Chapter 59

Colleen and I talked till very late. She was as open, chatty, and comfortable being with me as we ever were. It was like our old relationship, and I was pretty sure she wanted me to spend some serious time talking with my tongue and body instead of my vocal cords. There was no way I was willing to initiate something and give her a reason to become uncomfortable around me again. Instead of pushing or even suggesting, I spoke to her with my eyes and let her know I was fully on board if she wanted more than a conversation.

Our talk wandered all over the landscape. She told me lots of details about the lawsuit, Grayson Foster going to prison for fifty-five years, and the bank folding up and closing right after Mr. Bell pulled all of our funds out.

According to Colleen's source inside the federal prison system, lots of mafia folks were waking up dead and causing quite a stir around the mob world. Judge Jones was particularly proud of how the investigation into the rogue FBI agent and failure to secure us went down.

Colleen said that Mr. Bell had been called to a deposition as my representative, because Judge Jones refused to allow me to be called. The deposition was scheduled to last three days, but the Judge was so harsh with the attorneys that they punted after less than four hours.

At that point in our visit Colleen looked deep into my eyes and said, "Brian, I am so sorry to have made you upset, earlier. I know none of this could bring back Beth, and I know it hurt to have it all dredged up again. Please understand that Daddy, Mother, and I are totally on your side and want to be there for you when you're feeling low." She smiled, shed a tear, and hugged me for a long, long time.

While we were locked in a hug, Rebecca walked out to spend a few minutes with us. She told us she'd been on the phone with her beau for the last hour or so, and now wanted to be with us while we were still up. "You guys seem to have fixed whatever was wrong between you," she said, observing us wrapped in a hug.

Colleen laughed and said, "Rebecca I love you, but there was never anything wrong between Brian and me, just like there was never anything wrong between Brian and you. We – the two of us – screwed it up completely. Brian is the perfect guy, and we knew it, but we ran because of the age difference. We could be still having a wonderful sharing relationship if we didn't react like the teenagers and back away." She meant it, and I could tell Rebecca understood what she was saying. What happened next took me by complete surprise, and based on Colleen's reaction, her too.

"He's cheating on me," Rebecca said, confounding us both. Not only is he cheating on me, but he's married. Before you get all shocked and call me a home wrecker, I knew he was separated pending their divorce. He was upfront about it from the first time we shared a cup of coffee and a sweet roll at the hospital, while you were unconscious, Brian.

"I wanted to be in love with him. I really, REALLY wanted to be in love with him. He pushes almost as many of my buttons as you did, but there is always this invisible wall that stops him from taking the big, last step and committing. I knew that too. From the beginning, I had no reservations about him and his wife. That was my big mistake.

"Apparently he hasn't been confining his amorous adventures to me. He's been sleeping with a variety of nurses, therapists, and other doctors the entire time we've been seeing each other, and now he tells me has been spending two nights a week sleeping with his ex." She looked totally crushed and furious at the same time.

Colleen wrapped her in her arms and held her as she poured out the story. I moved to let Colleen steer Rebecca to sit between us, and we stroked, held, kissed, and comforted her. We kept it up until her shakiness passed and then, by mutual consent, Colleen and I walked Rebecca into my room, closed the door, undressed her, and bracketed her in bed, holding her until she slept.

The three of us barely moved during the night. Colleen got up to use the bathroom, and Rebecca followed her in, and when they came back, I took my turn. We then returned to our sleeping positions, holding Rebecca to us. Once again, we kissed, stroked, and whispered loving things into her ears until she dropped off to sleep.

When Rebecca was softly breathing, Colleen reached across her tummy and took my hand, holding it while we drifted back to sleep. It was sweet and gentle, and just what all three of us needed.