JaredI was never a man of faith. My father instilled on me at a young age, that if I wasn't going to be successful and powerful on my own, then I wasn't welcome in his home. So, praying to God every night wasn't allowed. When me and Laynie started getting serious her sophomore year of college, she asked me to go to church with her on Christmas Eve. It was a tradition that her and her father did ever year. It was awkward for me, but I dealt with it because I wanted to be with her and I knew this was important to her. I never told her, but I didn't enjoy the festivities like she did. I guess my father had more to do with my upbringing than I give him credit for.I drop to my knees, and for the first time in my life, give a silent prayer to God that Laynie can forgive me. I know without a doubt that I did that to her. I burry my head in my hands and fist my hair. What the hell have I done to her? I'm getting sick and tired of asking myself that question. I'm getting sick of feeling sic
JaredI wake with a start falling to the ground. Fuck that hurts. I blink slowly and wonder where I am and why I'm not in the hospital, when yesterday comes rushing back to me. I slowly get up and sit on the couch rubbing my tired eyes. I Look around for a clock of some type to see what time it is when I hear a scream. That's what woke me up. I run down the hall to the bedroom and open the door. I envision the worst possible scenario when I hear the scream again. What if those punks escaped and are coming after us again? I still don't know why they attacked us in the first place.What I see puts me in a content yet panicked state. Laynie is having a nightmare. No one is here to hurt her. Except me. Something tells me I'm the reason behind the nightmare. I walk over to the side of the bed and stare at her. She seems to be stuck in some kind of painful dream and I'm not sure what to do. What if she is dreaming of me hurting her, and then goes into shock when I wake her? What if she scr
LaynieI keep looking at the bedroom door.I know Jared went in there to get away. We have thrown a lot on him and it isn't fair. He must feel terrible and confused and frustrated to say the least. I keep checking the hallway to see if Jared has come through, but nothing. I can't believe Anna told him all that. I was going to talk to him today about everything and I knew we would shed tears, hug, get angry, it would be an all-day conversation. Anna in her usual fashion, got it done in about 3 minutes."Look, all I'm saying, is that is their business not ours Banana." Alan says to Anna interrupting my thoughts."I know it is Alan, but my best friend has been depressed for twelve months and I want to know why." She says turning back to me.She glances at me, Alan glances at her, I glance at the hallway. Come on Jared, don't leave me out here alone. Jared appears at the end of the hall like I conjured him, and looks right at me. His stare is almost possessive. He puts his hand up and w
JaredWe are doing this. I decided in the shower that Laynie is my soul mate. I could cry and bitch all I want about what I put her through, or, I could do something about it. I hate myself for what I put her through but I know she won't give up on me. I can see it. She cares for me more than I deserve which is why I know when we do eventually talk, and I learn what I have put this woman through, that she still won't let me go. So, I'm going to make it my mission to make her happy. I won't let the darkness come through, because I am going to track down the reason it came out in the first place, and make this shadow of a nightmare leave me alone once and for all. I'll go to counseling if I must. I have a good feeling I know where it came from and what it was caused by. With a gentle hand, I lead my wife to the kitchen that smells of freshly brewed coffee and breakfast. My stomach growls loudly and Laynie lets out a little giggle. Fuck, if I could bottle that laugh up I would. We all si
LaynieI look at Anna as both detectives leave. I don't know exactly what Stephanson meant by his last comment, but I feel completely guilty for my earlier laugh at his attire. When I look to Anna she has tears in her eyes and hasn't looked away from the door. I glance at Jared who shrugs, having no idea what that was about either. I look at Alan next and he just stares down at Anna with a look of sympathy. Seems he might know something we don't. Anna's past was not a friendly one. We met when I moved from New York to Minneapolis and started going to the same elementary school. It was just dad and me and I had no siblings, so I wanted to make friends. A girl named Mina came up to me at lunch and started picking on me. She made fun of my clothing, my hair, my shoes, everything. According to her and her cruel words, I was just too plain looking to sit at her table. Anna walked right up to Mina and slapped her in the face. We have been best friends ever since.Anna was always the pretty g
JaredIt's a good thing I'm married to a woman with common sense. Mine flew somewhere out the window as soon as I had that phone call twenty minutes ago. Laynie told me that James would know where the office was. Of course, he would. After a phone call with him, I got the address for my father's office. James did warn me that if the old man asked me to be there in ten minutes he doesn't mean thirty. I'm not at all intimidated by that, but because I don't want him to leave, Laynie and I head there straight away. It felt strange speaking with someone that calls me boss. I've never been a boss. So much has changed in this year.Alan and Anna decided to wait at our house and told us that we can catch them up on everything when we get back. We get to the office in record time. I get out of the passenger seat and go to open Laynie's door. I want to show her how much I appreciate her being here. When I first asked her to come with me, she looked surprised. After leading her back into the be
LaynieThe drive back to the house is a comfortable silence. Our hands are still held tight which is a little difficult for me to drive in but I don't dare say anything. Not only because I don't want to upset Jared, but it just feels way too good. Everything he said to his father was what I have always wanted to hear. Granted I never knew the reason we moved out here was so he could work for his father, but everything he said to him was perfect. I turn to Jared once I park the car outside our home. The sun is starting to set and the cool temperature is setting in."What made you change your mind about working with your father?" I admit, I was a little peeved about finding out the reason for the sudden move to New York. Jared made it seem like he got a great business opportunity for his own company. He worked hard so I wanted to support him. I didn't realize that this great opportunity was just his father handing down the company to him."I'm not sure actually." he says rubbing the b
LaynieWe spent the majority of the week with Alan and Anna, whom still hadn't gotten their own room. When me and Jared questioned that, they both gave us an excuse of being too broke. Like even. We went sightseeing and ate out every night. Jared and Alan have their guy time and me and Anna went to a spa again. When I asked Anna why she wanted to go to a different spa then last time she told me she was scouting out the competition. I gave her a funny look in which she replied, she was thinking about moving out here. I was shocked. It would make me so happy to have her here with me. When I told her as much we shared a smile and a big hug, we didn't separate until some guy walked up and tried to join in. We pushed him off and walked away. New York for you.When it was time to say good-bye, it was bitter sweet. Alan of course made a joke that he had to get back to helping little brats learn that Africa was a continent, not a country. We were all proud of the way he turned his life aroun