Their Heart Search: Bethany & Jordan's Story (Search Series) (18 page)

A Few Weeks Later

Bethany was still reeling from her birthday, but things with Tai and Raiden weren’t going so good. Tai was on her way over to the apartment to talk. Jordan was working at the clinic and Bethany had the day off from the diner. The first since Jordan had gotten her birthday off.

Tai barely knocked before Bethany was there to get her inside. She was silently praying this wasn’t goodbye. “What’s going on, Tai?” she asked as they moved towards the couch.

“I am just out of ideas.” Tai sat down and Bethany sat down next to her. She needed Tai to fight. The night of her birthday she made her choice. When they returned home from the wedding she was going to tell Jordan she loved him. She was only waiting now to work up the courage to utter those words to someone for the first time in her life. She had never been in love before and she wasn’t letting anyone take it from her now, especially Raiden.

“Don’t tell me you’re giving up on him?” She asked as she took Tai’s hands in hers.

“Never Beth, just out of ideas.” Bethany felt relieved, but only a bit. “Sometimes I wonder if happily ever after exists lately. My mom told me I would have that with Jordan and well…” Bethany understood Tai’s frustration another hurdle to jump over. “And now this with Raiden. The difference is I want happily ever after with Raiden.” Bethany felt like all was not lost at that point Tai sounded like she would fight. They just needed a plan.

“You’ll get it, Tai,” but as she said those words she wasn’t convinced. Tai might want to fight, but Raiden could be very hard headed.

“How? Is there something I don’t know about the change that is making him fearful?” That was a great question, but Bethany couldn’t answer it. Her mom might be able to, but she couldn’t.

“I can’t answer that. I have never changed a human before.” She thought about Jordan would she want to him? No. Would he want to change for her? She didn’t know. “And I don’t think Raiden can answer it either because he’s never done it. I think he just loves you too much.” She knew he did, but it didn’t change things, he was being unreasonable about this.

“I know he does. I love him too, so very much. I just need a plan. I need him to know I’m not the same person who came to Aishan broken, lost, confused, only to be kicked again.” As Tai spoke, Bethany began to think she was onto something. “I’m stronger than that now he’s made me stronger. I’m not confused! I know what I want, who I want.” She stood as she stammered on and Bethany knew she just hit the nail on the head.

“I believe you. Have you told him this? Like this?” Tai stared down at her.

“No, Beth. No, I haven’t. I need to go.” Tai bolted for the door, and Bethany just sat their smiling. This would work Raiden would listen. He would understand. He had to.

Jordan

She looked like she was asleep on the couch when he arrived home from the clinic. He chose not to disturb her slowly and quietly he tried to sneak down the hall.

“Trying to sneak in?” she questioned with a chuckle. He spun around and found her smiling at him.

“I thought you were sleeping. I didn’t want to disturb you.” He answered as he walked back towards her.

She shook her head, “Nope, just thinking. Tai just left.” He nodded in reply and sat next to her.

“What’s happening?” he asked.

“I think she might have found a way to get through to him.” She smiled.

“That’s good, right?” he questioned, taking her hand.

“It’s very good.” she responded. “Umm….I was thinking about something.” He stared at her.

“Okay, beautiful, what is it?” He asked squeezing on her hand gently.

“Well, Tai is going to need something borrowed right?” Jordan nodded. “I want to let her borrow my bracelet.” Jordan’s eyes widened. “I love it, and I wouldn’t consider taking it off for any other reason but this. I think it could be a symbol of how far we’ve all come since Tai arrived here followed by you.” Jordan got it and nodded.

“Okay, beautiful, I think it’s a good idea, but I think you need to run it by Raiden. While yes, we’ve all come far, it doesn’t change facts. I’m still Tai’s ex and the gift on your wrist is from me.” Bethany nodded at him.

The Next Night

Bethany was in her room getting comfortable from her shift at the diner. Jordan was on the couch decompressing. Neither he nor Bethany had heard from Tai or Raiden since she bolted out of the apartment yesterday after her talk with Bethany. They were both worried about things. The wedding was three weeks away. Jordan had three more weeks before Bethany sealed his fate. His phone rang taking him from his thoughts about what the future would hold.
‘Raiden Calling.’

“Hey, Raiden,” he answered.

“Hey, Jordan. I want to talk with you about something. I need someone to listen and I can’t call Dale.” He couldn’t call Dale? Oh my, this wasn’t good.

“You can’t call Dale. This is big news then?” He questioned while silently praying he wasn’t about to tell Jordan to take Tai back to States.

“Yes, and you can’t tell a soul, but I just need someone to talk to.” As Raiden spoke Jordan noticed something in his voice that worried him. He wasn’t leaving Tai, but something was going on.

“Spill it, dude,” Jordan spit out. He couldn’t wait any longer for what Raiden needed to talk with him about.

“You know about Tai and having to become vampire.” Yes, this wasn’t news to Jordan. “Well, today was the official meeting for it. Right before the meeting we found out she’s pregnant.” Raiden spoke fast, and Jordan’s head was spinning as he jumped off the couch at Raiden’s words. This changed things. No matter what Tai’s choice was Raiden, couldn’t do this. Jordan tried to ask Grace a thousand times today what the change would do to Tai, but he couldn’t find the nerve, but this….this changed things.

“Oh shit, man. What are you going to do?” Jordan asked trying to breathe and keep calm, but he was concerned for his friends.

“Doing what we…what she chose.” Oh my God was he serious? “And then…well, we are going to pray really hard.” Raiden sighed.

“Fuck, dude! You can’t make her do this. Not with her being pregnant.” Jordan hissed at Raiden looking up in time to see Bethany walk out of her room. She paused and stared at him. He turned away from her stare.

“I don’t have a fucking choice. If I could’ve made this decision disappear I would have.” Raiden snapped back at him.

Jordan inhaled and then exhaled. Raiden was right. He tried for weeks to make this go away he couldn’t and now it was done. “Shit. Sorry, man, I know Dale knows about the vampire thing but what about Meredith?” Jordan didn’t want to bring her up, but Tai would need her mother now more than ever.

“I don’t give a shit what she thinks, she still wants Tai with you.” Raiden hissed. This took Jordan back. She did? This was not good. Raiden didn’t answer his question, but Jordan knew he had a much bigger problem now.

“She does?” Jordan questioned only because he needed more confirmation. If this was the case Jordan knew he would have to protect Bethany from the venom she would spit at her.

“You didn’t know that? Every time Tai and I speak with her, your name comes up at least once.” Shit! “One time she accused Tai of breaking your heart because you agreed to be my best man. She didn’t think it was fair for you to watch the woman you love marry someone else.” Raiden chuckled and Jordan sunk back down on the couch. This was not good.

Bethany joined him on the couch and he took her hand in his. “Damn, I didn’t know this.” He assumed she had gotten the message the last time they spoke that he didn’t love Tai like that anymore, that he really didn’t ever love Tai like that. “She’s going to cause problems for us all at the wedding.” It wasn’t a question because Jordan already knew the answer, he sighed.

“I’m thinking, yes. I need to get to Tai. Thanks for listening,” Raiden said casually and Jordan smiled at the friendship they had. If you told him they would be friends when he first decided to stay in Aishan he would’ve laughed.

“Anytime, man.” The moods from the start of the conversation had shifted Raiden seemed lighter, but Jordan felt the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Bethany

She swallowed hard before asking something she already knew the answer to. She heard him say the words
‘Not with her being pregnant.’
Bethany knew Jordan was talking with Raiden. “So ummm…” He stopped her by holding up his hand.

“I can’t, Beth. I made a promise, you know what you heard.” He wouldn’t say the words again.

“You’re upset,” she stated.

“Yes, but not for the reason you think.” She looked at him and raised an eyebrow. “I’m concerned for Tai and Raiden, I know this changes things big time.” She nodded. “I’m upset because I don’t know if I can protect you.”

“From what?” she asked.

“From who, actually. Raiden said Meredith wasn’t happy when she found out I agreed to be Raiden’s best man.” This confused Bethany a bit.

“Why?”

“She asked Tai how she could make me the man who loves her marry another.” The words, ‘the man who loves her,’ hit Bethany like a ton of bricks and she started breathing heavily. “Beautiful, no. I love you. Meredith just has her own diluted sense of reality. Please, Beth.” He had her in his lap instantly. He was reading everything she was thinking and that relieved her.

“What’s Meredith going to do?” she asked.

“I don’t know, but promise me you won’t let her get to you. If she says something to you, don’t let it get to you,” he begged.

“Okay, I promise, Superman,” she replied softly resting her head on his shoulder. He held her tightly to him.
‘Three more, Jordan, that’s all I need. I love you.’
She thought as they cuddled.

Week of the Wedding

Jordan

Jordan was outside waiting on Raiden and Dale to come and pick him up. They were going to be picking him up soon to go pick up their tuxes for the wedding which was Saturday.

They pulled up and Jordan climbed into the backseat. “Hey, Raiden. Hey, Dale.” They didn’t return his greeting and both looked like they were brooding over something. “Okay guys, what the hell is up? He finally asked. Raiden glanced at him through the rearview mirror while driving. Shit! “Oh, let me guess. Meredith arrived.” Raiden nodded. “Ah, shit!” That explained everything. “Tell me again why she was invited, douchebag.” Jordan joked with Raiden, but he was serious too, why even bother inviting her?

“For Tai, you ass. I knew she’d regret it if the invitation wasn’t extended.” Jordan heard Dale sigh.