Page 83 of Just Like This
I turned away from my new nightmare and discovered a bottle of water on the bedside table and the bottle of pills. I flipped on the light to read the directions.As needed, it said. I definitely needed it, I told myself as I unscrewed the cap and shook out one pill. This would help me get through the night. I swallowed the medication with a sip of water and fell back against the bed, waiting for it to carry me away back into silence.
The next morning, Palmer shook me awake. “How many more of these did you take last night?” he asked me, his voice laced with concern.
“Just one. Imaginary Garrett came back last night, and I couldn’t deal with it,” I told him. My head felt fuzzy, and my body moved slowly as I stirred awake. “What’s going on?”
“I’m taking you back home,” he informed me.
“No,” I said firmly. “I want to stay here in case something happens. I can’t risk not knowing again.”
“You can give Oliver your phone number again. He promised not to lose it this time.”
I wasn’t entirely satisfied with his answer, but I got up anyway and packed my small suitcase with the few items that I had taken out. Arguing with him was pointless, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized that Palmer was right. Going home was the best thing to do. Staying here would make me sick with worry.
“You should really eat,” Palmer admonished me, taking the plate from my hand and placing it in the sink. I didn’t have much of an appetite, so the breakfast that Palmer made for me ended up in the trash.
“I’m not hungry. You’re right; let’s just go home.”
“Okay,” he said. “We’ll stop in at the tasting room so you can give Oliver your phone number, and then we’ll head to the airport.”
Palmer waited for me while I showered and changed, and then we walked down toward the tasting room. He placed our bags into the rental car while I went inside where Oliver and Tabitha were talking behind the bar.
“Good morning,” I said weakly.
“Hi,” Tabitha greeted me with a warm smile. “How are you feeling?”
“Like a robot, but that’s usually how I feel after I take the medicine the doctor prescribed,” I admitted. “Since my dad passed, I’ve been having trouble sleeping, so they gave me something to just turn my brain off and knock me out.”
Palmer came inside the tasting room followed by Jacob. I looked at both of them nervously while Oliver took out his phone and asked for my number. “When we know something, I’ll call you. I promise.”
“Palmer, I’m sorry you’re leaving so soon,” I heard Jacob say. “How’s your girlfriend feeling? Oliver said she was sick.”
Confused, I turned back toward Oliver and Tabitha for an explanation. Oliver motioned for me to follow him into a back storage room. “I’m sorry you had to hear that,” he said once the door was closed. “He doesn’t know that you and Garrett are in a relationship.”
“What do you mean?” I asked. On the surface, I knew what Oliver was saying, but I didn’t understand why my relationship with Garrett was suddenly a huge secret.
“He’s been through a lot. First, our mom died, and then, Garrett enlisted. Now that Garrett is missing, I didn’t feel comfortable explaining who you were. It’s too much, and he’s getting older.”
“I still don’t understand. I love Garrett, and we’re planning on getting married. Why would that hurt your dad?”
“He’s very conservative. He doesn’t believe in love at first sight or anything like that. Garrett is supposed to marry someone who comes with the right amount of acreage, someone he personally approves of.”
This was unbelievable. With one hand on the handle of the door, I looked back at Oliver. “I’m sorry that he’s hurting, but I am too.” I opened the door and walked out into the tasting room. Palmer, Tabitha, and Jacob all turned in my direction, and suddenly, the fire that burned inside me moments ago was gone.
“Are you ready to go?” Palmer asked once I was close.
I nodded but kept my eyes on Jacob. The words were right there on my tongue, waiting to fall out, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. “I’m very sorry about Garrett,” I told Jacob quietly. “I hope he comes home soon.”
Jacob smiled sincerely and reached out for my hand. He patted the back of it gently before releasing it. “Thank you. We miss Garrett a lot and can’t wait for him to return.”
I left them all with one last weak smile before following Palmer to the car. I slipped into the front seat and waited while Palmer got himself settled. “Why didn’t you say anything to him?” Palmer asked as we drove down the driveway to the main road. “You could have corrected his mistake.”
“When Garrett is back, we’ll tell him together,” I said weakly. It was painful for me to admit that if Garrett never returned, there was no point in Jacob Hammond knowing me. If Garrett never returned, I wouldn’t return to Hammond Winery because it would be one more reminder of everything I lost.
