LEARNING TO LOVE YOU

The summer days had passed swiftly as Jo was walking through the alleyways of her Bronx neighborhood. The new school year was about to begin at Langley, she was finally a senior and she had no idea what she was going to do once graduation approached. Tootie and Natalie still had a few years to go before they had to contemplate their future whilst Blair was the only one that seemed to know where she was headed, she had applied to law schools around the country and was already preparing to write her LSAT exams. Jo had been pondering many career possibilities that ranged from social work and teaching though nothing had grabbed her attention like a career on the police force.

Blair was boarding the Warner Jet when a young man in a tailored suit ran after her to catch her before she began her flight home. Jackson Tepperman was the son of an affluent business in London and he was in pursuit of one Blair Warner. They had spent the last two months dating and finally consummating their relationship the week before and the blond had repented her actions. Blair was attracted to Jackson but it was not enough to make her forget about a broody Bronx native. Blair had wrestled with her feelings towards Jo for years but these past two months had been particularly difficult. She felt guilty that she gave up her virginity to him and not to Jo, but what was she thinking as Jo had been dating Sam Hall and she had always wondered about their relationship.

Jo was walking down the street towards her mother's apartment building when she noticed Sam Hall waiting for her by the stairs of the building's communal entrance. She had been avoiding his phone calls and wanting to have some space to think about their relationship and the unexpected pregnancy that she recently found out about. Sam was glad to see Jo as his heart skipped a beat seeing her walk towards him. She loved Sam and his little boy but she was not ready to be a wife, the mother to a young boy and a baby. It was too much too soon and everything was scaring her. Mostly she had been consumed with thoughts of Blair Warner and how she was going to tell her. She was in love with Blair and she had always been on the run from her true emotions but now she felt trapped and the only solace she wanted was from Blair.

"Jo, we need to talk." Sam said as she approached him.

"I need time Sam." Jo responded with a knot in her throat.

"We're having a baby and we should talk about our future." Sam continued as she grabbed Jo by the arm in hopes of gaining her attention.

"Give me time." Jo said as she pulled her roughly away from Sam.

Jo ran into the building leaving Sam outside by himself. As she was in the security of the walls of the apartment, her mother came into the living room.

"Jo honey something the matter." Rose Polniaczek asked with concern in her eyes.

"Nothin' Ma just got a head ache. I'm gonna lay down for a little while and see if it goes away." Jo said while rubbing the side of her head.

As Rose Polniaczek watched her daughter leave the room to go lay down in her bedroom she was concerned by the manner he daughter had been behaving, Jo had changed and not for the better it seems. She seemed distant and Blair had called many times only to have Jo ask her mother to take a message. Jo had spent the last six years it seemed attached to the hip of one Blair Warner and it seemed even the blond was not welcomed into Jo's inner thoughts.

As Blair dismounted the jet all she could think about was seeing Jo and so she instructed her driver to take her to the Bronx, the trip was a short one and the driver wouldn't mind. Blair called Jo and the phone was answered by her mother who was glad to hear from her and was happy for her to visit Jo, as she had been sullen and distant. Blair instantly knew something had been off for Jo not to talk to her in the school break that spanned into months.

Jo was in her room trying to get the sick feeling from her stomach to fade away when a quick knock on the door and her mom popping her head in.

"Blair just called and she is coming over for a visit. I told her you would see her." Rose said firmly.

Jo recognized the look that she could not argue with.

TBC