Richard shows that he is much more than a pretty face. But, I get the feeling he is Team Jack.

Chapter 25

Richard turned off the car and turned to his wife, "Jean, I don't think it is right just dropping in on Laura."

As she opened the door, she leaned back and kissed him. "Well, I've tried calling her and she's not answering."

He kissed her back and held onto her arm. "Maybe she is otherwise occupied."

"There's only her car."

"She could be occupied elsewhere."

"Well, then it won't hurt that we've called round."

Richard shook his head knowing he had lost this battle. He watched Jean walk to the door and knock. She waited a few minutes then walked back to the car. She motioned for Richard to roll the window down. "Hand me my purse love."

"Why do you need my purse?"

"I have a key to Laura's house."

"Jean Innocent, you are not going to break into Laura's house."

"It's not breaking into if I have the key."

"Jeannie, think about it. She's probably out with her new guy."

"Her purse is on the table."

"Then she is out for a walk. Don't go in Jeannie."

Jean looked back at the house, "I don't know Richard something doesn't feel right. It will take me a few minutes and I can leave her a note"

Richard looked at her and could see the concern. "OK, but make it quick."

She took the keys from her purse and walked back to her house. She let herself in and walked through to the living room. She called out, "Laura, are you home?"

There was silence. She started up the stairs calling Laura's name again. At the top of the stairs, she heard a stifled noise from the bedroom. She tapped on the door, "Laura?"

"Jean?"

"Yes, can I come in?"

"I'm not feeling well Jean. Can I just call you later?"

Jean opened the door. Laura was curled up on her bed with her arms wrapped around a pillow. Tears were streaming down her face. Jean rushed to her and pulled her into her arms. "Laura, what's wrong, what's happened?"

"Robbie came by."

Jean stroked her hair and rocked her slightly. "Did something happen?"

Laura shook her head, "He thinks the reason I am with Jack is because he didn't tell me he loves me. He thinks that if he says it now that we can be together."

"Oh, Laura, I am sure he didn't mean it that way. Robbie is many things but good with words is not one of them."

"Maybe not but he was pretty clear when he said I wouldn't be with Jack if he had told me about his feelings."

Jean heard footsteps on the stairs and then there was a light knock on the doorframe. "Everybody OK in here?" Richard peeked around the door. He saw the two women on the bed. He saw the tears on Laura's face. "You know I think some tea is in order."

Laura smiled at the husband of her good friend, "Make it whisky and you have a deal."

Jean stood up, "I'll get it I know where everything is." She walked past Richard and whispered in his ear, "Talk to her. I think she needs a mans' opinion."

He nodded and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Laura, do you mind if sit on the bed with you?"

She looked up at him, "Richard, I've been in your bed so I think it's OK."

He sat down and leaned against the headboard. "I know that I'm not Jean, but, I've been told I'm a pretty good listener. And, sometimes talking to someone that's not as close to the situation is a good thing."

Laura leaned back against the headboard beside Richard. "Robbie came over earlier. I thought it was Jack coming back."

Richard took her hand and squeezed it. "What did he say?"

Laura took a deep breath, "He said he made a mistake not telling me that he had feelings for me. That had he told me I wouldn't be with Jack and then we could be together."

"Not to be the bad guy here but isn't that true to some extent?"

Laura nodded, "You're not a bad guy you're just being logical. And, yes, I guess had he ever told me I might not be with Jack."

"And, that made you angry didn't it?"

Laura laughed, "Yes, it did. I was so angry and then I was sad."

"So, what did you tell him about his confession?"

She shrugged "I told him it was too little too late." Fresh tears fell down her cheeks.

He let her cry for a few minutes then asked. "Is it really too late Laura?"

"It has to be Richard. I'm falling in love with Jack. I can't be in love with two people at the same time. And, why should I throw Jack aside because Robbie had an epiphany because he realized he might lose me."

Richard put his arm around her and pulled her closer to him. She laid her head on his shoulder. "Laura, I am fairly confident that it is possible to be in love with two people at the same time."

"Have you ever been in love with two people?"

He nodded his head and looked down at her, "Yes, I have."

She sat up and looked at him. "When?"

He chuckled at her, "Don't worry, it was before Jean. I was dating two women right after I finished university. They were both intelligent, beautiful women who would have made perfect corporate wives."

Laura shook her head in amazement, "So, what happened?"

He looked her in the eyes and smiled, "Jean Innocent happened. She walked into my life and turned it and me completely upside down. I had never met anyone who challenged me, annoyed me, loved me with the same fierceness that Jeannie did. Once I met her, I was done for. Four weeks after I met her, I begged her to marry me and I have never regretted it for a minute."

Jean was still standing outside the bedroom door. She wanted to hear what, if any, advice Richard would give Laura. She smiled at the story of how they met. If he only knew, she would have married him after two weeks had he asked. She crept down the stairs and left them to talk.

Laura was still amazed at Richard's confession. "Jean has never told me that story. Thank you for sharing it."

"My pleasure."

She leaned back into his shoulder, "What do I do Richard?"

"You know I can't tell you that. But, I can ask you a few questions. You don't have to answer me just answer them for yourself. Fair enough?"

She nodded, "OK."

"You've been in love in some form with Robbie Lewis for ten years. What made you fall in love with him?"

Laura smiled, "His compassion, he has such a big heart and he genuinely cares about the victims. I work with a lot of detectives but Robbie has always been different. And, I knew him when he was with Val. I could see the passion he had for her. It radiated from him. I always thought that I wanted to inspire that kind of passion in someone."

"I can see how that would be compelling. Why are you falling in love with Jack?"

"Because he has that passion for me. I see it when he looks at me or kisses me or anything he does. I've always rushed the physical in relationships but with Jack we took it slow and he was OK with it. We have these long, amazing conversations about everything and nothing. He sends me emails with articles he thinks I might like to read. He cooks for me and he only made fun of me for a few minutes when he found out how truly bad I am at cooking. And, he never misses a chance to tell me or show me how happy he is that I am in his life. I have never experienced that in my life. How sad is that? I'm a woman in my 40s and I have never had a man treat me this way."

Richard gathered her into his arms and she curled into him. He kissed the top of her head and let her cry. "Laura, I am so sorry." He held her while she cried. After a few minutes she pulled away.

"I am so pathetic."

He wiped her tears, "You're not pathetic Do you mind if I ask you a few more questions?" She nodded for him to continue. "So, a month ago, you planned a dinner with Robbie. What did you hope would happen?"

Laura thought for a few seconds. "I hoped that we would finally get past that last barrier and share our feelings."

"No thoughts of a physical relationship?"

Laura laughed, "Of course I thought about it but I know how old-fashioned he is and I was going to be OK if we could just admit that there is something between us."

He took her hand and looked into her eyes. "So, your best case scenario was just acknowledging that there is the promise of something?" She nodded. "You just told me that you wanted to inspire passion in a man. Then you talked about a man that it sounds like you have actually inspired passion in. And, in your next sentence, you said that your best case scenario in dinner with Robbie was an acknowledgement that you mean something to each other."

Laura laughed, "Well, when you put it like that."

"Laura, I'm not pushing you either way but I have one last question. Let's say everything had gone to plan in your dinner with Robbie. And, you had still met Jack the next week knowing that all you had from Robbie was a promise of maybe something more. Would you have still gone out with Jack?"

Tears formed in Laura's eyes, "I think I would have." He wiped the tears from her cheeks again. "Richard, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Besides her passion, what made you fall in love with Jean?"

"Easy, she always remembered these odd little things about me."

"I don't understand."

He smiled, "She remembered that I am allergic to tomatoes even though it was a random comment I made once. She knew how I took my tea and my coffee. But what put it over the top for me, for our two week anniversary, she gave me a book."

Laura raised her eyebrow, "A book proved to you that she was the one.

"It was The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin. But, what made it great is that she had called my mother and asked if she still had it. She convinced my mother to give it to her so that she could give it to me. That night we stayed up and I read it to her."

"That's a very sweet story Richard."

"The point is no one knows me better than Jeannie. And, no one knows her better than I do. When one of us is weak the other is strong. I don't know if I added anything to your situation. But, my recommendation to you is to find that person who is strong when you are weak."

They heard Jean coming up the stairs. She rounded the corner with a tea tray with a bottle of whisky on it. "I thought tea was still a good idea. But, no reason it can't be a hot toddy." She fixed a cup for each of them and Laura watched as she made Richard's without asking how he took it and handed it to him. Their fingers grazed one another during that process. She smiled. "So, what have you two been talking about?"

Laura smiled at Richard. "A little bit of everything. He's quite good at advice.

Jean took a sip of her tea, "Oh, I know that. He gives me advice all of the time. And, sometimes I even take it."

Laura took another sip of her tea, "Guys, I appreciate the tea and company. But, I promise I'm good. You can go back to your day."

Richard put his cup down. "Laura, why don't you come to the movies with us."

Laura stood, "No, I won't interrupt your day anymore than I already have. I have some thinking to do. Richard has given me quite a lot to think about."

Richard and Jean looked at each other. Then, they looked at Laura. Jean asked, "You promise me that you will call if you need anything?"

Laura nodded emphatically, "I promise. Now, get out of here the both of you."

The three friends hugged and Laura walked them to the door. "You guys have fun this afternoon." They left and she watched them walk to the car. She closed the door and looked around. The first thing she saw was Jack's overnight bag. She picked it up and headed upstairs. Once in her room, she emptied his clothes and his toiletries. She put the dirty clothes in the hamper and the toiletries in the bathroom mixed with her own.

Then she took several outfits from her closet and filled the bag. She added a few of her own toiletries. Then she cleaned out two drawers from her dresser for Jack. With that finished, she took the tea tray downstairs and straightened the kitchen. She saw the blinking light on her mobile.

There were several missed calls from Jean and a text from Jack. Miss you already; I can be finished by 7. Dinner my place, I'll cook.

She hit reply. "I'll bring a bottle."

Several minutes later she had a return text. "Don't forget the bag. I cleared out a couple of drawers for you."