Saving the Doctor Pt. 06

Warning: This chapter contains elements of cheating, betrayal, manipulation, reluctance, and ("off-screen") death.

Part 6. The Freedom to Falter.

9 days later,

Jon sat on the hotel sofa with his new laptop. His hand hesitated over the keyboard and he finally let out a sigh and clicked. The e-transfer went through. His rental deposit on the furnished condo that would be his new home as of January 1st. Just a few days away. It wasn't ideal, and it certainly didn't come cheap, but he was lucky to find it so quick, and it was better than going back to Elaina.

Anything was better than that. He had to keep telling himself, because his body and instincts kept trying to convince him otherwise. He couldn't keep track of how many times she'd texted and called, either begging or demanding him to come home. Every time it took effort to say no, or to ignore her, but it seemed to be getting gradually easier.

He knew he couldn't completely avoid her forever, and unfortunately she was making an ultimatum that the only way he would get his car keys back was to meet her in person. At least he had negotiated for it being in a public place. He was almost ready to just give up the car to spare himself the confrontation. He told himself that was silly, and part of him realized it was probably therapeutic to face her at least one more time, for closure if nothing else, if that existed.

He closed his laptop, happy that he had done the deposit and taken that step before meeting her again, hopefully giving him that much more reason not to give in to her. He got up and started to change into his gym clothes. He figured a workout might help keep his mind clear. They weren't meeting up until 3:00.

He looked in the mirror and brushed his fingers delicately over his ear.

The wound was almost fully healed. Still some scabbing, but the skin was strong enough to go without a bandage now. There would definitely be some scarring and a bit of deformity but the plastic surgeon had done a really good job of salvaging what had been there. The chest wound was actually the least of his worries, having sliced deep enough to graze a rib, but no further. He had gone back to the surgeon last week to get the stitches out and she had said his ear was looking good. He had met up with Jeff anyway, a few days later, partly to check the wound, but mostly to have a chat. It had been great to have someone to vent to, and validate again that he wasn't the crazy one. Elaina's words were just so insidious he couldn't help doubting himself sometimes, and Jeff helped to put him back on level ground again, at least for a while.

His family had helped too. He had taken a small flight and his dad met him in the nearest city to make it home for Christmas. He hadn't made it last year because of the schedule of his residency rotations, and he had regretted it. It was a a strange mix of guilt and relief to see everyone again and feel the love and support completely unphased and undiluted by the passage of time. He had explained in broad strokes about his breakup with Elaina, leaving out most of the specifics and omitting the worst parts, not wanting to get into it. They were disappointed but not too disappointed to hear that the engagement was off, he thought, and they were happy that it had come to a head before they had gotten married at least, for his sake. The familiar faces and surroundings reminded him of who he had been before the last few years of his life, and in a way, helped him to move forward.

He smiled at the memories of the trip and slipped on his coat. He was about to head out when his phone buzzed. A text from Tabitha.

- Hey. Just wanted to say I had a great time the other night. Call me anytime ;)

He couldn't help smiling again. 'The other night' in this case was in fact only 2 days ago. She had been surprisingly cool after that crazy night when he had left Elaina. They had exchanged numbers 'in case he needed anything', but she hadn't acted like she expected to necessarily see or hear from him again.

He had been the one to text her a week later, partly because he genuinely wanted to know how she was, and partly because he was horny as hell. He and Elaina had been getting intimate very regularly in their last few weeks together and his body felt like it was in withdrawal, which didn't help when she was texting and calling, enticing him to come back.

Tabitha seemed very excited to hear from him, so they chatted a bit and then decided to meet in the evening for coffee.

She had thanked him for 'crashing into her life and turning it upside down'. She said it had made her realize she needed to get out. Apparently Brad was a serial cheater, barely hiding the fact that he was seeing other women during his travel for his job for at least 3 years now. He had a temper when he was home, especially if she even so much as alluded to him seeing other women, and getting violent with her on more than one occasion. Tabitha fully admitted that she had confidence issues, and had kept telling herself he'd eventually settle down, stay home and be only with her, as long as she kept standing by him and being a good wife. At one time, Jon might have shaken his head a bit at the cognitive dissonance of it, but given what he'd been through, he felt like he understood a little more, and felt nothing but empathy.

Now though, she had already started putting some money aside and had a plan to leave next time he flew away on business. Jon had offered to give her some contacts for some support centers that he often gave to some of his patients, but she simply smirked and said she was way ahead of him. He talked about his conundrum with Elaina and she scoffed and reassured him he was doing the right things. Elaina had apparently vandalized their house a couple days after that night, but she didn't know there were security cameras, and was filmed in the act. There was already a case with the police and she had already been ordered not to cross property lines or face more serious consequences. Jon couldn't help but chuckle and feel impressed. Tiny, quiet little Tabitha facing down and taking care of Elaina's threat without the slightest bit of fear.

They eventually grabbed a couple drinks together and she asked to see his hotel room.

They were barely inside the door when her arms were around his neck and her lips colliding with his. They were naked and under the sheets in no time. Kissing and laughing with their bodies wrapped around each other. Excitement and validation seemed to flow through them as they made love. Her high pitched voice whimpering in satisfaction and her deceptively strong arms and legs clinging around him felt incredible as they rolled all over the bed. He couldn't believe how good she was, showing none of her usual shyness between the sheets, and using her tiny, but fit body in some incredible ways.

He texted back.

- Me too, keep in touch :)

He smiled and headed out the door.

At 2:55 Jon walked into the cafe hoping he would beat Elaina there and get a few minutes to collect himself, but he had no such luck. He saw her sitting at a table by the window already with a drink. She made eye contact but didn't wave, just stared with her electric gaze that wasn't angry or aggressive, in fact it almost looked inviting, even innocent...

Don't fall for it! he told himself. Ripping his eyes away and turning to the counter to order a drink and settle his breathing before walking over.

As he approached she almost made to stand up and hug him, but he quickly sat down before she could.

"Hi," he said flatly.

"Hi Jonathon. It's good to see your face again, finally." She gave the slightest of smiles and her eyes seemed to twinkle.

Fuck, she looks good. Keep it together.

He closed his eyes and let out a long breath. Then held out his hand on the table. To his surprise she held it immediately, her incredibly soft, smooth hand squeezing and sending shivers up to his shoulder.

"No, Elaina I-..." he sighed and pulled his hand away then placed it palm up on the table again.

"Car keys," he said, steeling himself.

She rolled her eyes. "You have to come home to get it anyway, why don't we chat and after coffee I can give you a ride home myself," she said, stroking the edge of his wrist.

"Maybe, but there's still no reason for me not to have them now," he said, twitching away from her hand.

"I don't want you to get up and leave as soon as I hand them to you," she frowned suspiciously.

"I won't. I promise. I'll listen to whatever it is you have to say."

She hesitated for a few seconds, "You won't leave, and you'll hear me out, you promise?" she emphasized.

"I'll listen. Not necessarily agree," he clarified.

She narrowed her eyes, "Maybe after then."

He reached for his coat and started to stand up. "Elaina if all you came here to do was play games, then I'm leaving. Keep the fucking car then."

"Okay okay, sit down. Jesus, Jonathon," she said, and reached into her purse and threw the keys on the table. "It's a pile of junk anyway."

"Thank you," he said, sitting down. "It's only 7 years old and I like it." He quickly put the keys in his pocket, breathing a sigh of relief.

"I suppose I don't mind that you're a bit nostalgic," she smirked. "I was going to buy you a Lexus for Christmas by the way. I had talked to the dealership about one that was basically the same type as your old Toyota except for newer features and options. I had made an appointment for us to go look last week."

Her huge beautiful eyes looked genuinely regretful. He fought against the growing tightness in his chest as his own eyes became transfixed. He closed them and swallowed, choosing instead to think of how gaudy and audacious it would have been to buy a new luxury car as a Christmas present.

"That would have been very... generous, but I'm glad you didn't already pay for it," he said, trying to keep his voice flat.

"Had you bought anything for me?" she asked, with a hint of excitement.

He had bought her a diamond necklace from the same store they had ordered the rings from. One that would match the rings' design. "It doesn't matter anymore," he simply said, looking away.

"It could..." she said softly. He felt her foot graze his calf. "Come home Jonathon."

He could feel his face turn red as he made brief eye contact with her beautiful stare again before looking away and sipping his coffee.

"It doesn't have to be over," she said. "We can bring ourselves to forgive each other. You can make it up to me, and I can make it up to you. We can move past this, and be stronger for it."

"No-"

"Yes Jonathon we can. I know I got a bit crazy but I-"

"A BIT crazy?! Are you f-"

"Okay! Keep it down, yes I hurt you again, and I'm sorry, but I was desperate and scared and I just couldn't bring myself to let you get away. I just... I love you too much to let you go. I really do Jonathon. That's all any of this has been, is me fighting to keep the man I love."

He shook his head, fighting away tears. "I think I'm done with whatever fucked-up version of love you have in your head."

"Jonathon!" she grabbed his hands across the table. To his shock, she started to tear up. "Please. You've said that you love me so many times before. Was it all a lie? Every time?"

Her foot started to trace up his leg. He flinched away and breathed out trying to will away the start of an erection.

"If you really loved me that much, for that long, how can you just throw it away like this? How can you lay down and give up? How can you not fight for us? H-"

"I did!" he interrupted. "I fought and tried for months. I tried to talk, I tried to get you to talk, I wanted to go for counseling and you laughed and refused. You just did whatever it took to shut me up. I tried to accommodate you, to adapt, even when you were stifling and demanding. I sacrificed my social life, and even moved to a town I didn't want to for you-

"And now we can move back! I'm going to do better Jonathon. WE'RE going to do better. We can move back to the city, you can go back to that homeless clinic or whatever it was. I'll even go to counseling with you if it's really what you need. I WILL Jonathon, just come home. To me."

He closed his eyes and steeled himself again, breathing out and trying to get her gorgeous pleading eyes out of his vision. He pictured her crazed screaming face in the clinic, the blood on the kitchen floor, the look of his mangled ear in the mirror.

"It's too late for all of that now Elaina. I think we're past that," he said, opening his eyes slowly again.

"No we're not! It's not too late. We'll sell the house. I'm sick of this town anyway. We'll find a better place and start fresh."

"I don't want to move actually. I kinda like it here now. My job is better, I've made friends, everything's been fine in my life except for you, and now we're over."

"You don't mean that," she said shaking her head.

"I do. Elaina I did love you. Maybe part of me still does, but I don't want to be with you anymore. I hope we both eventually end up happy, but that's not going to happen if we try to stay together. This is it. We're through," he said, as he looked her in the eyes and sniffed, despite himself.

The sudden way her face changed both scared him and validated everything he had just said. The tears were suddenly gone, the caring, longing stare wiped instantly away and a bitter, vicious focus replaced it. He got up to leave.

"Sit!" she said, threateningly. "If you're going to be a heartless son of a bitch then fine, but we have practical matters to discuss, so let's get it out of the way now."

He sat down cautiously. "If it's about the house then I assume we'll sell it and split whatever's left over from the mortgage. Simple as that."

"I..." she frowned in annoyance. "And the wedding?..."

"Is... going to be canceled Elaina," he said, worried about what kind of complications she was trying to create.

"The deposits were non-refundable. They're on you as far as I'm concerned, since you're the one insisting on giving up."

He sighed, "Fine. It'll be money well spent, if it puts an end to everything and keeps it simple."

She narrowed her eyes, as if she was disappointed that he wasn't putting up a fight.

"You really think you and Tabitha are going to be happy? You really think you'll be better off with her than me? You'll get sick of her like THAT. You'll come grovelling back and realize you'll never find anything even CLOSE to what you had with me."

Jon shook his head. "Elaina, Tabitha and I aren't even together, it's not like that."

"Bullshit. Don't try to tell me you haven't still been fucking that pathetic little pipsqueak."

"Oh did you put a tracking app on her phone too?"

"Fuck you. You know I almost convinced myself the silver lining was that you at least tried to spare my feelings by lying to me that it was Carly instead of her, knowing how much I already hated the little bitch. I realize now though, you were just trying to protect her. Well too late now, she will definitely get what's coming to her."

"The cops might have something to say about that," Jon said.

"Ha! So you HAVE been seeing her!" Elaina pointed accusingly.

"If I am, it's none of your business. We're not engaged anymore. We're through. I'm free to do whatever I want and so are you."

"Yes. I am... and I will," she said ominously.

"Elaina, leave her alone. I'm the asshole here, do whatever you want to me," Jon said, with growing concern.

"Awww that's so sweet of you honey," she scoffed. "How can you be so attracted to someone who you can't even trust to stand up for herself? How can you possibly be leaving me for someone like her?"

"I'm not. She didn't make me leave you. You did," Jon said bluntly.

Elaina stared cold daggers through his skull. The silence drew on and her face very slowly turned from fury to a mischievous smirk. He suddenly felt her foot tracing up his leg again.

"Too bad you didn't have the guts to just meet me back home. Then we could've channeled this energy into something much more pleasant than this silly bickering."

He tried to move his leg away but she persisted, and his face turned red and his cock sprang to life again despite himself.

"Are we done?" he asked in frustration.

"We don't have to be. Let me give you a ride back home and then maybe if you're good I'll let you have one last trip to the bedroom with me. Just so you know what you're missing, hmm?"

Her foot rubbed along his inner thigh and her long leg stretched out to find the end of his growing cock under his pants. He opened his mouth but his words caught in his throat.

"...it doesn't have to be the bedroom though," she purred. "Maybe the couch, the kitchen counter, up against the wall, the backseat of your car... maybe all of the above."

He finally grabbed her slim ankle and moved her foot away from him, and cleared his throat to speak.

"Elaina... if our screwed-up relationship gave you some sort of hate-fucking fetish then go explore that with someone else. I'm done."

"Awww, honey it's cute that you're still in denial. Especially when I can feel how much you love it." she said sliding her foot back over his erection.

He grabbed her foot again with one hand and her calf in the other. Holding it tightly and his fingers sliding over her smooth skin. He looked at her in anger, but couldn't help admire her perfect face and vivid eyes staring into him as her chest rose and fell.

"Mmm, your strong hands feel good honey. Come on, let's go back to my car and drive home."

"No," he said snapping out of it. "I'm leaving. I'll get my car some other time. Goodbye Elaina." He let go of her leg and pushed back his chair.

"No you stay, I'll go," she said, standing up smoothly. "I think you need a few minutes to calm down before you can stand up straight anyway," she said with a smirk, sliding around the table.

She bent down gracefully and placed a hand on his chest and whispered in his ear, "Call me when you come to your senses. I'll be waiting... and eager to find out how you'll make it up to me."

She nibbled his earlobe and his whole body twitched. She dug her nails into the top of his chest. "Don't wait too long though, eventually I'll have to move on to better things, and it would be tragic to leave you with a lifetime of regret."

She traced her nail under his chin and gave him one last amused beautiful stare and then turned around and walked away.

Jon sat silently, afraid to move. Gripping the table and feeling like his hands might snap it in half. It took a long time for him to settle down and relax. He tried to tell himself he had done exactly what he came to do. He had gotten his keys. He had told her it was over. It still didn't feel like a victory.

He pondered what she had said about not believing he had done anything with Carly. He decided it was for the best. One less person with a target on their back.

He had been tempted to text or even call Carly over the past week, but had decided against it, telling himself to respect her wishes and let her figure her life out, like she had asked. Now he was glad he hadn't, in case Elaina had somehow found out, and realized that he had actually been telling the truth. Carly was safe, for now. He could at least be happy about that. He would keep his distance and keep it that way, at least until Elaina simmered down. If she ever did.

Tabitha though... He shook his head at himself that he couldn't just ruin his own life, he had to bring others into the mix too. He figured he could handle whatever came his way at this point, but the collateral damage would be hard to forgive himself for.

He finally got up and left, feeling empty and worthless.