

  “Quit being so hard on yourself. Thad had equal if not more of a hand in bringing the shop to where it is today. He’s the one that wants to see it fail. If you leave it up to him, you’ll have nothing.”

  The phone rang. Jason grabbed it.

  “Hello?”

  “Hello, Jason, your Lainey is lovely. We all loved her. You’ve done well for yourself for once.”

  “Thanks, Ma. I think so too.”

  “Val was brilliant today, the way she pulled out Cam’s card. Did Lainey hear from him?”

  “Yep.”

  “I take it by the one word answers you are not alone.”

  “Ya got that right.”

  “Okay, I’ll talk to you later, Jase.”

  “Thanks for everything, Mom.”

  “My pleasure. Bye for now.”

  “Bye, Mom.”

  Lainey smiled. “Do you talk to your mom every day?”

  “Practically.”

  “That’s so sweet.”

  “Do you have parents, Lainey? I’ve never heard you mention them.”

  “My dad’s gone and my mother took off when I was a baby. I don’t even remember her.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  She shrugged. “My dad did a good job, considering. When Thad and I found out that I was pregnant, he moved in with my dad and me, you know, after graduation and getting married and all. We didn’t stay long, though, before we got our own little apartment.”

  “Was it just you and your dad? No siblings?”

  She shook her head.

  “How about you? Are you an only child?”

  “Yep, just me. I’m sure my mother thanks the good Lord every day for only one of me.”

  “I don’t know. She seems pretty proud of you.”

  “Why’d you and Thad only have one?” Jason asked, carefully.

  “He was too focused on his career. We didn’t really know where we were going to end up either. It’s just easier to pick up and transfer one, wherever you get drafted or traded to. I never really missed having another one, though. Jilly kind of broke the mold, you know? She’s kinda perfect.”

  Jason watched the soft look on Lainey’s face as she talked about her daughter.

  “She is pretty great.”

  “You don’t have to say that. But thank you.”

  “I mean it. Or I wouldn’t say it. So she and Henry look tight again?”

  “Mmm. He’s a good kid too. I don’t mind seeing her with him. That Boyd kid, though—that would be another matter.”

  Jason laughed. “Are you going to sign those already, so I can jump you before you have to go home?”

  “Oh, is that what you’re waiting for? I don’t need to sign them right away. Jump me now.”

  He’d rather she sign first but if this was the only way, so be it.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The next day at school, nearing the end of the day, Henry walked into Jason’s classroom.

  “I think we have a problem, J-Dub.”

  As Jason looked up at him, Henry slapped a magazine into the middle of his desk.

  On the cover was a picture of himself and Lainey, kissing on his front porch.

  Gold Digger Sets Sights on Ex Rock God Jase West read the headline.

  “Ah, fuck off! Where’d you find this, Henry?”

  “They’re everywhere and I know that Jill’s mom is going grocery shopping tonight, because I have eaten them out of house and home recently.”

  “Do you know where she shops?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Has Jill seen this?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “We’ve gotta get those magazines out of the store before Lainey sees them. I haven’t had a chance to tell her yet.”

  “I know, why do you think I’m here? But who’s to say she doesn’t see it somewhere else? Or what if someone mentions it to her?”

  Jason shook his head. One problem at a time.

  He and Henry rushed to the grocery store and bought up every last magazine.

  “This is all well and good, if this is the grocery store Lainey uses? What if she goes somewhere else for a change? Are you sure this is the one?”

  Henry got on the phone with Jill and convinced her to go shopping with her mother after she closed the shop.

  “Henry, what are you up to?” Jill asked.

  “Okay, Jill, I’m going to level with you. Westlake and I just bought up all the tabloids in the store, don’t ask why. You can guess. So you have to make sure your mom goes to that grocery store.”

  “Oh fer fuck’s sake! If my mother is plastered over those fuckin’ rags again…”

  “She is, and Dub hasn’t had time to come clean yet.”

  “What’s the freakin’ hold-up?”

  “He’s gonna tell her this weekend.”

  There was a long pause. “Okay, but after this, if he doesn’t tell her, I will.”

  “Thanks, Jill. I’ll see you later.”

  Jason held out his hand. “Thanks, Henry.”

  “No prob, J-Dub. Remember this while grading my next paper.”

  * * * *

  He knew immediately when he walked in that something was off. Lainey looked up from the counter, but the usual warm welcoming smile didn’t follow nor did the standard ‘Hey, handsome’.

  “Hey, Lainey love,” he said.

  “Hello, Jase,” Lainey remarked.

  “What’s goin’ on?” he asked, carefully.

  “You tell me.” She turned the laptop his way. His alter ego leered back at him.

  Jase closed his eyes and tried to gather himself. Fuck! “Lainey. I was going to tell you.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me the first day? Or the second? Or at the coffee shop instead of telling me those women were from the PTA. You had ample opportunity to level with me. Why the secrets?”

  “I was afraid that you wouldn’t want to see me, because of my past. Because of your experience with Thad. And then there’s the press to consider.”

  “You’re right. I wouldn’t have wanted to but I’m not sure that I would have been able to resist. You didn’t give me that choice. But we’ll never know now, will we?”

  “Lainey, I’m sorry. I just wanted you to get to know me. The me that I am now. I’m not that guy anymore.”

  “No. You’re not that guy. Or maybe you are. I don’t really care. But you are a liar. And I have no use for that kind of person in my life. Please leave.”

  “Lainey, come on. Hear me out. Please. Can’t we just talk about this?”

  “There’s nothing to say. You should have told me. Instead I had to learn it from yet another person from my past. Who had the time of her
life telling me all about you.”

  “Who?”

  “It doesn’t matter who. She was some skank back in high school who always had the hots for Thad, but he never gave her the time of day, back then. But she was, apparently, one of the many that he slept with behind my back more recently. In my home, no less. I don’t think she knew when she first came in here that I was misinformed, but she took great pleasure in filling in the blanks when she realized I hadn’t a clue as to what she was talking about. Poor, pathetic Lainey, she’s always the last to know and the first to be lied to.”

  After gathering up the bank deposit bag, she then closed the laptop and headed for the door. “You know, I should have guessed. The Bugatti all in itself should have tipped me off. I should have gone digging then. Some small time band, huh?” She paused at the door. “Are you leaving, or am I locking you in?”

  Jason strode to the door. “Please, can we talk? Will you give me another chance?”

  She locked the door then turned to face him. “You know, I probably would have, if you just being Jase West was the only thing. But the underhanded way that you went about ‘helping’ me with a lawyer, the store and the ‘backers’ was over the top. The West Group? Really? You couldn’t come up with something a little better? And when I asked you if you’d heard of them, you just lied so seamlessly. No thanks. Been there, done that. I’m just glad I didn’t sign the papers. You’re no better than Thad, Jase.”

  Jason watched as she stalked off down the street toward the bank.

  * * * *

  Lainey let herself in to her empty house. Jill had gone to visit Thad. This was supposed to be the wonderful weekend alone with Jason. Lainey finally let loose with the tears she’d refused to give in to all day.

  Lainey wondered if Jilly knew about her teacher. Of course she must. Everyone else in town seemed to know the truth. The question was why hadn’t Jill come clean? Why had she kept Jason’s secret? Because she had wanted to protect her mother or had she wanted to sabotage the relationship? And how could she think that about her own daughter? This sucked!

  Lainey did what she always did when she was upset. She cleaned.

  About every twenty minutes either her cellphone would chime or the house phone would ring. Lainey checked every time just in case it was Jill. But it was Jason.

  So when the phone finally rang and it was Jill, Lainey took a minute to get to it. She was up to her elbows in dish suds, so she just hit the speaker button so that she could talk and wash at the same time.

  “Hello, Jilly. Made it to Dad’s okay?”

  “Mom, you have to come.” Lainey’s heart dropped when she heard the panic in her daughter’s voice.

  “What’s going on, Jill?”

  “It’s Dad. I told you he wasn’t answering my texts. He’s in the hospital, Mom.”

  There was a knock at the door. Lainey turned and was not surprised to see Jason outside. She hung her head. She didn’t want to deal with any of this.

  Against her better judgment she opened the door for him.

  “Mom, are you still there?” Jill asked.

  “Yes, I’m still here.” Lainey looked up at Jason stonily. “Where are you?”

  “I’m at Dad’s right now. I’m waiting for his coach to come and pick me up. He’s going to take me to the hospital to see him.”

  “What’s wrong with him?” Lainey had a sneaking suspicion it was drug related and that he was in a rehab center.

  Jason closed the door and leaned against the counter, waiting.

  “Mom, I think it’s bad. The guy who called said something about Post-Concussion Syndrome. It isn’t steroids at all. Mama, I think he has brain damage.”

  She’d never discussed her concerns about steroids with Jill.

  Lainey felt dizzy for a moment. It would be much easier to deal with knowing that Thad’s sudden change in behavior was drug induced but not this. There was a serious concussion problem going on in several of the major league sports divisions recently. It was all over the news. Hockey and football being hit the worst with this type of serious head injury. Was she to believe that none of this was Thad’s fault?

  “Mom!”

  “Yes, I’m here, Jilly.”

  “Please. Will you come? I’ve talked to him. He needs you. He’s asking for you.” Her daughter sniffed back tears.

  “Jill. I can’t. I’m sorry. I can’t help him. It’s not my place anymore.”

  “What do you mean? It wasn’t his fault, Mom! Don’t you see? All those awful things he did weren’t his fault. He’s sick! You have to! Please. For me? If you won’t come for him, please, I need you. I don’t know what to do.”

  Lainey looked up at Jason. His expression was impassive.

  “Mom!”

  “I’ll be there first thing in the morning, Jill.”

  Her daughter dissolved into inconsolable tears after that, then there was a dial tone.

  Lainey walked over and hit the speaker button a second time, cutting off the grating noise.

  “You’re seriously going to go to him?” Jason asked.

  “I’m going for my daughter.”

  “Then I guess this isn’t important to you?”

  “About as important as it was to you.”

  “What’s changed since this morning? I mean really? What’s different? So you know what I used to do for a living, which, in all actuality, I told you. So what? The things that have happened between you and I haven’t changed.”

  “Everything has changed. You lied to me. You can’t begin a relationship built on lies. I’ll always be waiting and wondering what’s next? Just like I did with Thad.”

  “For one thing, I’m not Thad. But you’re running back to Thad anyway. You must love having your heart stomped on.”

  “Clearly.”

  “Then I’ll get out of your way.” He turned for the door. “But let me leave you with one thing that you need to think about while you’re off saving Thad. I love you, Lainey, and that’s God’s honest truth.”

  He stared at her a good thirty seconds before he walked out.

  The horrible truth was she loved him too.

  * * * *

  Lainey landed at the airport and was greeted by several of Thad’s teammates—men who had been to their home in happier times.

  “Hi, Kelly,” Lainey greeted. “Ben. Doug.”

  Kelly gave her a quick hug. “I’m really sorry that we have to see each other again under such dire circumstances, Lainey.”

  They escorted her to the treatment facility where Thad was being cared for. Jill was there. She embraced Lainey. “Thank you,” she sobbed.

  Lainey stroked her hair as she turned to face Thad. He was sitting up in the hospital bed. He watched her stoically.

  “Come on, Jill, let’s go find you something to eat, while your mom and dad talk.” Kelly took Jill by the shoulders.

  Thad spoke first. “Thanks for coming. I didn’t think you would.”

  “I didn’t come for you.”

  Lips pursed, he nodded slightly.

  “I’m sorry, Lainey. For everything that I did.”

  “Sorry doesn’t take it all back, Thad.”

  “I know.”

  “And I’m sorry that you are going through what you are, but it doesn’t change what you did.”

  “I know that too.”

  “Or the things you’ve done since. I don’t believe for one second that you didn’t have lucid moments, Thad, where you knew exactly what you were doing.”

  “You’d be right.”

  Lainey looked up at the ceiling. What the fuck was she doing here?

  “So why am I here, Thad?”

  “I needed to apologize, in person. I will regret for the rest of my life what I threw away, Lain.” She could almost believe he meant it.

  “We had it all. Now, I’ve got nothing. I’ve lost you. My career is over. I’ll never play ball again. Everything we always wanted. I had it and let it slip right out of my grasp.” He covered
his face. Lainey sat down in a chair by the bed.

  Thad uncovered his tear-streaked face. His obvious pain and sorrow hit Lainey squarely in the chest. “I still love you, Lain. Can you ever forgive me?”

  “How can you ask me that?”

  “Because I need to know.”

  She was afraid to answer. She hadn’t even spoken to the doctors yet. She had no idea how bad his condition was or what the prognosis might be. What if she said the wrong thing and he hurt himself?

  “No. I can’t,” she answered, quietly.

  He gnawed on his lip for a moment. “Jill said you were seeing someone.”

  “Yes, I was.”

  “Is it serious?”

  “It’s too soon to tell.” She had no intention of discussing Jason with Thad.

  “I never thought you’d see other guys.”

  “I never thought you’d see other women. But I didn’t come here to rehash all that. What do the doctors say?”

  “I’m supposed to have an MRI on Monday and a CT scan to check on the severity of the damage. They’ll go from there.”

  She nodded. “We’ll go from there.”

  * * * *

  Jason walked into class Monday morning after passing a lousy weekend, surprised to see Jill in her seat.

  “Good morning, Jill. How’s your dad doing?”

  “He’s okay, thanks. He has some tests scheduled for today, then I guess we’ll know more.”

  “When did you and your mom get back in?”

  “I got in late last night. My mom stayed with my dad,” Jill finished, looking down at her desktop and not at him.

  Well, that just put everything into perspective and made the knot of dread in his belly ten times worse.

  * * * *

  Lainey waited in Thad’s room while he had his tests and read through the mounds of material the medical staff had left for Thad. The long-term effects of what Thad might be facing were staggering. Post-Concussion Syndrome ran the gamut of symptoms, including headaches, depression, anxiety, irritability, mood swings, vertigo, cognitive problems involving memory, concentration, and thinking, change in behavior, and in some of the more severe cases, the onset of early dementia, and even suicide.

  “Hey, you’re still here.” He seemed happy to see her. “Isn’t she great?” Thad said to the nurse pushing his wheelchair. “That’s my wife.”

  “Very nice, Mr Markham.”