What To Read After FSOG: The Gemstone Collection Part Two (185 page)

“Be my guest, but I’m not sure if there is any hot water,” I said smiling.

“I’ll make it a quick one,” he said winking at me.

While he was in the shower I frantically tried to pick up all the pictures that were scattered all over my room before he could see them. Unfortunately, for me, I wasn’t quick enough.

“What’s all this?” He asked.

“Oh, it’s just some pictures,” I said nonchalantly trying to close the box quickly.

“Here you forgot one,” he said bending over to pick it up.

He flipped the picture over to see it was one of us. He had a puzzled look on his face.

“Let me see what’s in the box,” he said stepping towards me.

I look a step backwards. “I told you, it’s nothing.”

“Well if it’s nothing then you will let me see it,” he said reaching for the box.

I held onto it for dear life, but he was too strong. He pulled it from my hands, and it fell to the floor with everything falling out.

“Leila? Is this what I think it is?” He said picking up the barbed wire heart.

Nodding my head, I felt my face become flushed.

“You still have this?” His voice in complete shock.

I didn’t know how to respond. He was either going to think this was incredibly sweet or that I am a complete psycho. I just nodded my head.

He put his arms out. “Come here.”

I practically ran into his arms and wrapped my arms around him. I couldn’t bear to let him go.

“I can’t believe you still have this,” he said while kissing the top of my head.

Keeping my head pressed up against his chest I said, “I have everything, every picture, letter, card and of course the heart. I couldn’t throw them away they were all I had left of you.”

He walked me over to the bed and instructed, “Come lay down with me for a while. You’ve had a rough morning.”

We lay in complete silence. It was so calming to feel the rhythm of his breathing. I think at one point I may have dozed off because his question startled me.

“So, what are you doing today?” He asked curiously.

“I have to go to my mom’s,” I sighed.

“You say that like it is a bad thing?” He replied.

“Well, it’s Thanksgiving . . . Do you remember how my mother was about holidays? Hey, I have an idea. Why don’t you come with me?” I said pulling myself up on my forearms and resting on his chest.

“Leila. . . I’m not sure if that is such a good idea. Plus, I have no clothes. I would have to go home and change. I live forty-five minutes from here.”

“I don’t have to be at my mom’s until five that gives us plenty of time to take a ride to your place. I would love to see it. Please don’t make me go to Mom’s alone. You know she drives me crazy.” I pleaded giving him a pouty lip and puppy dog eyes.

“Christ, you make it really hard to say no. You look so damn cute with that sad look on your face and of course that towel you are in isn’t helping either. Come here,” he said seductively kissing me passionately.

We headed to Garrett’s place about an hour and a half later. I was looking forward to spending time with him talking about everything we had missed about each other for the past few years. I told him how I had just graduated in May with an Art degree. How I’d been working with Katie since I first started college. He told me stories about the guys in his platoon and how much he misses them. His stories were far more exciting than mine were.

Before I knew it we were pulling into his apartment complex. It was a huge brick building that looked like an old abandoned warehouse. He lived on the second floor. Once we reached his door he turned to me. “It’s a mess, so don’t judge.” He smiled.

He took my hand and led me through the door. It was very industrial looking with an open plan layout. The walls were exposed brick, the windows were huge almost floor to ceiling and there were hardwood floors throughout.

“I love it,” I said in awe as I turned around in a circle taking it all in.

“Thanks, I’ve been here for a couple of months now. I’m sub-letting right now. It’s hard to find a place with a short-term lease. Come on follow me, I’ll show you my bedroom.” He winked.

“Ummm . . . I think we’re only going to have enough time for you to change and grab some clothes for tomorrow,” I said smiling.

“Tomorrow?” He asked puzzled.

“Yeah, you don’t think I am letting you go home tonight, do you?” I laughed.

“Alright give me like ten minutes.” He smiled shaking his head.

He headed to his closet, and I started looking around his room. I could definitely tell a man lived here. Not much décor. I walk to his dresser and picked up a picture. It’s a picture of me from my seventeenth birthday party. . . .

He had been so secretive the past few days. He was giving me all sorts of excuses why he couldn’t come over and see me. I would call him, and my calls would go straight to voicemail. I thought he was cheating on me. I was beginning to get really nervous.

He called me and told me to get ready because we were going out. My stomach dropped. I told him I wasn’t feeling well, and I wanted to stay home tonight. I wasn’t going to give him the opportunity to break-up with me. It was absolutely ridiculous to think that, he could’ve dumped me over the phone. I finally conceded and told him I would be ready in twenty minutes.

He showed up exactly twenty minutes later. He was acting very nervous and distant. I was now convinced I was getting dumped. I just wanted to get the night over with. I asked him “Where are you taking me?”

“You’ll see when we get there,” he said. “We will be there in a few minutes.”

We pulled into Wales Park and as we passed “our” spot I said, “Ummmm . . . I think you just passed it.”

“No, I didn’t,” he said, very distracted.

We drove about a quarter of a mile down the road and pulled into a dirt drive. He parked the car and turned it off. “Come on.”

“It’s pitch black out there!” I said in horror.

He got out of the car and started walking. I was panicked. Do I stay in the car and get killed by an ax murder or do I go with him and let him break my heart?

Finally, I jumped out of the car and walked quickly after him. “What the hell, Garrett, wait for me!” I yelled to him.

“Let’s go slow poke!” He said turning his head towards me.

I heard a strange noise in the darkness and started running towards him. I caught up and grabbed his hand. He looked down at me and gave me a smirk.

Suddenly, he yelled, “Now!”

A bunch of car headlights shone directly at us and about fifteen people yelled, “Surprise!”

I nearly had a heart attack. Garrett was laughing hysterically.

“Happy Birthday, Babe.”

I smiled while staring at the picture.

He walked up behind me wrapping his arms around me. “See, I told you I never forgot you.”

W
e arrived at my Mother’s a few minutes early. Garrett had a look of concern on his face.

I touched the top of his hand. “Don’t worry. It’s going to be fine,” I said in a calm and reassuring tone.

I honestly had no clue how things were going to go, but I was a grown woman, and my mother would have to understand that I could make my own choices.

As soon as we walked in through the front door the aroma of turkey and apple pie filled my nostrils. My stomach started to growl. Garrett gripped my hand and squeezed it tight.

I looked up at him and smiled while squeezing his hand back. “Don’t be nervous, it’s not like you have never met my mother before.”

“Mom! We’re here,” I yelled.

“I’m in the kitchen, Honey!”

We walked hand in hand into the kitchen. My mom spun around happily throwing her arms out to hug me. “Happy . . . .”

The look on her face said it all. I was really hoping deep down inside she wouldn’t judge the situation before she’d heard me out. Obviously, this was not going to be the case.

“Leila. . . You didn’t tell me you were bringing . . . A guest,” she said stunned, nervously shooting a glance Garrett’s way.

“Sorry, it was kind of a last minute thing. I didn’t think I would have to, since we always have enough to feed an army,” I replied defensively.

“No, it’s fine we have plenty of food,” she said while she fidgeted with the salt and pepper shakers that sat on the counter.

“Come on grab the turkey platter and let’s eat,” she said without saying hello to Garrett.

We headed into the dining room. My mother had the place decorated like it should have been on the cover of a Pottery Barn catalogue.

“The place looks beautiful Mrs. C,” Garrett said nervously.

“Thanks,” she said shortly.

Things were definitely very awkward. I squeezed his hand hard trying to let him know it would be ok.

As soon as we sat down my mother laid into us. “So, exactly how long have you two been back together?

“Mom, please. Not now. Can’t we just enjoy our dinner?” I pleaded.

“Well, I am wondering just how long you have been keeping this secret from me, Leila. Three weeks ago, you had locked yourself in a bathroom stall crying over him and now he’s here. So, please excuse me for being a bit confused,” she snapped glancing over at Garrett with a dirty look on her face.

“Well, if you really want to know, Mother, he showed up at Danny’s last night looking for me. Would you like to know all the gritty details?” I snapped at her.

“Spare me,” she said putting her hand up in the air. “But I am curious how long it is going to take for you to be crying and close to a nervous breakdown again,” she said not taking her eyes off Garrett.

She now directed herself to him. “You do realize it almost killed her when you left? She locked herself in her room for nearly three months. I actually had to bring food up to her room to eat.”

He was very flushed and looked angry. “She wasn’t the only one hurting. We both lost something.”

“I’m not sure how you figure you lost something. You are the one who broke her heart and took off to God knows where,” her voice was in an icy tone.

“You never told her?” He turned to me with a stunned expression on his face.

Fuck my life. What the hell was I thinking by bringing him here? I should have warned my mother.

“Answer me,” Garrett said angrily.

“No.” My eyes were welling up with tears.

He stood up. “Jesus Christ! So everyone thinks I am a cold hearted bastard who just dumped his girlfriend and took off!” He yelled.

“Garrett, please!” I cried.

“See what I mean, Leila, you are with him one day and you’re already in tears. He’s not good for you,” my mother pleaded.

That was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Garrett was out the front door in the blink of an eye.

“Jesus Christ, Mom!” I screamed at her as I ran out the front door after him.

He was already in his car with the engine running.

“Garrett, wait!”

I jumped into the passenger’s seat. He wouldn’t look at me, he was breathing heavily as he gripped the steering wheel. He peeled out of my Mother’s driveway and took off.

We sat in silence for about five minutes as he sped down the road. I was trying to find the words.

“I’m sorry, I should have told her. I just never found the right time to,” I cried.

He slammed on his breaks. “I can’t fucking believe you!”

I put my head in my hands. “I know I’m so sorry. . .”

His anger reminded me of the night I told him what I had done.

We had gone out to dinner at the Olive Garden, my favorite restaurant. He was so happy. He couldn’t stop talking about “us and our family.” I didn’t say much during dinner and barely ate a thing. I had a pain in the pit of my stomach and felt like vomiting.

I hadn’t had the courage to tell him what I had done a week earlier. I had lied to him, told him I was sick with the flu. He wanted to come over and bring me chicken soup. I had told him it was a stomach virus, I didn’t want him to catch it and miss work.

After dinner we went to Wales Park to take a walk. I could barely look at him. I was ridden with guilt. I knew how much he had wanted this.

When we came across a bench, I asked him to sit. I really needed to talk to him.

“You feeling ok, Babe, you don’t look so good. Is it your stomach? Are you feeling queasy again?” He looked so worried.

He took one of my hands in his and put his other hand on my stomach and had me sit down next to him. I felt a huge lump in my throat. My saliva became thick in my mouth. I felt as if I could throw-up. I broke out in cold sweats and started to see spots.

“I don’t know how to tell you this. . .” I said.

I could see the look of fear in his eyes. “Did you lose the baby?” He asked frantically.

My head dropped to the ground as I sat there silently trying to find the right words, not knowing how to tell him. I quickly glanced up at him. The look on his face was breaking my heart. What had I done?