Chapter 50

Candice
It's been two months since my break down with Laynie. Two months of constant work, two months of getting closer and closer with mom and two months of missing Austin. Every fiber in my heart is broken because of that man but I have found other ways of making each and every day worth getting out of bed.
Mom and I have grown closer in all this. She is starting to accept that her leg will just never be the same again. We spend a lot of time talking with each other. She has learned that I've kept myself from her most of my life. At first she beat herself up over it, and when she noticed that I refrained from telling her more, she stopped feeling pity and just started listening. We cried, we hugged, we laughed. We healed. Mom even started seeing her physical therapist. One day, Rodger just came by the house and flat out asked my mother out. It was actually really cute, grandma and I had noticed he stood on our front porch for about ten minutes giving himself a pep talk, it was so warm outside that the fresh flowers that he was carrying were getting droopy. By the time he conjured up enough courage to knock on the door, his hair was a mess, sweat stains everywhere, and his tie was nearly loosened off.
Mom fell instantly.
They have been out just about every few days and every time mom comes back in the house from their date, she is glowing. I've never seen her act like this but I'm too happy to question any of it. Mom deserves to be treated like a queen and it looks like she might have just found her king. Grandma invited them to dinner tomorrow night, so we can get to know Rodger, even though technically we have known him for over a year.
"You're deep in thought honey." Lyla says from behind me. She is currently taking the blood pressure from a very drunk man who does not want to cooperate.
"When I was your age…." Annnnnd he is asleep. Again.
Lyla shakes her head a him then lifts his head back, so he is more comfortable. I call a couple security guards over, so that they can carry him into the awaiting room. He original came in because he was hit by a car but looks like the adrenaline hasn't stopped yet. Couple hours sleep, and he will begin to feel everything. Once Mr. Beckman is settled we head to my office to talk. I have barely made it to my seat when Lyla starts.
"That glittery bitch. This is the third day in a row she hasn't shown up to work. I'm doing double duty while she is off probably getting her third boob job done. I should drive over to her house and pinch her nipples." I throw my head back and laugh my ass off. Lyla has a way with words.
"Lyla, why is that always your go to when it comes to tormenting women? Pinching nipples don't hurt as bad when they're fake."
"How the hell would you know? Those little apples would hurt if I walked over there and pinched them, and so would the she devils nipples." She says crossing her arms with a huff. I look down at my b-cup size and pout. I was never gifted in that department, but I never really cared either.
"Oh stop, you have the body of a model, meanwhile I'm over here with watermelons, trying not to fall over."
"I bet Shane isn't complaining." I say then cringe when the memory of Austin hits me. Lyla has been sweet in not telling me about her and Shane's relationship, but I know they are still going strong. He picks her up from work all the time and is always so sweet to her. I never tell her that he gives me an evil eyes all the time but I know it's because he doesn't trust me.
Lyla gives me a saddened look and sits down opposite me. I already know what she is about to say but I put my hand up before she can start.
"Lyla, really, it's okay. You're my best friend. I want you to be able to talk to me about your relationship. I know he is Austin's brother but what we had is in the past. Now, how are you two doing?"
"Well, I was thinking about having him meet Adrianna. We've seeing each other a lot but he hasn't met her just yet. He knows I have a daughter and seen pictures and everything, but it's different when they meet each other ya know?"
I can tell Lyla is nervous about having Shane become closer to her heart. Lyla was devastated when her ex basically told her he wouldn't stick around and instead of fighting him, she ran. Not something Lyla Mason does a lot. I have a feeling her past is a little more checkered than that but that's as far as she has ever told me.
"I think if you see yourself being with this man for a while then he should meet her. Adrianna is a sweet kid and I personally think her, and Shane would love each other." Lyla gets up, walks over and hugs me. I know she needed that reassurance. Truth is, she is a good mother to her daughter and I know that she will always make sure her daughter comes first.
Lyla goes back to work when Ben knocks on the door threatening to eat her lunch. I work on the next few weeks schedule, trying to go around Melissa's absence. She hasn't been in for shifts these last few days and I don't know why, but I'm starting to get worried. She may not be the most competent nurse, but she is still an extra body in the emergency room. There are times we get swamped.
Three hours later my stomach reminds me that I was due for lunch an hour ago. I shut down my computer and am just about to grab my bag to head for the cafeteria, when there is a knock at my door. Once again assuming who is on the other side of the door I open it with a smile and the wind gets knocked out of me when I see Jared on the other side of the door.
I freeze in my spot wondering why he is here. I don't want to assume anything but the way he is looking at me I think he might be here for more than a reschedule or a question for his physician. I haven't seen him since his follow up a couple months ago and that was brief.
"Jar-um, Mr. Cole, what can I do for you?" My voice is shaky. This man is my big brother, someone I have longed for my entire life and when I found out existed, I was told I couldn't have anything to do with. I was the key to a door no one wanted to unlock.
"Can we talk for a minute?" He asks, then looks to my bag draped across my shoulder. "Unless you have somewhere to be?"
"Oh uh, no, well, yes I um." There goes that non-sentence thing again.
"Lunch?" Why does he seem so nervous right now?
"Yes, but I can maybe take off for a few minutes."
"Why don't I join you? Unless, no that's weird right?" He says. Why is this so awkward?
"Yeah I know, I'm sorry." Shit did I say that out loud?
"No-no it's alright. Um, there is a small café down the street. I have an hour."
Jared nods his head and I lead us out the door. Thank goodness Lyla went home already and Ben is off today, or I would be getting some stern looks right now. Instead I'm met with half our staff giving Jared the come here big boy eyes. I roll my eyes at them and lead him outside.
After a silently awkward walk over to the local café, we sit down at a table in the corner and he immediately begins.
"I have an investigator looking into my father. I'm working with them to put him away." I am blown away by his statement. This is how he wants to start a conversation? A waitress walks over and takes our order. I'm grateful for the distraction because I have no idea what to say to that.
"Oh, um, okay." What the hell else is there for me to say?
"The reason why I'm telling you this is because I want you to help me. If you want to. It makes since for both of us to work together, since, well, you're his daughter too." He says the last part quickly.
I take a deep breath, but it doesn't help my anxiety over Jared knowing. I have no idea what's going on right now. Last time I saw him, he had no memory of being in New York. Now he is telling me he is working with investigators turning his father in and knows who I am? My face must give away my confused state because Jared apologizes.
"I'm sorry Candice. I was trying to figure out a way of letting you know I already know without coming across as a douchebag, but that didn't necessarily work did it?"
I take another deep breath and try to find my voice. I am trying very hard not to break down right now, but I think if this conversation continues I won't be able to hold back.
"Jared, how is this possible? How did you find out?"
"I got my memory back a few weeks ago. I remembered what my father does behind closed doors and decided that I no longer wanted anything to do with it. I called the investigators that were in charge of my case and told them everything. Turns out he's been on their watchlist for a while, just needed someone on the inside to help take him down. I hired a PI and when I told him everything he went on to tell me that this is his second time going after my father. He told me about you Candice. Told me that I had a sister."
Tears are now flowing down my cheeks. This isn't good. Nicholas gave me warning of what would happen if I told Jared. He threatened my mother and now not only does Jared know, but he is here to see if I will team up against the very man that has the power to destroy my life without any repercussions.
I stand up and get ready to leave but Jared stands and gently places his arms on my shoulders.
"I'm sorry, shit, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I just, my father, our father, is not a good man and he needs to go away. Candice, when I found out about you I was elated, really." I take my seat again and wait for him to continue.
"I always wanted a sibling and when I found out that he had cheated on my mother and had another child, I wasn't really surprised. Dad was never faithful to my mother and I never expected him to be honest about it. When I found out it was you, I almost fell out of my chair. I can't believe I had already met you."
"Jared, I don't know what to say. I wanted you to know so badly who I was. I craved having you in my life, but I didn't want you to think I was after something. When I told Nicholas that I knew of you, he threatened me and my mother. He didn't want you to know who I was. When you and I finally did meet, you had lost your memory and I realized that maybe it wasn't meant to be for me to have the father or the brother I always wanted."
Jared gets up and walks over to my side of the table. He looks contemplated until he bends down to hug me. I laugh at our awkward angel of me sitting on a metal chair and him standing but bending over to hug me, but it feels so good to finally have this out in the open. This man is my big brother and I don't ever want to let him go.
When we part, he kisses me on my forehead and I relish in finally having my big brother here to help me and protect me. Jared walks back over to his seat and we spend the next forty-five minutes talking about literally everything. My mother, and the fire, the whole reason behind me finding out about Nicholas. We talk about what his mother was like, his passion for construction and growing up with Nicholas. Seems like I didn't miss out on anything. Nicholas was awful to Jared.
When the subject of Laynie comes up I notice Jared is a little quick to change topics. I don't understand why but if by the looks on his face are an indication, something bad happened in their marriage. He asks me about having a boyfriend and I pause for a second thinking about Austin. Jared of course, as my newly appointed big brother, catches my pause and nearly demands to know who the fucker is that broke my heart, his words not mine.
I explain that whole situation to him. I tell him all about being jumped and beaten by those men and then getting involved with the Warriors. Jared gets extremely angry with Nicholas and it takes a few minutes to assure him that I believe Nicholas when he tells me he didn't mean for me to be hurt. Not because he was worried about his only daughter, but because he still needs my position. We talk and talk and talk and when my phone rings and one of the doctors asks where I am, Jared and I smile at each other. Guess we didn't realize the time.
"I'll walk you back." Jared says while putting some cash on the table.
"Oh, it's alright. You don't have to."
"I want to." He says giving me a smile that I can only assume he used to catch my sister-in-law. Holy smokes, I have a sister-in-law.
"What if people see us?" Jared chuckles, then realizes that I'm serious. When he straightens his features, he comes back with another set of words that blow me away. "Candice, I don't care if our father finds out about us knowing each other. With as much information as I have on him, he is lucky he's not already locked up. Trust me, you don't have to hide yourself from him anymore."
Is that what I was doing all this time? Hiding myself? I guess I was. I hadn't realized that this whole year I've spent so much time and effort making sure I stayed under the radar, so mom wouldn't have to worry about anything when it comes to Nicholas. With Jared by my side we walk out of the café and head to the hospital. Jared walks me all the way to my office where women are literally falling over carts to see him.
Once I get in my office Dr. Guzman is standing there with his arms crossed and toes tapping on the ground. Jared pushes me back while walking up to Dr. Guzman. After a few hushed words Dr. Guzman walks away looking a little frightened.
I walk up to Jared with a curious look on my face.
"What? I don't like the way he was looking at you." I laugh at his apparent protectiveness and hug my new big brother goodbye.