Downplay| Jordan Clarkson & Quincy Brown

•t h i r t y s i x•

"Jordan we're-"

"No, what was it Yara? Did you always love him? Was I just the rebound? Honestly, because as much as I'd love to think you cheated, I don't believe that. So, if you didn't cheat, that means you always loved him and when he came back it didn't matter what I did, I could've been perfect but you still would've chosen him. Right?"

"Jordan, why are we still talking about this? I can't answer the what ifs because regardless of how I felt, you cheated multiple times and showed me that I meant nothing to you. It didn't matter how I felt about Quincy then because I was with you and if you had been perfect, maybe we wouldn't be here or maybe we would because you're right, I do love Quincy. I did in the past before you and I still do now after you. However, we'll never know what would have happened if you were perfect because you didn't give me that option Jordan, you took yourself off the table while I was still trying to make it work. I knew how I felt and I ignored it because we had a family and because it's possible to love two people at the same time."

"So, you do love me?"

"I did love you, but we were never in love with each other. If we were, you would have never cheated and I would've never left that easily. Move on Jordan."

"Yara but-"

Jordan motioned to touch her but Yara moved away, placing herself deeper into her home.

"Jordan we're over, we're co-parenting, and I've moved on, you will too. I saw those paparazzi photos of you and Mylin. I guess you're seeing Jayden a lot more now, huh?"

"We're trying it out again, I owe her that. I was really foul, and she's always been there for me. We don't live together though."

"Okay. Jordan, just take care of our son. I'll see you in two weeks. Make sure you facetime me every night so I can see him?"

"Okay."

There was nothing else to say. Jordan opened his mouth and then closed it before he tightened his grip on the blue suitcase and walked away. Every step burned him. She'd built her life and moved on without him. She didn't want him anymore, but he couldn't say the same. He didn't think he ever would. In the time he'd spent without her, he'd moped around for a while and then after what happened after his last visit, he'd found himself on Mylin's doorstep. She let him in and allowed him to vent before he passed out on her couch snuggled next to their daughter. The next morning they'd made an agreement to try again, and she reluctantly swallowed the fact that Jordan had two kids that were not hers that she'd have to accept.

-

"So, how did the consult go?" Yara queried as she looked between her sisters who were both sipping sangrias. For some reason, just a whiff of one turned Yara's stomach so she was nursing cranberry juice.

"Oh, it was great, Bryn is an absolute sweetheart and his sons are adorable. Right, Ivy?" Isla gushed before she sipped her sangria and flashed a knowing smile at Ivy who waved her off.

"Everything is in order. We told Tina about any new requests as well as documented them so they're all on file." Ivy supplied pragmatically. Her face had an unusual soberness to it, lacking the exuberant glow that was all over Isla's face.

Yara could tell something was wrong, but they were all still learning each other so she didn't push. Instead, she decided to acknowledge how they'd bailed her out.

"Thank you for filling in, honestly, after everything yesterday with Jordan and having to watch Jahi leave even if for just two weeks I wasn't feeling the best."

"It was our pleasure, we've liked spending time with our big sis and birthday party planning is always fun especially for kids." Isla's cheery tone seemed to lift Ivy for just a moment.