(written by Michelle) Jess staggered down the hallway of her apartment building, she was physically exhausted from work and was in desperate need of a shower. She had just gotten back from her job as the trainer for Philadelphia Flyers, her fourth season there had just ended and she was looking forward to having the entire off season, well, off. She wearily turned her key in her door before looking into her best friend, Jade's door to see if she was still awake. Stepping into her own spacious apartment, Jess immediately knew that Jade had been there.
The room was clustered with Scott's toys and there were dishes in the sink. The only good thing that came out of Jade's visit was the fact that she had picked up Jess's mail. Looking through the letters she stopped at one from Orlando. Tearing open the manila envelope her eyes quickly scanned the letter, it was from the Orlando Magic, asking for her services for next season. Jess vaguely remembered applying for the team while she had been down in the area almost three years ago and for a second she thought about what it would be like to go back there. For that second, and only that second, she reminded herself of the heartache she had gone through and what her best friend had suffered because of those months.
Jess and Brian tried desperately to make it work, and it did for about a year., then things fell to the wayside. He had gone on tour in Europe and gradually the phone calls and emails got fewer and further in between. It wasn't like Jess hadn't tried, but she was quite busy herself. The Flyers had gone on to win 2 Stanley Cups since she had been with them, and keeping that team in shape was a lot of work. So, about a year ago, their contact with each other stopped completely and neither of them made any attempt to re-establish it. Jess often thought it was better like that. If things were really meant to be, they would have worked out. This way, no one really got hurt.
Late at night though, Jess can't stop thinking about what it would be like to have Brian next to her again, or to be his wife, or even the mother of his children. But, then again, last she had heard he had found a new love and they were engaged, another arrow right through Jess's fragile heart. After seeing what Jade had gone through with Kevin and all of that, Jess was kind of glad she was single again. Even though she hadn't gone on many dates, it was still better than having a 3 year old and wondering if the man of your dreams was ever going to come back and be the father of his child. Jess didn't blame her for anything, there were times when she didn't always understand Jade's actions, but she never blamed her.
When Jade first came back here, Jess talked till she was blue in the face, trying to get Jade to go back to Orlando and tell Kevin everything -- she knew he would understand, but Jade refused. The two had gotten into a shouting match over how Jess thought Jade was thick headed and Jade thought Jess was too nosy. They ended up not speaking for 2 hours. Come on, they lived in a small apartment, kind of hard not to talk. They decided that no matter what happened, they were going to stick together. So, they moved here, getting separate apartments so Jess wouldn't be awakened at odd hours by Scott's screaming, and they've been together ever since.
Jess was there when Scott was delivered, when Jade brought him home from the hospital, when he got his first tooth, when he celebrated his first birthday, and when he used the potty for the first time. Jess wouldn't miss those things for the world, but she knew that Kevin wouldn't want to either. Jess knew that Jade missed him dearly, she saw it every time she watches Jade with Scott. Jess knows that Jade doesn't blame Scott for anything, it's just that he looks so much like his father that Jade can't help but think of him. The door to Jess's apartment swung open and Jade entered, looking a little rattled. "You home?" she called, stepping into the apartment.
"What do you think?" Jess asked, rinsing the dirty dishes off. "I see you found the dishes, I meant to do them before you came home, it's just that I got some news today," Jade said, sitting on the counter next to where her best friend stood toiling over the dishes. "What's that?" Jess asked as she finished washing the last dish. She walked into the living room and turned on the TV only to come face-to-face with Brian's as he belted out the words to "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely."
"Argggg," Jess said, covering her face and throwing a pillow at the screen. "I can't seem to get away from him lately," she said, looking up to Jade. "Well, that's what I want to talk to you about," Jade started. "About Brian?? Is everything okay?? You aren't going to tell me that Brian is really Scott's father, are you?" Jess asked, laughing at her joke. "Get real, Brian only had eyes for you," Jade said, taking a seat on the couch next to Jess. "Not anymore," Jess mumbled. "Anyways, about my news. Are you sitting down for this?" Jade asked. "Obviously," came Jess's sarcastic answer. "We're moving back to Orlando," Jade spurted out.
Back to "All That Heaven Has Allowed" Index