Chapter Three #2
“We need to get started with Jacob’s therapy. You can wait in the waiting area.”
Jacob stops her. “I want Juniper to come with me.”
Dominique sighs, and I can tell she doesn’t want me here. But after a moment, she gives a slight nod.
She leads us down the hall. As we walk along the overly sanitized, painfully neat hallways, I feel like I’m being watched, and when I look around, bingo.
.. two women nearby. Oh God. I instantly recognize them.
They went to my school. They look older now.
They are older! But apparently still obsessed with gossip.
“Isn’t that Juniper Harding?” one whispers.
“I heard she came back for her brother,” the other replies.
“Do you remember what happened all those years ago?”
I stop and turn to fa ce them, a smirk on my lips, a forced one that only I know is false bravado. “If you’re going to relive my past, make sure you ask for autographs next time. Your lives are that boring, huh?”
Jacob chuckles beside me, while Dominique keeps a straight face, and the two women, they quickly look away as their faces turn red.
I keep my head high, and decide not to give their whispers power. I’m here for Jacob, and that’s what matters. We reach the infusion room and settle in. Dominique leaves for her rounds.
As the nurse gets things ready for Jacob, I notice a small bump under his collarbone. It’s about the size of a quarter, slightly raised under his skin.
“What’s that?” I ask, pushing down the wobble in my throat but it’s hard.
“It’s a port,” Jacob replies, glancing at it. “They use it for my immunosuppressive therapy instead of sticking me with needles every time.”
I steady my breath, trying to absorb this. “That’sbetter, right?”
“Yeah,” he nods. “It makes the process a bit easier, less painful.”
I look at it again, feeling both a strange relief that he doesn’t have to endure constant needles and a heavy ache that this is part of his life now.
After a while, Dominique comes to check on Jacob, and I can see the bright smile that she gives him, all the while ignoring me.
“So, how’s it going? Did n’t bring a sketchbook today?” She asks as she checks his stats.
Jacob grins. “Of course I did. So lemme get this right.. you do like it when I draw you.”
She just rolls her eyes. “Of course, any woman would be flattered when a guy has been drawing sketches of her for, um, twenty years now. Remember, you drew me as your art project too.”
Jacob nods. “How can I forget that?”
I look at both of them with my mouth open. Are they… Are they flirting in front of me?
I remember how my brother had a crush on her back in his teens, but seeing them now, it looks like the crush never faded.
They keep going back and forth, and I just feel like a fly on the wall.
After a while, I clear my throat, and that's when Dominique finally notices me.
She gives Jacob a quick smile before turning to leave.
Once she’s gone, I turn to Jacob, “You were flirting with Dominique... You still like her?”
"No, I wasn’t.” He lies and closes his eyes, acting like he’s too tired to argue. Or maybe he is.
But moments later, he opens his eyes, a little flash of mischief shining through the exhaustion. “You know, I was actually flirting with Dominique. I often do. It’s just a bit of harmless fun. She plays along, but it’s not like I have a shot.”
I make a face by his sudden confession. “Why not? You’re a catch, Jacob. Any woman would be lucky to have you.”
He lets out a dry chu ckle, then falls silent for a moment, his attention wandering toward the ceiling as if choosing his next words carefully. “Two reasons: First, I’m not exactly at my best right now. And Second.. she’s married.”
My jaw drops upon hearing this. “Dominique? Married?”
Jacob nods, that playful spark fading into something more somber. “Yeah. To Brian Ellis. And they have two kids!”
The name hits me hard, and painful memories I'd locked away start clawing their way back. “Brian Ellis, the mayor’s son? That disgusting pig? For real?”
Jacob’s face tenses. He pauses briefly, and when he continues, there’s an edge to his voice I haven't heard before. “Yep. Well, he’s not just the mayor’s son anymore. He is the mayor now.”
I stare at him in disbelief. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
He shakes his head, a wry smile appears at his lips. “Nope. Just imagine being married to that jerk. Guess we can cut her some slack for not being overly friendly today.”
I watch him closely, noticing the way he’s quick to defend Dominique.
“Yeah, I suppose being married to a jerk like Brian would wear anyone down,” I admit, sighing. “But still, I can’t believe he’s the mayor. Why do the worst people always seem to come out on top?”
Jacob shifts in the b ed, wincing as he tries to get comfortable. “He might have the title, but he’s not exactly loved around here.”
“Oh?” I say, catching the hint of something deeper.
“Yeah,” Jacob says, leaning closer. “Folks are furious he’s trying to unload Cody Riverside Park to some big-shot hotel chain.”
I literally gasp. Not my Grams’ resting place!
“But, luckily, the town’s on the edge of rioting.” Jacob tells me, and a slow grin spreads across my face.
“Finally, someone’s making that guy sweat.”
Jacob nods, but his eyes hold a quiet sadness. “The park’s one of the last good things this town has. People don’t want to see it turned into a tourist trap.”
“Neither do I,” I reply softly “That park holds some of our best memories and Grams. She’s there.”
“Yes. She sure is.” He smiles and closes his eyes.
As time passes by in the quiet room, I listen to the soft beeps of the monitors blend withJacob’s steady breathing.
He’s finally asleep and looking at him, I can see that this treatment really drains him.
I squeeze his hand and just think about the old days, when our biggest worry was whether Dominique would smile at him.
Life is a lot messier now.Very messy and all I can do is hope this treatment makes my brother his old self again.