Chapter 4
"Are you going to stay for dinner, dad?" Steve asked Chris. Chris and Audrey had spent several hours with Teri.
Chris looked at Audrey who was entertaining Teri. "Sure."
"Teri really likes Audrey," Steve said.
"She's amazing," Chris told him.
"You guys have been together for almost a year," Steve said. "Are you gonna ask her to marry you?"
"She's not ready for that," Chris said,
"But, you are?" Steve asked. Chris nodded and went back to Teri and Audrey.
Audrey was glad Jack didn't go over today. She was not ready to see him again. Especially not with Chris around. Of course, she thought of this too soon as Jack walked in. He went in the kitchen, and Audrey heard him ask if Kim if she needed help. Obviously Kim said no because Jack walked into the living room seconds later. Teri stood up and ran over to Jack. He picked her up and kissed her on the cheek.
"Ready for dinner?" Jack asked her.
"Yeah," Teri said. Jack carried her to the kitchen, and Chris and Audrey followed them. When dinner was put on the table, everyone sat down.
"So, Audrey, have you lived in New York for a while?" Steve asked making conversation.
"Well, I grew up in Albany. But, I only moved back to New York about a year and a half ago," Audrey said.
"Where did you move from?" Steve asked.
"D.C." Audrey said.
"How did you guys meet?" Jack asked indicating to Chris. Audrey glared at him just enough for him to see.
Chris answered. "I'm a doctor. Audrey came to the hospital needing a brain scan."
"What for?" Steve asked.
"You know, you never did tell me why," Chris said to Audrey.
"Oh yeah," Audrey said. "I guess I didn't."
"So why?" Chris asked.
"Just a checkup," Audrey said.
Chris was about to question her more when Jack changed the subject. "So, Teri, are you looking forward to kindergarten on Monday?"
"No," Teri said. "I like playing with you guys."
"You get to play a lot in kindergarten, too," Kim told her.
"But, I want to play here," Teri said.
"In kindergarten, you get to make friends who are the same age as you," Audrey said.
"What if I don't?" Teri asked. "Can I stay here and play with you guys forever?"
"You will," Steve said.
"Did you guys like kindergarten?" Teri asked. Everyone said they did and told her stories to convince her that it would be fun.
After dinner, everyone went to the living room. Later, Teri went to bed. The adults talked over drinks, and Steve asked Audrey a lot of questions.
"She's not a murder suspect, Steve," Chris said, after a while.
"I just want to get to know her," Steve said innocently.
"It's alright, Chris," Audrey said, smiling.
Steve continued. "Does your family live in New York too?"
"No," Audrey said. "My dad lives in D.C. and I don't talk to him very much anymore. And, I have a brother who I'm not really close with."
"No kids?" Steve asked.
"Nope," Audrey replied.
"Were you ever married?" Steve asked.
"Yeah," Audrey said. "But, he died."
"I'm sorry," Steve said.
"Don't be," Audrey told him. "We were separated at that point anyways. Made it easier to cope."
"Have you been with anyone since then?" Steve asked.
"Not really," Audrey lied. She looked to Jack who was pretending to be uninterested in the conversation. She could tell Steve was about to ask her more questions when Chris's pager went off.
"It's the hospital," Chris said. "I have to go."
He and Audrey stood up to leave but Steve asked Audrey if she wanted to stay.
"I can drive you home later," Steve offered. Audrey agreed and let Steve ask her more questions. About an hour later, Steve offered to drive Audrey home.
"Well, I'm leaving now anyways if you want me to drive her," Jack suggested.
"Audrey?" Steve asked.
"Yeah, that's fine," She said. She and Jack went outside to his car. Jack reached for her door handle to get the door for her, but Audrey got to it first.
"I can open my own door, thanks," Audrey said, getting in. Jack got in on his side and started the car.
"I was just trying to be nice," Jack said.
"Yeah," Audrey said. "Well, stop it."
"So you want me to be an ass?" Jack asked.
"No," Audrey said. "I just don't want you to be nice either."
"That doesn't make sense," Jack said.
"Neither does you covering for me," Audrey said.
"What do you mean?" Jack asked.
"Changing the subject when Chris asked me why I needed a brain scan or just in general when you don't speak up about us being together," Audrey said.
"Do you want me to?" Jack asked. "Cause I thought you didn't want him to know about us."
"I don't. And, he'd probably break up with me if he knew because I've lied to him for so long. Which is why I can't figure you out," Audrey explained. "You said you were jealous. And, if you told Chris he'd leave and you'd have a better shot of making things work between us. So, why haven't you?"
"Because you'd hate me if I told him," Jack said. "But, I do think you should tell him."
"Yeah sure," Audrey said.
"So, you don't talk with your father anymore?" Jack asked.
"No," Audrey said.
"Why not?" Jack asked.
Audrey contemplated whether or not to tell him. "I know it was your choice to leave or whatever, but I think he should've convinced you to stay. And, I'm mad that he just sat there and let you leave me."
Jack laughed a little. "That never would've happened."
"Good to know you were so determined to leave," Audrey said under her breath.
"No," Jack said. "I meant-never mind."
"No, now you have to tell me," Audrey said.
"Your father never would have tried to convince me to stay because he was the one who convinced me to leave," Jack told her.
"What?" Audrey asked.
"I wasn't going to tell you, but I also never planned on seeing you again," Jack said.
"What could he have possibly said that made you leave?" Audrey asked, now on the verge of tears.
"It doesn't matter," Jack said.
"Please," Audrey begged. "It matters to me."
"Just stuff about how what happened to you was my fault, and he said I was cursed and that everyone dies when I'm around," Jack said.
"I'm so sorry," Audrey said, tears now falling from her eyes. "You shouldn't have listened. He was wrong."
"No he wasn't," Jack said. He saw Audrey starting to cry and pulled over. "It was a horrible thing to say, but he was right."
"No," Audrey said, wiping tears away.
"I'm sorry," Jack said. "I never should have told you any of that."
"I'm glad you did," Audrey said looking up at him. Jack brought his hand to Audrey's face to wipe away a tear. Once the tears were gone, he kept his hand where it was, cupping Audrey's cheek. Audrey leaned forward carefully and kissed Jack. Jack kissed her back, remembering every kiss they'd shared until he remembered that Audrey had a boyfriend. He pulled away quickly.
"I'm sorry," Jack said.
"I kissed you," Audrey said. "So, I'm the one who should be sorry."
"Okay," Jack said, pulling back out into traffic.
"But, I'm not sorry," Audrey admitted.
"You're not?" Jack asked.
"No," Audrey said. "Does that make me a bad person? God, Chris is going to hate me."
"You're going to tell him?" Jack asked.
"I don't know yet. I didn't exactly think all of this through," Audrey said.
"Look, I understand if you stay with him," Jack said. "But, please don't. I'm so in love with you."
They pulled up to Audrey's place, and Audrey went inside trying to decide what to do.
