Saving the Doctor Pt. 05

He still enjoyed himself, Grace was still fun as ever, Karl and Lisa were a cute, down-to-earth couple, and even seeing Carly like this was better than not at all. When he had arrived there, he had expected to just play and leave after a short while, but it ended up being a great night.

Until Elaina texted him.

- Where the fuck are you?

- At the open mic.

- Come home. Now.

- Is something wrong?

There was no response. He knew that she was upset about the simple fact that he went out without her explicit consent, but didn't want to acknowledge it. He sighed and looked at the time. Just before 11:00. He supposed it wasn't terribly early and the performer list would be done within the next hour or so anyway.

As the song on stage came to and end he made to leave.

"Well I think I'm gonna head out guys, it's been great hanging out though."

"Aww come on man, it's not you're bedtime yet, stick around," Grace teased.

"Elaina's home, I told her I'd be back by now," he said, stretching the truth.

"Oh whatever," Grace said rolling her eyes. "When does this wrap up?"

"I think he said there was 2, maybe 3 more acts" Karl said "Actually these next two guys are really good Jon, they're usually really funny."

"Okay I'll stick around for a bit," he shrugged.

"Attaboy," Grace smiled.

Karl turned out to be right. The duo was a riot with really well put together funny songs and great crowd-pleasing jokes and gags. Their second one was a mock space-opera that everyone loved. One verse had a joke involving a fairly obscure star-trek reference that only about a quarter of the audience got. Jon and Carly burst out laughing but the others at the table didn't get it. The look they shared as they laughed felt precious, and the moment was perfect except for her cutting her laughter short after a few seconds and looking away with a blush.

Jon ended up staying until the last act. Just before the final song another text from Elaina came up.

- Why aren't you home yet?

- I'm just leaving now.

- If you don't get here soon I'm locking you out of the fucking house. I can't believe you lied to me and went to that pathetic talent show anyway.

He didn't respond. He waited until the song ended and Dave announced the end of the open mic, but there was a live band coming up in a half hour for the rest of the night.

"Well, I think I gotta go," Jon said.

"Yeah us too, I think it's getting close to our bedtimes," Karl joked.

They all stood up and exchanged hugs and goodbyes.

He got to Carly and they hugged almost without thinking, the sudden nervous look on her face after he already had his arms around her was the only hesitation. She hugged him back though. She even dug her fingers into his back and gave one tight squeeze, and he did the same, savoring the feeling of her soft body against him, for the precious few seconds they embraced.

"It was really great to see you again Carly," he said softly as they broke away.

"Yeah, it was great to see you t-..." her voice broke and she looked away, her eyes quickly turning red and moist.

The others were thankfully distracted with their own goodbyes and didn't see.

She collected herself quickly though, and she and Grace decided they would stay to see if the band was any good.

Jon and Karl exchanged cell numbers and said a last goodbye, and he got into his car feeling good, putting the heartache of Carly's goodbye out of his mind, and blissfully ignoring the buzzing phone in his pocket as he got into his car and drove off. He knew who it was and he'd talk to her soon enough anyway.

"You have some fucking nerve!" Elaina shouted as soon as he walked in the door.

Jon sighed, "Can you explain exactly what was so heinous about me going out for a few hours?"

"Your FIANCE, told you NOT TO! How is that not enough?" she asked.

"Because you said you wanted to stay in and watch a movie, but then you took the call shift, and were away anyway, so I figured there was no harm in it," he tried to explain calmly.

"I don't care. You promised! I told you, I don't like you going out without me."

"And explain again why that's suddenly a problem Elaina?" he said, trying to make her see her unreasonableness.

"It's not SUDDENLY a problem, I've always been uncomfortable with it. Who were you hanging out with?"

"I went alone, but I met up with Karl and Lisa there, they're a nice couple, and I think you'd like them, to be honest," he said, keeping to himself that Grace and Carly were there.

"And why do you need to meet people without me? Why do you need to get away from me and avoid me?"

"It's not like that Elaina. Everyone's allowed to have friends, and we don't need to be joined at the hip with every single social outing," he said with exasperation.

She crossed her arms "Well who are these people? What do they do?"

"What?"

"Their jobs, the couple, whatever you said their names were."

"I... okay, from what I recall Karl's an electrician and Lisa's a teacher," he replied.

"Hmm. Okay."

He looked at her with suspicion. "What, is that not good enough? Are they not high class enough for you?"

"I never said that," she said defensively.

"Okay, so can we invite them to the party when we have it in January then?"

She sighed in frustration, "We will discuss that, when the time comes."

"It's not normal to try to control my life the way that you've been trying to Elaina."

She looked at him suspiciously "It's not normal to want to avoid me so badly Jonathon....let me see your phone."

"What??"

"Your phone. I want to see who you've been calling and texting. Maybe you didn't even go to the open mic hmm?"

"Oh for fucks sake Elaina, look at you! Listen to yourself!"

"I'm just trying to hold on to you Jonathon! I feel like I'm the only one trying! Everything's falling apart and I'm not going to lose you too!"

"And you're holding on so hard you're strangling me Elaina! This isn't healthy!"

"Don't tell ME what's fucking HEALTHY!"

"Fine. Here." He thrust his phone out at her. "Look through it. I don't think there's anything new on there since the last time you snooped around."

She glared at him and took the phone, swiping through messages.

"What are you looking at now."

"Emails."

"Jesus Christ. Fine look through them. There's nothing there," he said.

"You didn't used to be this bad Elaina," he pleaded "I used to be able to go out, hell it wasn't even that often, to the poker night, to the bar with Jeff t-"

"Yes and look where we are now!" she interrupted " Your life isn't out there gallivanting around and having fun with those assholes, it's here with me!"

"Then why did you take the call shift tonight?"

"Don't change the fucking subject! Don't try to spin this around on me! I keep trying to get our relationship under control and you keep resisting! I feel like I'm the only one trying! You just keep wanting to start arguments! I'm giving myself to you, I'm dedicating myself to you, and still I have to fight to make you listen to me! I keep trying to be the perfect fiance! And you-

"Oh FUCK OFF with the grandstanding Elaina!" he finally interrupted. "I know you kissed Jeff!"

The sudden silence in the room was almost eerie. Elaina turned white.

He took a breath and tried to put on a sympathetic face rather than an angry one. "That's... one of the reasons I've been trying to get us to talk more ab-"

"Grace is a liar! She's a lying cunt! Don't believe a word she says!" Elaina blurted out suddenly.

Jon looked at her skeptically. "It was Jeff that told me."

"He... He came on to me! I... I was drunk and I just... I didn't even really want him I just wanted him to leave her and prove to myself I..."

She broke into tears and ran upstairs.

Jon sighed and looked hopelessly at her slam he door to the bedroom.

He went to the kitchen and took a large gulp of water, then after a few long breaths, slowly trudged up the stairs after her.

He found her sitting on the bed, hugging her knees, tears streaming down her face. He quietly walked towards her.

"It meant nothing! I just hate that bitch so much, and he w-"

"Elaina stop. I don't care. Okay? I just wanted you to understand we BOTH need help, to work on our relationship. If it has any chance, we BOTH need to change, we BOTH need to do better... because..."

He took a deep breath.

"You're not the only guilty party here."

She suddenly looked at him with suspicious eyes.

"I've... done as much and more....to be unfaithful to you."

It was hard to keep talking with her eyes now piercing through him.

"I'm... sorry. I'm still trying to figure out the reasons b-"

"I KNEW IT!" she suddenly shouted, standing up and pointing in fury at him.

"I FUCKING KNEW IT! You've been fucking that young little slut for months haven't you! Every day that you've come home late you were actually humping her rotten little cunt in the clinic after work, I KNEW IT!"

"What?! No, Elaina, I'm not talking about Beth!"

"YOU -...what?"

"It wasn't Beth," Jon repeated.

She looked like her mind couldn't comprehend his words. "A... Are you sure?"

"What?! Am I s- Yes! Yes I'm sure," he said, getting frustrated with her.

She looked at him with eyes gradually changing from anger to bewildered confusion.

"...who then?"

He paused, not wanting to bring Carly into it, worried what Elaina might do.

Elaina raised an eyebrow threateningly.

Jon sighed and closed his eyes.

"Carly," he finally admitted.

Elaina looked at him with a blank stare for a few seconds... and then she burst out laughing.

Jon took a step back he was so taken off guard.

She kept laughing, "Her??...are you kidding me??"

"N... No Elaina, I'm not kidding, I-"

"Why?!" she said, with an incredulous look on her face still chuckling in laughter.

Jon's face was burning up. "I don't know... like I said I'm still figuring it out. There's probably lots of reas-"

"Were you drunk?!"

"I... well yeah actually, but like I said-..."

"Well that fucking explains it then I guess. Jesus Jonathon, I mean I guess she'd be easy pickings, but have some self-respect."

The heat in his face turned from embarrassment to anger.

"I mean, I guess she's not really a threat, obviously, so that's a relief," Elaina continued. "I guess we just need to keep you sober at parties from now on, so you don't go wandering off to take pity on whatever fat housewife who can barely dress herself waddles along."

He was frozen in embarrassment, anger and disbelief, with no clue how to react.

"Sh- She's a pharmacist," was all he could think to say.

"Right, like that makes a difference," she rolled her eyes. "How far did you g-... you know what, never mind. I don't want to know."

She let out a long sigh, "Okay... so it's not Beth," she said, seeming oddly satisfied.

"Yeah... but Elaina we-"

"Okay. I mean I'm still angry, but... I think we'll actually be okay." she said, taking a breath and looking even more relieved.

Jon couldn't believe his eyes and ears. "Elaina... No. We're not okay, we-"

"Oh enough Jon, I'm tired of arguing tonight let's just go to bed."

"No! Elaina our relationship is not okay, it's fucked up even without all this cheating crap, and we need help!"

She pressed up against him with a smirk and ran her hands up his back "How about I help you to make it up to me, and remind you wh-"

"No! Elaina you're not getting out of this that way. We need counseling, maybe more."

"Oh SHUT UP about that already, we are NOT going to couples counseling!"

"Elaina I'm serious. This isn't a healthy relationship, it's not even close. Everything you're doing to try to fix it is just making it worse."

She had fists on her hips and was looking angrier and angrier, but he felt emboldened now that his secret was finally out in the open.

"Honestly Elaina I... I never would have asked you to marry me if we were like this back then."

Her eyes were suddenly on fire with offense.

"I think we need to postpone the wedding," he said.

Her mouth gaped open in fury.

"Or even just call it off," he said, sighing sadly, "...because I just can't s-"

She struck him. Hard. The back of her hand collided with his face and her ring cut into his eyebrow. His head careened into the wall and smashed into a picture, glass shattering and cutting into his scalp and ear. He fell to the ground in a daze. Her screaming tirade was incomprehensible behind a fog of pain, as more hard blows landed on his head, unsure of whether it was a fist or a foot or something else, until his world eventually spun into quiet darkness.

He wasn't sure if he'd fully blacked out, or how long he laid there, but he remembered eventually forcing himself to stand up and hanging onto the wall for balance as he registered that the huge red circle underneath him on the carpet was his own blood. He remembered stumbling to the bathroom to try to make sure there was no glass left in his scalp and wrapping gauze around his head with shaking hands to control the bleeding. He barely remembered collapsing in a heap onto the guest bed before slipping completely into unconsciousness.

**********

He woke up groggy and in pain the next morning trying to decide if last night had been a dream. The pain and bandages on his head quickly reminded him it hadn't. There was a towel under his head on the pillow and the bandages felt different. He sat up and his head spun nauseatingly. He noticed the bed and pillow beside him looked slept-in as well, and he recalled vague images of Elaina waking him up a couple times during the night, making sure he was okay, holding him tenderly and kissing his cheek.

There was a glass of water on the nightstand beside him and he took a cautious sip. It helped his dry mouth, but it didn't feel good going down and he let out a sickening burp.

Even though the shades were drawn, the sliver of light coming in from the window felt blinding. He very slowly moved his feet off the side of the bed and gradually stood up.

It wasn't gradual enough. The room spun around him and he reached out to grab the wall as he felt himself sicking up as his brain tried to explode through his skull. He tried to move more quickly to make it to the bathroom but it only made the nausea worse, he got the door open and one step into the hallway before he collapsed on his knees and vomited onto the carpet.

He heard footsteps running up the stairs and Elaina's voice.

"No not again! Not on the carpet! Oh my God, Jon lets get you into the bathroom, you shouldn't be getting up by yourself."

She took him by the arm and led him into the bathroom where he dry-heaved a couple times into the toilet while she cleaned the carpet.

She asked him a few questions about how he was feeling, examining his eyes and face clinically. Then she led him back into the guest room and onto the bed. She brought him some Tylenol and Gravol and tucked him back in.

He muttered in slurred words that he should maybe go to the hospital.

"No. No it's okay honey, you'll be okay. I didn't mean for you to get cut up like that, alright? I love you. Just rest, and I'll look after you today," she reassured him.

A small voice in the back of his mind protested but he was too dazed to pay attention let alone express it. He gradually fell asleep again.

Some time in the afternoon he woke up again, feeling slightly hungry and very thirsty. The headache and nausea were still there, but slightly better than before. He was more careful to stand up slowly this time and the spinning wasn't nearly as bad.

He slowly lumbered down the hall and down the stairs. Halfway down his careful descent Elaina walked in and gasped, rushing up to help him down and chastising him for being out of bed.

"I have a concussion," he managed to say, as she sat him down at the dining room table.

"Yes I know Jon, that much is obvious. It's a question of how bad, and I suppose we'll just have to wait and see. You shouldn't be up and about like this," she said, turning off the lights when she saw him squinting.

"Feels bad enough," he commented.

She crossed her arms, "I'm...sorry alright? Are you happy? It was just... what you said was so insane and hurtful."

Part of him wanted to argue, but even the thought of the conversation made his headache worse. Instead, he asked if there were leftovers from lunch.

After he carefully sipped down his soup with only a mild amount of nausea, she helped him to the bathroom, and inspected his wounds for him. She reassured him they weren't that bad and wouldn't need stitches. He generally trusted her assessment, but a little voice behind the fog in his mind wondered whether she would admit to it and agree to take him somewhere if he did need it...

He relaxed on the couch with soft music playing. He knew she was right, in that he needed as much of a quiet and low-stimulus environment as possible for the concussion to go away. It just seemed too convenient now for them to be able to ignore the confrontation from last night. He suspected she intended to move on and pretend as if none of it had ever happened. It would take at least a few days for him to recover, and he almost worried that at that point it would seem distant enough that he might pretend too.

He eventually turned off the music, unsure if it was that, or the the thoughts of their argument that was making his headache worse. He slowly worked his way back upstairs, to his own bed this time.

She woke him up for supper. He didn't eat very much but he kept it down. He reassured her he was slowly feeling better. She warned him against rushing it, and then asked for his phone so she could call Doug and let him know to tell the others he wouldn't be going to the clinic tomorrow. He hesitated, but she quickly warned him he wasn't supposed to be looking at screens or even reading too much with his head injury and he begrudgingly opened it up for her, with her eyes obviously making note of how he unlocked it. Then she kept it, saying she didn't trust him not to get bored and start looking at it, and making his concussion worse. She was technically correct and staying home tomorrow was the right thing to do, but the little voice behind the fog was getting louder, knowing what she might do with access to his phone.

He had no fight in him. He simply nodded in agreement when she said she would tell Doug he simply had a nasty fall. He quietly thanked her for the small meal and trudged unsteadily back upstairs.

That night she slipped in beside him in bed. She gently spooned against him and caressed his chest, kissing his neck softly. She whispered to him that she was sorry, and that she loved him. She said she could forgive him for everything and reassured him that he could make it all up to her.

It took a long time for his headache to settle down enough to fall asleep again.

He woke up mid-morning the next day after Elaina had already left. He felt better than the previous day, but nowhere near normal. Walking didn't feel like a balancing act anymore, but he still had to go slow down the stairs as the movement seemed to jostle his head. He kept breakfast down but it wasn't a full meal. He was able to look outside at the beautiful bright snowdrifts at first, but started to squint and had to turn away after a few minutes. Little by little, he thought. He reminded himself not to push it as he put the tv remote down, deciding to wait for a while before looking at screens again. This reminded him that he still didn't know where Elaina had put his cellphone.

He felt exiled in his own home. Nothing to do, but thankfully not much willpower to do it anyway. He chuckled to himself as he remembered always warning patients about needing to have 'the most boring days of your life' in order to recover from a concussion, but he still felt surprised at suddenly experiencing it firsthand. He cringed as he realized chuckling wasn't something he could tolerate yet either.