Tough Love (Hidden Secrets) (14 page)

After
some more fooling around, we went to bed. If too much more of this fooling around stuff continued, I may disappoint her. But I can say, I do love going to bed with her. Unfortunately, time seemed to fly by and before I knew it, we were headed into the office. After much convincing, I told her to drive my car today.

“Shannon
it makes sense. You have to be here for an appointment. Then you’re meeting with Nick about the house. Just please do this for me.”

“Ugh!
Fine, but I don’t like it.”

We
arrive at the office and I tell her to just park in front. Just as she got out of the car her phone started ringing. Kissing her on the cheek, I walked inside to give her some privacy. My office was small for the amount of business I do. The waiting and reception area was the smallest area in the building. However, I wanted it like that so I could prevent long waiting times and not over schedule. But as I grew, I had to hire help (Rachael) and now I am contemplating on expanding the space.

“Good
Morning, Jack,” Rachael purred.

“What
have we talked about?”

“Ugh,
why must we use such formalities all the time?”

Just
as she started to walk around the counter, the doors to the office jingled. Turning I saw Shannon’s smiling face walking in. How the hell did I get so lucky?

“Hey,”
she smiles.

“Hey,”
I say leading her into my office. “Since the boys aren’t here today, we can meet in my office.”

Once
I get the door closed I walk to my filing cabinet and pull out Sebastian’s folder. “Please have a seat on the couch,” I said as I sorted everything out, then made my way over to her.

“You
have a cozy office. Doesn’t surprise me though, your house is just the same.”

“Thank
you. Now, about Sebastian…”

“Please
don’t tell me anything about another trial program…”

“Shannon,
I love that boy just as much as you do. Surgery is a huge risk. There are factors that would be out of my control. Risks that may not need to be taken that would be there with surgery. Why are you so set on surgery?” I asked softly.

“You
have been around us a lot lately. You have seen how others look at him. Even your own employee was cracking jokes about him. Try being him. Try being that four year old little boy that everyone views as some kind of monster, all over things
he
can’t control. Your family is the first people outside of me that have given him the time of day.” She turns to look at me with tears in her eyes, my heart broke. “Sebastian is an amazing kid, brilliant even. But there are so many other things that people see before that. He deserves a great life. Those trials you want him to try, I’ve reviewed them even after I said no. The success rate is high if treatment starts when the problem first shows. He’s been this way too long. Surgery isn’t a quick fix, but it’s a solution that will promise a solution. Please Jackson, please. Please do this for him. Give him a chance, please.”

Pulling
her into my arms, I held her tight against me as she cried. “Okay, Shannon. I will. I’ll do the surgery.” I whispered after a while.

“You
won’t hate me for making you do something you don’t want to do?” She sniffled.

“Baby,
I could never hate you, ever.  I’m going to do it because you’re right, it does promise a solution.”

She
looks up at me and smiles. “Thank you. This means a lot to me.”

Unable
to stop myself, I lean down and take her lips with mine. Licking the seam of her lips, until she opened and I pushed my tongue into her mouth. She moaned. The sound headed straight south and again I started to come alive. Lowering my hands to her hips, I shifted her over straddling my lap. Her arms wrapped around my neck, I pulled her tighter against me and moaned when she slightly ground against me.

“Jack,
err I mean Dr. Williams, when… What the hell?”

Chapter Sixteen

Shannon

Shit!
I loved kissing Jackson. His kisses consumed me and everything was brighter and better when he was around and even more so when his lips were on mine.

“Jack,
err, I mean Dr. Williams, when… What the hell?”

Jack
groaned and I laughed. “Not funny. You need to stand in front of me. I really don’t want to embarrass myself today.”

That
made me laugh harder, but he stood with me in his arms. Putting my feet down, I turned around to face our intruder.

“Ms.
Clark, this is my girlfriend, Shannon. Shannon this is Ms. Clark, my receptionist.”

“Hi,
it’s nice to meet you,” I said sweetly, holding my hand out to her.

Really,
it wasn’t nice to meet her. I’m still pissed about her making fun of my brothers, but I wouldn’t make it awkward for Jack. However, it seems that Rachael has no problem making things awkward.

“Excuse
me? She’s your girlfriend?” Rachael says in disbelief.

“Yes,”
Jack says, smiling down at me.

“Seriously?
She’s got a retarded alien son?” She hisses.

“He
isn’t any of those things,” Jake boomed from the doorway. “He’s one of the best kids I’ve met and I think his
sister
has done an amazing job with both of them.”

“I’m
not going to sit here and have you put down those two boys, who are very dear to my heart. If you can’t start showing some professionalism Ms. Clark, then I will have no choice but to terminate you.”

She
scoffs, “Me show professionalism? You’re fucking a patient!”

“Ms.
Clark!”

“For
the record, I’m not a patient, my brother is. And correct me if I’m wrong, but he’s the boss. He crossed no lines, blurred no professional or personal lines. We-”

“He’s
fucking you! How is that not crossing lines?” Rachael hissed at me.

“I’m
sorry,” I look back and forth between Rachael and Jackson. “Is there something going on between you two?” Shaking my head, “I need to go. You can work out whatever it is.” Bending down I grabbed my purse and pushed past Jake and out the door.

My
heart was racing and confusion filled me. Was there something going on between them? I’m no idiot. I know that there have been other women, but this was like it was something recent and Jack told me it’d been a long time since he’s had any intimate contact with a woman. If he’s been with Rachael then he lied to me already.

I
didn’t take Jack’s car. Instead I hurried out of sight and called a cab to come and take me to get my car. It was a long drive as I headed to get the boys. When I knocked on Eli’s door, I could hear the boys laughing inside. Eli’s house was a very nice Colonial style house. It didn’t seem too big, but for only one person to live here it did.

“Hey
Shannon,” Eli looks confused. “I thought you wouldn’t be here for a little while.”

“I’m
not used to being away from the boys. I miss them.”

“You
don’t have to explain, Shannon. Come on in. I’ll get their stuff together.”

“Their
stuff?” I asked confused. “They didn’t come over with anything.”

Eli
starts laughing. “Yeah well, Uncle Eli kind of spoiled them.”

I
laughed. “Uncle Eli?”

“Yeah,”
he chuckles. “We decided that even though we’re brothers it was easier to call me an Uncle since… Um, how did they put it? Oh, yes. Since I’m really old,” he laughs.

“Oh
gosh, I’m so sorry Eli.”

“Don’t
worry about it. I told them that I only look and feel old, but my heart is still only four years old.”

I
laugh then my smile drops some. “My dad used to always say that he was a kid at heart no matter how much gray showed. They probably don’t remember that.”

Eli
walks over and gives me a hug. “I can’t even imagine what you must be going through. I hope I never have to find out, but if you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here okay?”

“I
know. Tell me, why you don’t have a girlfriend.”

“Who
says I don’t,” he walked away winking at me.

About
ten minutes later I have the boys in the car and we are driving away from town. They are in the backseat telling me all the fun things they did with Uncle Eli. They had so much fun and were still excited about their time with Eli. I don’t know how it happened but at a time that life seemed so desolate, we were now surrounded by those that accepted us as part of their family. There was just no denying the warmth that brought to my heart.

“Where
are we going?” Sebastian asked after a bit.

“Do
you guys remember where we always went with Mom and Dad every chance we would get?”

“The
cabin!” They shouted excitedly.

“Yup.
I thought it was time that we get away and reconnect as a family. What do you think?”

“Yeah!
This is the best day EVER!” They cheer.

They
were the happiest I have ever seen them. I smiled as I continued to drive out to the lake house.  My parents bought this place when I was only two years old. It was secluded and housed a pretty private lake. It was shared by a couple others but their houses were far enough away that it was pretty much a private lake. Every memory of my parents really was centered around this lake house. I’m so glad that they didn’t sell it and even more that they left it to me. It gave me the opportunity to give them the same memories as I have.

The
boys started bouncing in their seats as the house came into view. It was a simple cottage. Nothing spectacular about it, but what memories it held. It was white, with blue shutters. There was a small porch in the front, but in the back there was a big deck that overlooked the lake. It was my favorite place to sit. Inside there were four bedrooms and three baths. The kitchen was big and I loved cooking in there. Then the living room was big. No dining room or anything like that. It was simplistic at best, but it was ours and that was what mattered.

“I’m
so excited!” Sebastian squeals from his seat vibrating with excitement.

I
laugh as I climbed out and unbuckled them. “Now you remember the rules right?”

“If
we go outside only on the porches unless you’re with us.” Atreyu says.

“
Okay, let’s go inside, shall we?”

They
ran to the door, jumping up and down as they waited for me to unlock the door. The minute the door opened they were off running. As tiring as they may be sometimes, they really were so much fun to just sit back and watch. They filled you with happiness. Walking around the house, nothing had changed since we were here last. It both saddened me and made me happy. Their memories were fresh. Looking out on the deck, a memory started to come back to me.

“Papa!”
I yelled.

“Out
here, baby.”

Walking
out on the deck, “Am I a princess?” I asked.

“Of
course you are. The most beautiful princess alive.”

I
giggled as he pulled me into his arms and kissed the top of my head. “Does that mean I have a prince?”

“You
will one day pumpkin. He will be loyal, honest, love you with everything he has, put you first, and be about one hundred years old because you aren’t dating before you’re at least ninety-five.”

I
laughed again. “Papa. My prince will be just like you.”

“That
would be every daddy’s dream and nightmare,” he said laughing.

“Daddy?”

“Yes, baby?”

“Do
you ever wish I was a boy?”

Pulling
back from the hug, he looks at me with confusion on his face. “Why would you ever wonder that?”

“This
kid at school, Dirk, he said that dads are only happy when they have boys. He said you’d look at me and wish I was a boy.”

“Oh
sweetie. I’ll tell you the truth when I dreamed of my family, I dreamed of a son, but there was a daughter there too. I’ve never wished for you to be anything other than who you are. You’re my little girl and no one else has a little girl as wonderful as I do.”

“I
love you, Papa.”

“I
love you too, my son…err daughter.” He laughs.

“Sissy
Shan!”

I
jumped slightly when Sebastian screams. “What, buddy?”

“I
thought we were going to stay with Jack tonight?”

“Well
I thought we needed to get away just us. Is that okay?”

“But
we are going to stay at Jack’s right?”

“Who
wants to go shopping?”

The
boys start running for the door. For now, Sebastian has forgotten about going to Jack’s. Going to the store was always a treat for them. We didn’t go often because many times it ended with Sebastian in tears and Atreyu pissed off.

Thankfully
today, the shopping trip was uneventful. We were able to get the groceries we needed and I bought some clothes for myself. Eli had really spoiled the boys. I’m never going to be able to repay him for that.

“Ummm,
Sissy Shan Sebastian said a bad word.”

“I
did not!”

“Yes
you did!”

“No!
I said Hell and he thinks that's a bad word.

“Um,
Hell is a bad word.”

“Ha!
See told you!” Atreyu says.

“I
didn't know Hell was a bad word. I thought I could say it because it was part of a storm.”

“Do
you mean
hail
?”

“Yeah...”

“Hell
is a curse word as well as where the devil is.
Hail
is part of a storm, basically iceballs.

Atreyu
starts laughing, “You're balls will melt in Hell...”

“Atreyu
Edward!” I exclaimed.

“Opps...”
Atreyu mumbles.

I
couldn’t help it, I started laughing. Soon the boys were joining in. I explained to them that they were not to use that word, but the whole conversation was one for the books. It will definitely be one I share or think about during times that I need a laugh.

Once
I had everything put away, I hear my phone beep. Walking out to the living room, I checked the messages. There were three missed calls; one from Nick and two from Jackson. I set my phone back down on the end table and I walked out to the deck. The boys played happily inside the house and I curled up in one of the chairs and just stared out over the water.

More
memories start to flood my brain and tears trail down my cheeks. We hadn’t come out here since our parents died. This place was where I felt them the most. It’s where they taught me to swim, walk, camp, build fires and so much more. Standing, I go inside to busy myself and take my thoughts away from my parents.

As
I walked through the living room to the kitchen, I hear my phone beeping again. Ignoring it, I started making supper. I kept getting this feeling like I was being watched. The idea sent a chill down my spine. Walking away from the stove to the window that was on the side of the room from it, pulling back the curtains, I looked outside to see if I could see anything. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

“Maybe
we shouldn’t have come back out here,” I mumbled to myself.

“I’m
hungry,” Atreyu says walking into the kitchen.

I
smile. “Well, you’re in luck because supper is about ready. Go tell your brother it’s time to wash up, you wash up too okay?”

He
ran off and I went about finishing up supper. We all sat down and ate our spaghetti. They talked animatedly about Eli’s again. I loved that they had so much fun. We finished our meals and both of them wanted to go to bed. Apparently their fun filled day at Eli’s and running around here like mad men, wore them out. Tucking them in bed, I read them their favorite story. They had fallen asleep halfway through it. Kissing their foreheads, I walked quietly out of the room. It was the peace and quiet I longed for at home, but dreaded here. I went to the living room to find my phone, but it wasn’t where I left it.

“Where
the hell is my phone?”

Just
then someone started pounding on the door. My heart was pounding in my chest. After the feeling I had in the kitchen, everything was just weird.