Second Chances(27)

"But the evidence..."

"Your evidence. What about me? What about my memories? Don't they count? What about my evidence? What about..."

Paige stopped and he could tell that she was thinking that she did not have any other evidence of her own. Not anymore anyway. She was thinking about a fire, the fire. Nathan could remember when his Paige had first told him about it years ago.

"I know what you are thinking. But I know what I know. I have my memories. And that is all the proof I need," Paige insisted.

She tried hard to sound confident, but the passion had gone out of her voice. Even as she said the words, she knew she was lying. If she completely believed her words, if she had been totally certain then she'd never have come here with Nathan. She would never have even entertained the notion, never emailed Linda and told her not to come get her.

"Linda!" She almost screamed the name.

"Linda?"

"My friend, the one that was going to pick me up yesterday. The one who had helped to arrange my job. She is my evidence. We were practically inseparable the last two years of college. She'll be able to back me up. She'll surely have pictures of us together."

She stopped and looked over at Nathan, he wouldn't meet her gaze.

"I'm sorry, Nathan, but you'll see. I'm not the one in those pictures. I don't know who she was or why she led you to believe she was me. However, isn't it better that you know for certain? I mean would you rather go on thinking I am your wife? Would you rather believe that I somehow faked my death in order to leave you?"

The look on his face was enough to tell her that he'd never contemplated such a scenario, his words confirmed it.

"I...never entered my mind. You and...Paige and I were so happy together."

"I am sorry. I did not mean it that way...I'm sorry."

"Don't be, I know you didn't mean it."

"No, not for that. I'm so sorry for you. For your loss."

She wiped at the tears that started to flow.

"I can see it in your eyes. I can hear it in your voice. You loved her so much."

"She...she was my reason."

Paige tried not to look at him, to not look at his own tears, his pain. It was so raw, so undeniable. He'd been given hope. He'd believed, maybe only for a moment, but it had been enough. He'd been given hope and now he was losing his wife all over again."

"I'm sorry, Nathan. I know who I am and Linda will prove that."

He remained silent for a few moments before he finally nodded.

"Maybe so. However, even if she does, it may be the end for you, but it'll only leave me with more questions."

"Who was your Paige?"

Again he nodded.

Perhaps Linda would be able to prove to Nathan that Paige had not been the wife he'd lost. Big maybe. They both realized that that would not solve everything and they both silently decided, at least for the moment, to leave all the other questions unspoken.

Paige looked at him, at his pain and couldn't take it any longer. She stood and walked to the railing. He wrapped his arms around her and wept. She wept with him, for him.

Later, just how much Nathan couldn't have said, she asked him if he still wanted to talk to Linda. If he still needed to hear it from her. She knew what his answer would be, but she longed to spare him any more pain.

"Please. I hate to do this to you. Hate to put you through anymore than I already have. But I need...I...."

"Closure?"

"Yes, as ridiculous as that sounds since it won't really be true closure, merely the start of more questions."

For both of us, Paige thought. "I understand. You need to close this door so you can move on to the next."

Nathan nodded.

"I'll go make the call."





CHAPTER TWENTY



His phone chirped a second time before he could answer it.

"Yes?"

"Mr. Kassar?"

He recognized Linda's voice immediately.

"Yes, Linda? She's made contact again?"

"Yes."

"Well?"

"She says she met someone."

"She met someone? All this concern because she got horny?"

"Yes. No. I don't know exactly. She wouldn't go into details, but she actually sounded quite distressed."

"Perhaps because she thinks she might lose her job? What did she say?"

"Could be the job, but I kind of doubt it. She wouldn't go into detail. Only said that she had met someone and wanted me to meet him."

"When?"

"Today, for a late lunch or early dinner if possible. I tried to get some details, but like I said she sounded a bit upset and wasn't giving anything up."

"What did you tell her?"

"I said of course, but that I had to try and clear my schedule. She is going to call me back."

"Do you know where she is?"