The Girl In The Cabin

Chapter Twelve: Lovers

Alex Carther's mother, Maggie Caldwell, stares at her ringing phone in her designated room at Crest Ridge. She ignores the call, just as she did for the previous six calls this evening. Once the ringing stops, Maggie presses the button to hear the message.

Joyce Caldwell says, "Maggie, it's me. Please. I know you don't want to talk, but he needs your help. You're the only one I can turn to. I'm begging you, one mother to another...please. He's searching for the truth, but I'm afraid he'll end up hurt...or worse. Whether you want to hear this or not, you have to help him. You have to."

The message ends as two orderlies walk past Maggie's room. One of the orderlies, a blonde woman, points toward her. "Why is she sitting in the dark?" The blonde woman asks. "Shh– not so loud. She always sits in the dark. Never says a word to anyone. Every once in a while, this handsome man comes to see her, but she ignores him too. It's so sad." The other woman sighs. "She must've been through something horrible." The blonde one says sadly. "Some say she was sexually attacked and gave the baby away. Others say she killed her lover. We really don't know..."

Their voices drift away as they continue past Maggie's room. Maggie turns to look out the window, a single tear sliding down her cheek.

Stacey POV

    I feel something tickling my back and squirm. I groan into the pillow my head is resting on. The rain outside matches the steady tempo of my heart. I blush as Alex's arm encircles my waist. The alarm clock on his nightstand shows only a few hours have passed since we came in from the rain. Only a few hours since I went to bed with my boss, Alex Carter. "Are you awake?" Alex whispers. I feel his breath dance against my spine. "I am now, Mr. Carter." I sigh.
"Mr. Carter?" He laughs, voice low, "I think we're a bit beyond that wouldn't you say? I told you, call me Alex." I nod in the dark.
"Are you regretting what happened?" He asks, "I didn't think about your past when it came to this...and I'm sorry. I should have." He doesn't move away from me. "No, I think I needed it, really," I reply.
"Still...If anything had made you uncomfortable, you should have told me." I smile and hit him with the pillow, "Oh, shut up. I'm fine." Alex blinks. "What? I'm just checking on you." His laughter settles into a smile. "What about you?" I ask, "Do you regret it?" Alex shakes his head, "No." His answer is quick, which somehow relaxes me. "This is weird." I sigh. "What's weird?" He asks, playing with a strand of my hair.
"This. Us. I thought you said I wasn't your type." I reply. "You're not." I feel myself stiffening to his response, causing him to chuckle. He leans over and places a gentle kiss on my forehead. "That wasn't an insult." He smiles. I pull the blanket up to my chin. "I know that tonight doesn't change anything between us."
Alex stares at me for a moment, "You do?" I nod.
"Interesting. What else do you know?" He asks slowly.
"I know both of us were stressed and feeling emotional, which sometimes requires a physical release," I say. Alex's fingers brush over my shoulder, down my spine... "And you were that release?" He whispers.
"We both were. You were stressed about your biological parents. I was stressed about Bryce. It's natural that–" Alex shakes his head, "Woah...hang on." He places two fingers over my lips. "Let me tell you when you're in bed with me, you shouldn't talk about him, or anyone else for that matter. Dead or alive."
"Why shouldn't I? What will you do if I say no? Or tell you it makes me uncomfortable? Fire me?" I ask. He shrugs, "Oh, I don't know. If, it was because I made you uncomfortable, I would stop immediately. However, if it was not that..." Alex slides his hands under my arms, his fingers tickling the skin. I try to suppress a laugh, but it manages to escape me. "Wow, I guess now I know your weakness." Alex laughs.
"You ever do that again, I'm filing for harassment." I laugh.
Alex rolls his eyes, "Oh, please. Don't make this about work."

    I clear my throat and sit up. "All we have is a working relationship. What happened earlier can't change that." Alex raises a brow, placing his hands behind his head. "Why is that?" He asks.
"Because you're you and I need this job." I reply, "I know you're some kind of playboy, which is why those reporters want a picture of you with me. To catch you in a relationship." Alex raises his brows in surprise. "I'm considered a playboy? What does that mean, exactly?"
I sigh, "It means you play with women's hearts. Other women's hearts...not mine. I should make that clear. I know exactly what this is and my heart is not involved." Alex's smile drops. "All the women I've dated knew going in I didn't want something serious. How is that playing with their hearts?" He asks.
"Are you sure they knew that?" I ask.
Alex shrugs, "I never really thought about it before. It's not like love is something I spend a lot of time thinking about."
"That's so sad."
Alex shakes his head, "What's so sad about it? Love is dangerous. You should know that firsthand. Besides, what is love anyway? If we're being honest, it's just increased levels of serotonin and dopamine." He laughs. I shake my head, hiding my smile, "That's not love." He raises a brow. "No? Then what is love?" I think of Bryce and shudder. He said he loved me. Nothing he did to my mother was love. Nothing he did to me was love. I look back at Alex's face.
"When two people fall in love...sure there's lust and physical attraction. People confuse that with love. Love is the heel." Alex scoffs. "Love is the what?" He asks. "It's the heel. The heel of the bread." I reply. "I'm not following." Alex laughs. "It's just some metaphor I read somewhere, I don't know. I don't think you would be interested in it." I laugh. "How do you know what I'd be interested in?" Alex asks. "You just don't seem like the artsy, poetic type." I reply.
He nods, "I guess you're right."
"Anyway, I know you don't love me and I don't love you, so this is just two consenting adults spending a night together." I hear Alex chuckle. He's about to say something when I hear a loud crash coming from down the hall. We both freeze. "Stay here." Alex says, standing up, "I'll check it out." He quickly pulls on some sweatpants and rushes out of the room. I don't want to be left alone... I see one of Alex's button-down shirts laid against a chair. I pull it on and begin searching the pockets of his pants. Where's his cell phone? I find what I'm looking for and run out of the room after him.