Still, she was apparently an expert and could possibly really help Jane, so if seeing her meant that Jane could get better, I was prepared to go through that.
I heard a car pass by and peeked out the window in time to see Vivienne returning from her lunch. With a glance at the clock, I saw that it was time to go. I did my best to mentally prepare myself, and then I headed out to the hospital. I got there at about 20 minutes before two, so I could spend some time hanging out with Jane, who was, of course, happy to see me but feeling pretty woozy from all the medication. She was still, unfortunately, running a fever, and it didn't look as if she was getting much better.
The minutes seemed to take forever to pass, and I kept checking my watch as two o' clock crept closer, and my nerves began to creep in. I shook my head and laughed quietly to myself. I could go into a building filled with men armed to the teeth who wanted to kill me – yet now, waiting for a female doctor, I was getting nervous.
Just as I settled on how ridiculous I was being, she stepped through the door. From the expression that crossed her face when she saw me, she'd had no clue that I was Jane's father.
I had to admit, she looked great – just as beautiful as she had been when we dated in college.
"E-Everett," she stammered, taken aback. "Umm. You're this child's father?"
"Hi, Liza," I said. "Yes, this is my little girl."
"Can we talk outside the room instead?" she asked immediately.
"Sure."
I followed her out into the hallway.
"Wow... So, you're married, a family man now?" she asked. "It's been... it's been a long time.”
"Yes, it has. And no, I'm not married. Not anymore."
She nodded.
"I'm sorry to hear that. Her loss, I assure you."
Even with all the resentment and bitterness I felt for her after what she had done to me, when she said those words, my heart started to beat a little faster.
"Um, thanks," I murmured, not really knowing what else to say. "And what about you? Did you end up marrying that guy, what was his name, the banker?"
She looked down. "Oh, Vincent... no, no, things didn't work out with him and me."
Then she looked up suddenly and blazed an intense look right into my eyes.
"I've wanted to say this to you for a long time, Everett, a very long time – losing you was the biggest mistake I ever made. It should have been you... You were the one. You really were, and I've never stopped thinking about you. Never."
Chapter Twenty-Three
Vivienne
I watched out the window as Everett drove off, heading to the hospital. I hoped this new specialist would be able to help Jane; it was immensely saddening to think of her stuck in the hospital and to think of how much pain Everett had to be going through.
My mind wandered to that morning when I had opened up about my father, and found out that he, too, had grown up in a single parent home. The common ground seemed to have helped us grow closer.
I put some music on – some good old Bon Jovi from the 80s. After talking with Everett, it didn't feel nearly as painful to think about my dad. I knew he would have loved Everett and would have been proud of me for choosing such a decent, stand-up guy. I was lucky to have him; guys like Everett certainly weren't a dime a dozen. I couldn't help but think that his ex-wife had made a stupid mistake when she had chosen the bottle over him. What woman in her right mind would do something like that? I guessed she had a very real and very serious struggle with addiction to get through, and nobody could help her with that except her. It was just a shame that it had caused such pain and sorrow to her former husband and daughter.
Not that it was any of my business. All I could do was make sure Jane and Everett knew that I cared about them both very much and do my best to fill the empty space in their lives where a mother should have been – a role into which I could already see myself happily fitting.
After having a few throwback songs, the food from lunch and the stress of the last two days were starting to wear me down. I headed to my bedroom to take a nap.
It had been a while since I'd slept in my own bed, and it felt good to lie down on the familiar comforter and pillow. It would have been even nicer if Everett had been there wrapping his arms around me, but it was good to have a little time to myself as well.
I looked out of the window – my bedroom was upstairs, so I figured it was safe to open the drapes, as Simon wouldn't be able to see inside even if he was lurking outside somewhere – and stared at the deep blue sky with its puffy white clouds drifting about here or there. It really was a beautiful afternoon. I decided I needed to get some fresh air later. Perhaps Everett and I could go for a walk in the park or something. I'd call him when I woke up and figure things out then.
With these thoughts running through my mind, I closed my eyes, relaxed, and was asleep within minutes.
***