Best of Me

Chapter 18

The sun was beginning to rise and the house looked like it had survived a war. Someone had placed a board over the front door and the windows on the east side of the house had been boarded up as well. Garrett walked towards the entrance at the side of the house and entered the still smoky kitchen. He had to take stock and see the extent of the damage before he could return to Cora and give her the news.

He had insisted that she take something for the pain in her hand at the hospital and it had knocked her out so he knew that she would sleep well into the morning. It would allow him to start to put a plan together. His biggest fear was that, without the house, she would want to leave. It had been the ace up his sleeve and now it was a card that was no longer on the table.

A weary sigh escaped him as he looked around the main hall. There was significant smoke and water damage, but only the front east corner of the house had seemed to be affected by the flames. He looked over the caution tape and into the living room, noting that it was a complete loss and would have to be completely restored. He moved on to the study and shuddered as an image of what he had witnessed earlier that morning rushed into his head.

He should have been home, he shouldn't have gone to see Theodora, but she had been upset and had needed to talk to someone.

He walked into the room and turned in a circle noting that it looked to be in decent shape. Thankfully, when they had built the house they had made all of the interior walls out of brick and it had saved the house from the majority of the fire and water, but the smoke was a different story. He wasn't sure how they would get rid of the stench of it.

His paperwork was still on the desk along with his computer and he packed it all up before heading up the stairs towards his room, taking a few moments there to pack up his few belongings before he headed into Cora's room. She wouldn't be able to wear anything from the house until it had been washed but he could grab her a few things.

As he was throwing things from her dresser into his luggage he looked over at the bed and noticed her drawing pad and pencils. He automatically reached for it, knowing that she would want it. However, the drawing on top caught his attention when he noticed it was one of him. He looked ominous almost evil.

Was this how she truly saw him? She had drawn his face half in shadow and his eyes looked cold and hard. He flipped through the sketch pad wanting to know more. It was the first glimpse he had seen into Cora's mind about how she felt about him and he didn't like it. She was easy to read in some aspects but she had never shared her true feelings.

Perhaps if she did, he wouldn't have been caught off guard when he has found her in Burgess's arms. He refused to think about it and he refused to let her talk about it. He was afraid that she would tell him that she wanted out of their marriage, and he was desperate not to hear it. As long as she didn't say the words then it wouldn't be a fact that he had to deal with, and it meant he still had time to win her.

Skimming thorough the drawings, he saw that there were plenty of Roxi and the house, and there was one of Teddy laughing, and another of him, but this one was different from the previous one. In this one he was in profile at his desk looking serious and focused.

There were no sketches of him smiling or laughing.

"This is horrible Garrett," Theodora said as she entered the room while looking around her. "Everyone's alright? Where's Cora?"

"She's at the apartment sleeping off the drugs they gave her at the hospital." He quickly closed the sketch pad and threw into the suitcase.

"Was Cora badly hurt?"

"She burned her hand and inhaled a good bit of smoke but she'll be fine." He couldn't help the coldness that had entered his voice. Theodora's drama was what had kept him away from Cora when she had needed him. He could still hear Cora's voice telling Roxi that she had to save her because he loved her. He would have never wanted her to put herself in danger for the dog.

Theodora must have heard the coldness in his tone because she sat heavily on the bed. "I'm sorry Garrett. I know I need to get my life together but I'm too afraid."

"And I'm not Theodora?" He sat on the chair across from her. "You have to take what's good in your life and own it. If you don't you'll lose it. I've been there for you since we were kids and I've always had your back, but I can't do it anymore."

Garrett took a deep breath, "I finally have something good in my life, Cora, and I have never wanted anything as much as I want her. I love you, but I will not let you be the reason we fail."

"I've done it to you before." She conceded as she looked sadly at Garrett.

He shook his head, "No, that's just it, I let you get between me and past relationships because they weren't what I really wanted. I've never cared like I do now. When I got here and saw Cora surrounded by flames while she tried to save my dog...it gutted me. If I hadn't arrived she probably would have died trying to save that dog."

 He leaned forward, wanting her to really hear what he was about to say, "If you and Andi love each other like I love Cora then grab it. Not everyone will be accepting and forgiving of the situation, but you will always have me and Andie, you may lose some friends, but are they really your friends?"

"It's my parents I worry about." She looked at her hands and not at Garrett.

"I honestly don't know what they'll say but you should probably let them know one of the most important parts of you. You also owe it to Andie. She has stood next to you for over ten years and she deserves credit for that."

"So, are you're going to own what's important in your life by racing back to your apartment and admitting to Cora that you're madly in love with her ? Will you tell everyone all about it too?" Theodora sounded accusing.

"It's not the same and you know it. Andie loves you. I don't know if Cora loves me." He had an image of her in Brugess's arms. He hadn't told Theodora about that and he wasn't going to because it was none of her business. "And I do tell everyone, who will listen, that I'm madly in love with my wife and Cora knows it."

"But she doesn't believe it." Theodora sighed.

"No, and I have to figure out how to make her believe it, and rushing to your side every time you need me is not the way to do that. It's bad enough that I wasn't here last night when she needed me."

Theodora looked around her, taking in Cora's small room that had little bits of her presence stamped all over it. "What can I do to help?"

"This house. I want it repaired and updated as soon as possible. Insurance will pay for some if it but what it won't pay for I will."

Garrett stood. "There are some specific instructions I have but we'll discuss those later, first I have to get back before Cora wakes up to an empty apartment."

He picked up his bag and reached for Theodora, pulling her close, "I'll love you no matter what Theodora, but I have to take care of myself and Cora now."

Theodora shook her head and sniffed.

He handed her the key to the house. "It's all yours. Give me a timetable and estimate as soon as your able."

One thing he could give Cora was her house, it had been part of the deal after all.