Gemma was able to get a few more hours of sleep before Abel and Sean woke up. Gemma feed the boys and changed both of them. She set Abel on the floor to play and put Sean in the play pen. Gemma sat reading the newspaper and eating breakfast. Afterward she loaded the dishwasher and was about to go play with Abel when she heard a knock at the door. Gemma got up and went to the door looking out first. She saw a delivery man and opened the door. The delivery guy was holding a large arrangement of Calla Lilies. "I am looking for Mrs. Morrow."
Gemma smiled and said "I am Mrs. Morrow."
The delivery guy handed her the large arrangement that was in a beautiful red vase. He also handed Gemma a box with a bow on it.
Gemma smiled and said "Thank you." Gemma balanced the flowers and the gift box and kicked the front door shut. She set the flowers on the console table by the door. Gemma took the card off the present and read it:
I am sorry if I upset you the other night. I was just worried about you. I hope I haven't done anything to ruin a good friendship.
E.O.
Gemma smiled looking at the flowers and opened the present that came with them. She grinned seeing the assortment of chocolate. She could definitely use a chocolate fix. Gemma ate a piece of the chocolate. Gemma walked over to the phone and picked it up calling Elliot's number. She waited for him to answer.
"Oswald…" said Elliot answering without looking at the caller ID.
"Hi. How are you doing Elliot?" asked Gemma.
Elliot smiled hearing her voice on the other end of the phone. "Gemma…hi. I am doing great now that you have called me…I take it that you aren't angry with me?"
Gemma chuckled softly. "No, I am not angry with you. I've just had a lot on my plate these last few days. I've been meaning to call you but I just haven't gotten around to it. I just got your flowers and the chocolate and I wanted to say thank you. The flowers are beautiful and the chocolate is absolutely delicious."
"I am glad to hear that. I was starting to think that I had really upset you the other night and that was never my intention. I just saw a friend in pain and I wanted to be there for you." said Elliot.
"You didn't upset me Elliot. My life upsets me at the moment. You are actually just a really great supportive friend and I appreciate that. Things are just a little awkward because we are both…very attracted to one another." said Gemma.
"Who knew sexual attraction could be a bad thing? But you are right I am incredibly attracted to you but I am not going to let that get in the way of being your friend. Do you want to get together for coffee or something today? Did Clay go on that trip you mentioned?" asked Elliot. Elliot of course already knew that answer. He had rode by the Teller-Morrow shop that day on his way to city hall and had saw that the gate was closed.
Gemma said "Good, I am glad that we aren't going to let that get in the way of the two of us being friends. Coffee? Sure I guess coffee would be okay. You aren't worried about being seen with me? Yeah he left last night…"
"No, I don't mind being seen with you at all. But I was thinking why don't we meet in Stockton. I need to stop by my lawyer's office anyway. We can meet at that little café across the street from his office. I have an appointment with him at 1:00." said Elliot.
"Well, I do have some errands to run today and I was going to go to Stockton anyway to do some advance shopping for Abel's birthday. I can meet you there around 2:00 how does that sound?" asked Gemma.
Elliot said "Sure I will see you there then."
Gemma smiled to herself. "Okay…I'll see you later Elliot."
"Bye Gemma." said Elliot.
"Bye Elliot." said Gemma hanging up.
Gemma spent part of the morning with Abel and Sean. She waited until Neeta arrived for the day before she got a shower and got dressed. Gemma grabbed her purse and keys and walked over to Neeta. "I will be out for most of the afternoon. If you need anything just call my cell phone." said Gemma.
Neeta nodded and said "Alright, I doubt we will need anything though. Have a good day."
"You too Neeta." said Gemma leaving the house. Gemma walked out to her car and climbed in. She drove around town running several errands. She stopped at the diner to get a cup of coffee. She parked and went inside to get her coffee. When she came out she thought she spotted Bobby parked down the block in one of the cars from the club. Gemma considered that he might have been following her but just shook it off as a coincidence.
Gemma climbed back into her car and took off heading out of Charming with the radio blaring Rolling Stones tunes. Gemma needed to clear her head and she figured a drive on the open road would do that for her. Gemma sped out of town as the sky opened up and rain began beating against her windshield. Gemma ignored it and continued to speed down the county road. Gemma drove for two hours before she suddenly realized that she had no idea where she was and it was 1:30. She laughed at herself and slowed to a stop. She looked around for any signs that could tell her where she was. Gemma didn't see any so she made a u-turn in the virtually deserted roadway and went back the way she had come. Gemma called Elliot's cell phone and left him a message.
"Hi Elliot…I got a little turned around so I might be a few minutes late getting to the café but I will be there." said Gemma. She hung up and continued to drive.
She finally found her bearings and started driving toward Stockton so that she could meet Elliot. When she was just 20 miles outside of town she started to hydroplane. Gemma struggled to keep her car on the road but she couldn't. She slid off the road and into a ditch. The car came to a hard stop and Gemma whacked her head on the windshield. The force of the blow knocked Gemma out cold. Gemma came to a few minutes later and looked around for a moment confused about where she was. She felt something wet on her face and touched her forehead. She looked at her hand and saw blood. "Shit…" muttered Gemma groggily. Gemma reached for her purse but saw that it had slid off the seat. She leaned down to grab her purse feeling woozy. She searched for her cell phone and hit the call button. The phone called the last number she called.
Elliot answered on the first ring. "Gemma? Where are you? I've been waiting here for 40 minutes." said Elliot laughing.
"I don't know…I think I slid off the road…I was taking the county road to Stockton." muttered Gemma.
Elliot said "Are you okay?"
"I think so…my head is bleeding but I think I am okay…" said Gemma.
"Where are you?" asked Elliot getting up. He grabbed his keys and ran out to his car.
"I don't know…I was couple of miles outside of Stockton…when it happened." said Gemma.
"Don't worry I am on my way. We'll call a tow for your car." said Elliot. Elliot sped like a bat out of hell to get to Gemma. He took the county road and kept his eyes peeled for Gemma's car. He spotted it and rode past it. He did a u-turn so that he could park on the side of the road. Elliot flipped on his hazard lights and got out of the car getting soaked from the rain. He slid down the ditch to Gemma's car. He tapped on the window. "Open the door Gemma…"
Gemma fiddled with the door and finally opened it. She took off her seatbelt. "Thank you for coming to get me." said Gemma. Gemma grabbed her purse and tried to get out of the car but felt light headed.
Elliot helped her out of the care and asked "What are friends for?" He helped her out of the car and carried her up the slippery ditch to the road where his car was. Elliot opened the door to his Benz and eased Gemma inside of the car. Elliot went around to the other side of the car. He drove off toward Charming. "I am going to take you to St. Thomas."
Gemma said "No, I don't want to go to the hospital. If the word gets out and Bobby or Piney finds out….they'll tell Clay and he will want to come back early. Clay needs this time away."
"Gemma your head is bleeding. The last time I listened to you I came back to find you passed out in a puddle of your own blood. I won't be making that mistake again. You could have a concussion or something." said Elliot.
Gemma searched her purse for Kleenex and pressed it to her head. She wiped away the blood and said "Look I am not bleeding anymore…it stopped…"
"Okay…you still could have a concussion. Well, I could keep an eye on you to make sure you don't have a concussion…but if you start falling passing out then I am taking you to the hospital." said Elliot.
"See that is a good solution." said Gemma.
Elliot said "Okay…fine. I'll take you back to my house and keep an eye on you." Elliot drove into Charming and toward his property. He kept glancing over at Gemma worried about whether or not she was okay. Elliot pulled up at his house and got out of the car going around to Gemma's side. He opened her door and helped her out of the car and into his house. He took her to his bedroom upstairs and got her settled in the bed. "I am going to go find a first aid kit so that I can do something about your head."
Gemma chuckled and said "I will be here." Gemma laid her head back on a pillow and took a breath. Her head was killing her and she was freezing from being dressed in now soaking wet clothing.
Elliot returned a few minutes later with the first aid kit and sat next to Gemma on the bed. He cleaned the cut on her forehead and put a band aid on it. "How are you feeling?" asked Elliot handing her a couple of aspirin and a bottle of water.
"My head hurts but other than that I am okay. Thank you for doing this Elliot. I just really didn't want to go to the hospital. I don't need Clay or Jax worrying about me." said Gemma. She sat up a little and took the aspirin and washed them down with the water.
Elliot couldn't help but see the way her now wet white tank top was clinging to her cleavage. He felt bad for looking while she was in pain so he averted his eyes. "Why don't I get you something dry to put on?" asked Elliot getting up. He went into his closet and came back out with a robe, a t-shirt, and gym shorts. "They have a drawstring…if you pull it tight enough you should be okay. I will give you some privacy to change." Elliot walked out of the bedroom closing the door behind him.
Gemma changed into the clothes Elliot had given her. She laid down in the bed tiredly and ended up drifting off to sleep for an hour. She got up and walked into the hallway looking for Elliot. "Elliot?" asked Gemma loudly.
"I'm in the kitchen." said Elliot.
Gemma walked down the stairs going to the kitchen.
"I figured you could use some tea." said Elliot. "How are you feeling? Did you sleep well?"
"I am doing better. Thank you for coming to get me Elliot. I didn't mean to fall asleep but it was a good nap." said Gemma.
"Of course…I was worried about you anyway…I was starting to wonder if something was wrong when you hadn't shown up." said Elliot.
Gemma said "I decided to go for a drive instead of shopping. I guess I stopped paying attention at some point and I drove…way out of my way. I had to turn back and go the other way so that I could make it to Stockton. I was nearly there when the next thing I know I am hydroplaning and skidding across the road. I am glad that I walked away with just a bump on my head." She sighed a little.
Elliot brought her tea over to the table. "Well, I am glad that you are okay. So why were you driving so far out anyway?"
"I just needed some quiet time to think about myself." Gemma drank some of her tea. "I just had a revelation of sorts yesterday. I thought I was the only one suffering because of my relationship with Clay…but it has been having a negative effect on Jax….he is worried about me…"
"He should be…" said Elliot.
"I am fine Elliot. I don't need Jax worrying about me." said Gemma. She gave him a small smile letting him know that he didn't need to worry about her either.
"Case in point…you got into an accident today because you were coming back from who knows where. This relationship is taking a toll on you and it is starting to show." said Elliot.
Gemma couldn't argue with him there so instead she gave him a glare. She drank her tea and said "The point is I've got more than just myself to consider in all of this. Maybe I can go a few months struggling with Clay…but I don't know if everyone else can make it for a few months."
"So you are going to go ahead with the divorce?" asked Elliot trying not to sound too hopeful at the prospect.
"No, I am going to show people what I want them to see and keep the rest hidden. Clay and I have a lot of good years together…I love that man. I want to try to work it out." said Gemma.
"That is commendable of you a lot of people give up on their marriages easily…but at some point you've got to do what is best for you…and it sounds like…what is best for Jax." said Elliot trying to be supportive.
"I know that you are right but 17 years is a lot of time to just throw away…" said Gemma. She finished her cup of tea. "I need to call Bobby and let him know that I need the car towed." Gemma got up from the table and walked upstairs to get her purse. She called Bobby.
"Hello?" asked Bobby.
"Bobby, its Gemma. I hydroplaned out on county road 44 and slid into a ditch. I got a ride back into town but I need you to tow my car back to the garage and check it out. I am fine so do not go calling Clay about this…I mean it Bobby."
"Okay I will pick up the car now. I'll drop by the house to see you in a bit. Bye Gemma." said Bobby hanging up. He was kicking himself because he had stopped to pick up lunch and had lost Gemma. Clay was going to kill him.
Gemma groaned and walked into the kitchen. "I hate to run Elliot but I've got to go. Bobby is going to go get my car but he is also going to stop by my house to see me…I better get home. Can you take me?"
Elliot nodded and said "Sure I can drive you home."
"I am going to go upstairs and change." said Gemma. "Thank you Elliot for everything." said Gemma. She went upstairs and changed back into her wet clothes that had only dried somewhat. She headed back downstairs. "Thank you for your help Elliot."
"It is no problem…I am glad to do it." said Elliot. Elliot looked into her eyes for a moment and leaned in kissing her softly. "I hate to see the way he hurts you…you deserve to be happy Gemma…"
Gemma looked into his eyes. "Elliot…we are two very different people. You are straight laced and law abiding…you will be taking the office of mayor in a month…getting involved with me would be a bad stretch of road that you don't want. You care about me…I will give you that…but you don't want a relationship that has no guarantee of working when you have so much to lose."
"When are there ever guarantees?" asked Elliot.
"Elliot…I think you are an amazing man. And you have been such a good friend to me…be my friend okay…but I've got to figure out if I can salvage my marriage. I am sorry if I led you on in anyway…" said Gemma.
"You didn't lead me on Gemma. You've been pretty clear about your intentions…so let me be clear about mines. I care about you and I like you. First and foremost I am your friend and if that is all we can ever be…then I can take that. And I don't know what a relationship between us could turn out to be…but it could be something great. You want to try to work things out with Clay…I can respect that…but I will say this…if he falls short and it doesn't work out…I'll be there to catch you." said Elliot. Elliot opened the front door for her.
Gemma was stunned momentarily by his declaration but quickly recovered. She walked out of the house and out to his car. It was still raining but the storm had slacked up some. Gemma climbed into the car when Elliot unlocked it.
Elliot got in and drove Gemma home in relative silence. Both of them had a lot on their minds at the moment. Elliot pulled up in front of Gemma's house.
"Thank you…for everything Elliot." said Gemma. She kissed his cheek and got out of his car. She went inside.
Elliot drove off after she closed the door.