I'm back, and I can't believe how long it has been!
This year has gone by in a flash! Finally get to go on a holiday in a week so hopefully catch up on reading all the new, great stories I see being published!
Hope every one is staying safe and well! xx
Somebody That I Used to Know.
Chapter 17.
Dr. Bowen escorted Dutchy into her office. His eyes darted around the room as he lowered himself on to the couch. Fear filled his mind realising that he would have to tell the truth, she was a professional, and she'd see right though his lies. Dr Bowen sat opposite him, still, like he was a baby deer and any sudden movements would send him bolting to the door.
"So, you seem nervous."
"No shit." He thought, he didn't know how much she knew, and that made him more nervous. He shrugged, trying to act casual, calm, but his twitching leg was a clear giveaway.
"Ah, yeah, last time I was in a shrink's office was when I got back from Afghanistan."
"But I gather that's not what you're here to talk about, right?"
He shook his head as he rose from his seat, pacing the room, he tried to gather his thoughts.
"You obviously know who I am."
Dr Bowen nodded as her eyes followed him around the room.
"But Dylan, you realise we can't talk about Kate, our sessions are confidential."
He exhaled sharply, gazing out the window, wanting to focus his attention on anything but his feelings for her.
"I know she's been seeing you since Jim died, so I know she's talked about me."
Dr Bowen remained silent, leaning back in her chair, she observed his pensive state. Dutchy cleared his throat, trying to overcome his nervousness.
"Well, I know she would have. I just want to know what to do."
Dr Bowen's brow creased.
"What to do?"
His eyes darted up to hers, checking if she showed any hint of knowledge about their situation. He clenched his jaw, her poker face was good, trying to hold back his true feelings he shrugged.
"Yeah, exactly, I don't know what to do."
"Well, I'm not sure we're on the same page, maybe you want to sit and explain?"
His nostrils flared, she wasn't making this easy. Placing himself back on the chair, he hunched over raking his hand through his hair.
"I just want her to be happy."
Dr Bowen nodded along, he could feel her eyes on him, as if she was looking straight through him.
"And you think she's happy now?"
He couldn't help but hesitate.
"I guess… but, ah, did she tell you we kissed?"
She didn't respond, Dutchy rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest.
"She would have told you…"
Dr Bowen placed her note pad down, Dutchy's eyes darted to the notepad, trying to see if she had written anything.
"Dylan, you know I can't ..."
Letting out a groan, he threw his hands in the air and jumped from the chair.
"I don't think this is gonna help me..."
He headed to the door and stopped himself hearing Dr Bowen's voice.
"So you don't wanna talk about how you're feeling?"
He turned round to find Dr Bowen with her eyebrow raised and her pen poised.
"What's the point?"
"The point is, you've got to be okay with the choices you've made."
Dutchy locked eyes with Dr Bowen, sensing she was trying to help he sat back in the chair.
"And if I'm not..."
"Well, you need to do something about it…"
"Even if it means blowing up everyone's life? It's that selfish?"
"You said she deserves the truth? She'll understand, eventually."
He chuckled, shaking his head.
"You've met her, right? I doubt it…"
He sighed and made a beeline for the door.
"Thanks for your time."
Dr Bowen rushed after him and grasped his arm.
"She's still in there, Dylan..."
Dutchy pulled in to his driveway to find Stacey at his doorstep, she sprinted towards him as he exited the Uber.
"Where did you get to?"
"Ah, I just had a headache, just went for a walk, then umm, didn't want to walk all the way home."
She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder as he turned to unlock the door.
"Is there anything you wanna talk about? You just left, I mean, Kate's pretty drunk, but she'd be upset you left her hen's night."
Dutchy couldn't think about it, his mind was a mess.
"I think I'm gonna head to bed, you don't have to stay."
Stacey's brow wrinkled at Dutchy's cold reception.
"Thought you might like the company..."
Dutchy looked over to her, knowing what she was implying, he broke eye contact seeing her concerned expression.
"Ah, look, why don't you take the spare room, the couch isn't very comfortable."
Stacey hesitated at his answer, Dutchy could see she was confused and grasped her hand, he couldn't bear hurting someone else, he had to give her something.
"Look, I just, I'm not great at relationships, and I told myself that last time I'd not jump into one, so..."
A smile came across her face, he felt like an asshole.
"No, I get it..."
Stacey opened the door to the spare room and froze seeing the baby stuff, Dutchy had forgot all about it, he cleared his throat as he stood behind her.
"Oh, sorry, this is from when Kate was over..."
Stacey walked around the room, not believing how prepared he was.
"Ah, she was here for a couple of days, all this stuff makes it seem like she lives here…"
She picked up the photo of Dutchy cradling Aria and smiled.
"Aww, this is cute."
Dutchy took the photo from her and admired it for a second.
"Ah, yeah, she's a cute baby."
He placed it back on the table and yawned.
"Ah, well, I'm pretty tired, goodnight."
He gave her a kiss on the cheek and retreated to his room, she sat on the bed still in awe of the nursery like room she was staying in.
Dutchy lay in bed staring at the ceiling, he picked up his phone and opened a message to Kate.
"Are you happy?"
His eyes widened, not believing he had sent it, he quickly tapped the undo button and furiously pressed "un send to all recipients." He let out a sharp breath and placed the phone on the bedside table.
Mike and Kate arrived home, she stumbled out of the Uber and up the front path. Mike escorted Kate to the bedroom and pulled the covers over her.
"I'm just gonna see Ally out."
He kissed her on the forehead and exited the room.
Ally had packed Aria into the car seat.
"You guys had a good night then? I assume Kate's not in a state to hear the baby monitor? I don't mind have her at my house so you guys can sleep."
"Really? Are you sure?"
"Yeah, you guys deserve a night off. I'll drop her back tomorrow round lunchtime, so you guys can sleep."
"You're the best! Thanks."
Mike walked back into the bedroom, he chuckled seeing Kate's phone in her hand and her asleep, picking up the phone, he placed it on the bedside table.
The next morning Stacey awoke early, rubbing her eyes, she sat up in bed forgetting where she was for a moment. Pulling on one of Dutchy's jumpers, she peered into the wardrobe, she opened the door wider and was stunned to see a well-organised system of supplies. Running her finger along the shelves, she came along a stash of books and photo albums. She spotted a leather-bound book, it looked special, not like the others. She stepped on the first shelf in an attempted to grab it, she was so focused on reaching it she didn't hear Dutchy open the door.
"Whatcha doing?"
Stacey grasped her chest, startled by his voice.
"You scared me...
The booked fell to the ground, she looked at it, then over to Dutchy.
"Umm, I guess I'm snooping?"
He chuckled as he stepped inside the room, but stopped seeing which book had fallen to the ground.
He watched as she picked up the book, turning it over, she raised an eyebrow.
"You have a purple heart?"
She smiled as she ran her finger over the medal secured to the front of the book and read the engraved plate under it.
"To love is to risk, therefore, to love is to be brave."
'Ah…"
He snatched it from his grasp and placed it back on a higher shelf.
"It's nothing…"
There was an awkward silence, Stacey flopped into the bed.
"So, all this baby stuff, I bet that impresses the ladies?"
She tried to change the subject, feeling embarrassed.
"Yeah, well, I was trying to be a good friend."
"I was actually looking for your suit, I wanna see it."
"Ah, I haven't got it yet, and we'll, I don't know if I'm gonna be in the wedding anymore."
"What? Why? Dutchy, the wedding is in 3 days…"
Dutchy's phone beeped, Stacey let out a groan.
"You just jinxed yourself! Let me guess…"
"No, it's just the CO… and I feel kinda stupid, I mean, me, a bridesmaid."
"Dutchy, it's supposed to be an honour to be standing next to Kate, not a drag… I don't know what gotten into you? You're acting like Kate isn't your best friend."
"It's complicated..."
"Well, educate me on the complicated-ness."
"I just, look, as her best friend it's my duty to look out for her and just think she'd rushing into this wedding."
He stopped himself, worried he'd given too much away. Stacey hesitated, she could tell there was more to it but she didn't want him to shut her out.
"Dutchy, what's the real problem?"
"Nothing, I'm gonna go for a run..."
Before she could stop him he was out the door, she wondered if she should stay. Glancing up to the book she shook her head.
"Don't do it…"
Letting out a groan, she rolled her eyes and reached for the book from the top shelf. The medal fell from its place as she fumbled with the book above her head. Frantically trying to put it back into place, she felt something taped to the back. Flipping it over, she carefully separated it from the medal and inserted it into her phone. She collapsed back on the bed as pictures loaded, holding the phone closer to her face as she held her breath.
Mike stood on a Dutchy's front step and was about to knock but the door flew open.
"Oh, Stacey! Hey!"
Stacey flinched and cleared her throat, trying to compose herself.
"Oh, Commander Flynn, sorry…"
"Ah, is Dutchy home?"
She shook her head as tears threatened to spill from her eyes, placing a hand on her shoulder he stepped closer.
"Hey! You okay?"
She nodded as she wiped her eyes, hoping not to make a fool of herself.
"No, you're not…"
He escorted her inside and sat beside her on the couch.
"What's going on?"
Shoeing Mike away, she tried her best to hide her distress.
"I, I'm fine, you've got enough to deal with and.."
Mike grasped her hands, hoping to calm her.
"Stacey, you're Kate's friend and mine, we care about you…"
She sighed, leaning back into the couch.
"How long have you and Kate been together?"
Mike shifted in his seat, confused why she was asking about him and Kate.
"Ah, on and off, but…"
"So when you guys were off, did she date other people?"
Mike hesitated, this isn't where he thought the conversation was going, but he also didn't like the topic.
"Stacey, what has this got to do with…"
She couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Did you know she was with Dutchy?"
Everything froze, Mike's mind went blank. Stacey hoped it wasn't news to him.
"Mike, I…"
Mike rose from the couch, trying to hide his obvious anxiety.
"She told you that?"
She shook her head.
"So you knew?"
"Stace, it's fine…"
"I just think it's odd to push your friends to date an ex, but I mean, you're okay they're so close, so…"
"I trust Kate… just do me a favour, maybe don't bring it up?"
"Shouldn't I let her know, I know?"
"I'm just trying to lessen the stress right now, I mean, with her amnesia and the wedding, she's already pretty stressed."
"Yeah, maybe this will be a funny story to talk about later."
"So, how did you find out…"
Stacey ejected the SD card from her phone.
"This, but we shouldn't be snooping."
She bolted from the couch and sprinted up the stairs, Mike followed behind her, entering the spare room as she placed the card back behind his medal. Mike stood behind her, trying to see what she was doing.
"This is his purple heart…"
She nodded as she placed the book back in its spot.
"I'd better get going, gotta go pick up the dresses, you coming?"
Mike hesitated.
"Yeah, ah, you go ahead, I need to talk to Dutchy, I'm sure he won't mind if I hang out."
She smiled, giving him a nod.
"I'll see you later."
Stacey left Mike standing in the spare room, as soon as he heard the door click shut he reached for the book. Taking a deep breath, he removed the card and shoved it into his pocket before scurrying out the house.
End Chapter 17.