CHAPTERTWO
1135 Words
Three years ago.
“Aaron”. This was the sixth time I had called in twenty minutes, and he wasn't responding. I whisked the eggs quickly and poured them into the pan. I used the lid to avert the little splashes of oil emerging from it.
The clock chimed on seven, and I called out again. It was his turn to take Toby to the nursery, and I had a meeting at work in an hour. Toby giggled when I placed his plate on his table. He was an adorable toddler, who had no trouble eating different types of food.
“Aaron! Babe! I have a meeting and I need to leave, please can you hurry down?” He appeared in the kitchen just in time to hear my last sentence. “I'm sorry, I had a business call this morning and you know how these things can get”. He planted a kiss on my lips, and one of Toby's cheeks which earned him a giggle.
“That's fine, but you have him today. I have a meeting today, and I need to ace this one” I repeated, and drank from my Stanley cup. He had Toby in his arms and moved him around the kitchen like an airplane. I let them play while I cleared up the kitchen and prepared his plate. It was days like this that I lived for, where my husband and child were the only ones that mattered.
He put Toby in his walker and pulled me closer to himself. “You are going to do absolutely well in that meeting. You have this under control, I believe in you”. His lips found mine, and I savored how he tasted before pulling away. I mouthed a small thank you, kissed Toby goodbye and headed out the door.
I had the best man in the whole world, and there was nothing anyone could tell me that could change that.
Present day.
The chill November breeze blew into my office, scattering the stack of papers my assistant brought into the office earlier. I pulled the blinds shut and turned the heat up. I worked with one of the biggest hospitals in LA, and in the past six years since I began, their financial records have been up to date. I wondered how there could be more.
My thoughts trailed to the past week, and Aaron. We had a fight after I found out he opened up to the media about our divorce, and he was playing the victim. My phone and email were buzzing non-stop, and it was the press trying to gather information from me or get me on one of their talk shows. I hated talk shows. I hated anything that had to put me on everyone's screens.
I stared at the tenth email from the Today's show by Adrienne. She was asking for a guest appearance this Friday and while I politely declined the first two times, she has been bombarding my inbox with a lot of messages. How did she get my email?
The door opened and my boss entered and took a seat. It was rare for him to pay visits to my office since he was one of the top surgeons in the hospital. He cleaned up well in his blue scrub and stethoscope which he hung around his neck. He twirled a pen on my table and began to say, “Jules, we need to talk”. I sucked in a breath and pulled my chair towards the table. Jeremy always meant business when he twirled a pen, he says it helps him concentrate, but deep down everyone knows it's because he is nervous and doesn't want to hurt the next person.
“Your divorce is all over the internet, and I am worried”. I expected this, maybe some weeks back, I would have been crying as he spoke, but I held my composure and listened. “I understand how it might be, and all the work it takes to get the process done, but the board believes it is affecting your work and wants to put you on probation”. My eyes widened at the statement.
I was going through a hard time, and all they could care about was my falling marriage publicity. I have given them my time, my sweat, and resources for six years. It felt like Deja vu, I was experiencing the same thing in my marriage, and now this. Just great!
Jeremy held my eyes for a second, he searched through them for emotions, and all I could give out was anger. “I know this might upset you-”. He continued to say when interrupted him. “Upset? You think I am upset? Upset is working six years with no travel because I have to keep your bad books up to date”.
He stopped twirling the pen when he noticed the change in my tune and proceeded to sit down, but I wasn't done yet.
“Upset is having to go through a divorce for a year, yet still hold a smiling face because I cannot let my emotions affect my job. So, Jeremy, I am not upset. I am just fine!” My palms hit hard on the table, which seemed to frighten him a bit. I tendered a quick apology and sunk into my seat. This is the worst day ever, could anything go right?
He reached out to hold my hands, and I let him. I needed comfort so badly. We sat in silence for thirty minutes, Jeremy had an effect on people, that made them want to be around him. He is a brilliant cardiologist, but an excellent people person yet he doesn't believe it.
“How long do I have?” That was a stupid question seeing as they sent the only person I would listen to, but I just had to ask. “Friday. They want you gone by Friday, but I am still persuading them to give you more time. So you don't have to leave”. He said assuring. I gave him a small smile and withdrew my hands from his.
“You don't have to cover up for me every time Jeremy, I understand everything going on, and I will be fine”. If that was not convincing, I doubt anything else I say next might. He c****d his brow, making sure I was saying the truth and I nodded in agreement.
I had till Friday to leave the hospital, and I was going to make the most out of it. I clicked on Adrienne's email and sent a reply back to her. I would love to make a guest appearance on your show.
- Writer
