Lucinda laced up her running shoes, and then she exited the house with a light jog. Her feet pumped against the pavement softly as she made her way down the street. This was the first time in months since her last jog on her old route. It was refreshing to take in the smell of redwood trees and damp dirt from the morning dew. A smell she actually missed, yet at the same time reminded her that she was far away from Breeze Bay. A tiny part inside of her was glad to be far away, but in the same thought, there was a pang of lament.

Her feet began pumping faster as she now ran the trail that skimmed the river. She could feel the crunch of twigs under her feet and it brought a smile to her face as the familiarity of her old jogging route continued sinking in. Her lungs filled with cold spring air and her breaths let out small clouds of mist. She ran faster, cutting through trees and stomping the ground. Her arms swiped up and down as she jabbed at the air to really get her blood flowing. Lucinda felt free and for the first time absent minded about everything that brought her back to Redwood Village. Then she rounded a corner with the trail and found herself at the bridge.

The bridge she used to love. The bridge she once jumped off of.

She carefully walked across it, except she didn't feel the same joy or serenity she used to feel when crossing it like before. Lucinda looked down at the pebbles at her feet. They were the same ones she used to collect, but they no longer marveled her. She pushed them about with the toe of her running shoe and sighed. The bridge used to seem so grand to her but now it was just, small. She rested her bottom on the edge, the same way she had done the day she jumped and watched the river below.

It wasn't rushing the way it was on that day she jumped. It was calm and the water was lower. This time she could see the small fish swimming inside and the larger rocks that sat at the bottom of the river. Lucinda shook her head, wondering how she didn't die from cracking her head on one of them. Or how she survived at all?

"It's all in the past now," Lucinda whispered to herself and wrapped her arms around her torso, hugging herself.

Instead of jogging back home, she walked and took in the fresh air and chirping of birds around her. When she turned the corner to her street she saw a car parked in the driveway. It was a silver sedan with tinted windows and definitely a car she didn't recognize. She sprinted over, but there was no one waiting in the passenger seat. When Lucinda reached her front door she turned the doorknob slowly and found that it was unlocked. She crept through the foyer quietly but when she rounded the corner for the living room, she was faced with the intruder.

"I see you haven't changed anything."

"How the HELL did you get in here Sam, or should I say, Aaron!" Lucinda snapped.

"Relax. I still have the spare key you gave me years ago," Aaron replied and jiggled it from his key ring as he nonchalantly sat in the recliner.

"Give it to me!" Lucinda held out her palm.

Aaron removed it from the key ring and tossed it in Lucinda's direction. She watched it land at her feet and stared at. Getting the key back wasn't going to take away the damage Aaron had done. It would forever be stained on her like red wine on a favorite shirt.

"You know, that day we saw each other at the restaurant when I was with Marie and the girls, I was certain you went there on purpose."

"Of course you would assume such a thing," Lucinda hissed.

"I saw you walk in and get seated, all the while I panicked inside thinking you were going to confront my wife... but then you got up and left in such a hurry. I was relieved."

"Why are you here? What's the point of this?"

"You know what's really ironic in all of this? The past few months I've been going over to my father's farm, searching for him and I would even take a detour over here, just to drive by. Thinking I'd catch a glimpse of you, except you weren't even here. You were in Breeze Bay and with my father of all people! This whole time." Aaron stood up from the recliner and Lucinda took a few steps back, out of caution. However, Aaron just stared out of the front window with hands on his hips. "I want you to forget about my father. I want you to stay away from him."

"Not happening," Lucinda said firmly.

"It WILL happen." Aaron now looked at her. "My father can't keep doing whatever he wants and if you think for one second that I would allow you to hurt him or my family, then you are delusional."

"You seem to have things confused." Lucinda folded her arms. "As I recall, YOU hurt your family long ago when you began cheating on your wife."

The corners of Aaron's mouth lifted briefly and he shook his finger at Lucinda. "You've developed some bite, I will give you that, but you're still pathetic."

"Pathetic?" Lucinda scoffed. "Just about as pathetic as a married man who would lie to a young, single girl and even have the audacity to ask her to marry him?"

"Don't play innocent." Aaron took a few steps closer. "How could you not know? All of you girls are the same. You're ok with casual sex but the moment you realize you'll always come second to the wife, you act like little babies."

"It was NOT casual, Aaron!" Lucinda pointed a stiff finger at him. "Don't you dare chalk it up to some fling! And you NEVER mentioned having a wife. At least not until I ran into the two of you in the lobby and you began acting weird, blowing me off and then quickly shuffling her into the elevator. For being a smart, educated man, how could you not assume your wife would visit you at work?"

"Well, I suppose you got me there Lucinda." Aaron stepped closer and took on a calmer voice. "Maybe I did have a moment of weakness in my marriage. When you've been married for fifteen to eighteen years, sometimes you lose sight of the bigger picture. So maybe I did almost risk it all for the attractive young blonde at work. Maybe I did think I was in love and wanted to start from scratch with someone who made me feel alive again..."

Aaron placed his hands on Lucinda's folded arms and caressed them with his thumbs. He stared at her intensely and then moved his hands up to her shoulders and continued to rub her arms, up and down. A smile began to slowly appear on his face and for a brief moment, Lucinda saw the handsome face she fell in love with years ago. The kind eyes that first landed on her when they met in the elevator and how even just the slightest gaze used to give her butterflies... but then she remembered it wasn't real. Not even his own father believed his words.

"Stop touching me," Lucinda said as she wiggled away. "You're making me uncomfortable."

"Come on..." Aaron stepped closer. "We can be friends. I know I've been a jerk, but we can be civil."

"You're insane," Lucinda hissed. "One moment you're telling me to stay away and now you're telling me we can be friends?"

"Look." Aaron's tone returned to the one she had come to know. "I was trying to be nice but since you're choosing to be uncompromising, I guess I'll have to be more aggressive about this."

Lucinda rolled her eyes and stepped back into the foyer. "Look, I got the message loud and clear at the hospital, I don't need you to bombard me in my own home. Can you please leave now?"

"Not until I hear you say that you'll leave my father alone," Aaron said while grabbing her elbow.

"I'm not going to tell your wife if that's what you're really worried about, ok?" Lucinda pulled her elbow out of his grip. "Now will you please leave?" she said firmly.

"Not until you promise." Aaron grabbed Lucinda's arm again "Or so help me I will-"

"You will what?" Lucinda barked.

Aaron leaned in and gripped tighter. "Stay away from my family."

"Let go of me!" Lucinda growled as she pulled away again but Aaron grabbed for her wrist forcefully, causing her to yelp. "You're hurting me!"

Lucinda ripped free and spun around to head for the door but Aaron grabbed her by her shoulders and slammed her into the nearest wall. She let out a scream of pain but he kept her pinned even though she pushed against him, panicking. She cried out, hammering her fists on his chest with complete terror as he clamped his arm to her throat.

"Shut up!" Aaron growled. "No one can hear you!"

But Lucinda could only think of getting away so she thrust her knee upward and into Aaron's groin. He gasped and released his grip from her with enough of a chance for her to slip away. Except, he grabbed at her clumsily, causing them both to fall to the floor with a thud. Lucinda twisted and squirmed from under him, trying to crawl to the front door but Aaron pulled her by the legs back to him. Despite her kicking to break free, he pinned her down again. When she wouldn't stop screaming, he slammed her head on the floor which caused her vision to go fuzzy with a sprinkle of stars. She could see a moving blur above her and then there was nothing.

🌲🌲🌲

"Was Aaron here earlier?" Sylvia asked as she set a fresh flower arrangement down on the table next to Merrill.

"No. I've banned him from visiting."

"Oh... well, Marie can't get a hold of him," Sylvia replied.

"Probably for the best," Merrill grunted. "He's caused enough trouble as it is."

"Dad," Sylvia began as she sat at the foot of the hospital bed. "I think you and Lucinda should spend some time apart. With your heart attack-"

"Oh, not you too!" Merrill snapped. "I'm so tired of you and your brother thinking you know what's best for me."

"Dad... it's just that... well, if you only knew." Sylvia shook her head.

"What? That Aaron was having an affair and the woman was Lucinda?" Merrill sat up straight. "I already know."

"You know?" Sylvia drew her face back in shock.

"How do you think I got this heart attack. I was so furious with your brother I nearly knocked his head off!"

"Dad... if you know this, then I'm sure you understand why I think its best you stay away from each other."

"Sure." Merrill shrugged. "I understand, but something you need to understand, Sylvia, is that Lucinda is not at fault here."

"But what about Marie? How would she feel if she found out about what Aaron did and that you're friends with the woman he cheated with?"

"That's up to your brother to tell her and Lucinda is just as much of a victim in this as Marie is," Merrill explained. "Lucinda didn't know Aaron was married. Hell, she didn't even know that we all call him Aaron instead of Samuel. He lied to her."

Sylvia let out a deep sigh. "I just don't understand how the two of you met. Seems like too good of a coincidence and truthfully dad, I don't know if I can trust her. Not after knowing she and Aaron had an affair"

"It wasn't just an affair Sylvia. He asked the girl to marry him, for goodness sake. She was even planning a wedding!"

"Which concerns me even more!" Sylvia exclaimed as tears began gathering in her eyes.

"What should concern you is how your brother took a broken girl and broke her even more. She tried to kill herself," Merrill replied. "THAT'S how we met."

"What? I'm not following... did you find her or something?"

"Yes. She jumped off of that bridge up by Cold Creek trail. Floated all the way to my property and I pulled her out of the water."

"Oh my goodness..." Sylvia covered her mouth and shook her head as the tears collected in her eyes.

"Well no need to get emotional Sylvia," Merrill joked, making light of it as he rubbed his daughter's arm.

"It's not that, dad."

"Then what?"

Sylvia chewed her lip with hesitation "...George knew. He knew about the affair, dad."

"What?" Merrill sat up straighter.

"He knew." Sylvia nodded. "After the hospital when you were still in Breeze Bay, George and Aaron were whispering in the hotel lobby and after that, he was acting strangely. So I kept pressing him on it until we had a huge blow-up and he finally came clean. He said he covered for Aaron back when he was having the affair with Lucinda and that he even spent some time with both of them on a few occasions after work. They would grab dinner and sometimes just drinks. He said that Aaron seemed pretty infatuated with Lucinda, but he knew that he'd snap out of it and go back to Marie, so he never said anything."

Sylvia began sobbing and her torso shook as she sat there crying. Any other time Merrill would have consoled her but he was too shocked to move. Not only was his son a piece of work but apparently his son-in-law was on the same level. How could he cover for Aaron? How could he lie to Sylvia and look Marie in the eyes, knowing what Aaron was doing?

"I'm just so confused dad," Sylvia said through tears. "But at the same time, things are starting to make sense. Years ago George and I were going through a hard time because he was spending extra hours at work, but as it turns out he was just covering for Aaron." Sylvia wiped her eyes. "And I'm not sure I can trust George anymore. I even asked him flat out if he's ever had an affair at work, but he got really quiet and then said no. How can I believe him? I think he's lying, because if he can hide such a huge secret for Aaron, then what else is he capable of hiding?"

"I'm so sorry Sylvia." Merrill took his daughter's hand in his. He couldn't help but wonder the same thing. "We'll get through it. You're strong. Like your mom."

🌲🌲🌲

Lucinda woke up to her face being patted. At first, her vision was still blurry but then the haze cleared and she saw a woman's face above hers. Lucinda's eyes went wide and her body squirmed as another voice tried to calm her.

"Ma'am I need you to lay still," the woman said. Lucinda looked to her side and saw a man next to her and she realized now that they were EMTs. "On one... two... now lift..." Lucinda felt her body rise from the ground. "How's your vision ma'am?"

"Fine..." Lucinda replied. Her voice hoarse and mind still fuzzy.

"Good. Can you remember what happened to you?"

"I... was... attacked."

"A police officer will take your statement once we get you to the hospital. Ok?"

"Ok," Lucinda replied with her head now in increasing in pain.

"We're sending your dog to the vet as well. Looks like she got banged up pretty bad trying to defend you."

"Oh no..." Lucinda closed her eyes as she thought of how devasted Merrill would be. "Do you think she'll be ok?"

"She was wagging her tail a little when we arrived. I think that's a pretty good sign."

Lucinda felt her body slide into the ambulance and then the EMTs climbed in with her and closed the double doors.

"Who found me?"

"We're not sure. It was an anonymous call."

"Anonymous?" Lucinda repeated as she closed her eyes and Aarons face flashed in her mind. She immediately opened her eyes again. "Was I raped?"

"It doesn't look like it, your clothes were still intact, but we'll need to have someone check you out anyway, just to make sure. Are you experiencing any pain at the moment?"

Lucinda shook her head, no. Then a tremendous scare came over her and her body began to shiver. She remembered being slammed into the wall and then falling hard on the floor.

"Ma'am, I need you to relax," the woman said calmly as she was trying to attach an IV tube into her arm. "You're causing your heart rate to increase. I don't want to sedate you so please, breathe in and breathe out," she said, motioning with her hands up and then down. "Follow my breaths."

With tears in her eyes, Lucinda breathed in slowly and then exhaled slowly. Together she and the woman breathed but Lucinda was so scared to lose what little faith in her future she had left. So far, through all of the recent pain, it was the only thing encouraging her to wake up in the morning and she couldn't lose it. Not after everything she was able to learn and overcome. Not after turning her life around. Lucinda's lips quivered and she wiped the tears from her eyes with a shaky hand.

"I'm pregnant. Do you know if the baby will be ok?"

"We'll find out at the hospital. Just try to stay calm for now."

As the ambulance pulled away from her home and weaved its way towards the road, Lucinda prayed for the little life growing inside of her to be stronger than she was.