How to break a heart

Chapter eight

Garth waits outside the big building with Eileen. He looks at the time around his arm and then up at Rose's car that pulled up. Behind her is Gerald's car pulling up with his girls. They get out at the same time and go to Garth.

"Dad, this is my friend, Gerald and his two girls, June and Julie," Rose introduces them to each other. Garth shakes hands with Gerald, then looks at Rachel, who came closer hugging the twins. "Gerald, this is my dad and his wife, Eileen."

Eileen shakes hands with him as well. She looks at the girls and then up at Rachel. Her hair is clipped up, and she's wearing a knee-length black dress with blue flowers on.

"So, when are you going home?" Eileen asks Rachel. Obviously, she's getting sick and tired of seeing her.

"Oh, you'd like to know," Rachel responds and shakes her head slowly.

"Rachel," Garth warns her gently. She sighs and gives him a faint look. "She just asked an innocent question."

"Finally, you're standing up against your ex," Eileen claps her hand sarcastically. Rachel looks at her and then at Garth, who gives his wife an idiotic look.

"Can you be any..."

"No, it's okay, Garth," Rachel says and touches his arm. She leans forward to Eileen and smiles. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I'm going home this weekend, then you can have loverboy all to yourself again."
Eileen looks bewildered at her then at Garth, who runs his hand over his mouth, knowing that this will be another outburst.
"What? If you're so obsessed with when I leave, then you obviously must have a problem with me being around Garth, right? Am I a threat? Are you scared I'll replace you?"

"No, because I already replaced you," Eileen says and turns around to walk in. Garth let go of his breath and grabbed Rachel around the body when she stepped forward. She gives him an odd look that immediately lets her go.

"Sorry, I thought you were going to... grab her or something," he says and looks nervously at Rose, who's talking to Gerald about her parents always fighting like this.

"I can give trip her and make it look like an accident," Rachel replies. "Will that make you feel better?"

He starts laughing and turns around, walking into the building. Everyone follows him in as they walk down all the other different shops around them. Rachel fiddles in her handbag and smiles happily to herself. Sneakily, she looks around her and clears her throat.

"I need the bathroom," she tells them. Garth glances at her reading on her face that something's up.

"There's one at the restaurant," Garth replies and slows down to catch up to have a quick word with his daughter. "I got us a table for seven. When you get there, you guys can order so long. I quickly want to pop into the jewelry shop."

"Okay," Rose smiles at him. Garth stops as they walk on. Rachel makes it past him, but instead of moving forward, he grabs her arm and starts running away with her. She follows him obediently and then pushes him into the cleaner's room. Quickly, she closes the door behind her and looks at Garth.

"I've been meaning to talk to you about last night," he says and look around, only finding cleaning items around them.

"I am terribly sorry about last night," she says and starts digging into her handbag. "The drinks were a lot, and I just felt we had a moment. But, we forget it ever happened. I will try to behave in the future, I promise. As for you, sir, would you like to have fun?"

She pulls the joint and a lighter out, showing him. He gasps, horrified, and tries to grab it from her, but she pulls away and puts it behind her back.

"Where did you get that?" He asks.

"I had to. I can't face your wife and be sober," she replies. He shakes his head and runs his hand over his face. "You can join me or you can run away like the little pussy you are and keep your mouth shut."

"Fine. I'll smoke it with you," he says and smiles seductively at her. She giggles in excitement and puts it in her mouth, lighting it. He watched her every move before she handed it over to him. Her eyes grew wide when he took a big amount of smoke in. She bursts out laughing when he starts coughing. "You are such a bad influence."

"You still love me," she giggles and takes it back from him.

"I do," he chuckles and scans her face. She raises an eyebrow and brings it to her mouth. She takes it away and touches his face, heading closer. He inhales the smoke she blows in his mouth and cough. "That burns."

She just laughs and throws her arms around his neck. He hugs her waist and pushes his face in her neck, smelling on her perfume.

"Are you really going back tomorrow?" He asks.

"I have to go back," she says and tries to show him the join. He looks at it and takes it, keeping his arm around her waist. "Would you like me to stay?"

"Hmmm-mmm," he nods and looks down, blowing the smoke out on her breasts, which showed so perfectly under her dress. "Wow, they even look better than they feel."

"Garth," she giggles. He puts the joint in her mouth, watching her pull on it.

"I should've made love to you last night," he whispers. She raises an eyebrow at him and holds her breath in to let the smoke set in. "I don't know why I was so scared. I guess I didn't want to let you down or take advantage of you since you had your drink."

"You're a married man," she replies and blows out the smoke from her nose. He stares at her face and touches her cheek. "I don't have... I had you for that while in my arms at that moment, but you were never truly mine."

"We should've met now instead. I think we should've gotten together now instead of all those years ago," he whispers and puts the joint in his mouth. Rachel looks down and sighs unhappily. Her eyes move up to him again.

"I never told you I was engaged because I knew you'd be too careful with me," she tells him and inhales deeply. He looks at her and smiles softly. "I went through the exact same thing as Rose did. I had no one, Garth. My parents were never there for me, and after each rebound, I woke up alone. Until I met you and you were there the next morning. You were there, Garth. I didn't want you to feel sorry for me or tell me we should take things slow. I fell in love with every single day of my life, but I was raised to handle my own problems. I grew up keeping everything to myself and going through things alone. I was angry at myself for not allowing you to be part of my pain."

"You are not alone, Rachel," he whispers and rests his forehead against hers. "I never would've known you were going to get married if your mother didn't tell me."

"You spoke to my mother?" She asks with round eyes.

"I tried to find her for you," he replies and smiles at her. "I wanted you to have a relationship with your parents."

"Garth," she shakes her head and leans forward to kiss him. Just as they were about to kiss, the alarms around them went off. She looks up and gasps. "Oh shit."

Garth immediately puts the joint out and grabs her arm, pushing her out. She fixes herself when she gets out. They start walking on trying to act normal.