Love Without End (10 page)

Preparing for work Monday was brutal, by mid-morning, I was getting by with not a smile or conversation unless it was pulled from me or initiated. Aside from receiving the massive bouquet of Dendrobium Orchids that were stem-dyed into vibrant hues of blues and purples, my day was rather uneventful. After my three o’clock meeting, I decided to call it a day, packing up my briefcase just as Chase walks through the door.

“Han-nah,” he practically sings and plops into the chair opposite of me. “You need to snap out of this shit mood. I get you are sad, you look worse now than when we were interning together in the beginning. So, let me help.” I almost want to bitch smack the cocky grin off his face but just arch my brow for him to carry on. “Gym, tomorrow morning. YOU, are my new workout buddy and no, you cannot say no, so I will see you at 5:30.”

“Chase, I am not getting up that early for you to oogle my goods while you pretend to “coach” me.” I grouch back while packing the last of my files into the appropriate compartment and zip the case up.

“Listen, oh so confidently-sexy office partner,” he pauses and looks around knowing his ass is had, should anyone have heard him and decide to report his comment. “I am helping you, it’s a release. Trust me, I learned how to handle my emotions after my counselor suggested I start sorting them out at the gym when my adopted sister passed away and I started to help raise her son Isaac. You remember meeting Keelie during our internship, right? Also, trust me I know you aren’t available.” He gives me a wink, stands, and walks to the door. “5:30 tomorrow.”

“Goodbye Chase.”

Grabbing my over stuffed briefcase and closing my locked office door, I tell Ruthie to divert all my calls to voicemail and have an early afternoon off. Just before I turn to leave the floor, my cell phone starts to vibrate in my pocket; I quickly pull it out to see who it could be. I know my mom has a huge wedding she is catering, so there is no way it is her, and Brielle is in Miami at an event for the whole weekend. I smile ear to ear when I see ‘Carter FaceTime’ on my iPhone screen.  Swiping the screen to initiate the call I smile into the camera screen.

“Hey beautiful,” he smiles and gives me a wink. “Where are you?”

I can’t help but laugh as he tries to distinguish where I am, so I push the rotate camera option and give him my viewing pleasures. “I’m leaving the office, this is where I work. Fancy right,” I flip the screen back to me. “Is that your hole in the wall office, Professor Jacobs?” I say with flirtation lingering in the air.

“Your office looks different than what they show online, and yes this is my office.” He licks his lips and I’m instantly saddened that I am at work, in public, and not somewhere private where we can play a little game. “How was your day, baby?”

“It was terrible,” I say laughing, “but better now. Chase is forcing me to work out with him because apparently I am scaring employees and clients. Hey listen, let me get home and comfortable, and I’ll call you back, okay?”

“Uh – yeah what time?” His face is hesitant as he speaks; I know he must have something else going on or questioning my new workout partner but doesn’t want to blow me off or engage in the conversation while I am at work, so I go with it.

“Like an hour...”

“No, sorry, that doesn’t work for me, I will call you in two hours or so, so don’t fall asleep on me.” He says checking the time and laughs.

“What are you doing?” I ask, taking the stairs so I don’t lose reception while chatting.

“I’m leaving to help your mom set up the tables for an event, I promised her I would help like a month ago. I’m sorry babe; I’m a man of my word.” The gleam in his eye and the cocky smirk has me hot and bothered in seconds.

“K, bye! I’ll talk to you later,” I say blowing him a kiss and ending the call.

Carter holds his promise and calls a few hours later, which in all honesty works perfectly for me. I had time to get home, masturbate my previous frustration out, take a bubble bath, get some work done before making dinner, and relaxing with a glass of wine. Okay fine, it was two, but in my defense, Brielle is gone all weekend at an event in Miami. Waking up for work tomorrow is going to be one helluva challenge.

It’s been about two weeks since Carter went home. I still feel broken, but seeing him and talking to him helps tremendously. I hate to admit it, but the daily workouts help, too; Chase kicks my ass in the gym. Who knew that guy was so hardcore, but I love it. He helps keep me focused and when I begin to allow stress to build up, the release is phenomenal.

My mom calls every morning to check on me, and Brielle tries to make it home early most nights when she isn’t catering to the rich and glorious in Palm Beach. Don’t get me wrong, I love them for trying to ensure I am alright, but I am not a piece of glass, I am not going to break and I swear to the good man above if Brie bursts into my room for me to try a new sauce during my late night Skype chat with Carter again I might kill her. Seriously, I should not have to lock the door to my bedroom in the house I own, but even when I do lock the door she yells, knocks, and whines until I respond, which frankly ruins the moment anyway.

Today Brie is gone again and my parents are away on a partner’s trip for my father’s law business and I could really use some company. Just as I am wallowing in my self-pity my cell rings. “Hey babe,”

“Hey Han, What’s up? Sorry for the late call, I just got home from the football game, but I didn’t want to not call. Did I wake you?” He is talking a mile a minute… holy fuck.

“Carter, Christ relax, it’s okay. I wasn’t sleeping. Just blah – I have been feeling off for a few days, I’m sure it’s nothing, but at the same time, maybe it’s something. I’m sure I am just getting ready to have my lady fl-” I stop mid thought thinking of my regular cycle schedule. Hmm, that would have been…

“Han, hello? You there? HAN!?”

“Oh sorry babe, just thinking. I’m sorry.” I apologizing and it dawns on me that I probably should have started last week and begin to worry my lip.

“Han, how late are you?” he asks quietly and cautiously.

“A week maybe,” I rush out the answer in hopes of changing the topic. “So, did we win the game?”

“Yes, we won,” he starts laughing then continues, “Han, get in the car and drive to the drug store. Keep me on the line, grab a test and tomorrow morning you can take it.”

“Carter, seriously it’s okay. I’ll handle it later, tell me the highlights, and make me feel better.” I whine.

“NOW, Hannah Grace! You will go get the test, and tomorrow morning we will Skype while you pee, and then wait together for the results. Together. Apart, but together.” He sighs and I instantly feel the stress and worry rolling off each word.

We stayed on the phone until Hannah fell asleep, and I ended the call. I wish I were there with her and not limited to these stupid fucking phones to connect us. Nonetheless, we will find out this morning if our weekend of irresponsibility will possibly change the course of our lives. I called off work today, there is no way I will not be one hundred percent available to her, no matter if this test comes back positive or negative. I check my phone after my shower to see a missed text.

Hannah – Hey. Called off work, going to pharmacy. Will call you as soon as I get home. I love you.

After reading the text, I head into the kitchen, cell in tow, and grab a banana off the counter and start a cup of coffee. My cell begins to ring as I’m adding sugar to my coffee, seeing it’s Tracie; I answer quickly, worried she may need something. I love that Hannah’s parents have kept me included in their life, my parents are still on the road traveling, expecting to be home for the holidays, but no sooner. They bought a RV, or luxury house on wheels fit for a queen, as mom calls it. Quickly ending the call with Tracie, who was only calling to see if I knew why Hannah was behaving so weirdly this morning.

My phone rings again but this time it’s Hannah – FaceTime. I smile as I swipe and see her face. She looks like shit and I think of telling her this, but think better of it. “Hey gorgeous, your mom just called to see why you were so grumpy,” I say with a cheesy smile on my face.

“Carter, she calls every fucking morning, all sunshine and fucking rainbows since you got home. What did you tell her? Because she is beyond happy for Thanksgiving.” The eye roll she gives me causes me to chuckle as I watch her become frustrated while reading the pregnancy test box.

“Han, open it, pee on it, wait. That is how they work.” She rotated the box to be in the frame of the phone camera so I could read the directions, I am sure, and I laugh again. “I’ve watched enough of your girly movies to know. But I see I am right. Are you tinkling, Banana? I can turn on the water!” I taunt her as she mumbles unintelligibly under her breath. Once she is done, she moves the box and washes her hands then picks me back up.

“If you were here, I’d smack your smart ass.”

“There’s that smile, beautiful girl. I know it’s stressful, but just try to envision me there, okay baby?” Her nod makes me feel infinitesimally better.

“Alright Carter, I don’t want to look, how about you look and tell me what it says.” I think of what she is saying while staring into her eyes, they are full of fear but lingering with to what I feel is hope.

“No, we look together. When you are ready, flip the screen. No matter what, we keep going. And Hannah?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too,” she breathes out as she flips the screen so that the camera is focused on the test and not on her, we both stay on the line in complete silence staring at the faint plus sign until she flips the screen back to her tear stained face. “Do you still love me? Are you still in this?” she whispers.

“With every fucking fiber of my being, Hannah Grace. I will always love you,” I say with complete certainty. We continue talking until she falls asleep. I end the call session, and text her immediately following to call or text me when she wakes up.

The six weeks seem to fly by, Hannah and I talk every chance we have, but tonight she has a dinner event at work that is being catered by none other than Brielle. I am sure you know how that came to fruition. Those two would bend every rule possible if it meant they could hang out or do something together, I swear. After cleaning up after work, I head over to the address Braydon gave me at the office to pick him up at his father’s place, rather than his own on the outside of Columbia. When I pull up, I am slightly taken aback; this is District Attorney Gibson’s house. Surely, I messed up the house numbers.

Me – Dude, I think I fucked up the address

I wait for him to respond and park alongside the curb thinking of how I possibly missed this connection. A Gibson kid caused Hannah’s accident, but the DA paid to keep it off the record. Hannah, Tracie and David agreed that it wasn’t worth ruining more lives over, but the mother fucker that hit her was completely off scot-free. Whichever of the three Gibson kids it was ruined parts of Hannah that I can never get back, I just hope to fuck it wasn’t the guy I consider one of my best friends.

Braydon – Nope I see ya, be out in a minute

The text pings back quickly, and my head is now spinning. Well fuck; I don’t know how I am going to let it go now. But wouldn’t Hannah have remembered? I jump out of the truck before he gets in and round the front of the truck.