Steven Grant

54: Time to die

//Jake's POV//

It's been 2 months since the wedding.  I haven't seen Jo since then.  She is nowhere to be found. 

Not even Marc or Luna know where she possibly could be. She is not at home. That's for sure.

Reporting her missing would probably be pointless since I don't think she was kidnapped. Maybe she's hiding somewhere.

Marc and she didn't really speak to each other, even before the wedding.  It was like they hated each other.

Of course they don't hate each other.  But it feels like they do.

I still remember the day I met Jo. Just like it was yesterday. All those unforgettable moments we shared together.

Before I met her, I never thought that there would ever be someone who would accept and love me despite my flaws. I also never thought that I would ever be able to love someone as much as I love her.

I was so jealous and angry at the time because Marc was lucky that someone like Jo was madly in love with him.  He just never appreciated it. 

Maybe he did, but not in the way he should have.  And I didn't always do everything right either.  I made a lot of mistakes.

But no matter what happened, I always loved her.  And I always will.

The point is, I have missed my chance to be with her.

No matter how hard I try to move on with my life, I just can't get her out of my head.  And even if fate doesn't want us to ever be together,  I can't forget her.

I don't even want to think about her because every time I do I get way too emotional.

I think it's better to get on with my life now.  A fresh start wouldn't be that much of a bad idea.

And as these thoughts race through my head, there's a knock on the door.  I open the door and it's Jo.

She pushes her way into the apartment, crying.

Without saying a word I hug her tightly and all the decisions I made just a few seconds ago don't seem to matter anymore.

All I want right now is to be there for her, to comfort her and distract her from what's bothering her by simply being there for her.

"I found out that he has been cheating on me with Marlene for 5 months now. " I know immediately who she is talking about.  And you can hear the pain in her voice. 

Does Layla even know about this?  It would probably be tactless to ask her exactly that now. I just look at her in bewilderment.

For a full minute it's like she's staring into my soul and then I try to break the silence.

"How did you find out about it? Did anyone else know? Does Layla know? What did you do?"

Wow, too many questions. Slow down, Lockley. You'll shoo her away before she'll be willing to explain everything to you.

"Well, he thought I was going to stay at Agatha's house. And I did. But I told him I would be back in 2 days. So, he thought that I wouldn't notice any of this if I was with Agatha anyway. You know..they were standing in the kitchen, they were so close, making out like they were newlyweds and it all seemed so harmonious.  She even wore his shirt."

I don't know why, but somehow I never expected Marc to be a cheater.  Why is he doing this?  Why is he breaking Jo's heart?

"Layla knows. I went to her place  right after I found out. She figured it out a few hours before I did.  I don't know how.  I don't think Marc even noticed me.  He doesn't know that I know. He was super busy making out with his ex-wife." She continued.