2
Once in his bed, Seth thought about sleeping, but his mind was lost on the lady he'd recently left. He wasn't sure what had recently changed his feelings towards the woman he'd called his best friend for so many years, but once he saw her step off that bus, he felt the change. He'd tried to ignore it, but when he rushed into her house and found her on the floor, he could deny it no longer.
He looked down at the ring finger on his left hand and even in the dark room saw the dingy silver and gold that sat there as it had many years. It was the ring that he wore to wed his Ruth and it had been there ever since. The thought had never crossed his mind to remove it, until now. Surely he couldn't justify having feelings for another woman while still wearing a wedding ring.
He rolled his eyes, thinking himself ridiculous for being a widowed man near 70 who had to convince himself it was okay to love again. Thinking of the word 'love' sent him into turmoil; did he love Jessica? He thought as much, but knew he had to let go of the past in order to figure it out. After a deep breath, he removed the ring that had been on his finger for years and, after one more kiss, placed it in the drawer of his bedside table.
The next morning Seth quietly let himself in, knowing instantly that she was still asleep due to the locked door. It being after 8, he quickly made coffee so as he didn't break his promise of not allowing her to sleep too late.
After filling a cup, he headed for the stairs. He knocked lightly at her door and after no response, crept in. He stood and admired her, just for a moment. She had slept just as he'd directed, with her hand propped up on pillows. He hoped that she got a good night's sleep, but she probably needed some more pain meds and some ice at this point.
Softly, he whispered her name as he inched closer to her bed. "Jess, time to wake up." She stirred only slightly. He placed her coffee on her nightstand lightly rubbed her shoulder. "Jess, I brought you up some coffee." When she rolled slightly toward him, he saw the pain on her face. He spoke softly, "Okay, okay, you just stay here. I'm going downstairs to get you some ice and pain medications."
As quickly as he could he did as he'd said and went back upstairs to find her still lying in the same position. He set the glass of milk he'd brought on the table along with the icepack. "Jess, can you sit up to take some pain medication?"
She moaned and grabbed for him with her bad hand, needing help to rise. "No, we don't want you to get hurt again."
He sat on the side of the bed and wrapped his arms around her to bring her to a seated position. She immediately let all of her weight rest on him. "Seth, my wrist is throbbing." He was starting to worry if she didn't have a small fracture in her wrist, but it could simply be that this would be the worst wave of pain in the healing process.
"I need you to take the pills with milk since you haven't eaten recently." She nodded, still leaning against him. "Drink the whole glass if you can." She did as he asked and even though he'd appreciate remaining there with her in his arms, he knew it would be better for her to lie back down. "Let's turn you so you can lie on your back for a while." With a sigh, he lowered her to the bed, careful for her wrist. She scooted around with the use of her other arm and they got her comfortable on her back. He propped pillows on her right side and watched as her body got comfortable.
After he gently put the icepack on her wrist she said, "I wish you were here last night."
His heart wrenched. He had left her in pain. "I'm so sorry. I promise, I will not leave you again until you're better." With a light touch, he brushed the hair back from her face. "Go back to sleep."
It was only a whisper, but he heard it loudly in his ears, "Don't leave."
Thankful that he had brought up a cup of coffee, he picked it up and moved to the chair on the other side of the bed. As he watched over her as she fell back asleep he vowed that he would never again let her down. He had not only been the reason for her injury but he had also left her to be in pain overnight. This was something he would never do again.
A short time later, the phone rang. The frustration hit him fast as he dared the formidable thing to wake Jessica. He grabbed it after only the second ring and before even giving a greeting, he looked to see if she had woken up.
When he saw that she was still asleep he stepped outside her bedroom door with the phone in hand, stretching the cord. With a gruff voice he finally gave a greeting to the caller who had given one herself two or three times. "Hello?"
"Yes, could I speak to Mrs. Fletcher?"
"Who's calling?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. This is her publisher's office. We were talking last night and we got cut off."
"Ah, yes. So you're the one that wants her to travel yet again when she only just got home. Well, she is unavailable right now."
"Yes, we know she did only just get home, but this is just a book signing, so she would only be gone two to three days."
"I hate to tell you, but she can't sign any books right now. Last night she took a fall and hurt her right wrist."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Could you give her a message for me?" Without even waiting for a response she continued. "The signing is in New York City in two weeks."
He interrupted her with heightened anger, "Two weeks!" He lowered his voice before he was the cause for waking Jessica. "Two weeks is Thanksgiving week. You are trying to take her away from home for Thanksgiving? Then I happen to know she has another trip already scheduled in December. Then in January you will have her back at her typewriter madly typing to fulfill next year's contract!"
Remaining cheerful and unshaken, "I'm sorry Sir. We were not aware Mrs. Fletcher was dating anyone. Had she made it known to us, the request would have included an invitation for you. Your accommodations would be a suite that would overlook the parade and would include a kitchen for you to cook your dinner if you'd like or the restaurant in the hotel provides dinner as well. As far as the December trip, yes it is scheduled, but Mrs. Fletcher hasn't signed a contract for next year. That's why we are trying to squeeze in this lovely Thanksgiving trip to hope to entice her to sign again with us."
Seth was puzzled. He was lost in the thought of her publisher assuming they were dating and then in wonderment of why Jessica had yet to sign her contract. To make a quick end to the conversation, he stumbled through a closing. "I'll give her…your message. I'm…sure she has your number."
After replacing the phone where it had been, he returned to his chair. Only a few moments later, he heard his name being called. He snapped quickly from his thoughts to find Jessica attempting to sit up. He scrambled from his chair, as much as his aging body would allow and helped her to a seated position. "How are you feeling, Jess?"
"No throbbing, so it's better than this morning. What time is it?"
With a glance at his watch, "A little after 10, but just relax. You must not have gotten much sleep last night."
"The first half of the night, I did fine, but the second was a different story. I suppose I should have taken some more medicine or gotten some ice, but the pain made my brain all foggy."
They both chuckled slightly until Seth changed the tone slightly. "I'm so sorry. I wish you would have called me. I would have come straight back here."
"In the middle of the night? I would never wake you up like that?"
He took her good hand in his and made sure her eyes met his. "Promise me, the next time you need me, day or night, you will call me. I never want to find out you went through pain that I could have prevented again."
She gave only a slight nod. It was the best she could do with the seriousness of his tone.
Seth was happy when she didn't argue. He patted her hand and continued, "Good. Now I'll head downstairs and make us some brunch. You get dressed and come on down, just something comfortable. We're staying in today."
She raised an eyebrow. "We're staying in today? Don't you have something better to do than spend yet another day watching over me? And don't you have work to do?"
He started out matter-of-factly, "Today…is Saturday. I have no other patient to take care of, other than you. Even if I did, you come first in my life, before any social activity and before work. So, yes, we are staying in today."
Jessica chuckled. "You're so good to me, Seth." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "I'll be right down."
After a curt nod he rose and headed for the door. When he got to the other side of it, he let out the breath he'd been holding. He gulped in air. Jessica had kissed his cheek many times in the past. But this time was different, to him at least. His heart had changed. He thought it had been suddenly, but now he was starting to think that this was something that he had just been suppressing for far too long. Feelings like the ones he had could not have developed so quickly.
He gathered himself and headed downstairs. Jessica joined him not long after, clad in lounge-wear, complaining of how hard it was to try and button jeans with a bad wrist. He tried to suppress his chuckle and he set a cup of coffee and a plate of fruit and a bagel in front of her.
Just as they finished eating, the phone rang. As she rose to get it, Seth grumbled, "If that is your publisher again, you tell them I haven't given you the message yet!"
With a confused look, she answered. "Hello? Ah, hi Mort…Yes, yes, I'm okay. I haven't been out much since I got back because I hurt my wrist. No, no don't worry. Seth is taking good care of me. A-huh. Okay, I'll see you soon. Bye."
As she sat back down, she said, "That was Mort, worried because he hadn't seen me around." Seth had already gathered that, and waited for the next question. "And what's this about my publisher calling again?"
"A'yuh. They called this morning while you were sleeping about that trip they want you to take. I may have…fussed…a little…about them asking you to go away from home again." Jessica chuckled and nodded. "The trip is Thanksgiving week. It's a book signing in New York City."
She shook her head. "Like I told you, Seth, I'm not going. Besides, we have plans to have Thanksgiving dinner together."
He ignored telling her about the confusion about them dating and moved on to the next subject matter. "They are also wondering when you are going to sign your contract for next year." That caught her off guard. "What's going on Jess? They said this trip is a book signing with a suite overlooking the parade, all trying to convince you to sign again. Are you thinking of retiring? Why haven't you talked to me?"
She held her hand up. "Wait. I am not holding anything from you." She stood and started to pace in her kitchen. "I am…tired. My contracts keep demanding more and more every year. More books and more trips." She turned and caught Seth's eyes. "We have already talked about how we both don't like how much time I spend travelling. And when I'm here, I'm pushing to get books done. Last year they wanted two novels and this year they want three and more travelling." She sat back down and continued. "I know it sounds crazy, but I feel like I'm losing you…our relationship."
He reached across the table and she willingly gave him her left hand. "Jess, you will not lose me. I don't want to lose you either. But you love your writing. Isn't there some way we can negotiate your terms? They offered to let me come with you in two weeks. What if I did some travelling with you?"
"What do you mean they asked you to come?"
He was caught. "Well, they may have gotten the idea that we are…a couple…and said that if they'd known, the invitation would have included me."
Her mind wandered to the scope of their relationship. She had always considered him her best friend, nothing more. But she stopped when she thought of how their relationship worked, not that her publisher could see it. From the outside looking in, they…appeared…as a couple. She looked down at their hands held in the middle of the table, and that's when she saw it.
Her eyes popped open and her head snapped to look in his. "Seth, where's your ring?"
His breath caught once again and he froze. He waited for her to snatch her hand away, but was given courage when she didn't. He struggled with his words. "I, uh, took it off." He tried to stop there but when he saw the look on Jessica's face, he knew he would not get away with simply that. He cleared his throat. "I loved Ruth for all the years that I was married to her and for years after she passed. But last night I decided that…even though I still love her, my heart does not belong to her anymore. So I removed it."
She forced the tears back from her eyes. "Who…Who does it belong to?"
The silence lingered between them. The answer was easy, and one they both expected to hear at this point, but it wasn't easy for him to tell her for fear of rejection. His voice cracked, even with his one-word reply. "You."
She rose with a gasp and headed for the hallway. She paused only slightly at the doorway. He was terrified she was about to ask him to leave, but her words were not harsh as he expected. "I'm going to my bedroom to think."