FEBRUARY, 1993, SEATTLE, WA
IF THERE WAS one thing that Lindy could absolutely not stand, it was mind games, and Jack had definitely become a class-A champ at playing them with her that winter.
"He's basically broken up with you," Beth explained as the two women walked briskly throughout the hospital, having just gotten lunch together from the downstairs cafeteria.
Lindy, who had just recently said goodbye to Kurt before he'd flown to Minnesota to record his upcoming album, was exhausted. She had wholly given up on Jack, and not only because of Kurt. He had not called nor spoken to her since Christmas, a discouraging sign that their short-lived relationship had reached its end.
"So what you're saying is that I've been dumped by a doctor?" Lindy said, smiling dryly. Even she could have predicted that this would happen back when she'd shunned the idea of dating Jack in the first place.
"Yeah, pretty much. But here's what's good about that — now you can just be with Kurt!"
Lindy shushed Beth with a hiss, waving her hands. There was plenty of Kurts out there in the world, but Lindy feared that if someone heard her and Beth discussing his name, they would somehow know exactly who was being talked about.
"Not that simple, Beth. He's still married."
"Oh, damn," Beth grimaced. "I nearly forgot that little detail. Well, hey, how much does he love her?"
"Enough to have a baby with her, genius. But I'm really not sure. He talks about her like someone would talk about a close friend. But that could just be because it's me he's talking to."
"Okay, well scratch that momentarily. Let's just focus on getting rid of one boyfriend for now, shall we?"
As much as Beth was probably right about the whole thing, Lindy still felt an itch of the reminder that she had done Jack very wrong by going behind his back. But then again, he had shut her out and completely forgotten her existence. She was torn in a battle of who had the right to be upset.
Beth sensed Lindy's mood dip as they walked. She stopped them both, grabbing Lindy's shoulders and pulling her aside out of the foot traffic. She gave her a serious stare.
"Lindy. Stop. You've got to stop beating yourself up over this whole thing. I don't even know this damn guy, but I can tell he's your endgame. Do you know what that means?"
"I know what an endgame is," Lindy sighed.
"Then cut the shit! Be proud! Be happy! Fuck his wife!"
"Oh my god, that sounds so bad. Please don't say that again," Lindy moaned, nearly sliding down the wall with misery as Beth so casually dismissed Courtney. It couldn't be forgotten that it was the mother of Kurt's child that they were talking about.
Beth, who was fighting laughter at Lindy's reaction, held her friend up by the crook of her elbow.
"Seriously though, this is happening for a reason. Stop worrying and just enjoy it. If it's meant to be, it will all work itself out and if it's not — which I highly doubt that it isn't — he'll float off into the rockstar filled distance and never bother you again."
Lindy would have least preferred the last option, but took Beth's advice with a grain of salt as she continued about her day. Option number two in Beth's scenario of outcomes was not going to happen if Lindy could help it.
But still, as she had thought time and time again, Beth was right. Between Jack and Kurt, Beth had hit every nail on the head and given Lindy a sort of inkling hope that maybe things wouldn't blow up in her face.
