Jenalyn: From the Inside (#3) [Complete]

Chapter 39: Gage

Sunday, 4:22 P.M. EST

I’m not sure why I came here today. It confused Hayden to see me, and that’s understandable. I’m sure she expected her man to be here, if not any of the Golds. 

But no. 

He spent the last week fucking his ex, and now he’s too ashamed of himself to face Hayden.

“Gage, please just tell me what’s up?” Hayden asks once again. “You wouldn’t just show up here if something wasn’t wrong!”

She’s been pressing me about why I came here since we sat down. I told her that Ty was busy, so I figured I would check in on her; She can’t find it in herself to believe it.

“Hayden, please?” I ask her again, still pleading with my eyes for her to drop it. I’m not ready to break the news to her... I’m not even sure if I should be the one to do it!

Hayden shakes her head, falling back into her chair as she crosses her arms over her chest.

“Tyler’s not leaving me, is he?” she asks, her eyes flat and face unimpressed. I can tell she’s trying to be hard, but the worry shows in her expression. 

What do I say to that?

I don’t think he intends to leave her. As a matter of fact, he wants to stay with her so bad that he’s willing to try to brush this under the rug if his mind will allow it!

“He doesn’t want to leave you...” I find words after a few moments of contemplating in my head. 

My heart wants to add a “but-” and explain that she’d be better off leaving him. It’s nothing personal to my brother; I said some things to him earlier that were a little harsh… but it was coming from a place of recognizing patterns. 

This is Tyler’s cycle... and I love Hayden too much to sit back and allow her to be a part of it.

“So then tell me,” she demands. “Tell me why you’re here, Gage. For real. I can tell by the way you’re acting that something’s bothering you.”

She makes a face that causes my stomach float before letting out a cocky, yet still nervous laugh. Even in sweats, messy hair, and no makeup- she’s just so fucking beautiful. 

I know I sound like a fucking dumbass, but despite what she did with the drugs and running away... I could never bring myself to do anything that’d show this girl I don’t love or care about her.

“Do you want to be with Tyler?” I ask, my mouth moving before my brain processes it. 

Hayden rolls her eyes with an uncomfortable smile, probably assuming I’m here to continue what had happened in the kitchen that day.

“Ty thinks you did what you did because you’re having a baby with someone else,” I’m quick to add, relieving both of us from having to think about it. “He’s... dealing with the whole thing pretty bad, Hayden; I’m not going to lie.” 

Her brows furrow, and her arms tighten around her chest. She looks at me with question on her face before responding.

“I relapsed,” she says with a flat tone, growing more worked up as she lets the moments pass. “I didn’t do it on purpose, Gage! Tell him that! I fucked up, but he’s got to forgive me! I want to be with him! It had nothing to do with that” 

I can tell she’s concluding that Ty doesn’t want to be with her because of the relapse, and his paranoia telling him that the baby’s not his.

She’s upset, and she doesn’t even know the half of it…

“It’s okay,” I say before she grows too worked up. I hear they shoot tranquilizers in your ass for that shit here.  “I’m not saying he doesn’t forgive you, or that he’s trying to leave you!” 

Hayden let’s out a frustrated but relieved sigh. “So what’re you saying?” she snaps.

I take a few moments to respond.

On one hand, I want to tell her about him. And not even for personal gain, but to save Hayden from the shit storm of a path he’s ready to take her down. 

On the other hand, I have my big brother instincts making one last effort in trying to save him, despite being let down so many times before.

I try to form my response around everything in my head.

“You know how... you fucked up, and hurt him? So you need his love to be strong enough to forgive you?” I ask, offering that she relates to, and forgives him as she needs him to do for her.

Hayden nods, her eyes growing skeptical as she waits for me to continue.

“Well...Ty did something that will probably need the same love.” I say, choosing my words carefully.

Well, trying to.