Had I known How to Save a Life

Somebody That I Used To Know

Chapter 69
*Jo POV*

I thought I was finally free. I thought when I changed my name and got the divorce I was free. I have to run. But I can't run, I'm finally married to the love of my life. We're having a baby. I built my life from the ground up, I've put in way too much time, and way too much effort to let him tear me down again, like did before.

He's just somebody that I used to know.

I continue sitting on the floor of the residents lounge. I don't want to go back out there where he can see me again. He doesn't know that I work here, I wasn't in scrubs yet. I wonder if he noticed that I'm pregnant? Or that I had a ring on my finger.

My body is trembling. I close my eyes, attempting to pretend none of this is real. I'm not at the hospital right now, I'm not still scared of somebody that I used to know in a different life time. I'm not letting him hurt me the way he did before. But I am doing absolutely all of the above.

How did he recognize me? My hair is different now, he liked my hair straightened so I use to always straighten it...for him. I wonder if he's changed? No. People like that don't change. They hide. But underneath all the charm and all the good looks and saying cute little things, people like him, like my ex husband...they stay the same, they are dark, insecure, violent, horrifying, and everything in between.

I never wanted to tell Alex. It's not that I thought he'd be mad at me, but mad at him. And that he'd try and find him and he'd get hurt. Or go to jail.

I try not to hyperventilate but my life was going pretty great and then I got a rude awakening of what my life used to be. I'll never be able to stop running. I'll never be able to be free from him.

Stephanie walks into the lounge and finds me, she runs over to me immediately. "Jo what's wrong?" She asks.

Trying to find words I say, "Nothing, I'm fine." Biggest lie I've ever told.

"Jo, you're not fine. You're having an anxiety attack, you need to calm down." She attempts to reason with me.

"I can't." I say.

"Jo, I'm not saying this for my health. I'm saying this for yours, and your baby girls. Stressing out, this late in your pregnancy isn't good. So when I say you need to calm down. I mean, you NEED to calm down." She fights back. I look at her with a tear streaming down my face.

"I guess you're right." I take a deep breath in and out.

"Now tell me what's wrong" She requests.

"There was somebody in the Pitt. Somebody that I used to know. And I ran away from them. And I've spent the past years of my life rebuilding what they broke." I begin.

"I thought I was finally free." I say and break down in her arms.

She holds me tight and then looks me in the eye, "Jo, you are free. Okay? You built your life from the ground up. You made you. And you don't have to run or hide from anyone."

"Who did you run from?" She asks me.

I've never told anyone I was married before Alex. I've alluded to it but not enough to wear anyone would ever guess.