Crossroad to Love (Fab Five Series)

chapter 18

Dr. Jon Jacobi sat at his desk in his plush downtown Dallas office, looking wearily over the last patient’s chart. He had just finished his schedule for the day. Wednesday was his day in the office and Thursday was his day off. He did surgeries the other three days of the week. It had been a hectic schedule today and he was glad to have tonight to look forward to and tomorrow off. Tonight he was planning to surprise the ‘Fab Four’ and take them out for dinner.

Thank God I finally have the Jennifer situation taken care of. Jennifer was a lab tech who had set her sights on the married Dr. Jacobi. Nothing had ever happened between them beyond a kiss, and it never would. He would never cheat on Marianne and certainly not with someone like Jennifer, who chased anything in pants from what he’d heard. She had cornered him in the lab one night and pulled him into an embrace that had later repulsed him. He had quickly broken it off and in no uncertain terms had made it clear to the girl that he was not interested. He had even gone a step further, reporting her behavior to the human resources department at the hospital. It had resulted in training for Jennifer and had gotten her transferred to one of the other facilities across town, owned by the hospital. He had hoped that would be the end of it, but he had had a few emails from her at the office since she’d transferred. She just won’t give up. Hopefully, she’ll find someone else to harass soon enough and leave me alone. He had debated about whether or not to tell Mari and had decided against it. It’s better that she never know. She doesn’t need to be concerned with it.

He finished dictating from the last patient’s chart and called his assistant into the office. “Gail, it’s been a long day. Why don’t you call it quits? I’m out of here, too. I’m going to the Prava for dinner. Have a good day off.”

“You have a great time tonight. You deserve it after the day we’ve had, Doc.”

He waved goodbye to Gail and Lisa, the receptionist, as he headed out the back door of his office. He was whistling as he unlocked the door of his silver Lincoln Navigator. Donning sunglasses and popping his favorite CD into place, he backed out of the parking space, drove the short distance to the expressway, and started the drive home. I will have just enough time for a quick shower before going to the hotel to surprise the girls.

Gail left shortly after, leaving Lisa to finish up and lock the office. The phone rang a few minutes after she left.

Lisa answered it, “Dr. Jacobi’s office. May I help you?”

“Lisa, hi, it’s Jen over in the lab. I need to speak with the good doctor.”

“I’m sorry, Jennifer, he’s gone for the day. He was in a hurry to get out of here. I think he said something about dinner plans. Can I give him a message?”

“Do you know where he was going? I need to speak with him about a patient.”

“Well, I guess if it’s urgent, it won’t hurt to give you the info. You can page him, you know.”

“I tried that, but you know how these Docs are on their night off. And I know he won’t be back on duty until Friday morning.”

“He was going to the Prava. Hope you can catch him there.”

“Thanks, Lisa, you are a lifesaver.”

Lisa hung up the phone, grabbed her purse and keys and locked the door behind her, not realizing what she had just done.

Jennifer laughed to herself as she said, “Thanks, Lisa, dear.” She raced home to change her clothes. She had just enough time to change and get to the Prava to see Jon. She wondered who he was meeting at the Prava. Surely not the wife, did the good Doc have a mistress on the side? Was that why he wouldn’t give me the time of day? Oh, well, whoever it is will be in for a nice little surprise tonight. She was not going to let the doctor get away from her so easily. He was her ticket to the good life. She could kick herself for rushing things, causing herself to get transferred across town. That made things a little more difficult in her pursuit of the very well-off Dr. Jon Jacobi. He had been quite angry with her, in fact, for even suggesting such a thing as an affair. Who knew he was such a goody two shoes? But I’m not giving up without a fight.

At the hotel, Marianne and Lizzie were coming off the elevator as Jon walked into the lobby and toward the desk. Lizzie did not see him as she was anxious to get to one of the gift shops to pick up another present for Cara. Marianne, surprised to see her husband there, told Lizzie to go on into the shop “I want to get a latte and will meet up with you later.”

Lizzie, still not noticing Jon said, “Okay. Meet me in the shop.”

Marianne started to walk toward Jon, when a young girl with long blonde hair walked in behind him. Marianne stopped and watched as the girl walked up to Jon and linked her arm in his. The two began talking. Who in the world is this girl? Once realization dawned on Marianne, she was furious. How could he? He knew she and her friends were staying at this hotel. Is he booking a room for a night with his little mistress right here in the same hotel? What a bastard.

Marianne watched the scene in front of her as more ideas began to form. Tomorrow is his day off, so he’s planning to spend it with her? Why, of all the places in Dallas, would he choose this hotel? Of course, he had planned it this way so she would find out. It looked like her decision had been made for her. He was going to parade his affair in front of her and her friends in the most humiliating way possible. Why would he want to hurt me in this way?

She quickly turned and ran to the elevator, fighting the tears that were threatening to start. Had she stayed in the lobby a few minutes longer she would have seen Jon arguing with Jennifer and ushering her out the door, roughly handing her over to the security guard. Instead, she raced back to the suite in a fit of anger. I am so mad right now that I could spit nails. She practically flew into the suite and started pacing the floor.

This was the scene Lizzie walked in on a few minutes later. “Marianne, what happened to you? I couldn’t find you so I came back up to the room. What in the world is wrong with you? You look like you’re about to kill someone.”

“That… that girl is downstairs in the lobby checking in with my husband as we speak.”

“What?” Lizzie could not believe Jon could be so brazen.

“Jon was in the lobby and that little tramp was with him. Can you believe it? He was checking into this hotel with her, right under my nose. Well, I guess that clinches it. My marriage is over, done, finished.”

Lizzie sat down on the couch in disbelief. “I can’t believe that the Jon I have known for all these years would do something like that. Are you sure they were checking in?”

“All I am sure of is that he walked into the lobby of this hotel and she walked in right behind him. That is all I need to know.”

The phone rang on the desk and Lizzie walked over to answer it.

“Oh, hi, honey.” It was Rex. “Can I call you back? This really isn’t a good time. We’re having a bit of a dilemma here right now.”

“What’s wrong?” Rex asked worriedly.

“It’s just a little problem with Marianne and Jon. I really need to help her right now.”

“I won’t keep you. I just wanted to give you my flight information, so you can pick me up at the airport tomorrow afternoon. I am finishing up a few things here and then I am headed home to pack.”

“Go ahead,” she grabbed a pen and notepad from the desk and began writing. “Okay, got it. I’ll see you tomorrow, then. We’re scheduled for dinner with the O’Gradys. I can’t wait for you to meet them. We’ll meet with them on Friday then to seal the deal. When are you flying back?”

“I haven’t decided about that yet. I’ll talk to you about it when I get there. I had better let you get back to Marianne. Hope it all turns out all right.”

“That’s debatable right now.”

“Love you, honey. Take good care of Mari.”

“Goodbye. Love you, too. See you tomorrow.” Lizzie hung up the phone and it rang again as soon as she started to walk away.

“This is grand central station, isn’t it?” She laughed as she answered it again.

“Is this the room of the wonderful ‘Fabulous Four?’” Jon asked.

Lizzie was silent for a moment and then she replied tersely, “Yes, Jon, it is.”

“Lizzie, is that you? You sound funny. Is something wrong?”

“You tell me, Jon.”

Marianne waved her hand to Lizzie and shook her head no. She did not want to talk to him right now.

“What? I thought I would treat you girls to a dinner out tonight. Did I catch you at a bad time?”

Lizzie was confused. How could he take them to dinner if he was there to have a fling with his girlfriend? This did not make sense. Something was up.

“Jon, is that really the reason you’re here? You’re telling me that the only reason you are in this hotel is to take the four of us to dinner?”

Surprised, Jon answered, “What other reason would there be, Lizzie? I’m a little bit confused by your question.”

“Are you alone, Jon?” Lizzie asked.

“Yes, I am. Jordan had football practice tonight. He wouldn’t have wanted to spend the evening with the old fogies anyway. Why the twenty questions, Lizzie? Can’t a man take his wife and her three lovely friends out for a nice dinner?” he asked. “Of course, if I’m intruding on the girl time, I understand. I wanted to see all of you while you’re in town but if you’d rather not see me, I’ll tuck my tail between my legs and go back home.”

Lizzie sighed, “I think you had better come on up to the room, Jon.” She gave him the suite number as Marianne glared at her from across the room.

“How could you? I don’t want to see him,” Marianne lashed out at her friend after Lizzie had hung up the phone. How could Lizzie betray me like that?

“Calm down, sweetie. Something is not right here. Jon said he was here to take us out to dinner. You need to talk to him.”

“Oh, so he thinks he is going to have dinner with us, while his little friend waits up in their room for him to spend the night with her. I can’t believe she would agree to that, unless, of course, he is planning to tell me about her at dinner with all of you there.”

“I think you’d better find out what is really going on here.”

Lizzie answered the door a few minutes later and led Jon into the room, where Marianne sat, angrily glaring at him from the couch. She had poured herself a glass of wine.

“Jon, you and Marianne need to talk. I’ll be in the bedroom.” Lizzie left the room quietly.

Jon looked at her quizzically and turned to Marianne. She sat stiffly on the couch, still glaring at him as she took a gulp of the wine.

“So you really thought you could get away with it? Sneak her in and then wine and dine me before you go back upstairs to her? Really, Jon, do you think I am that stupid?”

Jon’s heart fell as he realized what she was saying, and it felt as if all the breath had been suddenly stolen from his lungs. She must have seen Jennifer in the lobby. He answered her in a solemn voice, “Honey, I have no one waiting for me in a room upstairs. I would never do that to you. What are you talking about?”

“Don’t you ‘honey’ me, you cheating bastard. You must think I am really pathetic. I know all about your affair with the little blonde lab tech. Don’t look so surprised, I’ve known for a while now. I was going to confront you about it when I got back home. Now, I guess I won’t have to do that. You have seen to it that it is all out in the open. But how in the world could you parade her in front of my friends like that? How could you be so cruel? Do you hate me that much?” A tear had made a trail down her cheek.

“Marianne, I don’t hate you. I love you.” Jon started toward her.

She held her hand up to stop him. “Don’t come near me. I don’t want to hear anything you have to say.”

“Well, you’re going to hear what I have to say.”

“No, Jon, actions speak louder than words. I don’t need to hear it.” Marianne turned away from him.

“Dammit, Mari, there is no affair. There never was.”

“And what makes you think I’d believe that?”

“I can’t believe you think I would cheat on you after all these years.”

“Don’t pull that innocent crap on me, Jon. I am not stupid. Julie saw you with her at the lab one night after hours. How do you think I found out?”

“That must have been the night she cornered me, and there was a kiss, which she initiated and I stopped. Marianne, believe me, nothing ever happened. She has been chasing me relentlessly. I don’t want her. I want you. I came here tonight to surprise you girls and take you out to dinner. You know I’m fond of your friends. I wanted to see all of them while they were in town.”

“I think you should leave now, Jon. We won’t be having dinner with you.”

“Marianne, you need to listen to what I am saying. I don’t have her stashed in a suite anywhere. I came here to be with you. I have never cheated on you, I don’t appreciate being called a bastard and I certainly would never embarrass you in front of your friends.”

“Leave or I will call security and have you thrown out,” she replied coldly.

Jon turned sadly toward the door. “I know you somehow think I’ve screwed up badly here, but you have to believe me. I love you and I want only you. Please think about that.” He walked out the door, closing it softly behind him.

After he left, Marianne collapsed on the couch in tears. She had held them back for as long as she could. Lizzie came out of the bedroom as Katy was coming in the door.

“Was that Jon I just saw getting on the elevator?” she asked as she looked from Marianne to Lizzie. “Oh, my God, what happened?”

Angie walked out of the bedroom. She was feeling better after her nap. She and Lizzie had talked while Jon and Marianne were doing battle in the living room.

“All hell has broken loose, that’s what happened. Jon and Mari’s issues have suddenly come to a head,” Angie answered Katy’s question as she looked at Marianne sobbing on the couch.

“My marriage is over. He tried to make excuses and deny the affair. He is such a liar. I’ve lived with that man for years and raised his children. I supported him while he was in med school. We struggled as he got his practice off the ground. And through it all, I’ve never once questioned our love. Now, just when we finally have the life we’ve always dreamed of, I find out it was all a lie. He’s probably been screwing around on me for years. I’m such a fool. The whole hospital has probably been laughing behind my back all this time.” She collapsed into sobs again.

Her friends looked at each other helplessly.

“Tell us what he said, maybe we can help,” Lizzie offered.

Angie poured a glass of wine for all of them, handed one to each of her friends and sat on the couch beside Marianne. The other two also sat down.

When Marianne had calmed herself, she told them about the conversation she and Jon had just had.

“Did it ever occur to you that he might just be telling you the truth?” Angie warily asked her heartbroken friend.

“I was so mad at him, I just couldn’t think straight. All I wanted to do was lash out at him. After keeping this bottled up inside me for all these months and trying to decide how to handle the situation, it just all came pouring out of me, all the hurt and anger. I didn’t want to hear a word he had to say. When I saw the two of them in the lobby together, I naturally thought the worst. Do you think he might have really been telling the truth?” Marianne looked to her friends for advice.

“That is all understandable, but you really need to hear him out again, when you are calmer. Maybe he really was telling the truth,” Angie answered.

“That’s right. I just don’t believe Jon could be that vindictive, to bring her here, of all places,” Katy said.

“Let’s get ourselves looking presentable and go down to the bar, have a few drinks, have dinner. Maybe if you get your mind off this for a while, you will be calm enough to talk to Jon civilly,” Lizzie suggested.

“Good idea,” Angie agreed. The other two nodded in agreement and the four friends began to get ready.

Meanwhile, Jon, who was still in shock at finding out that Marianne had known for months about Jennifer, not to mention the fact that she really believed he could betray her, headed for the bar. I am not leaving here tonight without getting her to understand. She has to listen to me. I’ll just have a few drinks and then go back up to the suite. Maybe the other girls could get her to listen to him. Katy had always been good at solving everyone else’s problems.

As he walked into the bar, he saw a familiar face sitting on a stool. It was Michael Gray, of all people. What is he doing in Dallas? Does he know that Angie is here with the ‘Fab Four?’

Jon walked over to his old friend and, giving him a slap on the back, said, “Long time, no see, old friend. What brings you to the Lone Star state?”

Michael looked up and grinned. “Hey, Doc, how goes it?”

“Not good, I’m afraid. I’m about to lose my happy home.” He ordered a scotch on the rocks and began telling his tale of woe to his old friend.

“Wow, you really are in a mess, aren’t you, pal?” Michael commented, realizing he was not the only one with problems, even though it felt that way.

“So did you know that Angie is here?” Jon asked.

Michael proceeded to tell Jon what had happened between him and Angie in the last few days. He told the whole sad story in a somewhat shortened version.

“We are two sorry souls, aren’t we? About to lose the women we love, and drowning our sorrows together,” was Jon’s response after he had listened to Michael’s sad story. “I am so sorry for your loss, man. It can’t have been easy for her to tell you after all this time. I know the medical condition she is talking about. It is indeed a devastating thing for a woman to go through. It’s no wonder she was so distraught at that time. Too bad she didn’t get some counseling. Things might have turned out differently for the two of you. Where do you go from here?”

“I don’t know.”

“Seems to me that if you love her, you need to forgive her and move on.”

Michael was silent, thinking about the advice he’d been given by first Liz and Mari, then Jackie, and now Jon. Are they right? Do I need to get over it and get on with my life… with Angie?

The two men continued to drink, finally deciding they had better order some dinner. They talked about old times and adventures they had all had together over the years and caught up on each other’s lives. Jon was duly impressed with the success Michael had achieved as a top notch architect. In fact, they were so deep in conversation that they did not notice that the ‘Fab Four’ had entered the bar and were being seated at a table across the room. Neither did the girls notice the two men engrossed in conversation on the other side of the room.

As the four girls looked at their menus, Katy happened to look up and spotted Michael and Jon sitting together. She decided it best not to say anything to the others just yet. Apparently, they had not noticed the two men. As if on cue, Ryan O’Grady chose that moment to enter the room. This was going to be a very interesting evening, indeed.

She would have welcomed having him here to enjoy the dinner with her friends under normal circumstances. Instead, she had the dreaded feeling that she would be spending this Wednesday evening controlling the fireworks that were sure to be just around the corner. What a strange reunion this was turning out to be. Her friends needed her to be the strong, helpful one once again, but this time, she also needed guidance. I’ll just have to work on getting them settled and then I can concentrate on my own dilemma.