by Beth Rinyu
Ashley pulled into my driveway just as I got home. She got out of her car and gave me a hug. "Hey, babe I'm so sorry about last night. I didn't get done till super late.”
"No biggie."
"It is a big deal; it was your birthday." She put her hands on my face and inched closer just as I took a step back. "Jason, what's wrong?"
"Nothing. I'm just all sweaty.” I opened the front door, and she followed me inside.
"So, what did you do last night after dinner? Hang out with the guys from work?"
"No, actually I hung out with Carrie and Gia." I walked over to the kitchen sink and got a glass of water, not wanting to see the snide expression that was sure to be plastered all over her face.
"Oh." Silence filled the room and I wasn't much in the mood to make conversation. "Well, you're awfully talkative today!"
I shrugged my shoulders. "Just tired." Her attention was immediately riveted on the framed photo of Carrie and me on the end table. She walked over to it and took it in her hands, examining it closely. "I've never seen this before."
"Oh, Carrie gave that to me for my birthday."
She let out sarcastic laugh.
"What?" I asked.
"How long is she going to continue to rub in my face that the two of you are the best of buddies?"
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Look at this place, it's like a shrine to Carrie! You have more pictures of the two of you than the two of us."
And here we go again! I walked off to the bedroom to get my clothes so I could shower.
"Okay, fine, ignore me!" She shouted, following behind me.
"I'm not ignoring you, I'm going to take a shower and you can leave or you can wait, but if you choose to wait be prepared to change the topic of conversation."
"Jason, why are you being like this?"
"Being like what? Because I'm tired of the made-up drama you conjure up in your head."
“I’m sorry if I get a little upset because my boyfriend cares more about his high school crush than he does about me.”
“Just leave, Ashley, before this turns into more than it should be.”
“Babe, I’m sorry. I don’t want to fight with you. I just need to know I’m the one you love.” She inched closer to me and I rolled my eyes. I hated this. She would always start a fight and then end it with sex. She knew my weakness. Her hands moved under my shorts and boxers. “I never gave you your birthday present.”
“Ash, come on. I gotta take a shower.”
She looked up and raised her eyebrow at me. “I know and I’m gonna take one with you.” She lifted her sundress over her head and was standing before me in just her bra and underwear. “Are you ready?” she smiled.
I looked her over and let out a deep breath. Why did she have to be so hot, and why did I have to be such a guy and give into it every single time?
Chapter 14
Carrie
“Thanks for letting me borrow your carry-on. I really didn’t feeling like paying to check-in a suitcase!” I said just as I was getting ready to leave my mom’s house.
“No problem. Please just call me as soon as you land tomorrow and then every hour after that.” We both laughed.
“I just gotta get through tomorrow and Thursday and then Brett will be there.” I couldn’t hold back my smile.
“Well, make sure you pay attention to your seminar instead of fantasizing about your time with him.”
“Mom!”
“Oh, wait one second before you go. I made some chicken soup for Jason earlier. Ben said he wasn’t feeling well; would you mind dropping it off to him on your way home?”
“Oh yeah, sure. I didn’t know he was sick - is he okay?”
“Yeah, just a really bad cold.”
I felt bad because I hadn’t talked to Jason in a couple of days. I knew he was working overtime, plus I’d been insanely busy with work and preparing for this trip. I knew that our “almost kiss” from a few nights ago had something to do with it, too. Even though I kept telling myself it was nothing, I knew it was going to make things a little awkward between the two of us. That was the first time since high school that we’d actually came that close to locking lips and I was hoping that it didn’t freak him out. There was no time like the present to find out. We were both adults now. Both committed to other people. I’m sure one little night of being buzzed and almost kissing could be overlooked by both of us. I waited as she put the container of soup in a bag along with some homemade cookies and bread. “Jeez mom, I need to get sick.”
“Well, he’s a guy. Guys can’t fend for themselves, especially when they’re sick. You know they’re even bigger babies.”
“Yeah, that’s true.”
“What’s that?” Ben asked as he walked into the kitchen.
“Oh, nothing. I was just telling Carrie you are the greatest husband in the world.” He rolled his eyes at her and shook his head. “What? I was!” she laughed.
“Have a safe trip, Carrie,” Ben said.
“I will. I’m heading over to see Jason now, hopefully some soup will make him feel better.”
My mother walked me to the door and gave me a hug and kiss.
“Remember…” she shouted as I walked down the driveway to my car.
“I know…I know…call you when I land!” I shouted.
“Good girl!” She shouted back.
I had to stop off at the office to grab some paperwork I had forgotten and needed to take with me on the trip. Luckily, I would be in and out with everyone gone for the day. I fumbled with the key and hurriedly punched in the alarm code before I set it off. The mound of files that Mary had left on my desk were staring me in the face. I would deal with that when I got back. When I looked at the few that were on top, I realized some of them were Gwen’s patients. No wonder why it seemed like so many. As I bent over to pick up the stack that had fallen on the floor one name was blatantly staring me in the face: Ashley Kingston. My hands were shaking. I wanted to open it up so badly and see what secrets she was hiding, but I knew it would be the wrong thing to do. I closed my eyes as I picked it up, trying to pretend it didn’t exist. Everything I wanted to know about that little witch was in this file. But what good would that information do me? All it was likely to do was piss me off and leave me powerless to say anything to Jason for fear of losing my job. Yes, sometimes ignorance truly was bliss. I took a deep breath and was halfway out of my office when something made me turn back around. I knew I should have just kept on walking, but the nosy, catty side was winning out of the ethical professional one. How I had wished Mary hadn’t left these files on my desk or someone would walk in to stop me from what I was about to do. I took a deep breath as I opened the file and scrolled through Gwen’s notes:
Ashley Kingston, 24 years old. Suffers from depression. Alcoholic mother. Father unknown. Occupation: Advertising exec. Marital status: single. Drug use none. Alcohol use: social.
Okay, so far this was mostly everything Jason had already told me about her, minus the depression part, making me feel even shittier for prying into her personal life like this. I lifted the page to the more recent notes:
Started sleeping with her married boss…
Those were the only words I saw. They were the only ones I needed to see. My jaw dropped and my stomach began to churn. That fuckin’ bitch! How could she do this to Jason? I didn’t know what to do. Jason needed to know what she was doing behind his back. He didn’t deserve this, but if it got out to Ashley how he found out I could lose my job or worse yet, my license. How I wished I didn’t open that file. I threw my head back, wanting to cry. My mind was filled with indecision. I just needed to get out of there. I needed to see Jason. Once I saw him, my heart would tell me what to do. I carefully slid the file under the others on my desk, just like I had found it. I was practically running out the door, feeling much like I had robbed a bank for what I had just done. I would never in a million years have looked through the chart of a patient that was
n’t mine. I was feeling lower than low and to make it even worse was what I had learned from the information in that file.
Once I reached my car, I turned up the radio and rolled down the windows, letting the warm early summer air blow through my hair. My thoughts were filled with Jason and the predicament I’d gotten myself into. I tried to think of how I was going to tell him I found out this information, without implicating that I committed a major ethical no-no. I pulled into his driveway and text him, letting him know I was there. When he didn’t respond to my text by the time I got to his porch, I knocked lightly on the front door. Still getting no response, I turned the doorknob and called his name when I entered. I could hear the TV going in his living room, so I knew he was home. “Jas,” I said as I got closer to find him sound asleep on the couch. He looked absolutely horrible, his skin was pale and he was sweating profusely. I bent down and gently placed my hand on his forehead, which was burning up with a fever.
He jumped and quickly opened his eyes at the touch of my hand on his head. “Carrie, what are you doing here?” he asked, half out of it. I knew right that second that I couldn’t tell him now. He wasn’t feeling good, and this was the last thing he needed to hear. I’d tell him when I got back; maybe by then I’d be able think of a way without incriminating myself.
“I was dropping off some soup that my mom made for you. Jason, have you taken anything? You‘re burning up with a fever.”
He sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes. “Yeah, I took two Tylenol this morning.”
“This morning? Jas, it’s eight p.m., you should have been taking them every four hours. Where are they?”
“Where are what?”
“The Tylenol.”
“Oh. The two I took this morning were the last two in the bottle.”
I shook my head and immediately began to fumble around in my purse for my bottle. I ran into the kitchen and came back with a bottle of water. “Here, take two of these.” I said, handing him the bottle of water and the Tylenol. “I’m leaving this bottle here with you….take them please!” He popped them down and I could see it pained him to swallow. “Throat hurt?” I asked.
“It’s on fire.”
“You better make a doctor appointment. You may have strep.”
“Nah, I’ll be okay.”
“Are you hungry?” I asked.
“Not really.”
I got up and heated him some soup anyway, I figured it was worth a try, maybe he would feel somewhat better if he ate a little something.
“Carrie, I’m not really-” I completely ignored him, feeding him a spoonful of soup. “Hungry.” He finished, looking like he was in agony swallowing it down.
“Jason, if you don’t go to the doctor, I’m telling your dad.”
“Oh, no! Please don’t tell my dad!” he mocked.
“Really, Jason, you’re sick as a dog.”
“I’m fine. I’m just hot as hell.” He lifted his sweat-ridden tee shirt over his head and my eyes widened as I was reminded of what a nice chest he had.
“Another spoonful for me….please?” I moved the spoon under his nose. He rolled his eyes and opened his mouth, swallowing it down. “And if you eat a little bit more, there’s homemade chocolate chip cookies for you!” I teased.
“Carrie, that last spoonful felt like barbed wire going down my throat. I think I’ll pass on anymore.”
“Aww….Jas.” He looked so pathetic. Without even thinking, I threw my arms around him and gave him a hug, feeling the heat radiating from his body.
“Carrie, keep your distance. You don’t want to get sick right before you go away.”
I backed away. “You just look so….so…”
“Sick?” he managed his best laugh.
I nodded, trying my best to halt the tears.
“Why do you look like you’re gonna cry? I’m fine Carrie. Really. I just need to get a good night’s sleep.”
“Okay, but will you at least try and drink a little more water?”
“As long as you promise not to cry.” He teased.
“Go ahead, make fun of me! I just don’t like seeing my friend in pain.”
“I’m not making fun of you. I think it’s very sweet of you.” I stuck my tongue out at him. “I do!”
“I don’t believe you!” I stuck my tongue out again.
“So are you all packed?”
“Umm no…well, actually yeah. I just have to transfer the clothes I packed in my suitcase into the carry-on bag I just picked up from my mom.” He nodded. “Oh, Teigan came in with his dad today and we had a nice, long talk. He really opened up to his dad and he promised he’s going to try harder.” He seemed content with that little bit of information, and I was happy when he didn’t ask for more details. I didn’t want to elaborate too much and delve into exactly what we discussed. Even though Teigan meant a lot to Jason, I still had to treat him as a patient and keep what was discussed behind closed doors confidential. We talked for a little longer, but I could tell he was getting tired not to mention it was hurting his throat to talk. We sat in silence watching TV for some time before I finally worked up the nerve to bring up the other night. “Jas?”
“Hmm?” he barely turned his head, thoroughly engrossed on what was on the television.
“We’re okay with what almost happened the other night, right?” He finally looked in my direction and gazed at me as if I’d taken him off guard with that question.
“What do you mean?”
“Umm….the night of your birthday, and how we almost ……you know.” Kissed, Carrie. Just say it! It’s not a dirty word, but saying it out loud made it all seem too real, and the fact that deep down inside I was kind of wishing it had happened made me feel like a horrible person. I needed to hear from Jason that it meant nothing, and then I could just dismiss it as the aftereffects of too much alcohol. He was quiet for a moment as a knot formed deep inside the pit of my stomach. I couldn’t take the silence anymore so I did what I did best when I was nervous…..rambled. “I mean, we’ve been down that road before and both agreed that we are just friends.....alcohol makes you do some crazy things, right?” There, I said it. Everything I wanted Jason to say to me to put my mind at ease, I had said instead.
He took a deep breath and gave me a half-hearted nod, turning his attention back to the television. Not quite the response I’d been hoping for. I stared at his perfect profile as he ran his hand through his hair and faced me once again. “We’re cool, Carrie. It’s fine.”
I nodded and smiled, trying to seem interested in whatever he had on the T.V. but my mind was a million miles away. I knew I should have been happy with that answer, and it was totally ridiculous of me not to be. His best friend was my boyfriend, the same man that I was going to be spending the weekend with while Jason spent his with a girl who was cheating on him behind his back. I felt my blood boil just thinking about it again and I wanted so badly to just tell him.
“Hey, Jas?” when he didn’t respond, I looked over at him and laughed at the sound of his snores on the other end of the couch. I stood up, fluffed his pillows and placed them back down on the couch. “Jason, lay down,” I whispered. He briefly opened his eyes and lay down, falling right back to sleep. I was relieved that he was feeling much cooler when I brushed my hand along the side of his cheek. “Goodnight, Jas. Feel better,” I whispered, placing a gentle kiss on his forehead.
***
Jason
I awoke the next morning, feeling a little better. I didn’t even remember Carrie leaving last night. It meant so much that she’d come over to take care of me. She was genuinely concerned. I got up and took the carton of orange juice from the fridge. The first sip was painful but after a few more, it got a bit more bearable. Maybe I could forgo that trip to the doctor after all. It was as if Carrie was reading my mind when I read the text that had just come through:
Hope you’re feeling better. Drink lots of fluids, try and eat and GO TO THE DOCTOR!
I grabbed my phone, gett
ing ready to reply. In just a few more days, she’d be engaged to my best friend. Part of me wished I’d kissed her the other night. Maybe I should’ve let her know exactly how I felt: that I really did wish I had taken her up on her offer all those years ago. That I wanted her to be with me and not with my best friend, and that my feelings for her were becoming stronger with each passing day. I raked my hand through my hair, wanting to reply to her message with all of those things, but I couldn’t. I had to let it go and be happy for her and the new chapter that was going to begin in her life in just a few short days.
Chapter 15
Carrie
I answered the knock on my hotel room and threw my arms around Brett when I saw him standing on the other side. “Happy birthday!” I grinned.
His eyes widened in appreciation and his lips were on mine in an instant. He lifted me up and carried me over to the bed where we made love, allowing me to temporarily forget my woes.
“What’s wrong?” Brett asked while he played with my hair as we lay silently in each other’s arms.
I let out a deep sigh and looked up at him in the darkness. “I found something out the other day, and I’m keeping it from Jason, and I feel just awful about it.”
“What is it?” he asked.
I knew I shouldn’t say anything, but I felt like I was going to burst if I kept this inside me any longer. “Ashley cheated on him.”
