Lessons From the Professor

“Thanks, Leigh.” She turned and hugged her close.

“That’s what I’m here for. We’ll get together on your next day off for some girl time.”

“A pedicure sounds like heaven about now.”

“You’re on.” Leigh said.

They finished dressing in comfortable silence and headed up toward the exit. They were just a few yards from the exit door when she heard someone call out her name. Damn! Sutton let out a groan before she pasted a smile on her face and turned around.

“Thank goodness I caught you. There’s a handsome older gentlemen here to see you.”

A grin lit her face as she turned towards Leigh who shared her enthusiasm. She made a shooing gesture and Sutton turned on her heel and rushed towards the front desk. She’d never been so happy to be called back onto her floor after a twelve hour shift in her life. The heels of her sandals clacked against the off white tile as her stride ate up the length that separated her from Sidney. She’d never expected something like this from him.

She rounded the corner of the hallway and skidded to a stop. The man who stood a few feet away from her was not the one she’d expected to see. Even from the back she would know Jackson anywhere. He was well over six feet, with broad shoulders, a trim waist, and wheat colored hair he kept cropped close to his head. Her heart pounded in her ears as her stomach soured. Her feet felt like they were glued to the ground, and time seemed to slow down as he turned to face her. She saw a flash of perfect teeth as his full lips spread into a wide smile that made the women around her twitter with excitement. They whispered about how lucky she was, but all Sutton wanted to do was scream the hospital down around her and head for the hills.

“Hi, Sutton, long time no see.”

“Jackson, what are you doing here?” She crossed her arms over her chest, and shifted her weight from one leg to other, hiking the book bag she carried back up her shoulder.

“I came to see you.”

“Why?”

His smile faded at the unfriendly tone of her voice.

“I think we should talk in private, don’t you?”

“No, but some place quieter would be ideal.” The last thing she wanted to do was be somewhere alone with him. That was when he went for the jugular.

“Follow me,” she said.

Sutton turned and headed for the cafeteria, slowing as she passed Leigh. “This is my ex,” she mouthed before she continued down the hallway. The blood drained from Leigh’s face, and Sutton nodded her agreement as she continued at a brisk pace. They stepped into the near empty cafeteria, and she took a seat by a set of vending machines in the far corner.

“I have to say you don’t seem very happy to see me,” Jackson said as they were seated.

“That’s because I’m not. Why are you here, and how did you find out where I worked?”

“Your mother mentioned it. Was I misinformed about you not dating since we went our separate ways?”

Did this self-centered son of a bitch really think that highly of himself? The looks and air she once found attractive had lost their charm.

“I don’t understand what any of that has to do with you. I made it clear we had nothing more to say to one another on the phone.”

“Come on, Sutton. It’s obvious there are still lingering feelings. We were good together, so why waste time playing hard to get?”

“No, Jackson, we really weren’t. Good to you was getting to do what you wanted with me at home waiting for you. If you’d truly loved me you never would have done or said half the things you did.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You were a master at manipulation. Every disagreement we ever had you flipped around until I was the one apologizing and feeling guilty. You acted like I was some sort of shrew who was riding you too hard, when all I ever wanted was what I was due. A boyfriend who respected and appreciated me for who I was and the things I did for him. You isolated me from my friends and family. You had me thinking you were the only one who’d ever truly understand me or put up with my shit. What a joke!”

A scowl lined his lips as his brow furrowed.

“That’s not how I remember it.”

“How was it then, Jackson? Please tell me, because I’m dying to hear this, because just a few weeks ago you were bending over backwards to reassure me the reason we failed rested on your shoulders.” It looked like a leopard didn’t change its spots. All that feel-good bullshit he’d spewed had been an attempt to win her back. The deception fueled her anger. She narrowed her eyes and scowled as he continued.

“Look, I was willing to wait for you to finish out your education and get situated in your career before we got married. I never pressured you to have sex.”