Second Chance Ch. 03

"All right. With an offer like that, how can I be upset? Get back to work and I'll stay here at work. I have stuff I really should take care of anyway, so this gives me the chance to do it without neglecting you. I'll make sure I'm back in time to meet you at home. I'd like to spend some time together tonight. I love you."

"I love you too, baby. I can't wait."

After he hung up he slammed his cell phone against the desk. As much as he tried understanding, the call from Jake made him want to spend extra time with her, just to make sure she knew he wasn't taking her for granted. Unfortunately their jobs continued to get in the way. He knew being frustrated with her wasn't going to make anything better either. It just seemed like the only answer was to trust her and tell her about the calls, hoping that it didn't leave him vulnerable in case she was trying to hide something.

Tim shook his head at the ridiculous nature of his worries. Donna loved him, had done nothing to give him the hint that anything was wrong, and still he felt like he had to protect himself from the possibility that she was plotting against him.

He went back to work, wondering if he was just fucked up beyond repair.

~~~~~

"Front desk, can I help you?"

"Melissa? Is that you?" Tim asked.

"Hey Tim," she cheerfully replied. "You just missed her."

"Missed her?" he asked in confusion. "I thought she was working late again?"

He heard her voice sigh. "They got someone to cover her shift. She went to dinner at Spiaggia's with some people from the morning shift. I think she's coming back here before she goes home. Do you want me to give her a message?"

"That's all right. I'll just pop over and surprise her. It's only about ten minutes from here."

"Ok Tim. I've got to run," she said, sounding annoyed to have been left out.

He hung up the phone and packed up his stuff to take home. Although he would have liked to spend the whole evening together, it was nice that the group was going out. He knew they needed to blow off some steam. Maybe he could even buy a round of drinks or something to show what a great husband she had.

Twenty minutes later, he pulled into the parking lot. He jumped out of the car and strolled to the door, looking forward to surprising her. When he stepped inside, Tim looked around and quickly spotted several tables moved together with a group of women and a few men. Any plans about impressing her coworkers flew out the window as he spotted Donna and the man sitting next to her. "Jake," he spat under his breath. The man who'd haunted Tim's nightmares for years looked almost the same as in college. He was a little thinner, but still obviously in great shape and was happily chatting with the women around him. As Tim worked his way around the aisle, he got a look at Donna, who didn't appear to be happy.

Maybe she's pissed that they can't be alone, he thought bitterly. Taking a deep breath, Tim walked forward toward the table. As luck would have it, Jake saw him first. He grinned arrogantly and leaned back, his arms folded across his chest.

"Well, long time no see. It's Todd, right?" he announced loudly.

Tim was fuming, but decided not to give him the satisfaction of letting it show. "No, it's Tim," he said, trying to sound pleasant. He promptly ignored Jake and turned to Donna, who looked like she was about to be sick. "I'm just here to say hi to my wife. If you'll please excuse us," he said, taking her arm and guiding her out the front door.

When they stepped out into the parking lot, she turned and tried to explain. "Tim, this is not what it looks like. If you'll just..."

"I think you don't need to finish that sentence," he cut her off harshly, ignoring her pained expression. "Here you are, having a pleasant dinner with the guy that you fucked me over for seven years ago. I think that's pretty self explanatory." He paused to gather himself.

"I just wanted to say hi," he said, feigning indifference. "Since you're having such a good time, I'll go. See you later." He turned and walked toward his car.

"Tim please!" she begged, her voice beginning to crack. She grabbed his arm and spun him around. "This wasn't my fault. I didn't know he was going to be here. I came with Janet so I couldn't just ask her to leave again when I walked in and saw him. Just let me come with you and I'll explain everything."

He thought for a few moments, weighing the options, then said, "Fine, I'll give you thirty seconds to say goodbye to your friends, and I'll be waiting at the front door. I'll give you a ride to your car and you can follow me home. Then we'll talk. If you're not there when I pull up, I won't be stopping." His expression left no doubt that he was dead serious.

She nodded and wiped her eyes, which had begun to tear up. He watched her hurry inside, then turned and walked to the car wondering if there was anything she could possibly say that wouldn't result in him telling her to pack her bags.

~~~~~

"It happened about four weeks ago," Donna said, handing him a cup of coffee. She went back and poured herself a cup, then sat down, looking haggard. "I was just about to get on the elevator to go sign in when I heard a man's voice say my name. I knew it was him without having to turn around." Her shoulders slumped and she looked defeated.

"When I asked him what he was doing there, Jake said that he was working. After he didn't make it in the NFL, he used his contacts at school to get a job as a personal trainer. He finished his degree and an alumni who is on the board of directors at the hospital got him a job at the rehab clinic. That's the building at the North end of the grounds."

Tim glared at her, "So when were you planning on telling me?"

Donna studied his face, searching for any trace of sympathy, but found none. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you that day, I really am. I told him not to bother me at work or I'd file a complaint. Since he wasn't even going to be working in the same building as me, I wasn't sure what I should do. If I told you, I knew it would bother you that he was around. I knew not telling you was wrong." She buried her face in her hands. "I just didn't know how to handle it."

He gave her a second to compose herself, then said, "So you didn't tell me because you knew you wouldn't be seeing him?" When she nodded, he added angrily, "Then why did I find you having drinks with him today?"

"That wasn't my fault," she protested. "We got the night off at the last minute. Janet asked me to go out with a few of the girls for a drink after work. You said you needed to work late and I was already supposed to work until eight, so I said Ok. I thought I could have a nice meal with them, bring you something home, and have the rest of the night to relax with you."

"When I got there, Jake was already sitting at the table. He came with one of the other girls. Janet drove me from the hospital, so there was no way I could make her leave without creating a scene. I called a cab, then sat down as far away from him as I could and just tried to ride it out. Then he went to the bathroom. When he came back he asked the girl sitting next to me if he could switch because we were 'old friends from college.' I tried to say no, but she moved anyway. There wasn't anything I could do without exposing everyone to our personal life."

"That's when you came in." Donna paused and looked at him curiously. "I don't understand, how did you wind up there?"

"Oh no, don't you dare turn this around on me," Tim warned her, his voice rising until he was almost shouting. "I found out my loving wife was having dinner near my work and decided to drop by to let everyone know how special she was to me." She looked stunned by his sarcasm.

"I wasn't accusing you of anything," she said softly, trying to defuse the situation. "I just didn't understand why...never mind, it doesn't matter. I'm sorry that happened; it must have been awful to see him there." She turned her head and wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. "I know how angry you must be, but please believe me, I didn't tell you about him because I didn't want you to be upset over nothing."

"Nothing?" Tim fumed, "How is it nothing that your ex-boyfriend moves to town and gets a job where you work? How is it nothing that I find the two of you having drinks together? You have no idea how close you are to saying something that you won't be able to take back."

Donna's expression changed to one of real fear. "Honey, I didn't mean it like that. He doesn't work with me; I haven't seen him since the day I told him off. He's in another building that's not even connected to the hospital. If he had bothered me one time, I would have told you about it immediately. I told him to leave me alone the first time and never saw him again."

Tim regarded her closely, trying to determine if there was anything else she was hiding. He couldn't gauge any deception from her words or mannerisms, but that didn't exactly make him feel better. The situation had caused him to doubt his own judgment as well as her trustworthiness.

"So you were going to tell me about it this time?" he asked cynically.

"Yes," she answered, staring intently into his eyes. "I called a cab and was going to take it back to work, then drive home and talk to you about it as soon as you got here."

Tim raised his eyebrows in an obvious display of disbelief.

"This is hard for me too," she cried. "I didn't want either of us having to relive it."

"You mean you didn't want to have to feel guilty about how you were behaving," he spat.

Donna took a second to gather her thoughts, then reached across the table and touched his hand. "Tim, I was wrong not to tell you, I'm sorry. I thought since I told him not to bother me that it was better not to upset you. The truth is, after how long it took for you to start really trusting me again, I was afraid that this might set us back."

He shook off her hand and stood up, "Well, congratulations. You not being honest with me about him was definitely the best way to bolster my faith in you." He stormed out of the kitchen, ignoring the sounds of her crying.

~~~~~

"Tim, would you like some dinner," Donna asked timidly.

It had been two days since the blow-up over her after work party and things had been very tense. They slept in the same bed, but had hardly spoken and hadn't touched. When he arrived home from work, Tim found her quietly reading in the kitchen. Since he wasn't ready to talk, he politely said hi, then went into the den and tried to do some work on the computer. She came in a short time later to see if he was hungry.

Tim sighed; his head feeling like it was going to explode. "Thank you, dinner would be nice."

"Sweetheart, are you all right?" she asked with obvious concern.

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

He sensed her approaching from behind, then felt her warm hands touch his face. Her thumbs began a soft rotating motion against his temples, causing a wave of relaxation to wash over him. Reflexively, he leaned back against her. He found the warmth of her body and familiar scent of her perfume comforting. It made him want to believe her; made him want this whole fight to be over.

If the situation was reversed, would I really be anxious to run and tell Donna my old girlfriend had come to town and contacted me. It would be the right thing, but since when do we always do what's right? he wondered. After all, it's not like I've told her everything either.

All of these thoughts had been bouncing around in his head for two days, causing a splitting headache. It had been throbbing for hours. As he felt her tender caresses, any remaining resolve drained away.

"I love you Tim," she said softly, leaning her head against his. "I'm so sorry." Her voice sounded thin and afraid.

He turned and really looked at her for the first time since the fight. Her eyes were swollen from crying and had dark circles under them. She was so pale it was alarming. Her shoulders sagged, almost like she had been carrying an unbearable weight. Slowly, he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her, letting her head rest against his shoulder.

"I know, sweetheart. I'm sorry too." Tim felt her knees buckle as she fell into his lap.

"I know it was stupid not to tell you about Jake. The whole thing was like a bad nightmare. I just wanted it to go away." She whispered, sobbing softly.

"Donna, I thought about it and don't know what I would have done in your place. I wish you had told me, it would have made a big difference, but I understand how awkward it was for you. I still don't like him being around you, but it's not your fault that he's here. I believe what you told me, but from now on, there can't be any more secrets. You're my wife and no matter what, we have to trust each other with everything."

She nodded, refusing to relinquish her contact with me. "No more secrets," she promised.

Tim held her tightly, hoping he had done the right thing, but unable to shed his nagging doubts.

~~~~~

"Well, it's good you two finally started acting like a husband and wife," Trisha scolded. "Did you tell her about the phone calls?"

Tim sighed. "No, there was so much going on that it didn't come up." Seeing Trisha's disbelieving stare, he continued. "Look, she was crying, I was stressed out; it just didn't seem like the right time."

"So what about tonight? What will your excuse be then?"

"No excuses, Trisha. I'm going to talk to her about the phone calls and everything else. I know that I made a mistake by not doing it in the first place. But I'm not going to do it the day before our anniversary. We need a couple of days to ourselves before we go right back into that morass. I didn't tell her about the phone calls. There's no way to spin that without her knowing I didn't trust her. It's going to hurt and I know it. I won't do that to her before such a big day. It'll ruin everything."

"Okay, but are you really going to tell her then, or are you going to keep finding reasons to put it off."

Tim looked at her in exasperation. "Trisha, I know you're right, but it's difficult. I was wrong to keep it from her. Ever since she has come back, part of me has been holding back. I love her, but it's impossible for me to completely let go. I thought it would just happen as we went on, but it hasn't."

"Nothing just happens," she reminded him. "Pete and I have gotten where we are by talking to each other, and not being afraid to fight when it was called for. You two are wonderful together, but you still act like you're walking on eggshells sometimes; especially since that bastard called your house."

"I know, and I'm sure it's my fault. The entire reason she didn't tell me is because she was afraid I'd throw it back in her face. Ever since he called I've just been angry. I get mad about everything, most of all that I haven't done anything to deal with him. Pete told me I needed to, but instead of dealing with him, I watched her to see if she was lying to me."

He looked at his friend intently. "I promise you that after the anniversary I'm going to sit her down and we're going to talk. I'll tell her about his calls, I'll be honest with her about my reaction, and I am going to change. I'm going to find a way to get past this crap for once and for all. After that, I'm going to take your husband's advice and confront the son of a bitch. I'm not sure what I'm going to do, but I'm the one with the great job and the great life. I'm also the one she chose. That's the only thing that matters."

"Now that's the young man I'm so fond of," Trisha said, leaning forward to kiss his cheek. "Just open your heart up to her. She won't let you down and you two will be better than ever."

~~~~~

"Come on, we're going to be late, slowpoke. I thought women were the ones who were supposed to take too long to get ready," Donna chided.

Tim took a second to admire her in the beautiful red evening gown adorned with lace that she was wearing. "Well, considering the way you look, Mrs. Sullivan, I'm just trying not to embarrass you.

She beamed at the compliment. "Mr. Sullivan," she cooed, "you could never embarrass me." Donna leaned in and kissed him, lingering just long enough to hint at what was to come later. "Now go wash your face and stop making me redo my makeup."

He smiled; grateful they could repair the damage in time to properly celebrate their anniversary. Although things had been subdued he was optimistic about how quickly they seemed to bounce back. His suspicions faded quickly, replaced by the belief that Jake had been trying to find a way to get to Donna, but that she shut him down, just like she claimed. He pushed those thoughts aside and promised himself to enjoy the moment with his beautiful bride.

All we need is some time without any drama, he assured himself. We'll be fine.

A half hour later, they walked into the restaurant Trisha had recommended. It was supposed to be one of the best in town, both for the food and the atmosphere. Tim watched proudly as heads turned, drawn to the beautiful woman on his arm. The waitress escorted them to the table and brought a bottle of champagne. The couple laughed and chatted happily for fifteen minutes, enjoying their drinks and appetizer while they waited for the main course. Before it arrived, Donna excused herself to go to the ladies room.

Tim watched her walk away, then turned his attention to the band. They were very good, playing a selection of soft Jazz that added a touch of class to the atmosphere. After several songs, he realized that he was still sitting alone, so scanned the room for Donna. He checked his watch and realized she had been gone almost fifteen minutes.

Where in the world is she? The steaks will be here soon he thought.

After the band finished another song, Tim started to get concerned. He rose from his chair, wondering what would be the discreet way to check the ladies room to see if she was all right.

"No really, you don't have to get up on my account," a voice said from behind.

Tim spun in shock, "What the fuck are you doing here?" he said angrily.

"What kind of way is that to treat an old friend?" Jake asked with a malevolent smile. "I was just here catching up with Donna, she'll be out in a few minutes. I really should have given her your anniversary off, but she just can't seem to control herself around me. Never has been able to."

"You're a fucking liar," Tim hissed, keeping his voice down to avoid a scene. "She doesn't want anything to do with you."

Jake leaned his head back and laughed like they were old friends sharing a joke. "Timmy, I've been tapping that for a month now. You mean she hasn't said anything about it to you? My feelings are hurt. Next time, I might make her beg me before I'll fuck her, as punishment."

Tim felt like his head was spinning. Jake has to be lying. Donna wouldn't do that to me...to us.

The feelings of doubt he had experienced earlier in the week hit him like a truck. Adrenaline coursed through his body, causing him to tremble uncontrollably. His body shut down, frozen where he stood; unable to move.

"I don't believe you. She'll be out here in a minute and this shit will be over, forever." Tim said it with more conviction than he felt.

"Well, far be it from me to spoil your party, but since you just won't believe me, I guess I'll have to prove it. Did you check out the sexy black lace panties she's wearing under that pretty dress?"

Tim couldn't respond, realizing he hadn't seen Donna get dressed. She had been very secretive about it while they were getting ready. She told him it was a surprise for later. Jake saw his blank look and grinned.

"Well I left quite a mess. When she gets done cleaning up, ask her if she was able to salvage them. I can't believe she shaved her pussy for me now, I couldn't get her to do it in college."