Finally

Chapter 12

It took some time for Jamie to even think of Edward, let alone talk to him. He had called after Jamie got off work the next day, but she quickly ended the conversation. She wasn't mad, just confused. Instead of thinking of Edward, she focused her time and energy on work and nursing school. Nursing school was three nights a week and on Saturdays during the day.

Jamie loved nursing and found her passion in helping others. From a young child she was always the one to help when her younger siblings got "boo-boo's", and it had only grown from there. After she finished nursing school, she was due to travel to Africa to help children born with lip deformities.

With the crazy events of the past weeks, Jamie had gotten behind and was eager to catch up. Class began as ususal, with the professor going on and on about upcoming charity events they could get volunteer hours at and just blabbering on. The whole class stopped talking when woman quietly knocked and peered in the door.

"Class, we have a new nurse-to-be joining us today." The professor motioned towards the door where a shy woman with short brown hair walked in cautiously. "I'm pleased to introduce Megan James, our newest student." The class of twenty students waved at Megan, who looked like a deer in the headlights. "Megan, just find an empty seat."

Megan made her way to the only empty seat available: the one next to Jamie. "Hi, I'm Jamie Hughes, it's nice to meet you!" Jamie stuck out her hand which to her surprise Megan enthusiastically shook. "Hi I'm Megan. Besides the professor, you're the only one who's been nice to me today." Megan brushed the hair off of her face and into a ponytail. "Really? Well I hope you start to feel welcome!" Jamie smiled kindly at Megan, who returned the favor.

Class continued on as usual, with the professor babbling on making absolutely no sense. Here and there Jamie would make side comments to Megan, offering advice on what to write down. At the end of the class, Jamie handed over her folder of notes. "What's this?" Megan asked, surveying the light peachy colored folder in her hands. "It's my notes so far. I figured you could copy them if you wanted."

"Oh I couldn't! I would feel absolutely terrible if something happened to them!" Megan began to push the folder back towards Jamie. "It's ok!" Jamie insisted, "I already have photocopies of these at my house, these are just extras." Feeling reassured, Megan reached out and grabbed the folder, thanking Jamie.

The professor dismissed them and one by one people began to file out. "Hey I know this sounds crazy, but is there any way you could give me a ride? I rode a taxi here because my car is in the repair shop, and I don't see any taxis around here." Megan craned her neck searching for any sign of a taxi, but it was to no avail. Jamie smiled and said, "Of course! I just need to stop by my work to grab some things."

The two of them made their way to Jamie's car and they stopped momentarily at the Nook. When Jamie had returned from the office, she saw Megan looking around in awe. "You work here?! I've always dreamed of working here, ever since I was young." When Jamie told Megan that practically owned the store, Megan's jaw dropped. "Mind if I tour the place?" Megan began to make her way toward the steps leading up to the balcony.

"Go right ahead! I'll get us some water." Jamie retreated to the kitchen and brought out two glasses, which she filled with ice cubes and water. Upstairs, Megan was taking everything in, from the moonlight shining on the chandeliers, to many whimsical book cases to the view from the balcony.

Jamie grabbed the glasses of water she had filled and set them down on the table around the same time that Megan was coming down the stairs. She sat down at the table with Jamie and the two were instantly deep in conversation.

Megan told Jamie how she had been born and raised there in Smithsville. Her father was the chief of police and her mother ran the little theater downtown. "Even after I graduated college, I couldn't bring myself to move somewhere else. After my mom died, it was really hard for my dad and I, and I thought about moving away, there were just too many memories of my mom around here. But I knew I couldn't leave my dad, so I stayed." Megan looked down at the table and Jamie thought she could see tears in her eyes.

Jamie reached her arm across the table to comfort Megan. She ran her hand down Megan's arm but stopped at her hand. On Megan's hand she saw a ring with three small diamonds, simple yet elegant, and the most beautiful ring Jamie had ever seen. "Who's the lucky man?" Jamie asked curiously. To her surprise, Megan just burst into tears.

"Oh Megan, did I say something wrong? I'm so sorry!" Jamie was trying to comfort Megan who obviously seemed to be in distress, but she was so confused and didn't know what to do. Megan lifted her head and wiped the tears out of her eyes. "It's a promise ring." She began. "It was a gift from my now ex-boyfriend on our fourth anniversary." Megan took off the ring and handed it to Jamie, showing her the engraved "forever" on the inside.

"Oh my goodness! What happened?" Jamie sat there admiring the ring and waiting for an answer. "He was my everything, and I loved him with all my heart. Things were going so well but I felt like he wasn't taking things fast enough. I was ready to get married and he was still content just dating me. So I did something irrationally and started seeing another man." Megan started to cry again, and Jamie moved over to the other side to reach and arm around Megan.

"I was planning to break up with my boyfriend, I just didn't know the right time. I didn't want to do it on our fifth anniversary, but when the time came I had no choice. He surprised me that day. I expected him to take me out to dinner, kiss me nonchalantly and get me a card, but instead he went all out. He bought dinner from a local Italian restaurant and we had a sunset picnic at the park under the oak tree where we met. It was perfect and so romantic, too romantic."

"At the end of the sunset, he asked me to stand up. He proceeded to get down on one knee, and he proposed. Right then and there. I was shocked! I knew that if I declined, it would completely break his heart, but I couldn't say yes. So I came out and told him; I told him about the man I was seeing. The look on his face has scarred my mind, and his expression plagues and haunts my nightmares. I thought I was doing the right thing."

"I ran away from the tree as fast as I could. Every time I looked back, I could see his motionless body standing there, starting at me. The next day I went to the other man I was seeing and told him what had happened. Turns out I wasn't the only one who was cheating." Megan paused to wipe a new set of tears from her eyes before continuing. "He yelled at me and called me terrible things and hit me. The eyes that I had expected to be full of love were now full of rage."

"I haven't fully recovered from that. I wear the ring on my finger to remind myself of what I had, and what I can no longer call mine. I hate myself for leaving him, and I'll never be able to forgive myself." With her story finally out, Megan began to breathe normally again. Seeing that Megan was done, Jamie said "I'll drive you home."

The ride to Megan's home was silent and there was an overwhelming cloud of sadness that seem to hang in the air. "You're not the only one who's been hurt Megan." Jamie proceeded to tell Megan about her past with Edward, recounting their best and their worst times. Soon they had pulled up to Megan's home, and Megan thanked Jamie for the ride and for listening. "Hey Megan? Out of curiosity, who was your boyfriend?" Jamie asked as Megan got out of the car.

Before she got out of the car, Megan paused and said, "Mark Griffin, his name was Mark Griffin."