Leaving
Alexa’s shaking hands grabbed Thomas’s phone and quickly typed in George’s number.
Thomas was filling out some paperwork in the next room.
“President Washington, how may I help you?” A voice came.
“You knew the whole time!” Alexa hisses.
“Lexi? You’re alive, thank god, where are-”
“Thomas was the reason I was in the car accident. That’s what you were talking about!” Alexandra snaps.
There was silence. “Lexi, I’m sorry for not telling you, but he hurt you and was a threat-”
“No! We were stupid kids. He got it worse than me and I was the one driving. That’s why I got those headaches, right? That’s why I had to take those fucking meds so those memories wouldn’t come back because I had to shoot my best friend,” Alexa accuses.
Warm drops of water hit her collar and Alexandra realized she had strayed to cry.
“Alexandra, please-”
“I trusted you with my life and you tried to make me kill someone I had loved. Bye, dad,” Alexa spit out dad so viciously, she could hear George flinch.
“Lexi, please-”
The line cuts and Alexa collapses to the floor, sobs racking her body.
Suddenly, there were arms around her but they weren’t Thomas’s.
“I’m so sorry,” a voice whispers in condolence.
James Madison, Alexa realizes.
She turns and hugs the man tighter.
James felt his heart break.
How were they going to tell Thomas?
“James, there you- Alexa? Shit, what the hell?” Thomas snaps, punching James out of the way to gently cradle Alexandra in his arms.
“I think it’s best we should go and-” James warns.
“It was me. The girl in the picture. That’s me,” Alexandra manages through choked sobs.
Thomas freezes.
James quietly leaves the room.
This wasn’t his conversation to hear.
“That girl was you?” Thomas asks, voice emotionless.
Alexandra manges to nod.
“So I’ve already managed to hurt you?” Thomas says disbelievingly.
Alexander shakes her head. “No, it wasn’t that bad and-”
“But what if it is next time?” Thomas snaps.
“Thomas, it won’t happen next time,” Alexandra says.
Thomas looks at her, barely concealed hurt in his eyes. “You’re right. Because there’s not going to be a next time.”
He stands and leaves, abandoning Alexa on the floor.
By the time Alexandra stops crying and leaves the room, Thomas’s car is gone and James is waiting in the living room with water and food.
He doesn’t say a word but opens his arms and Alexandra falls in once again.
James was starting to become a comforting presence for her, and the fact that Eliza’s perfume lingered on him helped a lot.
“He’ll be back,” James whispers. “He isn’t stupid enough to let someone as wonderful as you go.”
“But he did,” Alexandra responds. “He won’t come back.
James stays silent.
And Alexandra’s heart breaks when she realizes why.
He doesn’t know if he’s coming back either.