�Hey, Jack,� Eva said taking Nickolas� place in sitting with Jacqueline. She was doing a little better and she looked at Eva.
�Hey,� Jacqueline said faintly.
�How do ya feel?� She shrugged. �You�ll be better in no time.�
�I hope.�
�You will so don�t worry about anything.� She gave a little grin.
�How are you doing?�
�I guess I could be better.�
�Why?�
�Well you�re in the hospital for one.� Jacqueline just made a face. �I know what you�re going to say; �don�t worry about me, because I�ll be fine�.� Jacqueline nodded. �I know you pretty well.�
�Nick said you and Alex broke up.� Eva looked at her. �Why?�
�We didn�t exactly break up; we�re just taking a break.�
�Why?� Eva sighed and Jacqueline just looked at her.
�Well I kind of took your advice and told Alex what happened to me.�
�Really?�
�Yeah.�
�What�d he say?�
�Nothing.� Jacqueline raised an eyebrow. �Ok, I didn�t leave him say anything. I left here, went home, and packed up my stuff. I haven�t seen him since.�
�When was this?�
�The other day.� She nodded.
�Why don�t you talk to him?�
�I don�t know.�
�You�re going to have to sooner or later.�
�I know that.�
�Good.�
�I don�t know what to say to him. I told him what happened, but yet I don�t feel any better. You said I�d feel better.�
�Well ya didn�t talk about it.�
�Do I have to?�
�Yes.�
�But what if I don�t want to? What if I just want to leave it the way it is? Alex knows what happened so that should be it.�
�Did you tell him by who?�
�No.�
�Don�t ya think ya should?�
�I don�t know.�
�He has a right to know all that happened.�
�Maybe so.�
�Do you still want to be with him?�
�Of course I do. I just�I�m just confused.�
�You won�t feel better unless ya talk to Alex.�
�He�s not going to understand and think I�m a slut and asked for it.�
�No he�s not.�
�Yes he is. Guys like him always think that. Just because Alex is a good guy doesn�t mean he�s any different from other guys.�
�You got some issues.�
�What�s that supposed to mean?�
�Not all guys are like Mike.�
�But they�re still guys.�
�You really need to talk to Alex.�
�What if I don�t want to?�
�Then I will get Nick to lock you two in a room until you do.�
�Ya got to get Nick to do your dirty work, huh?�
�I very well can�t right now.�
�Right.�
�If ya don�t want to talk to Alex for yourself then do it for me.�
�I don�t know.�
�Then I�ll talk to him.�
�This is my problem, Jack, and not anyone else�s.�
�Then take care of it.�
�Do you think that�ll solve anything?�
�It�ll probably make things easier to deal with.�
�And it probably won�t make things easier to deal with. What does it matter any to you if I talk to Alex about this or I don�t talk to Alex about this?�
�Because I don�t want to keep seeing you like this.�
�Yeah well it�s my life.�
�And I�m a part of it.�
�That doesn�t matter.�
�If you want to believe that.�
�I do and I will.�
�Fine.�
�Ok.�
�Alright.�
�Good.�
�Why don�t you go call Alex and tell him I want to see him?�
�Fine.�
�Thank you.�
�You�re welcome.�
�Now get out so I can sleep.�
�Ok.� Jacqueline grinned and Eva got up and walked out.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�Hey, Jack,� Alexander said, as he stepped into Jacqueline�s room. She looked at him and smiled.
�Hey,� Jacqueline said.
�You�re looking really good.�
�Stop sucking up, because I know I�m not.� They laughed.
�Eva said you wanted to see me.�
�Well, yeah, because I haven�t seen ya in a few days.�
�I�m sure Eva told you what�s going on.� She nodded. �I just don�t understand why she didn�t tell me from the beginning.�
�She didn�t think you would understand and think she was just some slut.�
�Not at all. I�m glad she found the courage to tell me.�
�Same here.�
�I don�t see how someone can hurt someone like this guy hurt Eva. It�s disgusting how they think they need to molest and hurt young woman to get their jollies. I just don�t understand it.�
�Neither do I.�
�How old was she?�
�She didn�t tell you?�
�All that she told me was that she was molested and that was it.�
�Oh.�
�She didn�t say anything after that. She went home, packed up her things and found another place.�
�I don�t know if I should really discuss this with you. I�d feel like I was betraying her, ya know.� Alexander nodded. �I just don�t want to ruin that trust between us by talking about her past. It�s really not my place to be talking about it with you and you should talk to her if ya really want to know everything.�
�I tried talking to her a couple minutes ago before I came in, but she wouldn�t say anything to me.�
�It really changed her life a lot and I can understand why she doesn�t want to talk to anyone about it. When I found out I was so angry and I just wanted to kill the bastard that hurt her.� Alexander nodded. �If ya really want to know, since Eva�s not telling you anything, there�s a lot of media coverage of the whole trial and stuff. There�s newspapers, videos, a lot of things. All ya have to do is go to the Detroit library in Michigan. Tell them what you�re looking for, anything on a molest case involving Eva Martin, and they�ll direct ya right to it. That�s the most I can do without breaking the trust between me and Eva. She doesn�t have to know I told ya where to go to find it out. She can just think that you decided to do it on your own.�
�Right.�
�I�d love to tell you all that went on, but I can�t.�
�I understand your loyalty to Eva. I�d be the same way if it was the other way around.� She nodded. �I�ll try talking to Eva again and if she doesn�t say anything then I�ll go to Michigan.�
�I just want you guys to be happy and I�ll try to do my best to make that happen.�
�I know.� They smiled. �I�m sure it�ll happen one day.�
�Eva just needs to open up to you about this and then she can be happy like she once was. She loves being with you, Alex, and I think when the time comes she�ll completely open up about everything and then you two can start the life you both are dreaming of.�
�Like you and Nick are going to?� She just looked at him. �A baby on the way, an engagement and then what�s next?� Jacqueline sighed. �When did this engagement happen?�
�Can we not talk about this?�
�I think it�s great news.�
�Yeah, but I just don�t want to get into right now. I�m still sick and anything can happen to the baby.�
�I understand.�
�Thank you.� He grinned. �Why don�t you go talk to Eva? Well try to anyway.�
�I guess I can give it another shot.�
�Yes you can.� He nodded. �So go for it. I want to get some rest.�
�Alright then I�ll leave ya alone.�
�Good.� He leaned down and kissed her forehead.
�I hope I don�t catch anything.�
�Get out of here.� They laughed and Alexander walked out.
CHAPTER 13
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