�Hey, Jack, how are you feeling?� Eva asked, as she walked into Nickolas and Jacqueline�s parlor. �Are you feeling any better?� Jacqueline shrugged. �Oh, you�ll feel better.�
�Shh,� Jacqueline warned. �I�m supposed to be sleeping.�
�Right.�
�Nick wants me to get some rest.�
�Well ya should.�
�All I�ve been doing is resting since I�ve been declared sick. I�m actually tired of resting.� She sighed. �Nick�s been great though.�
�That�s good.� Jacqueline nodded. �You need someone like him.�
�Yeah.� She sneezed a couple times and moaned. �So did you talk to Alex yet?�
�I told you �no�.�
�And why not? He needs to know.�
�You keep saying that when he doesn�t need to know.�
�I say it because he does need to know.� Eva sighed.
�When are you going to stop this?�
�When you tell Alex what happened.� Eva shook her head.
�Friends are supposed to support each other in their decisions and you don�t support mine.�
�It�s not that I don�t, Ev, I just want you to be honest with Alex so I can stop lying to Nick.�
�So you just want me to tell Alex so you can tell your damn boyfriend what happened to me and make me out to be some cheap whore? Is that it?�
�Of course not, Eva. Nick keeps asking me what�s bothering you. He�s concerned about you, because he�s your boyfriend�s best friend and he�s dating your best friend. Is that a crime now to care about someone?� Eva sighed.
�No; I�m sorry. I�ve just been having a bad week.� Jacqueline nodded. �I don�t mean to take it out on you.�
�What happened?�
�I don�t know. It�s just one of those weeks, ya know, where everything pisses ya off�including your very gorgeous boyfriend.�
�I know those weeks.� They chuckled. �But seriously though and not to make you mad at me�� Eva looked at her. �Are you ever going to tell Alex what happened? He does have a right to know about the trauma his girlfriend went through.�
�I know. I was thinking about telling him, but I don�t know. It�s such a big deal to me. He is a good guy and everything and I�ve learned to trust him in the past three years, but I don�t know if I trust him enough to tell him what happened to me. I just don�t want to go around sharing my personal problems with anyone.�
�It�s not just anyone, Ev, its Alex; your boyfriend.� Eva nodded. �It could be someone ya don�t know, like a shrink.�
�Yeah I know.�
�Are you even thinking about telling Alex at all?�
�I did, like, once, but I just can�t do it.�
�Then I guess I�ll have to accept that. When you are ready to tell Alex just let me know and I will be by your side the whole time.�
�Thank you, Jack.� They hugged. �I really appreciate it.� Jacqueline nodded.
�Are you bothering my sick girlfriend?� Nickolas questioned stepping into the room, with Alexander, and the two girls looked.
�I�m sleeping,� Jacqueline said. �So no she ain�t bothering me.�
�Yeah,� Nickolas said.
�Is this all ya make her do?� Eva questioned. �Sleep?�
�I just want her to get better,� Nickolas stated.
�And she will,� Alexander said. �In time. You can�t rush her getting better.�
�I know,� Nickolas started, �but I hate seeing her laid up like this.� He sighed and sat next to Jacqueline.
�I�ll be better before ya know it,� Jacqueline assured him. �And then we can do whatever ya want.�
�Whatever?� Nickolas said.
�Mostly whatever,� Jacqueline corrected herself.
�So, Jack, Eva told me that you want the two of you to have some girl time together,� Alexander said.
�Huh?� Jacqueline said confused.
�That girl friend trip you want to take to Hawaii,� Eva said. �Ya know to catch up on everything.� She looked at Jacqueline.
�Oh, right,� Jacqueline said. �With being sick and everything else I forgot about that.�
�Don�t worry about it,� Eva said. �I understand.� Jacqueline nodded.
�Jack, are you putting on some weight?� Alexander asked and Nickolas and Jacqueline looked at each other.
�That was rude, Alex,� Eva said.
�Well you can tell in her face,� Alexander said. �Her cheeks are a little chubby.�
�Well I�m just lying her so I ain�t getting any exercise,� Jennifer replied. �You�d put on a few extra pounds yourself.�
�Right,� Alexander said looking at Nickolas.
�Maybe Jackie should get some rest,� Nickolas suggested. �So she can get better and then work off those few extra pounds for you Alex.� Alexander smiled.
�Baby, I�m fine,� Jacqueline said. �I ain�t tired.�
�We should go anyway,� Eva said. �Just stopped by to see how you were doing.�
�I�m fine,� Jacqueline assured everyone.
�Hope you feel better,� Alexander said. �And sorry for the remark about your weight.�
�Don�t worry about it,� Jacqueline said. �I wasn�t offended.� Alexander nodded.
�We�ll see ya�s later,� Eva said.
�Bye,� the other three said and Eva and Alexander walked out.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�Are you thinking what I�m thinking?� Alexander asked Eva, as they got into his car.
�And what�s that?� Eva asked in return.
�That Jackie�s pregnant?� Eva looked at him. �You don�t think so?�
�I don�t know. If she was, Jack would tell me. She tells me everything and I think that if she was pregnant she�d let me know.�
�Right.� Alexander started driving.
�Why? Did Nick say something to you?�
�No; he just suggested it a couple weeks ago when Jack was in the hospital.�
�Oh.�
�He found a pregnancy box in the hotel garbage, like, a month ago or so.� Eva nodded. �He didn�t find the actual test though.�
�Oh.�
�I�m sure if Jack thought she was pregnant she�d talk to Nick about it.�
�Yeah.�
�Like you said, Alex, it�s really none of our business. If they are we just got to be there for them.� Alexander nodded. �And I will be there for my best friend no matter what it takes.�
�That�s good.�
�She means so much to me and if she�s going to have a baby then she, and Nick, need all the support they can get from friends and family. I�m sure it�s nothing, but just the flu.�
�What about the extra weight?�
�Are you going to judge her now for putting on a few pounds?�
�Of course not. I was just saying.�
�It�s probably just because she�s laid up and Nick is really feeding her to make sure she gets better. I don�t think Jack would hide her being pregnant. She�s always wanted a family with the man she loves.�
�Does she love Nick?�
�Yeah, as far as I know. Why?�
�Well I asked Nick if he was in love with her and he didn�t say if he did. And he didn�t deny it either.�
�Oh.�
�He�s just afraid of getting hurt again like he did with his first real girlfriend.�
�Right.�
�Did she ever admit it to ya?�
�No, but I can tell she does.�
�How so?�
�The look in her eyes when she talks about him and how she lights up when he walks into the room or whenever he�s around.� Eva smiled. �It�s really great to see her happy.�
�Do you feel the same way about me?� Eva looked at him and sighed.
�Yeah, Alex. Yeah I do.� They smiled and she leaned over and kissed him. �I was never this happy.�
�I�m glad you�re happy.�
�So am I.�
�So will you tell me what�s bothering you?�
�Alex, please I don�t want to get into this now. I�m already having a bad week and I don�t want any more shit piled on top of it.�
�I�m sorry. I just know something is wrong with you and I want to know what it is.�
�I can�t tell you, Alex, not right now anyway.� She sighed. �I wish I could, but I can�t.�
�How serious is it?� She looked at him.
�Pretty serious.�
�Alright.�
�I�m sorry, Alex. It�s just that it�s such a big deal and I can�t tell you. I just don�t have the courage to tell you.�
�Does it involve you or someone else?� Eva looked at him again.
�I can�t say.� Alexander nodded. �I want to, but I can�t.�
�I understand. It�s like a doctor/patient confidentiality thing, right?�
�Something like that, but more of a friend/friend confidentiality thing.�
�Ok.�
�I�m glad you understand, Baby.�
�Well it�s the least I can do. Whenever you�re ready to tell me I know you will.�
�I will. I promise.� It just might not be ever, Eva thought to herself while looking out the window. When ya don�t have the courage to do something you never do it. And Eva didn�t have the courage at all. She couldn�t even find it inside her like Jacqueline wanted her to. So far it was something that was going to stay with her for a very long time.
CHAPTER 9
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