Point Of View 2 [*Do not read until you've read the same chapter of ATW]

Chapters 140 & 141 Boundaries/No Ordinary Love

*Trisha*

"I can't come here anymore," I mutter and stare at the luxury Avalon facility from the window of the parked SUV. Knowing Dave is aware I see his cousin for therapy is disastrous. "What the hell was I thinking?!"

"You were thinking...how you've called everywhere to get an appointment, and no one is accepting new patients. How you just happened to score a cancellation with that doctor and trying to better yourself. Miss Banks, we can still go back in and resume your session. I'm not hired to hold your bags while you shop. I'm hired to be your bodyguard." Evan's eyes are on me from the driver's seat.

"You don't understand. Like friggen Nate is addicted to Moretti...." My words trail off. Evan knows this about me already. He's called me out on it numerous times now. Scofield is pretty much the only person I hang around with these days since everyone else is here at the Avalon.

"Again. I am here to protect you. Do you really think that guy Dave would do anything in such a public place anyway? Even if I weren't around?"

"Why not? Jeremy has done shit to Julia here. From what I've heard he doped her up often just to shut her up and make sure she wouldn't expose him in any way."

Evan offers no comment. He doesn't know what to say to that. We sit silently, gazing at building, until I regain some composure. That is, until Donovan emerges from the building and scans the parking lot looking for me. My shoulders sag and I step out of the SUV forcing Evan to do the same. He stands right next to me back in bodyguard mode. I always find it fascinating how he and Paul can enter that mode so swiftly. 

Jeremy spots us and heads our way. He studies my face before coming closer, like I'm fucking Julia ready to explode or something. Ok, maybe I did overreact a little by storming out the way I did but I would go tearing apart bathrooms or any shit like that.

"Trisha, can you please come back in and finish your counseling session? My cousin is not going to bother you." Jeremy places a hand on my shoulder, but Evan promptly intervenes, causing Jeremy to retreat and raise his hands defensively. Donovan has always been a "hands on" person. Not just with Julia. With everyone in general. I've seen him walk female patients down the hall putting his hand on the small of their backs, putting a caring hand on their shoulder while talking, or their knee....

 I normally wouldn't think twice about something so small but this is Jeremy we are talking about. It's probably how he got Julia to let her guard down with him the way she has.

"He knows I come here now." I let out an exaggerated sigh.

"A lot of people visit this place for treatment Trisha. It is quite a well-known destination for celebrities and individuals of your standing to seek care." He says in his professional manner. "Everyone who enters this facility must sign a contract to maintain confidentiality at all times. You know this. It is strictly prohibited to disclose the presence of others. By law, Dave is not allowed to say anything about you having an appointment here. How the media gets away with continually reporting on Nate Hollan's visits or other aspects of his personal life is beyond me."

I know Jeremy is correct but I'm still so on edge and it's noticeable.

"Please," Jeremy extends a guiding hand toward the building. "Come back inside and finish your session."

I fucking hate how much this man genuinely cares. You can see it in his eyes. When he's not being a sadistic prick with whatever friggen mental illnesses he has, the guy is a good doctor. A caring doctor. I cannot imagine another doctor coming outside to the parking lot in pursuit of their patients who abruptly storm out of their appointments the way I did.

I look up at Evan but he remains in his "stone-cold bodyguard-Paul mode", with his eyes on Jeremy.

"Fine." I give in and walk back inside with Jeremy.

******

*James*

"I'm so sorry..." I mutter. I am at a loss for words. This was intended to be a positive visit with my mom and sisters, and it turned into a complete disaster. I sit outside on one of the camping chairs with my head in my hands. Lindsay rubs my back to console me while Ashley escorts mom out.

"It's not your fault." Jennie exhales sharply and fixes her ponytail. The commotion has died down but our hearts are still racing. Of course, having Ashley witness this doesn't smooth things over between the two of us. It only made it worse.

"Really James," Gwen chimes in. "You have no control over it. It's not like you knew that parole officer lady would come and ransack your place while we were here. It just scared Ma, that's all."

It was awful. Lauren Deneault came in like a loaded gun today with another police officer and the search dog. Maggie freaked out. Mom freaked out.  My sisters freaked out internally though tried their best to control their emotions. Lindsay was the only one to hold us all together. She took charge, grabbed Mags and escorted everyone outside. She proceeded make tea to soothe my mother and drew the curtains of the sliding doors to prevent mom from looking inside at the commotion.

ALL my sisters came for a visit. Ashley, Jennie, Katie, Gwen and Kendall. Will escorted them in, taking turns with Dante and others to be their bodyguard thanks to my father. They brought over a big pan of homemade lasagna and mom was actually doing ok for a little while. She saw me as James. Her son James.  She hugged me and was having a normal conversation. She was mom. Although I am grateful that half-hour of her true self, it passed far too quickly. Mom had already begun to feel somewhat confused, and we were about to calm her when the Parole officer came to the door.

Now everyone is friggen leaving. Ashley was already one foot out the door. Ken has to get ready for work, and Katie was showing her own signs of slight dementia towards the end.

"We'll try again sometime soon, ok Jamie?" Kendall leans down and hugs me before they all file out together. "Love you."

"Love you." I sulk as I watch my family leave.

"Hey, you ok??" Lindsay plops down next to me and wraps her arms around me in a side hug, leaning her head on my shoulder.

"I hate this." I try to hold in the tears building up. "I miss my normal life. I miss my house, my job, my friends. I miss going for runs with my dog through Griffeth Park. I miss getting Tacos from the Food Truck District. I miss waking up early to catch a sunrise at the beach. I miss driving. I miss my life."

Lindsay lifts her head and I stand up.

"Hey, look at me." She takes my face. "Five months. That's not a long time, ok?  In five months you can do most of those things again. I will be the first one in line to go with you. For a run, for a sunrise, tacos. Whatever you want, ok??" Her bright blue eyes shine with optimism as she tries to cheer me up. That's the thing with Linds. She has a way of staying positive no matter what. 

I nod and she pecks my lips. I return Lindsay's kiss, beginning with a gentle, tender, and meaningful connection that gradually deepens into a more passionate embrace. I cradle her face in my hands and lean into her more, feeling her wrap her arms around my neck. 

For the first time in a long while, I feel something stir in me for Lindsay once more—something beyond our usual friendship with benefits. She stepped up and took control for me. She calmed my mom, put Ash in her place and made the best of the situation. I peck her lips a few more times. As our kiss ended and we stepped away from each other, we exchanged identical expressions of confusion over the emotions we both just felt in the moment.

"Huh." Lindsay meets my gaze, her fingers still in my hair.

"Huh." I repeat her with a slight smile and peck her lips a few more times like I can't resist her. She felt what I felt. I haven't felt this since Julia. Sure me and Lindsay fool around all the time but this was different and we both know it.

"Does this mean...." Her words trail off.

"Do you want it to mean......?" I ask. She answers me by pressing her perfectly plump lips to mine again.

I guess we're dating again??

******