Page 83 of Second Chances
~ Yes, I’ll be fine, I promise. I’ll text you later and let you know when I’ll be home.
- I’ll be waiting.
She shivered at his words and the thought of what would be waiting for her when she got home tonight. It was crazy that in spite of everything going on, in spite of everything that he had done, the thought of seeing him, of being with him, still lit a fire deep down inside of her, giving her goosebumps in anticipation. She relished it, hoping that it would always be like this.
Checking her email one last time, she packed up her things, finally heading out for the day towards the answers she prayed were waiting for her.
~On my way.She sent the text to Jane before throwing her phone in her purse, turning off the lights in her office and heading downstairs to the lobby where her friendly, security escorts were awaiting her.
That she was looking forward to doing without.
Twenty minutes later, the car was pulling up in front of her old apartment as Beth’s hands fidgeted in her lap, barely waiting for the car to come to a complete stop before opening the door and getting out - hastily apologizing to her security for not following protocol and letting them open the door for her.
Her foot tapped as she waited for the elevator, it tapped as the elevator ascended to her sister’s floor, and it tapped while she waited for Jane to open the door.
“Hey!” Jane greeted her, giving her a hug before moving back and ushering Beth into the apartment.
“Hey,” Beth responded, setting her purse and laptop bag down along the wall in the hallway, “thanks for moving things around so that we could do dinner and talk.”
“Of course!”
“Do you just want to order Chinese?”
“Yeah, that’s fine,” Jane agreed, “why don’t you sit down and I’ll grab the menu.”
“You don’t have to; I’ll just get my usual. I haven’t had Chinese food in so long!”
Beth went into the living room, slumping down on the couch, letting out a huge sigh. Honestly, she wasn’t even hungry; she was too on edge, dying to see if Jane knew anything about Caroline, but she had to have this discussion carefully. Caro was going to be Jane’s sister-in-law; she couldn’t just blurt out that she also happens to be a psycho and then ask her to divulge family secrets.
Her foot began to tap again, listening as she heard Jane call the restaurant and order their food. The minute or two she was on the phone felt like an hour to Beth, anxiously waiting to get this conversation started. Remembering that she should probably let Darcy know that she was here - safe and sound - Beth pulled out her phone and sent him a quick text that Jane was just ordering them dinner and that she would call when they were done.
Beth exhaled deeply as Jane finally entered the living room, just realizing that she’d been holding her breath ever since she heard Jane hang up the phone.
“So, what’s going on? Did you talk to Darcy? Did you go to the police?” Jane asked immediately as she sat down on the couch to face Beth.
Wow, is my stress that obvious? …Probably.
“I did talk to Darcy, but we haven’t gone to the police,” Beth answered.
Beth watched her sister’s brow furrow in confusion, anticipating the question that was about to follow.
“Why not? I don't understand.”
Beth froze, staring into her sister’s questioning gaze. She’d known the question was coming. For as much as she had been looking forward to the conversation all day, she hadn’t actually stopped to think about how exactly to tell Jane about Caroline; how to break the news as gently as possible that Charles’ sister was the cause of her distress. And now that the moment had come, her mind blanked, words choking in her throat, unable to articulate an answer.
“Beth? Why didn’t you go to the police? What’s going on?” Jane persisted, her voice sounding more worried as she reached over and grabbed Beth’s hand.
The touch of her sister’s hand jarred Beth from her daze, bringing her into the moment and the required necessity of her answer.
“I’m sorry, Jane,” she began, her words hoarse for a moment before her throat warmed up to the idea of confessions, “I talked to Darcy, but we can’t go to the police. At least, not now, not before I talked to you. What, umm, I have to tell you is going to come as a shock and I debated trying to keep this from you, at least for a time, but circumstances being what they are, I just want you to know that I’m sorry and if I could prevent any of this from affecting your life, I would.”
“You’re starting to really worry me, Beth; just tell me. Whatever it is, I can handle it,” Jane pleaded, hardly hearing Beth’s apology through her desire to know what was going on.
Beth broke her gaze from Jane’s, looking down at their hands for a moment, before continuing, “Darcy’s ex, the one who’s been threatening me… it’s Caroline.”
Saying it out loud was terrifying and empowering at the same time; terrifying because this vague concept of a woman was now finally made concrete, yet empowering because that same knowledge now gave her the power to deal with the situation.
Jane stared at her for a moment before comprehension dawned, her mouth opening in a gasp covered quickly by her hand. Beth held her breath as she watched the color drain from her sister’s face.
