Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Six
Lisa hesitated for a moment before dialing Rachel's number. She wasn't sure what to expect, but she knew she had to get to the bottom of things.

As soon as Rachel picked up, Lisa was bombarded with a barrage of shouting and yelling. "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? I'VE BEEN CALLING YOU NONSTOP! WHY DIDN'T YOU PICK UP?"

Lisa was taken aback by Rachel's intensity. She held the phone away from her ear for a moment, taken aback by the volume. "Rachel, calm down! What's going on?" Her voice barely above a whisper.

Rachel's tone didn't change, but she managed to get out a few coherent sentences. "I know you're probably busy, but you should have known it was urgent! I called you so many times!"

Lisa's confusion turned to concern. What could have gotten Rachel so agitated? "Rachel, what happened? Tell me!"

Rachel just kept yelling, her words tumbling out in a frantic stream. "I'M GOING TO GET MARCUS ARRESTED! CAN YOU BELIEVE HE CAME TO THE HOUSE LOOKING FOR YOU AND TRASHED THE PLACE! HE CRASHED ARCHIE'S PARTY AND LEFT A MESS!"

Lisa's eyes widened in shock. Marcus? What was Rachel talking about? 

"Rachel, slow down! What are you talking about? What did Marcus do?" Lisa tried to interrupt, but Rachel just kept talking, her words pouring out in a furious torrent.

Lisa's mind was racing, trying to process what Rachel was telling her. She had no idea what Marcus had done, or why he had shown up the house. 

"Rachel, slow down! What are you talking about? What did Marcus do?" Lisa asked again, trying to get Rachel to calm down and explain what had happened.

Rachel just kept yelling, her voice hoarse from shouting. "HE CAME TO THE HOUSE, LOOKING FOR YOU! HE WAS YELLING AND SCREAMING, DEMANDING TO KNOW WHERE YOU WERE! HE TRASHED THE LIVING ROOM, KNOCKED OVER CHAIRS AND TABLES, AND EVEN SPILLED DRINKS EVERYWHERE!"

As Rachel continued to rant, Lisa's mind was racing with thoughts and questions. What had triggered Marcus's outburst?

Lisa tried to process everything Rachel was telling her, but it was hard to keep up. Rachel's words were tumbling out so fast, and Lisa's mind was reeling with shock and confusion.

But one thing was clear: Marcus had crossed a line, and Lisa needed to find out why. She needed to talk to Marcus, to find out what had driven him to such extreme behavior, and what he wanted from her. And she needed to make it clear that his actions were unacceptable.

Just as Lisa ended the call with Rachel m, and was still trying to process the shocking news from Rachel, Jaime walked into the room, oblivious to the drama that had just unfolded. Lisa quickly tried to compose herself, not wanting to alarm Jaime.

"Hey, how's Emma doing?" Lisa asked, trying to sound normal.

Jaime smiled sympathetically. "She's resting. The doctor said she needs to take it easy for a while."

Lisa nodded, feeling a pang of concern for her. "I'm glad she's okay. I was worried sick about her."

Jaime nodded understandingly. "I know. We all were. But she'll be fine. She just needs some rest."

As they chatted, Jaime started to steer the conversation towards Lisa, asking her about her plans and what she wanted to do next. Lisa tried to respond, but her mind kept wandering back to the conversation with Rachel and the drama with Marcus.

Jaime, however, seemed oblivious to Lisa's distraction. He kept talking, trying to engage her in conversation, and even flirted with her a bit, making jokes and teasing her playfully.

But Lisa was too preoccupied to notice Jaime's advances. She was still reeling from the news about Marcus and was trying to figure out what to do next.

Jaime started talking about Mike and Emma's situation. "You know, Mike and Emma have been together for a really long time. They're one of those couples that just makes sense."

Lisa nodded, smiling slightly. "Yeah, they seem really happy together."

Jaime nodded enthusiastically. "They are! And now, with the baby on the way, it's like their relationship has reached a whole new level."

Lisa smiled politely.

Jaime continued, "I mean, it's not every day you see a couple that's been together for so long still so in love. It's really inspiring."

Lisa raised an eyebrow, starting to feel a bit uncomfortable. Was Jaime trying to hint at something?

Jaime kept talking, his voice low and smooth. "And I think it's because they've just got that special something. You know, that spark that keeps the relationship alive."

As the conversation went on, Lisa found herself zoning out, unable to keep up with Jaime's banter. She knew she needed to get out of there and clear her head.

"Jaime, I think I'm going to head out," Lisa said suddenly, standing up and gathering her things.

Jaime looked surprised but nodded understandingly. "Okay, no problem. I understand if you want to leave."

Lisa smiled weakly, feeling a bit guilty for abandoning Emma and the others. "I'll check in on Emma later, okay?"

Jaime nodded, walking Lisa to the door. "Sounds good. Take care of yourself, Lisa."

As Lisa stepped out of the house, she felt a sense of relief wash over her. She needed some time to herself to process everything that had happened. She took a deep breath, feeling the cool air fill her lungs, and started walking, unsure of where she was going but knowing she needed to get away.