Curveball

Chapter 23

Shawn slides his plate and Cora's into the sink as Cora runs into the living room to play with her Barbie's after dinner. His mom walks in a few minutes later with a couple more dishes.

"Any child will want to be with both parents, and you know Jenna won't go," his mom says.

"Huh?" Shawn looks at his mom confused.

"You don't have the quietest phone voice," his mom smiles.

"Janelle threatened me to bring Cora to see her or she's filing a missing child's report..."

"Oh..."

"Yeah," Shawn nods. "She wants me to bring Cora back to Toronto."

"Are you?"

"She's got her argument all figured out mom," Shawn laughs.

"Well, then you'll have to figure out yours. Go back to Toronto, talk with everyone you need to and figure this out."

"Daddy, will you help me with math?"

"Yeah come here," Shawn nods as he pulls her up on the barstool, Shawn standing behind her. "Do you want to go see mommy tomorrow?"

"Really?" she smiles.

"Really," Shawn smiles, a fake one, "and go check on daddy's house?"

"Yes please! Can we drop my math off at school so I can still get my homework sticker?"

"Yes we will drop it off so you can get your homework sticker," he smiles, finishing her homework a few minutes later and running back upstairs to pack her favorite things.

"Are you going to tell Jenna you're going back to her, or let her see it in the news?" his mom asks.

"I'm gonna go over there," he swallows hard standing up.

"I'll put her to bed," she says, patting her son's shoulder and heading upstairs.

Jenna buzzes Shawn up to her apartment, unlocking the door so he can come in, walking around tidying up wearing some flannel pajama pants and a hoodie, her glasses on and hair braided messy down her back. She hears Shawn step in and shut the door behind him. She turns seeing an exhausted man in front of her, eyes red.

"Hey...what's wrong?" she walks over to him.

"I have to leave," Shawn comes out and says it.

"Okay..." she says quietly, going to say something else but stopping and bringing the towels in her arms to the laundry room.

"Like I have to go and stay in Toronto," he says following her to the laundry room.

"I know Shawn," she says putting the towels in the washer and starting it.

"That's it?"

"What do you want me to say? I knew you'd have to leave when you came here."

"I have to leave because Janelle is threatening to take my daughter away from me if I don't have her in Toronto by tomorrow. If I don't, she's filing a missing child's report."

"You don't need to explain anything to me," Jenna looks at him and shrugs. "I'm not your wife. I'm not your girlfriend," she walks past him, her hand brushing across his arm. "Do what you need to for Cora."

"...come with me," he says softly.

"You know that's not possible."

"And why not?"

"Three months ago I told you I wasn't going to be the other woman."

"When I get to Toronto I'm talking to my lawyer. I'm talking to my publicist, and I'm gonna get this all straightened out outside of court and with no press, because the woman I'm in love with isn't her," Shawn laughs, "no way. It has never been her. It's the woman that I told my mom I was gonna marry when I was seven years old."

"Shawn," she sighs softly.

"I tried doing the right thing eight years ago, and it's biting me in the ass right now," he laughs a little. "I love Cora, but I should never have let you go that day you were packing your Jeep up to go to McMaster. Or the day I drove up there, I shouldn't have turned around the moment I saw you..."

Jenna smiles. "People make mistakes and have to live with the consequences. Things happen."

"You love me right?" he asks.

"Shawn...you know I do."

"Are you in love with me?" he swallows hard.

"Yes, I am," she says hopping up on the counter.

Shawn walks over, moving her legs and standing in between her, sliding his hands on her thighs as he leans up and kisses her softly.

"You should go..." Jenna nudges her nose with his.

Shawn smiles, his mouth closed though as he nods, wiping his lip and stepping back. He grabs his keys off the counter and heads for the door.

"Good luck..." she says softly, walking with him.

"Still a no?"

Jenna smiles, sliding her hand onto his back jean pocket, squeezing.

"Cora loves you, and she's gonna miss you," he says sliding his hand back on her neck and looking down at her.

"I'm going to miss her too."

Shawn looks at her knowing he's losing her as he takes a deep breath and leans forward, planting his lips on her forehead, leaving them there for a couple of seconds before pulling away, his hand sliding away from her neck. He puts his hand on the doorknob and opens it, walking out and to the elevator.

"Shawn..." he hears.

"Yep?" he turns, hands in his pockets.

"You have to promise to leave tomorrow morning before I wake up..." Jenna says as a few tears trickle down her cheeks.

"What are you talking about?" he asks.

She walks towards him and kisses him hard, wrapping her arms around his neck as she stands on her tiptoes to reach, leaving her apartment door open. She wraps her arms around his waist as he carries her, pulling her hoodie off as he shuts the apartment door. Shawn lays her down on the bed, sliding her hands under his shirt, pushing it off and sliding her hands down his abs-getting lost in each other.