Returning Hearts

Chapter 8: Truth Revealed

"Good morning, Mr. Frame." The bubbly secretary jumps from her seat adjusting her dress as Jackson walks in the door of the office building.

"Morning." He smiles catching her off guard but she excitedly smiles back at finally being noticed. All the other women in the lobby seem shocked as well by his response and unusually noticeable happy mood.

As Jackson exits the elevator, he looks for Tommy hoping to hide from him and avoid his judgmental remarks. Jackson finds relief as he approaches his office not seeing Tommy anywhere around thinking he has dodged the scrutiny a bit longer. As Jackson enters his office, he jumps slightly in surprise finding Tommy sitting on his couch. "What? Why are you lurking in my office?" Jackson proceeds to his desk trying to act normally.

"How was your date?"

"It wasn't a date." Jackson keeps his back to Tommy as he places his briefcase on the desk and removes his coat.

"Oh yeah? So, what did you do then?" Tommy sits relaxed on the couch as his judgmental words progress. "Just have a nice little chat?"

"Don't you ever work?" Jackson sits down at his desk still avoiding Tommy's eyes.

"Seriously, what did you do?"

Jackson sighs heavily as he looks at Tommy. "We just went out to eat and..." He shrugs his shoulders as he quickly looks at his computer screen. "Talked."

Tommy moves over to the door and closes it as he speaks. "What is wrong with you?"

"What?" Jackson tries to sound as innocent as possible but fails as he looks through emails on his computer screen.

"You slept with her." Tommy scolds as he speaks moving closer to the desk but Jackson doesn't respond as he continues scrolling through emails. "Are you serious?" Tommy begins to sound angry as he paces in front of Jackson's desk in thought.

"Why do you even care Tommy? You have been after me for months to jump anything that moved."

"I meant anything but her." Tommy stops pacing and sits down in one of the guest chairs in front of Jackson's desk with his hands rubbing his forehead in what appears to be agony.

"What is so wrong with me getting back together with August?" Jackson's confusion in Tommy's strange dislike in August shows in his words. Tommy used to like August and was the one that talked Jackson into proposing all those years ago.

"You deserve better. Do you even know what she has been doing all this time she has been gone?"

"I don't care Tommy. She recovered in her own way and I don't need to know all the details."

Tommy continues to sit in the chair as if he is struggling with himself to find the words to say. "Jackson." He rubs his forehead again as he looks down at the floor and Jackson continues to be confused by his distress.

"What is wrong with you?"

Tommy looks up into Jackson's eyes painfully but compassionately. "She has a baby."

Jackson seems lost by Tommy's words. "What? Who?"

"August, Jax. August has a baby." Jackson looks blankly at Tommy in silence as his mind reels. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to be the one to have to tell you."

"Why would you say that?" Jackson's annoyed tone causes Tommy to shift in his chair uncomfortably as he looks down to the floor.

"You remember Sydney, right?" Tommy wastes no time for Jackson to answer as he continues. "August's roommate from college. She and I still fool around every couple of months." He looks up at Jackson in concern. "Last time she stayed with me was about two months ago and she had just gotten back from visiting August. She told me August had a baby. She had a picture."