Trust in Love

Chapter 13

They got married on Valentine's Day. They had a simple ceremony in the chapel on the university campus. Nigel was the best man and Sandy was the maid of honor. Clint gave the bride away and Ada was ecstatic to finally see her daughter wed.

Justine was relieved that she hadn't disappointed her mother for a change. In the back of her mind was the constant worry about her heart condition. She had one spell right before the wedding and her supply of pills was dwindling.

During the campus reading break in February, Jared and Justine went on their honeymoon at Sparkling Hills Resort not far out of town. It was luxurious and blissfully relaxing.

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By March their lives were back to their regular routines. It had been almost six months since Justine had seen Dr. Sampson. Why was she still alive? Every day she got to spend with Jared was a gift.

Jared seemed to sense her preoccupation and he kept asking her what was wrong. She kept telling him it was nothing. He didn't believe her.

One night Jared point blank asked her what was wrong.

'And don't say "nothing" because I won't believe you,' he insisted.

Justine didn't want to tell him. She didn't want him to worry.

'It's something medical, but I don't know for sure,' she finally said.

'Have you seen a doctor?' he asked concernedly.

'About six months ago,' she replied. 'But I can't tell if it's gotten worse or better.'

Jared was puzzled.

'Maybe we should go see the doctor so we can clarify what's going on,' Jared suggested. 'I'll go with you so there will be a second set of ears.'

Jared didn't leave any room for her to talk him out of going with her. He could be stubborn sometimes.

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A few days later Justine went to see Dr. Sampson with Jared. She was very nervous. She didn't want to hear any more bad news.

The doctor came into the consultation room and Justine introduced him to Jared.

'What can I help you with today?' Dr. Sampson asked.

Justine told him that she still had her heart condition and she wanted to know how many months she really had left.

The doctor consulted her chart.

'Your record shows no indication of a heart condition,' he stated, looking at her strangely.

'But you gave me four to six months to live,' Justine stated.

'I don't recall telling you that, Justine,' the doctor said gently.

'But I heard you. You were right outside the door,' she said.

'I could have been consulting a different patient's chart,' he surmised. 'I apologize if you thought I was referring to you.'

Justine felt tears come to her eyes. All that anguish and worry for nothing! She felt like such a fool.

'What were the pills you gave me, then?' she asked.

'Those were for anxiety. You were having heart palpitations, I believe,' the doctor said.

'So, just to clarify,' Jared interjected. 'My wife thought she was dying, but she's actually fine?'

Dr. Sampson nodded.

'She's as healthy as can be,' he reassured Jared. 'There's a generalized anxiety disorder, but I believe the medication I gave her is rectifying that.'

Jared didn't say anything else for the rest of the appointment. He wouldn't look at Justine. There was a palpable tension in the air and Justine couldn't figure out why.

They left the doctor's office and went outside. Jared still wasn't saying a word. Justine was starting to panic.

'Jared, what's wrong?' Justine asked.

'Not now,' Jared said angrily, starting the car.

It was a very long, tense drive home. Justine could tell by the way Jared gripped the steering wheel that he was livid. She couldn't figure out why.

Jared parked the car and went into the house. Justine followed him.

'Why are you so angry?' she asked timidly.

'Why am I so angry?' he repeated. 'Well, let's see. My wife lies to me and betrays my trust. How do you think that makes me feel?'

'I didn't lie to you,' she argued. 'I truly thought I was dying.'

'So....what? You thought you'd find a pathetic widower like me who had already buried one wife and trick him into getting married again? So I could bury a second wife? What kind of sick, twisted person are you?'

'I never meant to hurt you, Jared. I love you,' she cried, starting to sob.

'Save your tears for someone who cares,' he said coldly. 'I will never trust you again.'

'Please don't say that,' she pleaded.

Jared stomped upstairs and went to their bedroom. He went into the closet and grabbed a suitcase. He started packing his clothes into it.

Justine tried to stop him. She cried, she pleaded. Nothing would persuade him to stay.

'I'm going to Nigel's,' he finally said coldly. 'You'll be hearing from my lawyer.'

With that, he left the bedroom and went downstairs. Justine heard the front door slam.

She fell to her knees and sobbed uncontrollably. How could everything have fallen apart? She didn't understand. All she knew was that her heart was broken.