“Laura, wait. Where do you think you’re going?” Andy jogged after Laura outside the Seattle hospital, where she hurried away.
She didn’t stop until he caught up with her and grabbed her arm, pulling her around. “Laura, what is wrong with you?” Andy snapped.
“Wrong with me? Are you kidding me? Andy, I may be your wife in name, but that’s not how you see me or treat me. What the hell was that in there?” she snapped.
“What are you talking about?” Andy wasn’t about to elaborate. He was feeling overwhelmed and selfish, and it irritated him to have to chase Laura down. “You know what? You should have stayed home. That’s my cousin in there who may have just died, and here you are, pulling some prima donna act.”
Laura glared at the hand that held her arm, and then she pulled her arm away. “Andy, I’ve known for a while you’ve had feelings for your cousin’s wife. I saw how you were with Diana after Jed’s accident. Even before. I just didn’t admit it to myself. You’re in love with her, and don’t think I don’t realize you wish I’d just go away, because with me gone and your cousin gone, maybe you’ll be free to go after Diana. Well, go after her, because you’re free.”
“Don’t do something you’re going to regret, Laura. If it wasn’t for me, Gabriel wouldn’t have the help he has now, and you wouldn’t have all those nice things, clothes, jewelry, everything I’ve bought you, and you’d be living in some slum with some sleazebag trying to take advantage of you.”
Laura stumbled as if she’d been slapped. Her face paled, and tears glossed over her eyes. “You’re right, Andy.…”
“Andy,” Brad shouted from behind him, “Jed’s okay.” He jogged up in cowboy boots. “He’s in ICU. They said he’s stable.”
Laura touched his arm. “Andy, you better go on up and be with your family.”
Brad looked away and slapped Andy on the shoulder. “I’ll see you up there. Just thought you’d want to know.”
“Thanks, Brad. I’ll be right up.” Andy watched Brad hurry back to the front doors of the hospital. When he turned back to Laura, she was watching Brad walk away.
“Listen, Laura, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.… I didn’t mean it to sound like that.” And he did feel bad. He didn’t want to hurt her. Not like this.
“Go back inside. Sometimes we say things in anger that we later regret, but only because it hurt the other person.” She patted his hand again. “I truly believe you love your cousin Jed, and it must be difficult for you to love both Diana and Jed.”
“Laura, let’s go inside.” Andy didn’t hold her hand this time, as she crossed her arms and stepped back.
She shook her head. “You go.” She stepped back again.
“Well, don’t stay out here too long.” Andy glanced back at the doors. “I’ll see you up there.” He strode back toward the front doors and glanced back to see Laura still standing there, watching him. He felt horrible for what he had said and hoped she wouldn’t stay down there too long and sulk. Surely she must realize he cared for her. Love was a deep, powerful emotion filled with pain and hurt, something that connected him and Diana. But Laura, he didn’t know what he felt for aside from the fact that she was his wife. Maybe it was time they took that honeymoon he never booked and really got to know each other. He owed her that, and he would try after Jed was out of the woods and back home, he told himself, because he wasn’t his father. He wouldn’t be his father, and Laura wasn’t his mother.
Brad had just stepped onto the elevator.
“Brad, wait up.”
Brad reached out and held the door. “Isn’t your wife coming?”
“No, she just needs some air. She’ll be up soon,” Andy said as the elevator doors slid closed.