Page 78 of When You're Home
“What do you need?”
“Unblock my number from her goddamn phone.”
“Done.”
Chapter 41
Tori
“Dude,I’msogladtoseeyou,”FieldingconfessedtoJake.“Thatwasintense.Idon’tevenknowwhat’sgoingon.”HeglanceddowntowhereToristillsatonthefloor.Shesawthestormofemotionsinhiseyes:worry,sadness,stress.Ifshehadmoreenergytoprocessanythingbesidesherownshock,shewouldhavefeltbadforwhatshehadjustputFieldingthrough.
Tori looked up at Jake, who had been by her side since he arrived. He hadn’t taken his eyes off of her, even when Fielding spoke. He held her gaze for another moment, a question rising between them that he didn’t want to speak out loud.
“You can tell him,” she replied to his silent question. She was okay with Fielding knowing. He deserved to understand what was going on after what he had just witnessed.
“Tell me what?” Fielding looked between the two of them on the floor. She felt Jake rest his hand on her shoulder.
“Tori’s mom was sick when she was little,” he started. “She had cancer when Tori was just a baby, then it came back, and she died when Tori was eleven.” Jake paused, but she didn’t have anything to add. She kept her forehead pressed into her knees as he continued.
“It’s all genetic. Tori goes for scans twice a year because of it. She’s in a special research study that covers the costs. It sounds like the results from the latest scans weren’t good.”
She looked up at Jake then. She knew her eyes were emotionless. Everything was raging inside her, but she didn’t have the energy to share what she was feeling or to deal with anyone else’s reactions.
She was so disappointed in how she had responded to the phone call. She never expected to be sitting on Fielding’s floor, begging him to call Rhett. She had no right to want for him anymore, to rely on him as her emotional support person. She felt like she had betrayed herself. But now that she knew he was on his way, her physical and emotional need for him felt inevitable. That realization shocked her as much as it comforted her.
“Tori…” Fielding hesitated, moving to sit in front of her as he reached for her hands. She let him hold her hands, but she refused to meet his gaze. She didn’t want his pity. She didn’t want his comfort.“Tell me what I can do to help. I want to be here for you. I’m sure everything will be…”
“No.” Tori cut him off with one word. He didn’t get to reassure her. He didn’t get a say in this. This was really happening, and there was nothing anyone could say to stop it. Fielding was a good friend, but he’d only been her friend for a few weeks. She didn’t want him to think he was going to be around for any of this.
“Don’t, Fielding,” she chastised, finally looking up. “There’s nothing you can do.” She glanced over at Jake, giving him a weary look to let him know that she was done.
“That’s bullshit,” Fielding shot back. “We’re friends, Tori. You can’t just shut me out. I want to support you. Let me be here for you.” His anger didn’t surprise her. Fielding never treated her like she was something that could break. That was one of the things she liked most about him, honestly. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the right time to try and put his stake in the ground.
Tori looked over at Jake again, shook her head once, and buried her face back in her hands.
“Leave it, Fielding,” Jake ordered.
That was the exact response she had been hoping for. She knew he would take control of the situation and handle it the way Rhett would have if he were here.
“I want to help!” Fielding exclaimed as he raised a fist to his mouth in frustration.
“Look, there’s nothing you can do. I know it sucks to feel powerless, but that’s what we are here. There’s nothing I can do, there’s nothing you can do, and Tori hates when people pretend otherwise,” he explained. That was true. Jake knew her well.
Fielding let out a huff. He was so rarely frazzled. This was a different side to the playful, flirtatious man she’d gotten to know over the last month.
“If you’re serious and you really want to help, you can help me make sure she’s not alone until Rhett gets home,” Jake challenged.
She could feel the tension spike at the mention of Rhett’s name. There was an unspoken battle waging between them. Fielding knew so little about her history with Rhett. He probably thought it was weird that she wanted him to be here.
Tori peeked up at the two men, curious as to who would end the standoff first. She already knew who was going to win. But how would Fielding handle losing? Whatever passed through his eyes told the other man what he needed to know. “That’s what I thought,” Jake muttered under his breath before turning back to her.
“Come on, baby. You heard Rhett. I’ve got to get you home, then I’ll stay with you until your dad gets there.” He reached for her arm and gently pulled her up to her feet.
“Shit. Fine. I can come over tomorrow and stay with her if you have to work,” Fielding relented through gritted teeth.
Jake studied the other man for a moment before responding. “Thanks, man. I have to be at Clinton’s at eleven, so if you can show up at ten thirty, that’ll help.”
Fielding nodded once before turning to her. “I really am sorry, Victoria,” he offered again, this time his pity mixed with a tinge of guilt. “But I’m not going anywhere. You’ll see. I’m going to be here for you, anyway you’ll let me. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
