Jase, Fields, J. [story reading TXT] 📗

her eyes tightly together and I paused. “Carly your work is needed here, so if you’re in love with Thomas,” she looked at me and was about to say something. “Wait, just hear me out. Charlotte is dying, from what I understand, which is not a lot, my background is not medical.”

“It’s not business either, but you’re here aren’t you?”

“Actually, never mind, I’ll save that for another time. Bella’s grandmother is dying. I have a file I’d like you to take a look at. My mother tells me it’s something I need to accept and if you tell me the same I will.”

Carly took the folder when I handed it to her, “I’m not promising you anything Jase. I will look but I don’t know if I can even stay working for you.”

“I won’t be your boss,” I squatted down so that we were eye to eye, “I’m not your boss, I am a man who treasures you. If you can’t feel that way about me again, I love you enough to let you heal. Don’t leave here because of me, as a matter a fact I will leave so you don’t have to deal with my shit anymore.”

She looked up at me, still shaking, and so very sad. She looked like she was empty and it scared me more for her than it did for me.

“Thomas will be here Monday,” I looked at her and then away. “You listen to me Jase, he is a wonderful man and if you even look at him cross eyed I am out, he will come too.”

“You love him?”

“Yes,” she stopped and looked down at my fists clenching, “He lived with us, with my mother. They loved each other, I love him, and he loves me. We were a family, and he is all I have left of her. He and I loved her, and she loved us.” She began to shake, “Don’t disrespect him, and understand if it wasn’t for him I would not be staying on.”

I shook my head yes I understood, “I’ll give you everything you need Carly, time, two thousand miles between us, or , my fucking heart. Whatever you need because I love you.”

I opened the door and she left.

15

On Sunday, I received a text from Jase.

-I hate that you are going through this alone. I can be your friend if that’s all you want I can be that for you…Jase

-Thomas will be here soon, I’ll be fine…C

- When you truly love someone you look into the mirror and you no longer see you and you alone. When love is that deep, that strong, you are not ever alone, even when they no longer walk with you. They are ingrained in you, not just a memory, a part of you forever….Jase

-Thank you…C

- I am working at the shop this week, Xavier has some things going on, if you need anything that’s where I’ll be…Jase

-Thank you…C

I read those texts over and over until Thomas showed up and I was glad he did. We spent the entire day unpacking boxes. His condo had been on the other side of the complex and it somehow got changed so he was right next door.

We went through what he had brought from home, and we laughed and cried. Boy would she be miffed at us, I laughed to myself knowing she would love me and Thomas forever.

I told Thomas all that had happened with Jase and he smiled softly, hugged me, and said, “The heart wants what the heart wants. He is not going to leave you alone Carly, so if you want me to rough him up let me know.”

~

After showing Thomas around we dove into work. He laughed every time we couldn’t find something and I would call Janet. If the equipment wasn’t already here or we needed something more she filled out a form and gave us a date for when it would be delivered. After work Monday, I gave Thomas a copy of Charlotte’s file and asked that he look at it.

We worked for twelve hours straight every day and on Friday, Janet came in at four and told us we needed to be out by five. She gave us a lame excuse and we of course accepted it.

“He thinks you need a break,” Thomas joked as we cleaned up.

“He shouldn’t have given me the file,” I rolled my eyes.

We walked out of the lab and I saw a little girl walking down the hall and then I saw Pam. I looked at her and she looked up.

Bella smiled and stopped in front of me, “Are you Carly?”

“Come on, Little Bell,” Pam pulled her arm.

“Stop,” Bella pulled her hand away from Pam, “Hi,” she smiled at me.

I squatted down and smiled I stuck my hand out and shook hers. “It’s very nice to finally meet you Bella,”

Bella hugged me, and I froze for a moment and finally hugged her back, “I’ve missed you,” she whispered in my ear.

“I’m so sorry. Life has been crazy. I’ve missed you too,” hugging her felt so good I didn’t want to stop.

“Your father is waiting for us,” Pam grabbed her hand trying to pry it off my neck.

I stood up holding her and I wanted to hit Pam for being gruff with her.

“Daddy has been helping at the shop all week, he only comes here when I’m in bed.” Bella was holding so tight she almost choked me, “I want to stay with you,” she whispered.

Pam rolled her eyes and laughed, “I’ll take her, kids and their stories.”

“She isn’t telling a story, Jase has not been here all week during the day. I’ll hang out with her, we will call her father…”

“You and Jase broke up months ago…”

“Pam, you need to keep in mind that Bella is right here,” I warned her and started walking away.

When Pam started walking down the hall someone stopped her and she swore at them. I kept walking holding Bella as we rode the elevator down