~~~
Claire walked Jason to the exit door of the hospital where his car was waiting. Jason rarely used a car and driver even though someone in his position could easily afford to. He had assured her that he didn’t need his Mercedes and wanted her to keep it. Even though she was still uneasy over their earlier conversation, she promised she was going to run by her apartment that evening to pick up a few things and would return to his house to stay for the night.
Maybe that wasn’t the best idea, she felt like she needed time to think about her relationship with Jason. Things seemed to have moved so far, so fast. She would take some extra time this evening when she was at her apartment to think.
Dr. Mauldin made his last round of the day and indicated he would have the test results sometime tomorrow. Her mother was going to start some light rehabilitation as well to keep up her muscle tone. She was still having great difficulty forming her words and also with use of her left arm and hand. Louise’s sister had picked her up a few minutes ago, and Claire was preparing to leave with visiting hours ending very soon.
They’d given her mother a light sleeping pill to help her anxiety and ensure she rested well. She seemed to be less confused this afternoon and Claire was very grateful for the patient, encouraging manner of both Dr. Mauldin and Glenda. She knew they were just getting started on a long road but today at least she felt somewhat encouraged that there could be a light somewhere at the end of the tunnel.
Chapter Twenty Four
Claire pulled the Mercedes in beside her Toyota in front of her apartment. Luckily, each apartment was assigned two spaces which Claire rarely needed. As she was getting out of the car, she saw Billy approaching from the other side. With an inward groan, she tried to plaster on a friendly smile. “Hey Billy, how have you been?”
“Hey Claire, no complaints, I’m doing well. Where is your boyfriend?”
“Oh, I’m just picking up a few things; he isn’t along this time.” Ugh great Claire, why don’t you ask him to abduct you next since you admitted to being alone. “He’s waiting for me though so I need to run in and pick up a few things and be on my way.”
“Are you moving in with him?”
“Oh, I don’t know; we haven’t made any decisions on that yet.”
“Claire, I just wanted to say I was sorry if I scared you before, you know, when I kept asking you out. I admit; Billy did have kind of a crush on you, and I hoped we could get together but since your boyfriend came and talked to me and told me how I was scaring you, well old Billy was just embarrassed.”
Claire was trying not to smile at Billy’s continued use of himself in the third person when his words started to sink in. “What’re you talking about Billy? When did you talk to Jason?”
“Well I guess it was the next day after I met you two here. He came to see me and told me I was making you uncomfortable. He was real nice but serious; you know trying to protect his girl. Billy can respect that, being a man and all. Don’t you worry at all about your place while you’re gone, I’ll keep an eye out on things.” Somehow managing to say something in parting to Billy, Claire stumbled into her apartment and closed the door.
My God, Jason really has taken over my entire life. What other things were there that she didn’t know? Had he contacted everyone she knew to cut her off from the world, just like her father did to her mother? Claire walked into her bedroom and collapsed on the bed; all the hope that Jason was different going out of her.
The signs had all been there; she’d just chosen to ignore them. It felt so good to have someone in her life that genuinely seemed to care about her, someone to lean on for the first time in her life. This was a side of Jason that was completely unexpected. Sure he was dominating in business but most successful men were. He cared about everyone in the company that much was obvious.
To be involved with him though, was to lose her identity, and how long after would the abuse start? Her father hadn’t always been someone her mother considered a monster. She probably felt protected and cherished at first until he slowly chipped away at everything she was. Even though her heart was breaking, it was time to walk away from Jason while she still had the strength to do it.