Torn Between Two

Chapter Twenty Two

Three days later, Jessica was at work. Her boss gave her a project to work with Brian so they were sitting in her office working on it when Nick came in.

"Hey guys," Nick said sitting down.

"Hey man," Brian said.

"Hey babe, what brings you by?" Jessica asked.

"My mother," Nick said.

"What," Jessica said.

"What about your mom?" Brian asked.

"We wanted to meet with you, Jessica," Bonnie said coming in with James behind her.

"Okay, what's going on?" Jessica asked.

"Should I step out?" Brian asked.

"No, Brian, you are family, you can stay," Bonnie said.

"So what's going on?" Jessica asked.

"Jessica, I was in the military, and I retired but I still have plenty of connections, I checked something out and we need to know if you are telling us the truth," James said.

"I have never lied about anything," Jessica said.

"Even about your husband being alive?" James said.

"What?" Jessica said.

"What are you talking about, we saw the folded up flag at her house, she showed it to us, you only get that if you have someone killed inaction or is a veteran," Brian said.

"And Jacob was the only person I knew in my family that was military, I got it from his funeral, there was a casket, two officers told me he was killed by a roadside bomb," Jessica said.

"There is no record of Jacob Parker being killed in action," James said.

"But they told me he was!" Jessica said.

"Could he have somehow faked his death, had two guys dress up in uniform and put on a fake funeral with a flag," Brian said.

"Seriously, Mom, Dad, what is this really about?" Nick said.

"Honey, we just wanted to find out the truth and see if she was lying to you," Bonnie said.

"It was all an act, wasn't it, you both really don't like me, you want me out of Nick's life, I can't believe this," Jessica said.

"Jessica, he is our son, we don't want him to get hurt," Bonnie said. Jessica got her stuff together.

"This is my life, Mom, not yours, I should have known it was too good to be true, that you both could like the woman I love, Jess, come out, let's get out of here," Nick said getting up.

"Nick," James said.

"No, Dad, I don't want to hear it, unless you can come up with some concrete proof to your little theory, stay out of my life," Nick said as he took Jessica's hand and they went out the door. They went to the house.

"I'm sorry about that, baby, I had no clue what they were up to, they asked me to meet them at your office," Nick said.

"I can't believe they thought I was lying, I wasn't," Jessica said.

"I know, baby," Nick said hugging her to him.

"Nick," Jessica said.

"What baby," Nick said.

"Are you really going to turn your back on your parents?" Jessica asked.

"If they can't accept you in my life, then yes, because you are everything to me, I love you so much, I can't be without you, I can't let you go," Nick said.

"I love you, Nick, so much, I just don't want you hating me," Jessica said.

"Jess, no, this is not your fault, it's theirs, they brought this on themselves, I know you wouldn't lie to me," Nick said.

"What if they are right, what if he's not dead, what if it all was faked,what if he faked his death because he fell for someone else, Ashley and Melanie told me that he was acting funny before he left the last time he was home, what if he was planning it all along, to leave me for someone else without the hassle of getting a divorce or something," Jessica said.

"So you are saying that you think my parents are right about him being still alive?" Nick said.

"I don't know, they got me thinking, maybe it could be true, I don't know, he did have a lot of friends in the service who would do anything he asked, like dressing up as officers to come tell his wife that he was killed, setting up the funeral, and all that, who knows, I might see about digging up the grave," Jessica said.

"I will support any decision you make, baby, I'm here for you and with you all the way," Nick said.

"And if he's alive?" Jessica asked.

"We will cross that bridge when we come to it," Nick said.

"Nick, what would you do if he was alive but was by mistake believed to be dead and he came back to the US alive but had amnesia and was living under a different name and remembered everything and came home?" Jessica asked.

"Jessica?" Nick asked.

"It's just a guess, I have been nothing but truthful with you, babe, I promise you that," Jessica said.

"If what you said is true and he recovered his memory and came back to you, I would step aside and let you two resume your married life, unless you don't feel any love for him as before, then I would fight for you," Nick said.

"There would be no choice, if he had come back, I would ask for a divorce to be with you, you have my heart now, Nick, I can't let you go," Jessica said. He took her in his arms and kissed her deeply.