Unexpected Changes (2 page)

Tabitha

TWO DAYS
INTO THIS
aunt role and I’m ready to throw in the towel. Who knew that all infants manage to do is spit up, poop, eat, and cry? Yes, I’m rethinking my whole research plan.

What am I thinking?

No, better yet, what the hell was Angela thinking?

Watching her the last few days with Graham has cast a new light on her. She’s calm and a natural. I’d never have pegged it, but what a relief it is to watch her snuggle with him.

“You are going to share him with me before I go?”

“Where are you going? Is Will going with you today?”

Reaching down to pick Graham up from Angela’s lap, I answer, “Just going out, and no, he’s not welcome to follow me. I don’t need a babysitter.”

“You might not need one, but you need someone in this big city to watch out for you. I’m tied down with the baby and Logan would flip if I left right now.”

“Oh, he would. Can we try that before I leave?” I ask as I move my eyebrows up and down.

That statement earns me a glare before Angela responds, “No, we are not going to freak him out. You heard him last night when I went to shower.”

“I did and it was awesome. I never thought I’d hear Logan Black whine like a girl. He does realize he won’t hurt him, right?”

“He does, but he’s terrified he’s going to drop him.”

“Baby steps, and Logan will be beautiful. Okay, take this monster back, I have to run.”

“I wish you’d tell me what you’re up to. I’m not sure I trust you, and please do not bring another pair of shoes or anything else for Graham into this house.”

“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing and I’ll buy if I feel the need,” I say as I turn and grab my purse from the table. Waving bye to Angela, I question myself. Do I really know what I’m doing? If I choose this path, I don’t have to carry it out just yet. Research shows that you can freeze it for a while before it goes bad. Kind of like keeping ice cream in the freezer, you have to eat it before frostbite sets.

Hailing a taxi, I inform the driver of the address and sit back to people watch. New York is full of exciting people; you have every walk of life in this town. I’ve been enjoying some alone time in Central Park; all I do … is watch.

I sit on a bench and stare off. Usually thinking about the past and the future, but mostly, I just take it all in. It’s different than home, and I understand now why Angela loves it here.

“Ma’am, we’re here.”

Tossing up the cab fare, I slide out and step out onto the sidewalk. The building towers up into the sky, and as I step towards the glass doors, I get this sense of panic.

My hand’s on the handle, ready to open the door, but I can’t move.

It’s like someone has taken all the air around me and bottled it up. Sweat is beading up around my hairline, and my heart is racing.

“Excuse me, are you okay?” I hear a man asking me, but I can’t respond to him. When I glance over, there’s three of him, rocking sideways.

Not able to verbally respond, I shake my head from side to side.

That’s the last thing I remember before I wake up in the back of an ambulance.

“Can you tell me your name?”

“Tabitha.”

“Tabitha what?”

“Tabitha Michaelson,” I respond as I look around at one man in a uniform and another in jeans and a shirt.

“Where am I? Where are we going?”

“Do you not remember what happened?” the gentleman in the casual clothes asks.

“No, I had an appointment that I was going to. That’s all I remember.”

“You fainted in front of the building; we’re taking you to County General. Do you have any family we can call to meet us?”

“No, I don’t live here, but we can call my best friend. She’ll know where to go.”

I lean my head back more and close my eyes, confused by what happened and internally freaked out. Angela is going to flip when they call her, and I’ll never hear the end of it.

Carter

Jack and I are walking into the bank as I hear my phone going off. I look down and notice that Mark is ringing.

Glancing over towards Jack, I announce, “It’s Mark.” Then I answer. “Mark, everything okay?”

“Just calling to let you know that Ms. Michaelson had a little event today, and we are on the way to the hospital.”

“What do you mean, and is she okay?” I ask as I brace myself against the side of the brick building. The world is turning, and I fear the worst.

“She is. I was next to her and called an ambulance after she passed out. I’m not family or anything so they won’t give me any information. Her friend is on the way though.”

“Okay. Look, hang around for a bit, and see if you can find anything out. Let me see what I can do.”

“Sure, I’ll keep you posted.”

“Thanks, later,” I say as I disconnect the call and look over to Jack.

“Guess we’re taking a road trip?”

“Maybe, but first we have a box to retrieve, and then I’ll handle Tabitha.”

Tabitha

STARTLED BY
THE UGLY
hospital curtain being ripped back, I flinch as I watch Angela step into my makeshift room.

“Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” Angela asks as she walks over to the side of my bed.

“No.”

“Well, just so you know, I almost had one. Have they said anything?”

“Sorry,” I respond quietly before I continue. “Something about the cold and exhaustion. This place is cracked out, and I need to go home.”

“Let’s not tell Logan you’re getting sick. He’ll flip. What’s this about being exhausted? I told you to slow down; you can’t go at the pace you’ve been functioning.”

“I’m all right,” I respond, but Angela cuts me off.

“No, we’re not leaving here until you spill it. I know you aren’t sleeping. I’ve heard you every night in the kitchen or pacing in your bedroom. It’s time to come clean, Tabitha. It’s simple, you tell me, or we can play hardball.”

Releasing the air that I’ve been holding, I stare off, up to the dingy ceiling tiles above me. Angela might sound calm, but I know she’s anything but.

We haven’t spoken of that night since her honeymoon and then I lied to her. If I told her the truth, she would’ve hounded me like a bloodhound on a hunt. I’m afraid to tell Angela the truth, for it might make it real.

My heart might never beat the same.

When the doctors started attaching all the wires to my chest to monitor my heart rate, I should’ve told them not to bother.

It’s dead.

I feel nothing unless Carter is in the same room with me. Even though I’m hurt, he causes my heart to beat. It’s him that makes me feel every emotion possible.

Allowing a tear to slip from the corner of my eye, I stare off, ignoring Angela as I remember the first encounter with him after the wedding.

“Follow me,” his assistant Kelly said as she escorted me into the conference room.

My hands were sweating up a storm from the nerves and anticipation of seeing him again. As we stepped into the small conference room, I tried to avoid eye contact until his assistant exited.

Glancing up through hooded eyes, I watched as Carter moved closer to me.

“I’m glad you’re here.”

“Not me, but we have work to do. Can you handle that? I’m here to do my job and only my job, Carter,” I responded as I marched to the table and placed my items on the oval space.

“I can, but I wish you’d look at me. You can be mad all you like, but I need to see into your eyes.”

Feeling defeated, I take a moment and look up towards him, making eye contact for the first time since the ladies’ room. It’s then that my heart feels like it will jump from my chest. It wants to leap from mine and into his.

“I need out, Carter. This isn’t going to work.”

“It will work, and I already told you that I’d prove it all. I just need time.”

“Time? I don’t have that for you. I was ready to take that next step, and then you show up with your wife. Talk about making me look like a fool. The only people who knew were the ones that are in my life every day. You fancy explaining to them as well?”

“I don’t have to explain anything to them, only you. This fight that you have right now, keep it. Don’t back down and promise me something, if you at any time feel threatened, or in danger call this number.”

Confused, I looked down to the card with only a number on it. “Why? Why do you feel the need to wreck my life? I don’t need this, Carter. You need to let me be. I was fine being alone before you showed up on my computer screen.”

Carter slid the back of his hand down the side of my face, causing my heart to skip. “I couldn’t stay away from you if I tried, and trust me, I pleaded with myself. Promise me you’ll do as I ask.”

Giving in, I agreed to take the card.

I remember thinking at that moment how Adam and Eve felt in The Garden of Eden. Carter is my apple.

Bringing myself back to today, I glance over towards Angela to ask, “How is one’s heart destined to beat and live to be with another’s? Can you tell me how to move past the pain? Tell me how to close my eyes at night, and not see his?”

“Who are you talking about, Tabitha? Is this about Cory and Meredith?”

“No … never mind, it’s nothing. Look, let’s get the doctor and some discharge papers.”

“Oh hell no, you don’t let all that out, and then change the subject. You plan to leave this year, you spill it, or I’m taking every sparkly thing you own away from you.”

“Take it; I have no reason to shine anymore.”

“Where the hell did my best friend disappear to, better yet, what did they give you?”

“I’m okay, Angela. I’d really rather do this back at your house.”

“I’ll agree to get you out of this place, but you will bare your soul to me when we get back. I’m not letting this go. Do you understand me?”

“Fine, but just remember you asked for it.”

Watching her leave to locate a doctor to get me out of here, I question myself. Is it really a smart idea to let out the amount of pain that my heart’s in? I’m worried that I’ll spill everything.

My plan for the future.

How I lied to her, and how I’ve never before.

Guess I need to pull up a chair and spill it. Maybe getting it off my chest will do me some good. I hope this will give me the closure that I need.

Carter

Stepping into the bank, I pause for a moment as I notice a man leaning against a pillar. Jack clears his throat to alert me that he sees him as well.

We move closer to him, and then stop, and I look over towards my father and say to him, “Odd to see you here.”

“Not really, Carter. Would you like to enlighten me about what you two are up to?”

“I don’t think what I do is any of your business, Father.”

He leans in to me and whispers, “You need to turn around and leave. I won’t be able to keep you safe any longer. Drop it and move on.”

“Move on? How the hell do you suggest I do that?”

“Make the best of it; I have and you can do the same.”

“What are you implying … you don’t love Mother? All these years were a lie?”

“Not that you would understand, but I’ve loved someone else for almost eleven years now. Two people besides you know of this and it will stay that way. This is why you need to hand me the key and leave.”

“Not going to happen. This was sent to me for a reason, and I plan to find my answers in that box,” I say with gritted teeth, and get pulled from the conversation as I hear Jack talking on the phone. I never heard it ring and it causes me to glance at mine. Two missed calls from Mark and my internal being turns upside down.

I fear the worst in regards to Tabitha.

What if something happened and I wasn’t with her.

“Dad, I have shit to do. You don’t bank here and I’m pretty sure you already knew I wouldn’t listen. You’re covering something up, and I’ll get to the bottom of it.” As I finish, I turn to head over towards Jack.

With a nod of my head, Jack begins to tell me about his call with Mark.

“Everything is fine. He was able to lurk around in the back and overhear something about exhaustion and the possibility of a cold. Mark also heard her getting chewed out by a friend. If she didn’t know about you before, she will later, from his understanding.”

“I’ll handle it. Let’s empty the safe deposit box and get the hell out of here.”

Jack and I approach the teller, but before we can explain why we’re here, my phone rings again.

Noticing that it’s Kelly, and she knew I had something important to do, I step away to answer. “Hello.”

“Oh, Carter I’m so sorry to bother you, but we have an emergency.” I can tell she’s been crying and I interrupt her.

“Calm down, Kelly, and tell me what’s wrong.”

“I don’t know how it happened, but your office caught on fire. I smelled smoke and then dialed the fire department, but the whole office is gone. I’m so sorry.”

“Where are you right now?” I ask as my blood boils. I know it’s not her fault. There are only a few people who could be behind this.

“I’m in the parking lot, they’re checking me for smoke inhalation and think it’s best that I go to the hospital; just to be safe. Carter, I don’t know what happened.”

“It’s okay, as long as you and the rest of the employees got out, it’s fine. We’ll figure it out. Now do what they say and I’ll be back in a few.”

Not waiting to hear her response since I know she’s in good hands, I motion for Jack to follow me out. I’ll explain as we head back to what used to be my office.

Fate is against me retrieving this box today, but I’ll be back.

Not only is my life on the line, but others are in danger.