This Can't Be Love

Chapter 8: Certain Uncertainty

"Samantha... I need to know how long Aaron was in te mens room before he went to get you. He wasn't being truthful when I--"

"Aaron was in the mens room for less than two seconds! That's not enough time for him to stage a suicide if that's what you're implying. You've got some balls to walk in here and accuse the man that called for help when he found his friend's dead body!"

"I know it's hard to--"

"Get the hell out!"

"Samantha, I--"

"Leave!"

Bethany rubs Samantha's shoulders trying to calm her down as Samantha bursts into tears. Her eyebrows come together and she looks at Detective Sosa.

"I'm sorry, Miss Sosa but I hope you understand. I have to ask you to leave."

"Fair enough."

Detective Sosa walks away from them, but just before stepping out through the door, she takes out a business card from her jacket's pocket. She raises the card in front of her with raised eyebrows looking at Bethany and sets the business card down on an end table where a lamp presently sits.

As soon as Sosa is fully out of the house, Samantha rushes to the door and locks it. She then turns to Bethany again.

"Call Aaron."

"What for, doll?"

"What do you mean 'what for?' To tell him what this woman just said!"

"Oh, doll, i don't think--"

"Mom, just call him. He needs to know what's going on. I'd call him myself but he'll just think I'm... that I'm..."

"That you're what, Sammy?"

"I don't know! I don't have his number and I've never called him before in my life, you and him talk all the time..."

"Alright, doll. I'll call him, you just go on upstairs and change out of that wet dress. Try to relax, ok?" 

Samantha takes off her shoes and holds them in her hands as she walks up the stairs. Bethany picks up her phone and dials out. Bringing her phone to her ear, she sighs.

"What a night..."

She paces back and forth holding her phone to her right ear with her right hand. Her left arm across her lower torso serves as a cradle to the elbow of the hand she holds the phone with. She stops her pacing and her eyes widen, she opens her mouth to speak but stops without saying a word. She raises an eyebrow and takes the phone away from her ear to look at the face buttons on the handset.

"Voice mail... Really?"

She shakes her head and pushes a button on the phone.

"Guess I can try again."

She presses a second button on the phone and brings it back to her ear, resuming her impatient pacing.

"What do I even say when he answers? 'oh hey aaron your horrible night is worse than you think'?"

She sits on her couch now, tapping her foot on the floor. The low voice of an automated answerer is heard through the phone..."

"You have reached the voice mail box of three six zero five five five..."

"This isn't like him. He always answers on the second ring..."

She lowers her head and waits for the beep to leave a message.

"Hi Aaron, this is Beth. I just wanted to see how you were doing. Call me back please."

She clicks the phone to end the call, and puts it on the table in front of her. Samantha is now walking back down the stairs wearing pajamas.

"Just wanna see how you're doing?"

"What was that, doll?"

"Was that a casual voicemail you just left for Aaron?"

"I'm not sure what to say to him. This is all too confusing."

"You're right. This is all so surreal. I just hope this is the last we hear of this mess."

Across town, in Aaron's home office, a bottle of brandy sits atop a desk, next to a lap top and a lonely desk lamp. A drinking glass is slapped down onto the desk. Aaron pulls the desk chair and sits in it, the proceeds to pour brandy from the bottle into the glass.

"You've caused enough trouble, Aaron. Even if Mike had a reason to hang himself, the fact that it happened during your company's function makes you responsible."

He takes a sip from the glass of brandy. His unbuttoned shirt, still wet from when he was out in the rain, now has the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

"I didn't want to ruin your night, Sam... I didn't. The sorrow in your face only told me how much worse I made things. You deserve better than that, Sam... I know you do."

Aaron's hand now runs down his face as he strongly exhales.

"But you ARE better than that, Aaron. You know you are. All you have to do is be the man that you know she deserves... But how will she ever know? She'd never even give me a... No... It's all lost, there is no do-over. Let it be, Aaron... Leave her be..."

Aaron's seemingly untouched living room is as clean and spotless as can be. His spacious home so empty and hollow, all to himself. Sitting at his desk drinking brandy by the only light that is lit in his entire luxurious bubble. He looks around and sees his pristine home is darkened without a soul to inhabit it, not even his own.

"What's going to happen...?"

He pours some more brandy into his glass.

"First thing Monday morning, I know just what I'll do..."

He drinks brandy from his glass. His frown turns into a slight smile that is followed by a chuckle. He takes a deep breath and the smile is gone. He wipes tears off his face, and takes another sip of brandy.

"I just hope Monday is not too late."

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Author's Note**
I am very open to any questions anyone may want answered in future chapters, or anything that you would like me to explain or go into more detail as well. Please don't forget to vote and fan me if you like my work :) Thank You so much for letting me share this with you. -GB