Chapter Ten - The Divided House
"I am Dr. Anthony Dreyfus. I've got good news and bad news." He said. "The good news is that your wife is okay, she'll be awake in a few hours from now. The bad news, well your wife lost a lot of blood. The steel bar pierced her... Ovaries. Which caused a lot of internal bleeding and damaged her... Ovaries. I am so sorry to tell you that, we lost the baby. The baby was still in its premature state and it was hit. Sir, there's a probability that your wife won't be able to get pregnant again. I am so sorry." He said.
Jack got angrier and punched the glass wall causing it to break and wounded his fist. Tiffany's dad and George pulled him back and made him sit down. Xavi and Tiff's mom followed Dr. Dreyfus to Tiff's room.
"Get a hold of yourself. You're acting like you're a child!" Charlie, Tiff's dad lectured. "Jack, I know this is hard on you. It's not easy for me too, but you have to be a man and face the reality..." He got cut off.
"It's my fault. I never should've left her in Venice and let her drive up all the way to Rhode Island. (Sobs) it's my fault! I did this to her!" Jack cried out. George slapped him.
"Jack, pull yourself together, chap! Tiffany wouldn't want you to cause a scene. At least she's alive." George said.
"If you want to see your wife, you have to get your act together. This is pathetic, Jack. We're all hurting inside and broken but you don't have to lose your temper and cause damages. This is not you, Jack." Charlie yelled and manhandled him on the chair.
"Charlie, just let go. Let him breathe." George said.
"You don't know how I'm feeling (Charlie let's go, Jack stands) Losing Tiffany would mean losing everything. I love her so much and I'm not ready to lose her. I vowed to love her til death do us part, but I don't want her to part from me yet. There hasn't been a time that I was never thinking about her, she's always on my mind. If she dies apart of me dies, and I would have to live my life in torment. I have a lot of regrets and mistakes but now I understand why. She gives me clarity, makes me feel loved, she's my everything and if I lose her, I'd lose myself too!" Jack yelled as tears fell from his eyes then he walks away from Tiff's dad and George and tries to find Tiffany's room.
He asked the nurse to lead him to his wife's room. When he got there he looked through the window the blinds were half open. He saw Tiff's mom hold her hand as Xavi puts his arms around his mom. Tiffany wasn't awake yet and he didn't want to disturb them. Tiff's dad and George finally caught up to him and waited with him outside the room.
"I don't know what I'm gonna say to her." Jack opened the topic. He puts his hands on his face and leaned forward to get the blood rushing. "I've been up since yesterday and what it's like three in the morning today. I don't know what to do." He said. "Just tell her the truth." Tiffany's dad said. Jack gave a loud sigh.
"Guys, she's awake." Xavi said as he goes out the room. Tiffany's dad goes in except for Jack and George. Then after Tiff's mom and dad left the room, Jack went inside and walked to the side of Tiff and held her hand.
"Hi Jack." She said her voice still weak from the operation. "How are you feeling, honey?" He asked. "I feel frail but I'm fine." She said weakly. Jack didn't say anything and just held her hand. "So how was your trip, sweetie?" She asked as if nothing had happened to her. Jack cleared his throat, "Uhm it was okay. Tiff, listen there's something I have to tell you..." He trailed off and looked away. He couldn't bare looking at her.
"What is it, Jack?"
"T-the doctor told us that w-when the steel bar p-pierced (long pause, looks down and closes his eyes) your o-ovaries... They damaged them too. A-and he said there's a possibility that you m-might not..." He trailed off.
"Might not what?"
"Might not get p-pregnant again. We lost the baby, I'm so sorry." He said and cried on her hand and kissed it.
Tiff was shocked and saddened by this news. She began to cry and held Jack's hand tight. She felt hurt and anger in her. When she couldn't contain her feelings she let go of Jack and smashed some of things inside the room. The nurses rushed inside and injected anesthesia to calm her down and put her to sleep.
Jack had to go outside and wait. "Everything was going great until today." He thought to himself. Then Jack's parents and Matt arrived at the hospital. "Jack?" His mom said as she approached him. He quickly hugged her and cried on her shoulder.
"Mom, I'm so scared. I don't know what to do. I feel so helpless letting her suffer for my mistake." He cries out to his mom. "It's not your fault, stop blaming yourself." His mom said and hugged him tight. "It's all my fault!" He shouted. But his mom just let him sink in her arms and hugged him tight.
A few hours later, Tiffany had calmed down and was asleep. Jack went inside her room and held her hand. He kissed her forehead and stroked her hair. A tear dropped from his left eye, then he let go of her hand and sat down on the chair beside her bed then he fell asleep.
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The next day, Tiffany was allowed to be discharged from the hospital already. It was already night time about 7 o'clock Jack finished packing all the stuff they brought to the hospital, and Tiff was practicing to walk or like participate in rehab the whole day so he didn't see her.
Then they reunited in her room. "How are you feeling?" Jack asked nicely. Tiffany didn't answer him but just gave him a cold shoulder. He tried to hold her hand but she pulled away.
As they make their way to the exit of the hospital, they were swarmed by the paparazzi when the doors opened. Jack quickly held Tiffany's hand and protected her together with the bodyguards making their way to their car.
When they arrived home, Tiffany went straight to bed while Jack had some paperwork to do and it bothered him that Tiffany wasn't talking to him or to anyone. Then he went up to their room, he opened the door a little just to take a glance at Tiffany if she was doing okay. He saw Tiffany sitting on their bed and crying. He goes in and sits beside her and puts his arms around her. She sank into him saying nothing as she continues to cry. Then suddenly, she pulls away and pushes him.
"Get out!" She yelled.
"Tiff, you don't have to do this." He whispered and stood up extending his hand.
"Jack, get out!" She said while facing Jack.
Jack looked at her hurting, with tears falling down from her eyes and her face all red. All he could think at that moment was how heart broken she was and just wanted some space. He still thought it was his fault and just left the room instead. He walked out of the room and went to his office. He poured himself a glass of whiskey and sat on the couch. He blamed himself for what happened to Tiffany, a tear dropped from his eye and then drowned in alcohol. Eventually he finished the whole bottle of whiskey and passed out in his office.
Tiffany looked out of the tall window that had the view of the city. Her tears still pouring out from her eyes as she gazes into the city. "Why?!" She thought to herself. Of all the things that had happened to her, it took a split second to take away what was supposed to be the greatest thing that would've happened to her - bearing a child.
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In a week's time, Tiffany had locked herself up in her room while Jack works everyday either writing in his office or in the studio or visiting the sets of his upcoming movies.
One day, he strolls around Central Park and sits on one of the benches. He reflects on what had happened to him these past few weeks. He knows he was losing Tiffany, but he didn't want to let go of her. As he looked up he saw Tiffany walking alone eating ice cream in the park. This was the first time he saw her physically and outside of the house. He stands up and follows her. They reach Bow Bridge and she stops on the center and looked over the water. He walked towards her and stood beside her leaning on the railings.
"You look beautiful today, Tiff." He said and looked at her but she didn't say anything to him. "This is the first time I've seen you out of your room. It's really refreshing to see you." He added but Tifanny ignored him again. "Are you here searching for inspiration for your new designs?" He continued but there was no response again. Jack got really angry and grabbed Tiffany's shoulders and forced her to face him. "Look at me!" He yelled clasping his hands on her shoulders.
"I need you, Tiff. I need you to need me. I want you to want me. I have to hear your voice again." He exclaimed. "This is so hard for me too, Tiff. I want to go back to the way we were before the accident happened." He continued. "We can try to make a family. We can adopt, or foster children and..." He got cut off. Tiffany raised her hand at him.
"Jack, you don't get it. Maybe one day, not today, I'll be what you need. But don't wait too long because the day you want me, may be the day I've finally given up. Look what's become of us, being with you is a daily reminder of one failed shot of having a family and you don't even trust anything I say to you. Falling in love with you was never a choice, Jack. I love you so much that I end up hurting myself in the process. I'm not mad at you, Jack, I'm mad at myself for always being nice and apologizing for things I didn't do and I know you hate me for shutting you out. I need to find myself again, Jack. I need to love myself before I'll love you again. I need to be whole again before I go back to that divided house." She said and then walked away from him.
Jack grabbed her hand and made her look at him again. "I'm sorry I overeact sometimes, I just wanted to be someone to you. I don't hate you, okay? I'm never gonna hate you. I just act like I do because it's easier than admitting that I miss you so much. And I bet you didn't know that I cry myself to sleep everynight thinking of you. Replaying the mistakes I've made and done to you and wonder where I went off track. I've tried really hard, why can't you see that? Is it enough? Am I enough for you, Tiff?" He pleaded.
"I honestly don't know what to say to you anymore, Jack." She said and puts her hand on his cheek and he settles into it. "I love you, Jack but I need to fix myself... Alone. I'm going away for a couple of months to get my mind off of things. I need a fresh start, I need to get out of New York and I need you to forget about me." She said as her voice breaks.
"You can't do this to me, Tiff." He said as tears started to fall. "Stay with me, please." He begged and hugged her tight. They stayed like that for a while, he could feel Tiffany cry and then he wiped it with his hands and looked her in the eye.
"I will wait for you." He said.
"Don't. I've gotta go." She said.
And Tiffany ran off leaving Jack speechless and in sadness. Jack walked to one of the benches and sat there crying. He thought to himself, he just let go of the person that means a lot to him. Sometimes it's the people you love the most that hurts you the most.
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"I let her get away." Jack sighed as he hugs his brother.
"Don't you wanna go after her?" Matt asked.
"I'm just gonna give her some space." Jack sighed.
"Is that what you want?" Matt asked.
"Of course not... She said she doesn't wanna go back to that divided house." Jack replied.
"You're her home, Jack." Matt said.
Jack sprung up ran to his car and left Matt's house abruptly.
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Where do you think he's going? Why the sudden decision to run off without saying good bye to his brother?