An Honest Kiss

Chapter 12

"I'm really starting to dislike Jack for what he is doing to you." Addie shook her head.

Rachel shrugged.

Paul and Addie spent the next ten minutes trying to convince her to stay. Then all of the sudden there was the slap of a hand in front of her on the table and under it was a white sheet of paper that was torn in half.

"Your resignation is not accepted Nurse Edwards." Jack's voice was vicious in her ear as he hovered next to her.

Rachel closed her eyes at his nearness.

"Let me go Jack, please." Her voice cracked.

"No, you promised that you would help raise the funds at Ava's party, and I'm holding you to that."

"I can do that. I will attended every party with you. Just please don't make me stay here."

"No, you will stay." He pushed off the table and surged towards the exit.

"I will not," she called. "I am leaving tomorrow, and there is nothing you can do about it."

He froze. Rachel knew she had pushed the button. He had been holding on to his temper for too long, and now it was about to erupt.

Paul knew it too as he grabbed her and hauled her out the door and past Jack with Jack hot on their heels. Jack grabbed her arm and took over for Paul, not saying a word as he dragged her to his trailer.

"I'm not going in there." Rachel put on the breaks.

"You really want to do this out here?"

"I don't want to do this period."

"Rachel," Jack took a deep breath as he looked towards the sky. "I cannot take you to a party and have you talk about WAMM and only have spent a few months here.  You need to have been here, working and learning, longer than that.  It will be expected, you have to be able to answer questions."

"I'm hated Jack. I go all day without a word being spoken to me. I may have been on my own before, but I had a few people who would talk to me if nothing else.  The only people who will even meet my eye are Paul and Addie and Bowers keeps them so far away from me that I'm lucky to see them once a week."

"I think you're exaggerating," Jack said shaking his head. "No one has treated me differently."

"They love you. You are a god to them, I'm the married woman who brought you down.  You're Sampson and I'm Delilah."

"Well then just tell them that we're married and it will be over," he insisted

"That's just it, it won't be. Then the humiliation when we divorce will be unbearable."

Jack rubbed his face suddenly looking as weary as she felt.

"Why did you do it Jack? I know you never loved me, but when did you start to hate me?"

"I don't hate you Rachel, but I am tired of this." He sighed. "You will stay here and learn. I won't fight you on the rest. I will do my best to try to put right the rumors. After we return home we'll divorce, and you can go on your way if that's what you want. But I need your help with this. Ava is expecting it."

Rachel nodded closing her eyes.  "How long?"

"Probably about four more months here and another two more back home."

Rachel fought back the tears. Six more months of hell and Addie would be leaving in three. Then she would only have Paul. That was if he didn't go home with her.

"Addie has asked to stay," Jack said as if reading her thoughts.

"She has?"

"Yes, it seems she and Paul are developing a relationship, and he is in this for the long haul, and she's eager to join him."