Chapter 42
Mr. Howard tote my overnight bag that Jacob had made me up my porch steps while I take my time. "How you feeling?" He asks going through my keys. "I'm doing fine. I'm good. That laxative went through me like nothing." I say checking my mailbox to see if I have mail. I don't. He open the door for me and I walk past him and breath in the air glad to be home.
I make my way to my couch and sit down on it. "Jacob left me for Bella." I say propping my feet up while he put the bag on the floor. "Did he?" He asks closing the door. "Yeah, he did. He had a crush on Bella who is his childhood friend. Their dads are best friends. She had Edward and almost Paul. He been hanging with her like no tomorrow. It wasn't just his attitude, Mr. Howard." I say.
"You don't need a boy like that, Ms. Thorne." He say. "It'll work out because he won't be with her for long. She'll be leaving him and when she does. I'll be with my Sarah and a new man in my life. The man just doesn't know yet but we'll be together." "He does not know yet?" He asks. I nod my head taking off my coat. "Not yet but I'm hoping he'll see the light real soon that he needs me in his life."
"Is he married?" He asks me. "No, he is not. Take off your coat, Mr. Howard. I'll make you something to eat." I say getting up from the couch and walking into the kitchen. "I'm not leaving my wife for you, Ms. Thorne." He say. "I did not say that you was at all." I say going into the fridge. "I didn't meant to set the wrong message for you but I love my wife very much and I'm not leaving her for you. My student, Ms. Thorne." He say.
I just nod my head searching food while he takes off his coat. "It was a mistake, Ms. Thorne. I led you on when you was in a vulnerable situation with your boyfriend." He say to me. "I did not say you led me on, Mr. Howard." I say closing the door. "I love my wife very much." "And, I love myself and I understand that things happen out of our control and I think you got the wrong message when I was talking." I say checking the cabinets and grabbing a box of cookies out of it.
He doesn't say anything and I make my way back to the living room. I sit back on the couch. "I have other friends other than you, Mr. Howard. It's other men in my life." I say opening my box of cookies. "Long as you understand that I'm never leaving my wife for you nor anyone else." He seriously say. "And, long as you understand that everything out of my mouth is not about you." I say eating a cookie.
"Okay, Ms. Thorne. Are you settled and will be okay?" He asks me. I guess he cutting the day short. "I am. Dr. Roberts will be moving I mean he'll be visiting me after he gets home from work. Thanks again, Mr. Howard." I say getting up and walking him to the door. He put his coat back on while I open the door for him. "It was a big mistake letting you kiss me and having an attraction to you." He say. "And, I understand. I am your student and you love your wife. Any man who is in a situation like you is in then you seek comfort in someone else. I just happen to be the student or whatever but thanks again, Mr. Howard." I say.
"You're welcome, Ms. Thorne. Call me if you need anything." He say walking past me. "I will." I say watching him walk down the steps and I close the door behind him locking it. Jacob think he slick but I got something for him. He want Bella over me. Let see him break that Bella and Edward bond. I'll be surprise then I'll whip Bella's ass for breaking up my family then Jacob's ass. I make my way back to the couch to finish eating my cookies.
I haven't used my powers in a long time and I thought it was time that I pay visit to someone. I walk into my clothes closet and walk back out. I check around Paul's closet and hear vicious growling. He has ten boots that's jacked up to the core. I open the door to see him walking around in blue basketball shorts while toting a bottle of whiskey.
"Looking good there, Paul." I say checking out his eight pack of abs. He just keep walking into his kitchen. I cover my nose when the nasty smell really hits me. It smells like sex and liquor. I walk into the kitchen and take a seat at the table while he pay me no mind. "Sarah is doing alright. I'm sure you heard from Sam and probably mostly Jacob thoughts." I say but he just keeps silent.
"I'm really sorry that you're going through heartbreak and I want you to understand that I am here for you as a friend and to be honest things are not written in stone and I had nothing to do with it. It's on the heart." I say but he just drink the bottle up while still looking in the fridge. I look in the bedroom to see if he has a girl in the bedroom. He does and she smells like she has an STD coming along.
I get up and walk fast into the bedroom to see who the girl is and I close the door behind me locking it. I hear him coming quick and I walk fast to see if it is Bella. She is not going to like that if it is not. I lean over to see her face. Oh, who are you blond girl? You smell nasty. I wave and lift up the blanket to see if she's naked. She is. I drop the blanket and walk back out of the bedroom to see Paul watching a fight club movie.
"Maybe you should slow down, Paul. It's not healthy and I'm sure you're being real reckless. I'm sure you don't want children running around." I say slowly for him but he ignores me. "Don't you want to know how Bella is doing?" I ask trying to edge him on. Nothing from him. "It was not a mistake. Who filled your head up and said it was a mistake? It was not. You worked hard for Bella or I will because she is breaking up my family." I say quickly and the front door opens up to Sam and Jacob.
Sam looks at Paul while Jacob looks at me. "What are you doing here?" He asks me. I guess he's not welcomed in the house because he stands on the porch. "Paul." Sam say then he looks back at me. "Lacie, what are you doing?" He asks me. Jacob shake his head. "I just came to try and save my family, Sam." I say crossing my arms. "What are you talking about?" He asks me.
"Maybe if Bella-" "Get out." He orders me. I walk past the sofa and try to touch Paul's hair but he moves his head from me. I walk out of the house passing Sam while Jacob glares at me. "How did you get here?" He asks helping me down the porch. "I used the closet." I say and throw up in the grass. It so stinks in there. Sam closes the front door. Jacob just stand there watching me.
"Paul is dangerous and can phase at any moment." He growls out. "I can take care of myself, Jacob." I say wiping my mouth. "You don't know how dangerous we are and you came to Paul's house." He say grabbing my arm and leading me into the forest. "I just wanted to see how he was." I say. Jacob stop us walking and gets in my face. "He's not doing good because his imprint wanted to leave him for a bloodsucker." He say.
"So, Bella is not leaving Edward for you." "I'll never go after my brother's imprint." He seriously say getting in my face. I stay quiet putting on my stupid face. "I'm going to say it slowly and clear for you." Sam say. I nod my head seeing him walking up to us. "You don't ever go to Paul's house again." He say. I nod my head swallowing my spit. Jacob just looks at me.
"Take her to my house." Sam orders and Jacob grabs my arm and lead me toward Sam's house. "Jacob, I'm sorry. I thought you was leaving me for Bella." I say voice breaking. "Lacie, shut up." He orders. I keep quiet letting out a whine. I look behind us to see Sam disappeared. Jacob just leads me not saying a thing for the rest of walk.
I'm sitting in Sam's living room while Emily is preparing a cup of tea for me. "How you been feeling, Lacie?" She asks me. "I been feeling good. I had terrible gas in my stomach the other day." "I heard from Jacob. It must've been terrible." She say pouring the tea into a cup for me. "It was real terrible. I thought I was miscarrying." I say. "I'm sorry you went through that." She say handing me to the cup of tea.
I take it from her. Jacob left to go back to Paul's house. I wonder what happened. I blow my breath on the tea to cool it down. "That must be wonderful to do that." She say pouring herself a cup of tea and sitting down at the table. "It's okay but I try not to do it anything because it makes real sick and tired plus I have no reason too." I say and sipping the tea. Oh, this is too bitter.
"Is it too bitter?" She asks me. "It's okay." I say getting up and walking into the kitchen to pour me some sugar in it. "Sorry." "It's okay, Emily. Sam will get me for making me make you say sorry so many times." I say grabbing the sugar cup and pouring sugar in my tea cup. What's been going on? "I mean sorry for what you been through since everything went down. Sam is very protective over his cousin and Bella leaving kind of broke Paul down. He went wolf for a couple of weeks almost nearly a month." I make her say.
I nod my head putting the sugar cup down. "So, he's been down lately." She say blowing on her tea. "His house reeks of liquor and sex." I say leaning up against the kitchen counter. Just thinking about it smells. "Yeah, he been going out of control since coming back. Bella leaving him really broke him down." "I thought she kind of left him." "Lacie, she left him." She say. I nod my head.
"You think everything will work out between us?" "I hope so. Paul haven't been himself since everything went down." "I thought Jacob was going to come after Bella." "No, it's pack law that you don't go after your brother's imprint. They're brothers, Lacie. You don't have to worry about anything." She say. I nod. I don't believe that. "So, why you think that Jacob been absent around me?"
"Because of your scent." She answers peaking my interest. I drink up the rest of the tea before Jacob can walk into the house. I put the cup in the kitchen sink and walk out of the kitchen and sit down at the table. "Who is that girl?" I ask her. "She's a random girl that Paul loves to pick up at the bar." "What is bar is that?" I ask her. "Red's wild Bar."
"Bella will be hurt if she found out." "I think she probably has a clue about how Paul is. She's real busy with Edward." She say drinking her tea. I nod my head hearing the kitchen back door opening up. Jacob walks into the living room with Embry and Quil. "Lacie, what you do?" Quil asks me. "She visited Paul and started something up." Embry say. Jacob just stares in my face.
"How did you all know that I was on the tribe?" I ask him. Quil point to his nose. "The wind blew and we smelt you." "Paul did have all of his window up but it's not doing a damn thing to stop that nasty smell that's all up in his house. He going to need to throw that mattress away." I say feeling Sam walking into the house. "What goes on in Paul's house is none of your business." He say as the guys watches me along with Emily.
"You're right but I wanted to see how he was doing." I say. Quil shake his head at me. "You wanted to see what he can do to get me off Bella's back." Jacob say while Sam take a seat at the table. "Bella is our number one concern now." He say kissing on Emily's face then her lips. "I know that." "You don't have killer vampires after you." "And, I don't. I seen my family breaking up and Jacob leaving me for Bella. My hormones been crazy lately." I say.
It get silent in the house as Embry and Quil looks at Jacob. "We're not dating, Lacie. It's what you wanted." "It's what you wanted, Jacob. I see our life together but you always with that attitude." "Bella comes first." He say directly in my face. "Jacob." Embry say. "She needs to understand how dangerous this situation is and she her emotions mean nothing when it comes to Bella." Sam say while Jacob moves out of my face.
"Sarah needs her father." "What is your problem?" Jacob asks sitting at the table. "Sarah misses her dad and it was so bad that she nearly tore my stomach up." "You had gas." He say making Quil snicker. "You do not understand how I feel." "You know I exactly how you feel but you don't visit Paul for no reason while carrying my daughter." He growls out. Emily looks down with pity.
"I just wanted to see how he was doing. I have not seen him in almost three months. I did not know he was in such a bad state. Maybe I should talk to Bella." "Mind your own business. You did enough." Sam say. I just shrug my shoulders shaking my head. "Don't make it worse then it already is, Lacie." "I just want my Jacob back home." I say. "I am always home. You didn't want me to be around you for a few days, Lacie."
I shake my head. I'm not trying to hear that. "Okay, Lacie. Don't visit Paul again." Sam say. "I'm not. His house stinks to the core." I say about to throw up again thinking about it. I look at Jacob and try to touch his face but he grabs my hand. "What was you thinking?" "That I needed to save my family." "Save or not, you don't go to Paul's house." I nod my head. "I'm very sorry. Are you coming to my house?" I ask him. "No." He answers. I nod my head getting up and walking to the closet.
I walk in closing the door behind me and walking out to see I'm still in Sam's house. "Can you take me home? I only get one and Sarah must not had liked it." I say making them all but Sam look at Jacob. "Get in the car." He say to me. "Thanks again, Emily." I say walking out the house with Jacob walking behind me. I get in the car slamming the car door hard. I look to see Quil running down the stairs with keys in his hands. Whatever.
I'm chilling in a booth in the corner at Red's Wild's Bar waiting on Paul to walk in. I looked into it and his taste called for him to come again for a new girl. Paul really is going crazy with sex and liquor. It's midnight and the bar's kind of empty. I look around to see two choice's of girls that he can choice. One is a blond hair. I think he likes blondes because his track record says blond.
The other is brown hair. Bella is brown haired. So, he might not pick her. He doesn't have many to choose from. I hear the door opening up and I hide myself behind a menus. "What you doing?" I hear a voice sounding exactly like Mr. Howard. I turn around quick to see him standing behind me. "Mr. Howard, now is not the time." I seriously say. "Get up." He orders me and I see the women looking in my direction.
I get up from my booth while eyes on the bar turn their attention to me. Mr. Howard notices it too. I grab his hand and lead him out of the bar were his car is waiting in the front and I look around to see if I see Paul's motorcycle around and I don't. "Get in the car." Mr. Howard say walking to the driver's side. I walk to the passenger side again this time looking into the forest.
Maybe, he's in the forest. I hope he don't smell my scent. I get in the car while Mr. Howard take his time to get into the car. He locks the doors quick and start the car up quick. I guess he doesn't like this part of town because he doesn't even wait till I put on my seatbelt before pulling out of the parking lot. The ride is silent. "What you doing in this part of town?" He asks me.
"I was looking for a friend who's in trouble. I can ask you the same question, Mr. Howard." I say fuming mad because he messed my plan up. "We're not on me." "Mr. Howard." I say getting in my emotions. "Did someone try something on you?" "No. I am mad because you came. You're following me." I say. He doesn't say anything. I can't have you following me. "Pull over." I order him.
"Are you ordering me?" He snarkly asks me. Okay, that did not work. I take off my gloves and I touch the back of his neck causing him to jump the coldness. "Mr. Howard, I want you to pull this car over and let me out at the next light." I say. He looks at me. "Mr. Howard, I am serious when I tell you that you need to stop following me or doing whatever that it is you is doing." I say and he stops at the stoplight.
The car get silent. "As long as you're pregnant, Ms. Thorne." He say making me breathe out and put my gloves back on my hands. "I was meeting a friend. He's Jacob's big brother. Thanks Mr. Howard." "You're welcome, Lacie." He say. I nod my head as he goes back to driving. I cross my arms shaking my head as the ride home is in silent.
He gets out of the car when I get out of the car. I unlock my door and open it up. He follows me in the house and closes the door locking it. I sit on the couch. "Are you not pregnant?" He asks me. "Yes, I am but I had a good reason to go to that bar." "What good reason would you have to go to a bar this late in the night?" He angrily me. "No reason can make up for me putting my daughter in danger again." I say standing up and walking towards him.
He looks in my face. Oh, he's seriously angry. "I am so sorry." I say grabbing his hands. I can feel the anger seething through his skin. I know his heart is beating fast. Mine is too. My plan was ruined by him showing up. "Mr. Howard, I'm sorry." I say hugging him but he doesn't put his arms around me. No words can be said to heal this tension the room. I really hurt him.
I'm sitting on my bed staring at the wall. Mr. Howard is still downstairs sleeping on the couch. I can't believe he ruined my plan of seeing Paul picking up a girl. I rub on my stomach. Sarah, what are you doing? I get off my bed and walk out of the bedroom and downstairs to see Mr. Howard still on the couch sleeping. I walk to him and lean down in front of his face.
"I am so sorry." I say helping him sit up on the couch. I see he needs a moment to wake up. It is the morning but god we on winter break. "I can make you something to eat." I say walking towards the kitchen and going into the fridge to see if I have any eggs. I grab the carton out of the fridge while he continue to stare at the TV. "You trying to rush me out of the house?" He asks.
"Yeah, I'm kind of real nervous because a married teacher stayed around my house." I say putting the carton on the counter. "What's going on?" He asks grabbing me. I breathe out trying to calm myself down. "Nothing is going on. It was a crazy night last night and you spent the night. Did you go to sleep?" I ask noticing his blackness under his eyes.
"I couldn't sleep." "I slept fine. Would you like some breakfast?" I ask him. "I'm okay, Ms. Thorne. You wanna tell me why you was at the bar last night." "I meeting a friend of mine." "When you're supposed to be on bed rest?" "His life is down now. It's Bella's boyfriend and I was wondering if he could take Bella back." I say. I guess he doesn't believe me. I breathes out sitting at the kitchen table. He sits down too.
"I went to see Jacob yesterday about our family breaking up and how he was too close to Bella." I say putting my head in my hands. "I'm guessing it didn't go well." "No, it didn't. I don't know what to do with myself no more." "You let him come to you and not always putting yourself in the situations were you're putting Sarah in danger. You was a bar last night." He say.
"Right, I'm sorry. Do you want eggs?" "I'm okay." He say getting up and putting the carton back in the fridge. I nervously play with my fingers. "So, what now?" I ask him. "Why was you at the bar?" "That was the reason, Mr. Howard. I went crazy trying to save my relationship with Jacob. I hope he does not find out." I say. He just looks in my face. "The bar for?" "Because that's where Jacob's friend hang out at."
"Is he the father of your child?" "NO!" "You said you cheated on him before?" "Emotionally with you because you was there for me. I never in my life cheated on Jacob ever, Mr. Howard. It all started from me going to visit Bella's ex-boyfriend. They get back together and Jacob comes to me." "You're getting out of control. You have to think of Sarah." He say.
"And, I do everyday. I just wish her father was in her life and here with me. I miss him sleeping in my bed. I miss him so much. Me laying in his arms and him giving me kisses." I say getting in my emotions. I miss him so much. "Maybe you should call him and tell him that." Mr. Howard say. "And, I will. To be honest with you, Mr. Howard. I want us to reconnect in that type of way. It's been almost three month since we been there lately. I just want us to be one again. I'm going to call him." I say getting up then sitting back down.
"What's wrong?" "He's probably still mad at me from visiting his friend's house when I told to never go there. He's mad. I'll talk to him later. Do you want to hang out at my house today, Mr. Howard?" "I'll pass, Ms. Thorne." "It's no harm but I understand if you have to go and you're right." "About what?" "Us getting too close and I'm feel that I'm hurting your feelings when it comes to Jacob." "You're not hurting my feelings." "It's where I got you was jealous from. Your words and actions has been crazy or you're just setting me up." I say about to cry.
"I'm not setting you up." "I think I need to walk you out because I do believe that this relationship is too close as teacher and student plus you are married man with a wife and you can get in trouble being at my house, Mr. Howard. I think you for coming to get me but we're too close and I miss Jacob." I say and he get silent. "I never should've kissed you and it was on impulse because you was there for me when I needed you and it's the pregnancy." "It's not the pregnancy?"
"I believe it is and I don't care to hang around with the man who can put me in jail at any minute. Maybe after I give birth to my daughter then you can throw me in jail. You are evil on the inside and from what you was speaking the other day and from how Dr. Roberts came at me. I am not going to have you hovering over my head while I am pregnant nor you stalking me. I really thank you but until this attacking situation is put to rest it will not ease my fear of I may be from my daughter and Jacob has to raise her on her own. I think you need to leave because you can be nasty too plus you are married." I say to him.
"Okay, Ms. Thorne." He say getting up from his chair. "It's just how it is and Nurse Miller was right about our relationship. Dr. Roberts was right and it is no relationship between us because of that so called attack that you're going around and the fact that you bring it up every time. Let's not add that you're my married teacher who can throw me in jail at any minute and I do not trust you, Mr. Howard." I say as he put on his shoes and grab his things.
"You can get in trouble and I don't want you to lose your life nor do I want to lose my life around my daughter. I need to call Dr. Roberts and talk to him then apologize to Nurse Miller because she was right. It is some type of attachment that you have on me or me on you but you don't want to lose your future over a girl like me nor I want to lose mine over a guy like you. I have so much on my mind and my heart is breaking." I say as he just stand there looking at me.
"I'm very sorry, Ms. Thorne." "I should be apologizing because of my attitude, my ways, my face, and how I am. It attracts people. I am sorry for putting you in this situation that can go left or right as you can throw me into jail and that should've been a cut off when you brought it up then Dr. Roberts did. It was a wake up call when you mentioned it in the hospital too. I don't want to be from my daughter nor my Jacob. I have to break it off then talk to Dr. Roberts. It's just comforting, Mr. Howard." I say to him.
He doesn't say anything but just stare at me. "You have a wife and it's a line that shouldn't be crossed for any reason because it will backfire and both of us will end up hurt. Me more than you because I have so much to lose and I don't want to lose my daughter while you have a career and a wife." I say and cover up my face as he stares in it. "No, I don't want to lose my Jacob for the rest of my life because this thing that's not going to last. You're a married man who's my teacher. You can go to jail, Mr. Howard. That's the big wake up call because will notice that you is always around my house and you are married." I say. He nods his head.
"What if Nurse Miller gets mad? Maybe someone else. You'll lose more than me. I take it back. You have so much more to lose and you worked hard as a teacher going to college and everything plus you have a wife. It's most definitely is a no because it's nothing but helping out and comforting. You have so much to lose." I say walking towards him. He just looks at me but I can tell that he's looking at my lips.