by Tina Gayle
“That’s the strange part. Derek is claiming we’re married.” Jillian studied her friend. Could she pull off another lie?
“Married? That’s not what you told me the other night. You said that he left before you got married.”
She couldn’t do it. “I know, but with the blow to the head, his memory is foggy. He can’t remember anything about his last assignment.”
Karen Ann grabbed Jillian’s arm. “What have you done?”
“I told Jason we were married,” she confided tearfully.
“Why?”
She wiped at her tears. “What other choice did I have? He remembers marrying me. He wanted to marry me, he would have married me. I’m the one that got cold feet. I can’t let him down.” She begged for understanding. “You can’t tell anyone the truth.”
Karen Ann picked up her coffee. Jillian waited, uncertain as to how her friend would handle this news. “You know you’re asking for trouble.” She sipped her coffee then set it back down. “But you’re my best friend, so, yes, I'll keep your secret.”
She sighed with relief and hugged her friend. “You’re the best.”
“I know.” Karen Ann grinned. “So when is your husband due back?”
Jillian drew in a deep breath. “Saturday. I called Michael this morning and told him about Derek. He’s coming down Friday so he can drive me to Dallas the next day. We’ll close the store early on Saturday.”
“Does Michael know about the baby?” Karen Ann leaned against the counter.
“No, I wanted to save some news for when Derek gets home.” Jillian shook her head. “Jason already wants his brother to stay in Dallas to keep us apart. But I know he'll never go for it.”
Karen Ann’s eyes widened. “Then you want him to come live here with you?”
“Yes. Where else would he live? After all, we’re married,” Jillian reminded her friend, and tried to drill it into her own head.
“Yes, but are you sure you want him to come stay here while he’s still sick?”
“He’s my husband, remember, in sickness and in health.” She clenched her fists. If this farce was going to work, she had to stand beside him and not let people pull them apart.
“Okay, Jill, calm down.” Karen Ann slid her arms around Jillian.
The fact that her best friend was her only supporter made Jillian hug her closer. “I’m sorry. I guess I got carried away. It’s just that Jason said the same thing. What are you all so worried about? Derek would never hurt me.”
“All right.” Karen Ann picked up her drink. “If Michael is coming down Friday night, do you think I can convince him to take me out again?”
Glad for the change in subject, Jillian offered support for her friend’s budding relationship. “Sure, why not? He seems to have enjoyed your last date. He asks about you every time he calls.”
“Well, maybe I’ll give him a call.” Karen Ann glanced at her watch, and stepped to the door. “I’ve got to go. Call me if you need me. My last appointment today is at four-thirty then I’ll be over to check on you. Remember to take it easy. We don’t want you upsetting the baby.” After a quick wave, she strolled out of the store.
Jillian stared at the closed door. What was wrong with everyone? Had she suddenly lost her ability to take care of herself? Why were people telling her to call if she needed them? Had she ever needed anyone before?
She thought about this for a moment. Maybe it was Derek they were really worried about. She couldn’t see any reason why she would need any help.
****
Near the end of the day, Jillian heard Karen Ann’s voice out in the store.
“Hey, what’s going on?” She stepped out of her office and watched her friend coming down the aisle.
“Nothing, how about with you?”
“Well...” dragging the word out slowly, she answered. “Derek is scheduled to arrive at DFW at 6:51on Saturday night, which means, we’ll probably spend the night in Dallas and come home Sunday.”
“Who’s Derek?” John Paul asked.
Jillian turned and stared at John Paul. She hadn’t noticed him standing so close to them.
“He’s my husband. He’s coming home from Germany on Saturday.” Knowing this would have to come out sooner or later, she thought she’d help the rumor mill of Gladewater.
“Oh! I didn’t know you were married.” The boy blinked in surprise.
“You might say that you’re one of the select few who do.” Karen Ann grinned.
“It was a secret,” Jillian explained. “We were waiting until Derek returned from overseas before we made the announcement.”
“Okay.” He hesitated, then continued. “Uh, would you mind if I left today around five-thirty instead of six? I told some of my friends that I’d meet them for dinner and I don’t want to be late.”
“That’s fine.”
“Thanks.” John Paul walked back down the aisle.
“He’s a nice kid,” Karen Ann whispered.
“Yes, he is.” Jillian turned and slid her arm around her friend’s shoulders. “How would you like to go to Longview with me tonight? I want to buy a new bedspread and curtains for the master bedroom. We can get dinner and make an evening of it.”
“You sure? You look tired?”
“No, Mother, I’m fine. Now get going.” She pushed Karen Ann toward the door. “Meet me at my house at six-thirty.”
****
Dozing, Jillian woke when Michael’s car stopped outside Derek’s condo. Memories of their passion-filled weekend flooded her mind as she stared out the car window at the house. A blush burned her cheeks, and she averted her face from her brother.
After drawing in a deep breath, she checked her watch and opened the car door. They didn’t have long before they’d need to leave for the airport. Derek was due in around seven, but she needed to retrieve her ring before they left.
Michael slid his arm around her shoulders when they paused on the front porch. “It’ll be okay, Jill.”
Jason opened the door, cutting off her reply. “Hello, there.” He stood aside to let them in.
“Hi Michael, Jillian. How was your trip?” Kelly, Jason’s fiancée, waved them into the living room.
“I managed to sleep most of the way with Michael driving for the entire trip.” Jillian stepped inside and paused by the staircase.
“It was an uneventful trip, but I’m afraid we may have cut the timing a little close. How soon do we need to leave for the airport?” Her brother didn’t venture into the room as if ready to leave.
“We probably need to get going,” Jason said from behind them.
Jillian grabbed the banister. “First, I need to run upstairs and get something out of Derek’s closet. I’ll be right back.” She raced up the steps.
In his bedroom, she opened his closet, and reached for the small wood box where Derek had stashed her ring. She silently promised to honor the ring that his mother had left him. Sliding it onto her finger, she pictured him. Soon, the lifetime of waiting would be over and he’d be home. She didn’t think he’d leave her alone again. Hopefully, this was his last trip to the Middle East.
Rushing down the stairs, she found herself sitting in Jason's car a short time later on her way to the airport.
“Did you find what you were looking in Derek's room?” Kelly turned from her place in the front seat beside Jason.
“Yes. My wedding ring was in Derek’s closet. I left it there so that I wouldn’t be tempted to show it off.” Jillian held out her hand to show off the gorgeous stone to her brother and Kelly. "It belonged to his mother.”
“I didn’t know your mother left behind some family heirlooms. Why haven’t you ever shown me this before, Jason?” Kelly examined the ring.
“It belongs to Derek. Mother gave it to him years ago to encourage him to get married. There aren’t any other heirlooms,” he replied.
“Right, and even if there are, you don’t want me to have them,” Kelly hissed at him as if the two of them ha
d argued over rings and let go of Jillian’s hand. "It’s a beautiful ring.”
“Thank you.” The deep red stone seem to pulse with the beat of her heart. She remembered the first time Derek had placed it on her finger. Her eyes filled with tears.
The thought of what she could have lost tightened her throat with regret. “He showed me this ring after I had told him I wouldn’t marry him. He told me about your mother. How she’d told him to give it to the girl he wanted to marry. He said I was that girl. It melted my heart.” Eyes full of tears, she begged the others to understand. “I couldn’t say no.”
Michael, sitting beside her drew her into his arms. The others were stone silent. She hoped they believed her.
****
“I need to stop at the little girl’s room. I’ll be right out.” Jillian dove into the women’s bathroom next to baggage claim. She needed a few minutes alone.
Once inside a stall, she fought to breathe deeply. The ride to the airport had been silent and grueling. The other three had made her feel as if she encased in a steel prison while riding along with them in Jason's car. Their uncertainty had ridden over her nerves like wiggling snakes of doubts.
The uncertainty of the future didn’t bother her, but being coddled was driving her crazy. Derek needed their support, not her. Couldn’t they see that?
Digging deep inside herself, she faced the truth. Not everyone was happy about him coming home. Maybe they didn’t want to face his problems, or they didn’t want him to be with her. Whatever the case, he couldn’t stay here in Dallas. He has to come home with me.
After washing her hands, Jillian hurried to baggage claim. His plane would be arriving any time now, if it hadn't already arrived. She glanced at her watch, rushing to be there to greet him. Searching the faces ahead of her, she saw him with Jason. The two were standing about three feet apart. Neither looked sure about what was expected of them. Stepping around a chatty group that blocked her path, she finally caught sight of the brothers sharing a manly hug. She smiled, but had eyes only for Derek. He looked like an injured soldier returning from war. He’d lost weight, and his clothes hung on his body. Beaten, worn, and weak, he held his shoulders straight, his inner strength showing through. Heart full of joy, Jillian had never seen a more beautiful man. Unable to stand it any longer, she sped forward. “Derek!”
He turned and took the full weight of her embrace. Staggering backward, he wrapped his arms around her. Jason steadied them.
“I’m so glad to have you home,” she whispered into his neck and plastered her body against his. Tears streamed down her face. Her heart overflowed with love as she held onto him. “I missed you so much.”
She stared up into his face. The blank stare behind the gray wall of his eyes didn’t acknowledge her. But she didn’t let that scare her. His arms held her as if his life depended on it, even if his eyes didn’t reflect the emotions in his soul. The battle to reach him had begun and she proclaimed what lay in her heart. “I’m so glad that you’re home.” She wrapped her hands around his face and kissed him on the lips. After one more hug, she dropped one arm, still holding him with the other.
“You must be Jillian,” the balding man beside Derek said. The stranger looked to be about forty, with round wire-rim glasses and the sturdy build of a boxer.
“Yes.”
“I’m Kevin. It’s nice to finally meet you. Derek has told me a lot about you.” The man held out his hand.
She shook it while introducing the rest of the group, but never broke contact with Derek. “Thank you for bringing him back home to us. I hope the trip wasn’t too tiring.”
“It was a long trip. He slept part of the way, but I'm sure he's probably still tired. Because of the way we left the Middle East, there isn’t any luggage to claim,” Kevin explained. “That should speed up your getting out of here. I have a connecting flight to catch, so if you don’t mind, I’ll say farewell.”
Kevin turned. “I’ll see you around, Derek.”
Not responding, he just stared at the man. Kevin turned to Jillian. “Call me if you need anything.”
“Thanks again, Kevin. I’m sure Derek appreciates everything you’ve done for him. You’ve been a good friend. If you’re ever in Gladewater look us up.” She smiled and waved goodbye to the man as he walked away.
She turned for the exit, pulling Derek along. “Well, I guess we can go. No point in standing around here.”
Chapter Ten
The hustle and bustle of the people constantly shifting around him over the last eight hours left Derek confused about his surroundings. Now he glanced around the interior of the car. Plush black seats, two people in the front seat, yet a familiar scent greeted his nose—strawberry shampoo. The woman beside him had her left hand resting on his thigh. Another man sat on her other side.
Who was she?
He felt a connection and stared at her hand. A memory tugged at him--something about the ruby stone on her hand sparked a vision. His mind drifted to a different scene.
“Derek, I want you to take this ring.” The gorgeous woman in front of him placed it in his hand and closed his fingers around it. “Give it to the girl you want to marry. Then she’ll know how much you truly love her.”
His mother’s eyes reflected her love as she kissed his hand. “Give it with love and it will return love to you. I want so much for you to be happy.”
Another pair of eyes flashed a different memory. His attention returned to his leg, Jillian’s hand.
He pressed a brief kiss to her hand and whispered, “Mine.” She belonged to him. His wife.
She stared at him, searching his eyes and then her lips move. “Always and forever, I’ll be yours.”
The words filled the void and calmed the pulse of panic beating through his body at his inability to communicate. He gazed into her eyes.
Truth, honesty, love. Could he find all those things with her? The eyes gazing into his showed understanding, hope, and compassion. He had a hard time believing anyone could love him; he’d always been alone. Only his mother had understood his need to protect. Jillian either didn’t mind, or knew him well enough to know he only wanted to safeguard the ones he loved.
The memories settled and he recognized his brother Jason, Kelly, and Michael. And of course, Jillian. While in Germany, he’d wondered if she’d been a dream. Flashes of them making love had haunted his dreams, making him wonder if the whole weekend had been a fantasy.
After the doctors started questioning her existence, he’d questioned himself as to whether or not she was real. Looking at her now, he had no doubts that she was everything he remembered.
She’d been the only reason he’d fought the fog in his head. It would have been easier to let it carry him away to a peaceful sleep, but he knew she needed him. He couldn’t let her down. She was the mother of his baby, a part of him growing inside her. He had to be here to take care of them. That was his job.
A hand covered her stomach. “How is my baby?” His eyes never left her face, he searched for her reaction to his question.
“The baby is fine, Derek.” She placed her hand over his and pressed gently. Her face glowed with love.
“Baby! What baby?” Michael demanded.
“Our baby.” Still gazing at Derek, Jillian answered.
“What the hell is going on here? Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?” Her brother grabbed her arm and yanked her around to him.
Michael’s hand on his wife’s arm sent an electric jolt of energy surging through Derek. He knocked Michael’s hand away, and tugged Jillian back against his chest.
No one touched his wife without going through him. Not even her own brother. Ready to do battle, he glared at Michael, waiting for him to make the next move.
Jillian snuggled closer. “Derek and I decided right from the beginning that we wanted children.” She smiled at her brother. “I didn’t tell anyone because I wanted him to be here to share in the excitement. You should be congratulating us.”
<
br /> Michael leaned back, and Derek relaxed a little.
“Congratulations, you two. When is the baby due?” Kelly interrupted from the front seat.
“That’s great. I guess that means I finally get to be an uncle.” Jason comment held no excitement.
“You and Michael will both be first-time uncles. You’ll have until Christmas to get used to the idea,” Jillian teased. “I hope you two can handle it.”
At the condo, Derek watched as Jason pulled into the garage right next to a blue truck. Once the car had stopped, he waited until his brother passed before he opened the door and helped Jillian out. They started for the door.
She slid her hand along the side railing of the truck. “We’ll take the truck home with us tomorrow, Derek. I don’t want to leave old blue behind.”
He blinked she remembered his special connection with his dad’s truck. Touched by her gesture, he glanced around. The others had already gone into the house. They didn’t really care that he was home. Had it always been this way?
Yes, but for once he didn’t care. The only person that mattered now was Jillian. She was his world.
“I don’t know about you guys but I’m hungry. Why don’t we order a pizza and have it delivered?” Kelly said as he and Jillian entered the kitchen.
“That sounds like a wonderful idea.” Jason entered from the living room. Michael agreed.
“What kind of pizza do you want, Derek?” Jillian turned to him with a funny look of expectation.
He could tell she knew the answer but she was waiting for him to reply. Looking at her, he wondered what else he’d forgotten.
“He likes all meat.” Kelly answered for him.
“I’m waiting for him to tell me.” Jillian smiled at him. “What kind of pizza do you like?”
Slowly, he remembered her asking him this same question, the night they’d gotten together, but he couldn’t remember where they had been. “The pizza dude always brings all meat pizzas.”
She threw her arms around him and kissed him. “Yes, he does.”
Derek held her tight and she wiggled invitingly in his arms. His answer had pleased her. Her joy lightened his heart and his mind wandered.
