AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“He’s a jerk, honey,” mom says, just as I expected.
“To heck with pop stars,” Gemma says.
“I just want to go home,” I say. I pull away and begin to walk away from the terminal.
“Wait, don’t we need to go get your bags?” mom asks.
“I left them.” But I’m carrying a lot of baggage.
“You left your clothes?” Gemma is gasping, thinking of all the clothes from her store rotting away in my suitcase. “The pajamas made from imported silk?”
“Don’t worry, Gemma. Marisol will get my stuff shipped back to me. I don’t even have my laptop.”
“Well, what does Jax have to say about this mess?” My mom is outraged.
“He didn’t say anything. He said he wanted to explain. But I didn’t want to hear it. I’m done. I ran off the plane, all the way to a café and called a car.”
“Wait, you were on a plane?” Gemma needs the rest of the details. “Where did you go?”
“Long story. He took me on a private jet to get to the next show.”
“Wow. That’s impressive. So, you didn’t see the news when it broke?”
“No, we were in the air. Getting a couple’s massage and watching my favorite movie like everything was right in the world. I should have known love doesn’t come so easy.”
“There’s something missing,” my mom says. “It doesn’t make sense that he made all this fuss about you.”
“He didn’t know he knocked up some chick, I’m sure,” Gemma says. “I do feel like he had to have some legit feelings for you if he spoke to the media about you, Cailin. Do you want to give him an opportunity to explain?”
“Nope. I’ve already been played as a silly girl. I’m not going to give him the chance to grovel. It’s over. He’s having a child with another woman. There’s no room for me in that equation.”
We get into the car and my mom begins driving home. A 5 Leo Hearts song comes on the radio. Gemma quickly switches the station from the passenger seat. “Those songs certainly all seem like shams now, don’t they?”
Everything feels like it was just in my imagination. I knew it was all too good to be true, but I let myself get swept away. Loving Jax was like going to paradise only to find out there’s a hurricane.
“We will get through this, honey,” Mom says. “Why don’t you stay with me tonight?”
“No, thanks Mom. I need to go home and just have some time to myself. But if you can go to the store and get me some food, that would help. I don’t want to be seen in public right now.”
My mom nods and keeps her eyes on the road.
“I’ll bring Stella over tomorrow to check on you too,” Gemma says. She opens her window.
“Hey, Gem? Did you read any other headlines?” I might as well face whatever is coming my way. I lean my head near my window and let the breeze take me away.
“I didn’t. Do you want me to?”
“No, I’ve read enough for one day.”
Soon enough, I am back inside my apartment. When I first moved in, I stood in this empty room filled with possibility. As soon as I got the offer to go on tour with Jax, I quickly slammed the door on some of my goals. Opting instead, to chase a life-changing opportunity. I wasn’t wrong. This trip did change my life. Just not for the better. Now, I’m still divorced, once again jobless, and suffering from a traumatic heartbreak that I didn’t even feel during my divorce. Oh, and this time, the whole world knows it. Not just my social media followers. Go me.
* * *
JAX
I should have known something like this would happen. It’s like I’m not meant to ever escape my past or my reputation. It always comes back to haunt me. When I first read the headline, all I could do was curse my life. Now I’m sitting alone on this plane and have to walk off without Cailin.
I thought hooking up with Kelly’s friend would bring me out of my funk. Only, I didn’t feel anything special while I was sleeping with her. I felt like garbage because I was once again using a woman to make myself feel better. Someone I knew I wasn’t going to keep around. I know I used protection. Granted, condoms are not one hundred percent effective, but I really didn’t think this would be something I’d need to worry about. I’ve never had a situation like this before, so why now?
