***Willow Pond***
Jennifer comes in the house and puts her shopping bags down. There is a crazy, wicked storm brewing outside. Thunder and lightning were all around, and the wind was really picking up. The rain was going to start any second.
"Darling, are you home?"
Silence.
She took her bags upstairs and changed into some gray yoga pants and a tank top, and her house shoes.
She came back downstairs and picked up the phone to call Jonathan.
Nothing. Phone's dead.
"Damn".
She turned on the tv to the news, and then went to make herself a cocktail.
She headed to the kitchen and popped a lasagna into the oven, and set the timer and then settled back onto the couch with her cocktail.
The news was all about the weather, and the horrible storms they were predicting for the night.
She picked up the phone and heard a dial tone this time, and tried him at the office.
"Hello, Deanne? Is Jonathan still there?"
"Yes ma'am. There is a board meeting that went long."
"Can you ask him if he wants to speak to me?"
"Sure. One second".
She waited and sipped her cocktail.
"Mrs. Hart, he said no."
"Ok, thank you".
She hung up, feeling confused. He must be really stressed about something if he didn't want to talk to her.
She ate dinner alone, while the storm raged on, and then went upstairs and put on her pajamas.
She was asleep when he got home, around 11.
***The next morning***
Jennifer woke up before Jonathan's alarm went off and got in the shower. She decided to run some errands today, and maybe take a spin class and a yoga class at the gym.
She was downstairs, and had made his coffee and breakfast when he came in the kitchen.
"Morning darling".
"Bye darling".
She kissed his cheek and then grabbed her purse and keys and left.
Jonathan sighed. He had some making up to do.
He ate his breakfast and then started the dishwasher before heading to the office.
***Jennifer***
Jennifer went and had a spa day, to relax. She got a deep tissue massage, and a deep cleansing facial, and a seaweed body wrap.
After all that, she went and picked up his dry cleaning, renewed their car tags, and stopped at the grocery store and stocked up.
She got home around 2, and was putting the groceries away when the phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hi darling. I've been calling you for hours, are you alright?"
"I'm fine".
"Glad to hear it. I was worried".
"I ran some errands and had some appointments, and just got home".
"How about you and me have a special evening tonight?"
"Sure. What time should I expect you?"
"5:30, maybe 6".
"What did you have in mind?"
"It's a surprise, wear something formal, and I will see you at 5:30".
"Great. See you then".
She blew him a kiss as she hung up the phone.
She got all the groceries put away and then went upstairs and took a bubble bath.
She soaked for a really long time, and as she was getting out of the bath, the phone rang. She wrapped a towel around herself and went to grab it.
"Hello?"
"Hi darling. Listen, we had to call an emergency board meeting, and it's going to last all night. So, we are going to have to postpone our evening. I'm sorry".
"It's fine, Jonathan." She sounded annoyed.
"Jennifer, I'm really sorry".
"I heard you. I said it's fine".
"Ok, well I need to get to it. I will see you when I get home, if you are still up".
"Bye darling".
She hung up the phone. She didn't blow him a kiss, and she realized that he hadn't told her he loved her either.
She put on some lounging clothes and hung her gown back in the closet.
She worked on a new novel some, and had dinner alone again, and then went to bed. He came in around 10, and she was already asleep.
***Middle of the night***
She woke up to go to the bathroom, and realized that he was home, and in bed with her.
She was coming back to bed, and realized that she was getting a headache. She went downstairs to get some medicine and some water and laid down on the couch for a minute. She fell asleep and slept there all night.
***Morning***
Jennifer woke up around 7, as another storm was rolling in. She got up and made coffee, and bacon and eggs. She ate and then went upstairs. Jonathan was in the shower, so she went and showered in the guest bathroom.
She was downstairs in the study, and on the phone when Jonathan came in.
"I can definitely make that appointment today. How about 11, here at the house? I can make us lunch".
She saw Jonathan, and waved at him, and pointed at the phone.
He came over and kissed her forehead and then she sat back down, still talking to Marcy.
He left and went to the office, and after she saw him drive out of the driveway, she relaxed a little.
She and Marcy chatted a little longer and then they hung up. She got the house ready for Marcy to come over around 11.
Jennifer had always been really good at processing her emotions, especially where Jonathan was concerned. However, she was in serious need of a vent session.
***Jonathan***
Jonathan was in his office, sitting at his desk. He was trying to figure out how he should approach the situation with Jennifer. She was his everything, but they hadn't been on the same page lately, and it was his fault.
Stanley was looking into something for him, and he was anxiously awaiting the results.
He picked up the phone and called the house.
She answered on the second ring.
"Hello?"
"Hey, it's me."
"Hey. You need something?"
"Just to talk to you."
"That's sweet".
"I'm sorry about last night, couldn't be helped".
"It's ok".
"How about La Scala for dinner tonight?"
"Sounds fine".
"Jennifer, I-"
"Jonathan, I have to go. Someone's at the door".
"I love you".
She had already hung up.
***Jennifer***
Jennifer hung up the phone and went to answer the door. It was Marcy.
"I am so glad you are here".
"Are you ok? You didn't sound like yourself on the phone this morning".
"I guess. Maybe, I don't know".
Marcy put her purse down, and they went to the kitchen.
"I ordered us a Mexican spread from Espana. So, feel free to make yourself a plate."
After they had their plates and drinks, they went to the patio to chat.
"Jennifer, you don't look like yourself, what is going on?"
"I wish I knew. Jonathan has been so distant. He's been out of town about 8 weekends in a row. I offer to go with him, and he says no, it's just going to be work. We make plans, he breaks them. He calls me to apologize, and makes new plans and then breaks those too. I have had dinners alone, gone to bed alone, the whole bit. Used to, he would wake me up when he got home, if I was asleep. Now, he doesn't even try. If we talk on the phone, he hangs up without saying he loves me. And the worst part is I can feel him slipping away, and I don't know even know if there is anything worth saving. I mean, if I was the one slipping away, would he make the effort? There used to be a time where I thought he would, but now I cannot say that for sure any more".
Jennifer wiped her eyes, and took a sip of her drink.
"Have you tried talking to him?"
"Not really. He came into the study this morning when you and I were on the phone, and normally I would have told him to stay and gotten off the phone, but this time I didn't. I called him at the office yesterday, and he was in a board meeting, and I asked his secretary to see if he wanted to talk to me and he said no. That was really hurtful, so I sure wasn't going to give him the time of day this morning. I even took a shower in the guest room this morning. I was hoping that he would go to work without waiting for me, and eventually, he did".
"Jennifer, you and Jonathan have to work this out. You have to talk to him".
"I wouldn't know what to say".
"Tell him how you feel. He cannot fix what he doesn't know needs fixing".
"How could he not know?"
"Well, maybe he does know. Maybe he hopes that he's the only one who does know, and he doesn't know what to do".
"So, you are saying I should stay up and wait up for him tonight? Make him talk to me?"
"Yes, I am. If he is important enough to you that you are upset about it, he's important enough to you to fix it".
"He is important to me. I don't think I am as important to him as I used to be".
"Ok, so that's your first point to make to him. Back it up with evidence, and make sure that he knows exactly how you feel".
Jennifer nodded.
"I hope it's going to be as easy as you are making it sound".
She was quiet for a few minutes.
"I never thought we would end up in this place".
Marcy reached out and took her hand.
"Every couple has a rough patch at some point. If 2 people who love each other don't ever hit a rough patch, they aren't in love with each other. This is totally normal, you just gotta buckle down and get through it".
Jennifer nodded.
"I hope I am not the only one putting in any effort here".
"I am sure you won't be. When I look at the two of you, there is an electricity that you can see between ya'll, that I bet you two don't see. But everyone else can see it. Something tells me that he is feeling just as bad about things as you are".
"I guess we'll see".
She and Marcy cleaned up the kitchen and put the leftovers away, and then moved to the den.
Jennifer had initially invited Marcy over to go over BoardWives stuff, so she grabbed her notebook.
"Jennifer-we can do this another day. Focus on Jonathan and you right now, ok? I will pick up the slack, and I can fill you in. Swear it".
"I think maybe I need to go clear my head. Maybe take a drive through the canyon, go sit on the beach, something".
"That's a great idea. I bet you will feel better and less anxious about talking to Jonathan after you do that. And take your makeup with you, so you can fix your face before you see him. You want to be flawless".
"Great idea".
Jennifer ran upstairs and grabbed her makeup bag, and changed tops into a purple v-neck sleeveless tunic that was just the barest bit shimmery.
"Nice top".
"Thanks, I bought it just yesterday".
Jennifer got her stacked flip flops on, and grabbed her keys and her purse.
"Thanks for coming to talk to me today. I appreciate you". She gave Marcy a long hug.
"We are tight, you know that. I hope it works out the way you want it to".
Jennifer locked the door and then she and Marcy left at the same time.
She drove around through the Canyon, and then decided to head to the beach house.
She heard a ding, and looked down. Her gas light was on, so she pulled into the next gas station. She and Jonathan, and mainly Max, had been getting gas here for years.
She popped the gas tank open, and got out her credit card. She slid it in the slot and then started trying to get gas. It wouldn't pump. She looked at the screen and it said "Declined".
"Declined? That can't be right".
She tried all the other credit cards she had, including the one that was for emergencies only. All declined.
She finally just paid cash for her gas and then sat in the car as it filled up.
She called the bank to see why her debit card wasn't working.
"Ma'am, your account has been closed. You and Mr. Hart had 6 accounts, and 5 have been closed, and one has 4,000 dollars in it. Your personal account is still fluid".
"Who closed our accounts?"
"Let me check. One moment".
Jennifer heard the bank representative typing, and was growing impatient.
"Ok ma'am. On all 5 accounts, they were closed by Jonathan Hart. The one that has $4000 in it, had $950,000 in it, till two weeks ago, when Jonathan Hart made a withdrawal of 946,000 dollars".
"Ok. Can you print that out for me and I will be there in about 5 minutes to pick it up?"
"Certainly. You can even come in the drive-thru. Just ask for Lindsay".
"Thank you, Lindsay".
She hung up, and finished getting gas, and then got back in the car.
She called Jonathan's office.
"Hi, Deanne? I need a favor. I am coming there to speak with him. Please, don't let him leave at all for any reason. Do whatever you have to in order to keep him there, and please don't tell him I coming".
"Yes, Mrs. Hart".
She headed to the bank, got the papers and then headed to Hart Industries to confront Jonathan.
