How Do You Heal a Broken Heart?
Rating: PG
Not mine.they just use my head for a playground sometimes! :0)
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Max. . . I'm really not sure what's wrong right now. I'd taken the night off from the Pogue and Jordan came over for dinner ~ well, she got here mid- afternoon. Mumbled something about "comp time" and proceeded to say very little else. I've said it before ~ when she gets monosyllabic something's really wrong. But I couldn't get anything out of her. Add that to the fact that her eyes looked even emptier than they often do ~ and yet on the verge of tears that kept threatening to burst forth ~ and I got really concerned. It wasn't long after dinner that she said something about sleeping at my place ~ said something like her building was being fumigated and they'd all been told that if they could find somewhere else to stay for a night or two it would be better. I know it happens occasionally, but usually if it's something with a whole building you hear about it on the news ~ but I have no reason to doubt her. So of course I said it was fine and she trudged up the stairs to her room (which I'd put back to "normal" from Evelyn's "craft room" idea). Problem ~ it was only about 7:30 and I've never known Jordan to go to bed that early even as a baby! My first instinct was to follow her and try to talk about what was bothering her, but then reality kicked in and I realized that making her talk before she was ready wouldn't do any good. My mind raced trying to figure out what it was. Work? It's always a possibility, but I think she would have said something if anything had happened there. And Garret has always given her every possible chance and will do anything to help her if things get nuts. The stuff with Emily again? Possible, but not likely given her sparse dinner conversation. She's never been one to hold her tongue on that particular subject. Which pretty much leaves romance. Yeah, it sort of fits her pattern when her heart's broken. But I don't understand what could have happened, unless. . . Maybe I'd better call Garret and see if he knows anything just so I know what I'm. . . What is that noise that I. . .? Oh God, she's sobbing her heart out. Not just little sobs, big, gut-wrenching sobs like I hardly ever hear her cry. She didn't even notice that I opened the door just enough to check on her. I hate seeing her like this ~ hate even more not knowing why. I wonder if she'd talk if I. . . Phone. Should I get it or. . .? Yeah, caller ID says it's the morgue. I'll just step out in the hall and take this one. Maybe it'll shed some light on the situation.
"Hello?"
"Max! It's Garret."
"Hi. What's up?"
"Max, I was wondering if. . . I, um. . . Max? Is Jordan with you?"
"Yeah, she is. She came in about mid-afternoon, we had dinner, then she asked if she could stay here ~ said something about her building being fumigated."
"That would explain why she's not answering her phone there, then."
"Garret? Is something wrong? She said that she had 'comp time' when she came in and. . ."
"No, no. That was right. I gave her the afternoon off. She looked like she needed it."
"Rough case?"
"Not exactly. . . Max, what exactly has she told you?"
"Not a lot. She hardly said a word through dinner ~ and come to think of it she didn't eat a lot. Then the thing about the building ~ I know it happens, but when it's a whole building you usually hear or see something about it. And right now she's up on her bed sobbing like her heart's broken."
"Oh God. Max, I'm going to tell you what I know only because if it was Abby I'd want someone to tell me."
"Should I sit down?"
"I don't think so ~ it's nothing like that. Max, Woody left yesterday."
"Left?"
"He got some snazzy offer to work with that group he worked with out in LA last spring and he just left. Apparently a couple of days ago, Jordan woke up and he was gone ~ not a trace of anything of his at. . . Um, maybe I said too much there."
"No, no. I suspected. And she is a consenting adult now. Actually I'd been pretty happy about things ~ he seemed to be so good for her."
"Yeah, that's what we all thought, too. But she came into work and just went about her stuff. No mention of anything out of the ordinary. I noticed that she didn't really take lunch, which they'd been having together for a while, but I figured maybe he'd called and something had come up. And then the mail came today."
"The mail?"
"Yeah. He'd just written her a note and stuck it in the mailbox. That was it."
"Oh God."
"I only saw it because I went to see her about something and found her just sitting on the edge of her desk, staring into nothingness. The note had fallen from her hand, and I reached down to pick it up. Given that it was Jordan, I figured looking at whatever had caused this was probably a good idea."
"Right. What did it say?"
"Something like 'Jordan. The Sunset Division called. I can't pass it up. I'm moving to LA. Woody.' Just very basic, very sketchy ~ and no mention of any of the emotion he's shown around her since he started here. That's when I got the part about his stuff all being gone out of her. Max, I think. . ."
"That's what got to her. I know she's been on his side of this before, the leaving part. But I really thought that he loved her."
"I know, Max. We all did."
"And I know that in spite of herself, she'd fallen in love with him. She doesn't let that happen very often."
"She talked with you about it?"
"She didn't have to. I could see it in her eyes ~ for once there was genuine light in them. She's been so happy the past couple of months. I knew that this reaction seemed familiar ~ I just couldn't place from where."
"Huh?"
"Oh, sorry Garret. It's just that there's only been one other time when she's let herself fall in love ~ and gotten her heart broken."
"Oh. Ok."
"You know, I'd better go in there and see if I can get anything out of her. Or at the very least, let her know just by my presence that she's not alone. I mean, I know she's a grown woman, but she's still my little girl."
"I totally understand, Max. Let me know if there's anything I can do."
"Will do. Thanks for calling Garret."
"Bye."
Max. . . So that explains it. Sort of. I have to say, I've definitely not seen this twist coming. All the time he spent chasing her only to stop and run when she finally decided to let herself admit that she felt something. Surely after all that they've gone through he understands that it's just very hard for her to. . . She seems a little calmer now than when the phone rang. I'll just sit here on the bed and. . .
"Dad? Who was on the phone?" Jordan's muffled voice came from somewhere in the pillows on her bed.
"It was Garret, sweetheart. He was just making sure that you were ok. He seemed really concerned."
"Oh. Ok." Still no sign of turning her head. Then finally she rolled over and there was no hiding the pain she was in ~ it was all over her face. "So I guess he told you what happened?"
"You mean about. . .?"
"He left, Daddy! He left me!" And she was sobbing again, but at least this time in my arms. I really wasn't sure what I could do except just be there for her. I wasn't sure that what helped last time would work ~ and even if it would, I didn't know if I could do it. . .
. . .to be continued. . .
Not mine.they just use my head for a playground sometimes! :0)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Max. . . I'm really not sure what's wrong right now. I'd taken the night off from the Pogue and Jordan came over for dinner ~ well, she got here mid- afternoon. Mumbled something about "comp time" and proceeded to say very little else. I've said it before ~ when she gets monosyllabic something's really wrong. But I couldn't get anything out of her. Add that to the fact that her eyes looked even emptier than they often do ~ and yet on the verge of tears that kept threatening to burst forth ~ and I got really concerned. It wasn't long after dinner that she said something about sleeping at my place ~ said something like her building was being fumigated and they'd all been told that if they could find somewhere else to stay for a night or two it would be better. I know it happens occasionally, but usually if it's something with a whole building you hear about it on the news ~ but I have no reason to doubt her. So of course I said it was fine and she trudged up the stairs to her room (which I'd put back to "normal" from Evelyn's "craft room" idea). Problem ~ it was only about 7:30 and I've never known Jordan to go to bed that early even as a baby! My first instinct was to follow her and try to talk about what was bothering her, but then reality kicked in and I realized that making her talk before she was ready wouldn't do any good. My mind raced trying to figure out what it was. Work? It's always a possibility, but I think she would have said something if anything had happened there. And Garret has always given her every possible chance and will do anything to help her if things get nuts. The stuff with Emily again? Possible, but not likely given her sparse dinner conversation. She's never been one to hold her tongue on that particular subject. Which pretty much leaves romance. Yeah, it sort of fits her pattern when her heart's broken. But I don't understand what could have happened, unless. . . Maybe I'd better call Garret and see if he knows anything just so I know what I'm. . . What is that noise that I. . .? Oh God, she's sobbing her heart out. Not just little sobs, big, gut-wrenching sobs like I hardly ever hear her cry. She didn't even notice that I opened the door just enough to check on her. I hate seeing her like this ~ hate even more not knowing why. I wonder if she'd talk if I. . . Phone. Should I get it or. . .? Yeah, caller ID says it's the morgue. I'll just step out in the hall and take this one. Maybe it'll shed some light on the situation.
"Hello?"
"Max! It's Garret."
"Hi. What's up?"
"Max, I was wondering if. . . I, um. . . Max? Is Jordan with you?"
"Yeah, she is. She came in about mid-afternoon, we had dinner, then she asked if she could stay here ~ said something about her building being fumigated."
"That would explain why she's not answering her phone there, then."
"Garret? Is something wrong? She said that she had 'comp time' when she came in and. . ."
"No, no. That was right. I gave her the afternoon off. She looked like she needed it."
"Rough case?"
"Not exactly. . . Max, what exactly has she told you?"
"Not a lot. She hardly said a word through dinner ~ and come to think of it she didn't eat a lot. Then the thing about the building ~ I know it happens, but when it's a whole building you usually hear or see something about it. And right now she's up on her bed sobbing like her heart's broken."
"Oh God. Max, I'm going to tell you what I know only because if it was Abby I'd want someone to tell me."
"Should I sit down?"
"I don't think so ~ it's nothing like that. Max, Woody left yesterday."
"Left?"
"He got some snazzy offer to work with that group he worked with out in LA last spring and he just left. Apparently a couple of days ago, Jordan woke up and he was gone ~ not a trace of anything of his at. . . Um, maybe I said too much there."
"No, no. I suspected. And she is a consenting adult now. Actually I'd been pretty happy about things ~ he seemed to be so good for her."
"Yeah, that's what we all thought, too. But she came into work and just went about her stuff. No mention of anything out of the ordinary. I noticed that she didn't really take lunch, which they'd been having together for a while, but I figured maybe he'd called and something had come up. And then the mail came today."
"The mail?"
"Yeah. He'd just written her a note and stuck it in the mailbox. That was it."
"Oh God."
"I only saw it because I went to see her about something and found her just sitting on the edge of her desk, staring into nothingness. The note had fallen from her hand, and I reached down to pick it up. Given that it was Jordan, I figured looking at whatever had caused this was probably a good idea."
"Right. What did it say?"
"Something like 'Jordan. The Sunset Division called. I can't pass it up. I'm moving to LA. Woody.' Just very basic, very sketchy ~ and no mention of any of the emotion he's shown around her since he started here. That's when I got the part about his stuff all being gone out of her. Max, I think. . ."
"That's what got to her. I know she's been on his side of this before, the leaving part. But I really thought that he loved her."
"I know, Max. We all did."
"And I know that in spite of herself, she'd fallen in love with him. She doesn't let that happen very often."
"She talked with you about it?"
"She didn't have to. I could see it in her eyes ~ for once there was genuine light in them. She's been so happy the past couple of months. I knew that this reaction seemed familiar ~ I just couldn't place from where."
"Huh?"
"Oh, sorry Garret. It's just that there's only been one other time when she's let herself fall in love ~ and gotten her heart broken."
"Oh. Ok."
"You know, I'd better go in there and see if I can get anything out of her. Or at the very least, let her know just by my presence that she's not alone. I mean, I know she's a grown woman, but she's still my little girl."
"I totally understand, Max. Let me know if there's anything I can do."
"Will do. Thanks for calling Garret."
"Bye."
Max. . . So that explains it. Sort of. I have to say, I've definitely not seen this twist coming. All the time he spent chasing her only to stop and run when she finally decided to let herself admit that she felt something. Surely after all that they've gone through he understands that it's just very hard for her to. . . She seems a little calmer now than when the phone rang. I'll just sit here on the bed and. . .
"Dad? Who was on the phone?" Jordan's muffled voice came from somewhere in the pillows on her bed.
"It was Garret, sweetheart. He was just making sure that you were ok. He seemed really concerned."
"Oh. Ok." Still no sign of turning her head. Then finally she rolled over and there was no hiding the pain she was in ~ it was all over her face. "So I guess he told you what happened?"
"You mean about. . .?"
"He left, Daddy! He left me!" And she was sobbing again, but at least this time in my arms. I really wasn't sure what I could do except just be there for her. I wasn't sure that what helped last time would work ~ and even if it would, I didn't know if I could do it. . .
. . .to be continued. . .