Chapter 11
Laida
It had been a few weeks since the Founders Day Festival debacle and we’d fallen back into our normal work/farm routine.
As I cleaned things up around the farm, Rusty was running around the backyard, with full-on zoomies.
When he wasn’t running circles around me, he was digging holes and snaking himself between my legs.
I narrowly escaped tripping a few times.
You’d never know anything was ever wrong with him.
I was thinking about how fun he is when my phone sounded off with a text message from Jesse.
Jesse: Hey, beautiful Herbalist. You there?
Me: I’m here, sexy Firefighter.
Jesse: Sexy! She thinks I’m sexy. He’d been making me laugh on the regular and more playful than his usual reserved self.
Me: Sexy. Yes. What can I do for you?
Jesse: The next few days are touch and go for me. I’ve got several community and training events coming up, but I just wanted to tell you, so, you know…you don’t come for me. I blushed because he just had to bring that up.
Me: Easy. It was one time. Lol!
Jesse: I loved it. I have to go, but I’ll touch base when I can.
Me: Okay, be careful.
Jesse: Will do.
I had a basket of flowers I’d just harvested and wanted to get them on the drying table, so I went inside and started the process of creating more salves.
I called out, “Come on, Rusty!” Rusty came running and walked beside me.
Lavender, Chamomile, Dandelions, and Peppermint were my day’s harvest. With four homemade drying screens on the dining room table, there was plenty of room for everything I’d picked.
It would take a day or so for the lavender to fully dry, but it would be worth the wait.
Then I’d be able to make one of my favorite recipes for Jesse, lavender tea bread with a homemade lemon glaze.
After the flowers were set to dry, I cleaned up and changed my clothes, settling in for the night. The house was quiet and Rusty was sleeping in his kennel. Summer nights in the house were slow and calm. The breeze blew through the windows and the curtains billowed out in response.
Unable to sleep, I opened my laptop to check on orders.
They’d been sluggish since moving to Whispering Pines, and because I’d been so busy just trying to bring the house and farm up to speed.
Pleasantly surprised, I had some orders to fill.
It was gratifying to finally feel like everything was falling into place.
Jesse and I hadn’t labeled where we were on the relationship spectrum yet, but it was clear he wanted to be around, and I wanted him around.
Whenever had the chance to be together, it was like honey, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about his situation with his ex.
I wondered if Jesse cared or was ever curious if Mikaila and Jakob were still together.
My eyelids felt heavy and I was finally tired enough to sleep, so I closed my laptop, went to the kitchen to get some water, and checked on Rusty one more time before bed.
He had been sleeping in his kennel at night since we brought him home, but I was looking forward to giving him some freedom to sleep where he wanted to see how he did.
***
In my dream, my phone rang, but I soon realized it wasn’t just a dream. My eyes popped open before reaching over to the night stand to grab my phone. “Hello?”
“Laida?”
“This is her, who’s this?”
“It’s Brady Wilkinson, from the firehouse.”
I sat up, my heart beating like it was going to pop out of my chest. The time on my phone flashed two o’clock in the morning. “Brady? What’s wrong? Where’s Jesse?”
“Laida, can you come to the hospital? There was a fire tonight, an intense one, and Jesse took in some smoke. He’s in rough shape.”
“Oh my god. I’m on my way.”
***
When I reached the front desk at the hospital, I nervously asked for Jesse Harrington. The young woman working behind the counter asked me, “Are you family, ma’am? Only family is allowed back.”
Just then, Brady came around the corner and vouched for me. “Yeah, she’s family, I’ll take her back.” The woman nodded as I followed him down the hall. Brady said, “He’s pretty out of it still but he seems like he has a good chance at a full recovery.”
Trying not to panic, I replied, “Thank you for calling me.”
“Of course, I just knew he would want to see you, but Laida, I need to tell you something before you go in…”
We walked fast until we finally reached his room. “What?”
Brady stopped just before entering and said, “She’s in there…,” tipping his head toward the door.
“She?” I turned and took a small step into Jesse’s room and saw a woman sitting at his bedside, with her back toward me. When I turned back to Brady, he mouthed Mikaila. I was not expecting to see her, of all people.
Jesse despised that woman. I gave myself a pep talk before clearing my throat to make my presence known. “Can I help you?” She had the nerve to ask me.
“I was actually going to see if I could help you with something?”
She gave me a dirty look. “Me? Who are you?”
Brady came in and said, “This is Jesse’s girlfriend, Laida.”
She looked offended. “Laida? Girlfriend? I’m…”
Brady cut her off again, “You’re not anyone, Mikaila. Don’t you have his ex-best friend to bone. How’d you even get in here?”
She stood up. “Fuck you, Brady. I’m here because I care about him.”
Brady barked back, “Well, he has enough people here that care about him. He doesn’t need you here. He doesn’t want you here, either.” Thank God for Brady because the woman was delusional. I couldn’t believe she would show up after everything she’d done.
Finally, I felt brave enough to speak up. “You can go now. Jesse needs positive people around him right now.”
Jesse’s weak voice made us all turn. “Mikaila…” he said, letting out a cough.
Mikaila looked at him and said, “Jesse, it’s me. I’m right here, baby.” She looked at me and gave me the bitchiest sneer I’d ever seen cross someone’s face.
Jesse started to speak to her, “How are…” before he started coughing again. Something felt wrong.
Mikaila tried to calm him, “Don’t talk, Jesse. You took in a lot of smoke.”
I was having a tough time reconciling her being there and everything I learned about what she’d done to Jesse.
Someone must’ve told her about him, but I wondered who would do that.
I felt like I was watching an entire scene that I shouldn’t be taking part in.
My heart sank. Glancing at Brady, he seemed to be just as confused as me.
My pulse sped up as I started to panic and slowly walked out of the room. Brady followed me. “Laida…”
“No. Stop. I don’t know what the fuck that was, but I’m out. I don’t need to be a third wheel in unresolved feelings. They can have each other.”
He tried to explain, “I don’t think it’s…” but I stopped him, not in the mood for excuses.
“I have to go. I hope he gets better. That’s all I’ve got.
” Rushing down the hospital hallway, I left Brady standing there.
When I got outside, I took a deep breath of fresh air, trying to regulate my breathing and anxiety.
The entire interaction broke me. I went from living in a dream, to completely crushed, and felt na?ve for letting my guard down.