One Night

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I'm finally being released from the hospital and Gemma is there to get me. "Juice had something to do for the club." she tells me. "Okay." I say. I get up and get in the wheelchair that the nurse brought in. "I got her." Gemma tells them, knowing I won't stay in it once I'm out of sight. We leave the hospital and she takes me home. Walking in, I see Tara and Lyla already there, cooking. "You guys didn't have to do this." I tell them. "Well, we need a little girl time." Tara tells me. Gemma kisses my cheek and says "Have fun Sweetheart. Come back to work on Monday but until then, rest up." I smile softly and say "Thank you Gemma."

When she leaves, Tara gets the dish out of the oven and we sit to eat. I see my answering machine lit up and Lyla asks "You wanna listen to them?" I nod and Tara hits the button to start them. Hey Sweetheart. It's mom. Call me when you can. I need to go over some wedding details with you and talk to you about moving home. Love you. I see them look at me as the next message starts. Hey Chloe. It's Josh. Just wanted to check in and say I'm glad our families came to an arrangement. Call me back so we can get you moved home and moved into my place. I just shake my head. Then the last one Hey Chloe. It's Juice. Just wanted to let you know I was thinking about you and I'll see you tomorrow. Gemma said you're having a girls night. Have fun and I'll come by in the morning to take you to breakfast. Have a good time baby. He says. I look at my plate and start pushing food around. "Alright girlie. Talk." Lyla says. I take a deep breath and say "Josh's mom and my mom are best friends. He's a pompous ass who thinks the only role a woman plays is to be in the kitchen barefoot and knocked up. Our parents have this stupid arrangement that I would marry him and his dad would agree to go into business with my dad so that my dad's business didn't go bankrupt." I say. "You don't want to marry him." Tara says rather than asks. "No. Hell no. I told the counselor at the hospital I was cutting my family off." I tell them. "Good. Now, why is Juice on your answering machine?" I see Tara smirk at me and I blush. "I'm in love with him. I didn't think he was into me but he was at the hospital when I woke up and told me he wants to be with me so we're together now." I tell them. "That's great. You two will be so good for each other." Tara tells me. "You know he's the one that found you?" Lyla asks. "What?" I ask, shocked. "You didn't know?" Tara asks. "No." I tell them. "The night you did it, Juice said he wanted to talk to you. He wanted to finally tell you how he felt but when he got here, you wouldn't answer your door and Gemma told him where your hideaway key was so he let himself in and saw you passed out on the floor. Said you were barely breathing and pulse was weak. Didn't leave your side from the minute that the ambulance got here." Tara tells me. "I didn't know." I tell her.

"I need to call my parents now, before I chicken out." I tell them. "Call Josh too. He needs to hear this from you." Lyla tells me and I nod. I call my mom first...on speakerphone so everyone can hear. "Hey Sweetheart. I was beginning to think you weren't going to call me." my mom says. "I need to tell you something." I tell her. "I'm listening." she tells me. "I'm not moving home and I'm not marrying Josh." I tell her. "Of course you are. This family need this." she tells me. "Then you'll have to figure something else out. I'm not moving home and not marrying Josh. I will be calling tomorrow to change my phone number so I don't want any of you contacting me. I have a life here and I am happy here. I have a great guy and I'm staying here." I tell her. "We'll see about that." she says before hanging up on me. I make the next call. "Hello." the voice answers. "Hey Josh." I say. "Chloe. Hey Sweetheart. I was hoping you'd call." he says. "I wanted to tell you that I just spoke to my mom and I'm not moving home and not marrying you." I tell him. "Yes. You are. That was the agreement." he tells me. "An agreement that I had no part in and no say in." I tell him. "You don't get a say. You were promised to me and I'll be damned if you disrespect me." he tells me. "Josh, I'm changing my number tomorrow. I don't want anything to do with you or my family." I tell him before hanging up. "You did good Sweetie." Lyla says before putting her arm around me. I look at my hands and I'm shaking. A little later, we call it a night and I lay down in my king sized bed with both girls passed out beside me.