Chapter Forty
Chloe
This restaurant smells absolutely fabulous. As we pass each table to get to our own, I am making mental notes of the dishes that I want to try. Dr. and Mrs. Reece have a table towards the back of the restaurant…kind of in a secluded corner. Of course, Ava notices Madison looking pale right away.
“Madison, are you feeling ok, honey,” she asks?
Maddie shakes her head no, looking miserable. Going into mom mode, Ava signals the waiter and asks for Ginger Ale and crackers. Dr. Reece is quiet as usual, but I see him studying Madison and Connor’s behavior as well.
Once the waiter gets back with Ava’s remedy, Maddie drinks and takes small bites and finally looks a little better. The conversation moves to school and how all of our classes are going. Dr. Reece, or Phillip, it’s hard for me to think of him by his first name, starts telling us some funny stories from his practice over the years. I enjoy listening to him; Ava is normally the conversationalist, but she is letting him take the main role tonight.
The waiter comes by bringing us water, French bread with butter, and menus. I notice immediately there are no prices on the menu. How am I supposed to know what to order?
I lean over to Jayson and whisper, “Where are the prices?”
He whispers back to me and says, “According to them, if you have to ask what the price is, you can’t afford it.”
My mouth falls open and he grins at me. “That is a little pretentious, don’t you think?”
He leans over and kisses me on the mouth and says, “Very pretentious, but don’t worry about it tonight. If you are that uncomfortable with it, we can split a meal; their portions are huge.”
I nod ok and then realize how idiotic I must sound. I have a trust fund; why am I worrying over prices? But I have always been this way. Yes, I might have some money, but I can’t stand people that flaunt what they have, kind of like that skank, Alyssa.
As if thinking her name conjured her up, she is suddenly standing at our table. I blink a couple of times because I feel like I might be hallucinating. Thoughts begin to inundate my mind : What the hell is she doing here? And how did she know we were going to be here? Did someone call her? Did Jayson call her? Does he want her back? I feel like I am going to join Madison and be sick.
While she is greeting Jayson’s parents, which I can’t even imagine how she knows them, I feel Jayson’s arm tightening around my shoulders. Evidently, their relationship was more than just being fuck buddies if she knows his family. Ava politely asks about Alyssa’s parents and before you know it, the whore is pulling up a chair to our table. I can feel my breathing starting to increase and my heart is racing. My fingernails are digging into Jayson’s leg and he is rubbing my neck, trying to console me. I want so scream at her to get away from our table and his family.
I look over at Connor and Madison and if I didn’t know Connor, I would be a little afraid of him right now. The look on his face is pretty scary. He also looks like he is about to come out of his seat. When it looks like Alyssa is settling in, Jayson says in this quiet scary voice that I have never heard from him.
“Alyssa, you need to leave. No one at this table wants you here. My parents are just too polite to say so. But, I’m not them…so get the fuck up and leave!”
Though his tone is quiet, there is definitely a “you better not fuck with me” vibe in his voice. She does not look bothered in the least and I have a feeling this night is about to turn into my worst nightmare.
Instead of leaving, she says, “I will go, but I have a little story to tell you first.”
In this horrible singsong voice, she says, “Once upon a time, there was a girl who killed a baby because she got drunk and drove her car into the vehicle of an innocent couple. She stood trial and was convicted of vehicular manslaughter. Not only did she kill their baby, but she maimed his parents for life”. As she says this, she throws out pictures of the accident and one of me in handcuffs in the courthouse.
With that she continues, “So you see, your precious son is dating a murderer and not just any murderer, one that kills babies.” She finally addresses me and says, “You know, Chloe, you really do belong in jail.”
Looking supremely proud of herself, she sits back to see how Phillip and Ava will react.
It is like a tomb at the table. There is no noise; I don’t even hear breathing.
With one last jab, she says, “Jayson, I told you that I would get you back one way or another; you chose the hard way.”
This bitch is fucking crazy, I mean certifiably crazy. Still no one says anything; I want to defend myself, but I can’t get my mouth to open. And I’m so hurt that neither Jayson, Connor, nor Madison have said a word to help me. Once again, I am alone. When will I finally learn that I can only depend on myself?
The waiter comes over and Alyssa calmly asks for a glass of water like she is a member of our dinner party. Then all hell breaks loose! Ava is on her feet and gets right into Alyssa’s face. She spits out in such a venomous voice that even I shrink back.
“You disgust me! I want you to get your STD ridden ass up out of that chair and away from our table. I will be keeping these pictures and I will also be checking into how you found out all of this information. If I find any sort of criminal behavior, you better watch out, we are personal friends with the chief of HPD. And rest assured, I will be telling your parents of your abominable behavior as well as every member of our country club and church. You want to fuck with someone; you picked the wrong family! Whatever happened with Chloe is her business; if she wants to tell us, then she can do so. But the fact that you think you can come over here and blackmail my son into being with you? You need help, little girl! You also need your ass horsewhipped, but hey, you would probably like that…you sick bitch!”
Alyssa looks shaky from Ava’s verbal attack, but she still hasn’t moved from our table. Seeing the manager making his way over, both Jayson and Connor get up and grab each of Alyssa’s arms. Jayson whispers something to her and she turns pale and with that, they start dragging her out while everyone is staring. I am so humiliated; I really wish an earthquake would happen and just swallow me up into the ground.
Madison scoots over into Jayson’s chair and tries to put her arm around me, but I jerk away. I don’t want any sympathy right now. Everything she said was mostly true. Here I am living my life while those poor people are still mourning their child and dealing with the challenges of their injuries. And I’m having spa appointments, sex with my boyfriend, and eating out at steak restaurants. I’m just as disgusting as Ava accused Alyssa of being.
The guys get back and sit down and I feel like I should say something. But, what do you say? “Yes, I’m a murderer, but I’m reformed now.” I know I am being irrational, but all of the memories are just pouring through my mind. I really need to get out of here. I need to get away from these wonderful people before I infect them with the obvious poison that comes with being associated with me.
Ava looks over at me and says, “Chloe, I know you are probably in shock right now, but just know that we all care about you and this doesn’t change anything.”
Numbly, I nod my head, but I know she’s wrong…it changes everything . Jayson hugs me to him kissing my forehead and I let him because I know this is the last time he is going to hold me. I’m such a selfish bitch…I don’t let go until I absolutely have to…I want to remember his touch forever.
Though it’s awkward, the conversation changes to plans that Dr. and Mrs. Reece have for some renovations to their backyard. He wants to update his grill and put in an outside kitchen and she wants to put landscaping around the pool. In the midst of the conversation, we order and once the food gets there, it is less noisy as everyone eats. I try to enjoy my food, but it tastes like sawdust. All I can think of is that I have to get out of there. I can see Jayson watching me out of the corner of his eye and he is trying to be extremely attentive. I feel badly for what I’m about to do to him, but he will see in the long run, it’s the best thing for us both.
Excusing myself, I ask where the ladies room is located. Madison gets up to come with me, but I tell her to stay, I won’t be long. Standing next to Jayson, I lean down and give him a kiss. He doesn’t know it, but I’m saying goodbye…for good this time.
He looks at me strangely, but I just put on my fake smile and say, “I’ll be back.”
As I make my way towards the back of the restaurant to where the restrooms are, I ask one of the waiters if there is a back entrance I can use to leave.
He looks conflicted, but I say, “I really need to go…I just had a fight with my boyfriend.”
Hearing that, he immediately shows me to the employees’ entrance. I am so going to burn in hell for this.
Standing there in the alley way, I google a cab company on my phone and make a call to have someone pick me up. I look at my watch nervously. I know I don’t have much time before Jayson or Madison comes to look for me. I lean back against the brick wall with my head pounding mercilessly. All I can hear is her words repeating over and over that I murdered a baby. I will never get away from this; someone will always find out. I need to move on again where no one knows me and try to start over.
With those thoughts swirling around in my brain, the cab arrives and as I open the door to get in, my heart squeezes so painfully, I gasp out loud. I feel like I am literally leaving half of my heart and soul with Jayson. Still, no matter how much it hurts, it’s for the best.
I take one last look, get in the cab, and as he drives away, I battle everything within myself not to look back. I pray that he understands; I pray that he can move on and find someone who deserves him, even though that thought guts me. But, most of all, I pray that he knows how much I love him and that he will be in my heart forever.