Chapter 2
Natalie slipped out of the hospital once she and Vickie had gotten the news that Jessica had gotten through surgery well and would be moved to recovery soon.
It had been all she could do not to call Marty on the fact that she knew all about her little confession of murder or Miles on his blackmail scheme.
Sighing as she walked out of the hospital and towards her car, she wondered if she was the only one who had figured out the fact that the all too fast marriage between Marty and Miles had been based on something other than love. "Well, someone other than John that is--- as if his telling me to but out wouldn't raise even more red flags in my mind," she muttered to herself as she jostled her keys before reaching her car and unlocking it.
Throwing her purse onto the passenger seat, she couldn't keep a part of herself from feeling sorry for Miles, who really seemed to think that one heloved the shrink from hell and two that she would eventually fall in love with him. "Well it works in the movies and on soaps--- some of the time anyway," she muttered as she slumped into the car and yanked the door closed. "What the hell does she have that I don't? Besides John?" she asked aloud as she put the key into the ignition. Tapping the steering wheel she stared out of the window at a couple passing by, the man half carrying the woman into the hospital evoking memories of times past and causing Natalie to laugh hollowly: "Oh, now I know what it is. Its what she doesn't have. A backbone. I wouldn't be blackmailed into a marriage of convience at this point in my life. A couple of years ago. . . then yeah. . . then I would've needed John to rescue me.
Gee Natalie, guess you finally grew up. Too bad you had to loose the man of your dreams in the process because you're finally able to save yourself. Now all you have to do is figure out how to save your family. That should be a piece of cake compared to the broken heart you have," she told her reflection in the rearview mirror before pulling out of the spot and heading out of the parking lot. "Now I just have to figure out who I can count on to help me help them. . ."