Brian Quinn: A New Man

Chapter 7

"Dropped Jacki off at her place. Can one of you get her in the morning?"

Brian saw the text still sitting on read. Sal hadn't replied but because Brian knew that maybe Sal was tied up with his family then it could be a real late night. Brian finally replied to Joe's text.

"I can."

The next morning Brian got up a little earlier than usual. He remembered that Jacki said she was close to the ferry, which meant that he was going to go out of his way, in the opposite direction, to pick her up. And with the rain still pouring he wanted to be ready for the traffic.

He looked through an email with everyone's contact information and found Jacki's phone number. He sent a text letting her know he would be picking her up and what time to expect him. They'd go directly to the day's location.

He sent another text asking Jacki what she liked for coffee. She replied and he quickly put in an order on his Starbucks app. He pulled up to her house and saw her, umbrella in hand, dash to his Jeep. She got in and thanked him for the ride and off they went.

When they got to Starbucks he ran in and got their coffees.

"Thanks, Q, how much do I owe you?"

"Dont worry about it."

On the way to New Jersey Brian had the radio on and they listened to 80s and 90s rock. He might have been testing her to see how she handled his preference. When an Ace of Base hit came on he was surprised when they both started singing along.

"How do you know this song?!" Brian asked during the chorus.

"I loved this song so much growing up!"

"Yeah but like did your older siblings play it or your dad?"

"No! I remember it on the radio!"

"How old are you?!" He was really shocked when she said that she remembered it being on the radio. He had made the assumption she was about 27 or so but she had to be older if she remembered it being on the radio.

"Brian Quinn! Shame on you!"

He felt the sting of a small on his right arm.

"Ow! I just meant that you look really young. I thought you were like 23 or something."

"I'm 36, not that it's your business."

She pretended to be mad but he knew she was playing.

"Well you had me fooled! Isn't being an assistant makeup artist a little, um, beneath you? You gotta have so much experience!"

He turned to music down to encourage the conversation.

"Its not beneath me. Its a stepping stone, something to get me to the next place. I stopped working when I was in my mid-twenties. I'm just having to restart, that's all."

"Why'd you stop working?"

"I got married and he wanted a housewife. So I quit my full time job at MAC, I was a manager, and was his housewife."

"Wow. Did you have kids?"

There was a pause. He wondered if he'd become too inquisitive. But after a deep breath she answered.

"No. Not for a lack of trying. We did IVF, acupuncture, herbs, traveled all over the world and saw a lot of doctors. But nothing took."

Brian wasn't sure how to respond, so instead of giving himself the chance to put his foot in his mouth he didn't say anything at all.

"After years of trying, and his medical records stating that his sperm were fine, he started blaming me. He accused me of being on birth control or having an IUD and hiding it from him."

"Did you?"

"No. Apparently I have a medical condition that prevented me from getting pregnant."

"Oh wow."

"Its okay, it worked out for the best. Once he found out it was my fault he started to hit me. I lied to my family for years about it. But eventually I got to my breaking point and I couldn't lie anymore. I left him, reported him, documented the injuries, and he's been in prison for six months."

The car filled with silence, only the sound of the rain hitting the cover of Brian's Jeep. He knew how it felt to be betrayed by someone you love. He looked over at her.

"You're stronger than a lot of women."

"Thank you."

Another song they both knew came on and they sang along to Elton John's Can You Feel The Love Tonight. He hadn't meant to hear all about Jacki's past, but one day maybe he'd tell her about his. It was good to know that someone else has been through rough patches, even though he'd never wish them on anyone. He made a promise to himself that he'd be there for her if she needed a friend.