Jake stood outside the entranceway of Oak Haven Hospital. He looked once
again at the piece of paper with David's name and number before stuffing it
in his pocket. Jake took out his cell phone and dialed a number. After a
moment, there was an answer on the other end.
"Hello?" Greenlee said.
"Guess who?" Jake said.
"Jake. I've been waiting for you to call all day."
"I've been tied up at the hospital. You know how hectic it can get."
"Yeah," Greenlee said, knowing that Jake was lying to her. "I guess you have to get back to work, huh?"
"Actually," Jake said to her. "I was thinking that maybe we could get some of that shopping done. And... I owe you lunch."
"Not if you're busy..."
"I'm never too busy for you."
"OK?" Greenlee said a bit confused. "If you say so. What did you have in mind?"
"How does the Valley Inn sound?"
"Great," Greenlee said. "I could meet you there in about...15 minutes?"
Jake knew that was impossible. It would take at least twice that amount of time just to get back to Pine Valley. "I'll tell you what," Jake said. "It's...1:00 now. I still have a few things to take care of here, and
then I want to run home and change. I'll pick you up at two. How's that?"
"Fine...I guess."
"Great," Jake said. "That's great. I'll see you at two then."
Greenlee hung up the phone and waited a moment before she picked it up again and dialed.
"Pine Valley Hospital," came a voice on the other end.
"Jake Martin, please," Greenlee said.
"Doctor Martin's not in the hospital right now. He left early this morning. Is this an emergency? I could page him for you."
"Oh, no. It's no emergency. Thank you." Greenlee hung up the phone, still unsure of the reason that Jake was lying to her. Something about the whole thing, and the way Jake was acting didn't sit right in
Greenlee's stomach. All she could do now was trust that everything was really alright.
It seemed to take Jake longer to get from Oak Haven to Pine Valley than his trip there. In actuality, he had made it home in record time. He slowly made his way up to his apartment and paused after reaching his hand in his pocket. Instead of pulling out his key, he pulled out the crumpled piece of paper bearing David's name. "David Hayward," Jake laughed. "How can I even consider it?"
He unlocked the door and walked inside, removing his coat and throwing it on the chair beside him. He took a seat on the sofa and reached out to grab hold of a small box that sat on the table in front
of him. He flipped the top up, revealing inside, a beautiful diamond ring, a solitaire that glistened and shined every which way he moved it. This was supposed to be Jake's Christmas present to Greenlee.
He had planned it perfectly, right down to the very last detail. He had even managed to hide his plans from everyone, although he had a feeling that Tad was onto him.
"I can't go through with this now," Jake said. "How could I go through with this now and ask her to watch me like this? I can't have her watch me die. I can't tell anybody that I'm even sick. How could I possibly ask Greenlee to marry me?"
There was a knock at the door. Jake quickly closed the ring box and stuffed it into his pocket, again feeling the crumpled paper but paying it no mind. Jake stood and went to answer the door.
"Oh," Greenlee said. "I didn't think you'd be here yet. I'm still fifteen minutes early." Greenlee lifted her hand and touched Jake's cheek. "My God, Jake. You're freezing."
"Yeah," Jake said, quickly pulling away. "It's just a little cold in here. I need to get the heat fixed."
Greenlee raised her eyebrows, having noticed the warm room the moment she walked in. "Are you ready to go?"
"I just want to get out of these clothes..." Greenlee looked at him seductively. "and into something else. Don't go getting any ideas."
"Oh, Jake. You read my mind." Greenlee smiled.
"Behave," Jake said. "I'll be out in a minute."
Greenlee took a seat on the sofa as Jake disappeared into the next room. "I bumped into Tad this morning," Greenlee called to him.
"He sends his love."
"As always," Jake called back. "Did he happen to mention anything about how Jamie did on his road test?"
"No. It was still pretty early. He was heading to take him there when I left." Greenlee paused. "Jamie's a responsible kid though, I bet he did fine."
"I wouldn't doubt it," Jake said as the phone rang. Greenlee reached out and picked it up as Jake walked into the room. "Let the machine pick it..."
"Hello?" Greenlee said. "Yes, this is Jake Martin's residence... Oh...I certainly will... No, thank you for calling. Bye." Greenlee hung up the phone, a questioning look on her face as Jake moved closer to her.
"That was Oak Haven Hospital," Greenlee said. "They were calling to let you know that you left your wallet there after your appointment with a Dr. Morgan this morning. " Jake didn't say a word, but bit his bottom lip nervously. "What's going on, Jake?"
"Hello?" Greenlee said.
"Guess who?" Jake said.
"Jake. I've been waiting for you to call all day."
"I've been tied up at the hospital. You know how hectic it can get."
"Yeah," Greenlee said, knowing that Jake was lying to her. "I guess you have to get back to work, huh?"
"Actually," Jake said to her. "I was thinking that maybe we could get some of that shopping done. And... I owe you lunch."
"Not if you're busy..."
"I'm never too busy for you."
"OK?" Greenlee said a bit confused. "If you say so. What did you have in mind?"
"How does the Valley Inn sound?"
"Great," Greenlee said. "I could meet you there in about...15 minutes?"
Jake knew that was impossible. It would take at least twice that amount of time just to get back to Pine Valley. "I'll tell you what," Jake said. "It's...1:00 now. I still have a few things to take care of here, and
then I want to run home and change. I'll pick you up at two. How's that?"
"Fine...I guess."
"Great," Jake said. "That's great. I'll see you at two then."
Greenlee hung up the phone and waited a moment before she picked it up again and dialed.
"Pine Valley Hospital," came a voice on the other end.
"Jake Martin, please," Greenlee said.
"Doctor Martin's not in the hospital right now. He left early this morning. Is this an emergency? I could page him for you."
"Oh, no. It's no emergency. Thank you." Greenlee hung up the phone, still unsure of the reason that Jake was lying to her. Something about the whole thing, and the way Jake was acting didn't sit right in
Greenlee's stomach. All she could do now was trust that everything was really alright.
It seemed to take Jake longer to get from Oak Haven to Pine Valley than his trip there. In actuality, he had made it home in record time. He slowly made his way up to his apartment and paused after reaching his hand in his pocket. Instead of pulling out his key, he pulled out the crumpled piece of paper bearing David's name. "David Hayward," Jake laughed. "How can I even consider it?"
He unlocked the door and walked inside, removing his coat and throwing it on the chair beside him. He took a seat on the sofa and reached out to grab hold of a small box that sat on the table in front
of him. He flipped the top up, revealing inside, a beautiful diamond ring, a solitaire that glistened and shined every which way he moved it. This was supposed to be Jake's Christmas present to Greenlee.
He had planned it perfectly, right down to the very last detail. He had even managed to hide his plans from everyone, although he had a feeling that Tad was onto him.
"I can't go through with this now," Jake said. "How could I go through with this now and ask her to watch me like this? I can't have her watch me die. I can't tell anybody that I'm even sick. How could I possibly ask Greenlee to marry me?"
There was a knock at the door. Jake quickly closed the ring box and stuffed it into his pocket, again feeling the crumpled paper but paying it no mind. Jake stood and went to answer the door.
"Oh," Greenlee said. "I didn't think you'd be here yet. I'm still fifteen minutes early." Greenlee lifted her hand and touched Jake's cheek. "My God, Jake. You're freezing."
"Yeah," Jake said, quickly pulling away. "It's just a little cold in here. I need to get the heat fixed."
Greenlee raised her eyebrows, having noticed the warm room the moment she walked in. "Are you ready to go?"
"I just want to get out of these clothes..." Greenlee looked at him seductively. "and into something else. Don't go getting any ideas."
"Oh, Jake. You read my mind." Greenlee smiled.
"Behave," Jake said. "I'll be out in a minute."
Greenlee took a seat on the sofa as Jake disappeared into the next room. "I bumped into Tad this morning," Greenlee called to him.
"He sends his love."
"As always," Jake called back. "Did he happen to mention anything about how Jamie did on his road test?"
"No. It was still pretty early. He was heading to take him there when I left." Greenlee paused. "Jamie's a responsible kid though, I bet he did fine."
"I wouldn't doubt it," Jake said as the phone rang. Greenlee reached out and picked it up as Jake walked into the room. "Let the machine pick it..."
"Hello?" Greenlee said. "Yes, this is Jake Martin's residence... Oh...I certainly will... No, thank you for calling. Bye." Greenlee hung up the phone, a questioning look on her face as Jake moved closer to her.
"That was Oak Haven Hospital," Greenlee said. "They were calling to let you know that you left your wallet there after your appointment with a Dr. Morgan this morning. " Jake didn't say a word, but bit his bottom lip nervously. "What's going on, Jake?"