"I've some of Roxy Mitchell's extra eggy, eggy bread!" Roxy called from outside Jaye's bedroom door.
"Thanks, Mum, but I'm not hungry." Jaye replied. The eggy bread would just be under-cooked toast drowned in over-cooked egg yolk.
"The heartbreak diet?" Roxy asked gently. "I've been on that too. It only works for so long and then you end like a walking skeleton."
Jaye buried her head under the quilt. Food was the last thing on her mind right now, even breakfast in bed. She wanted sleep to fall upon her, at least then she couldn't think. She'd spend last night waking up every two hours, thinking about Joey.
"I know this seems like the hardest thing right now but you should eat. And then get out of bed." Roxy continued.
"I don't want to do anything, Mum." Jaye started sobbing. "I don't want to eat or watch TV. I don't want to go for a walk or have a pint in the Vic. I just want to lay in bed and..."
"Think about him?" Roxy filled in the missing gap. "Because I don't think that's a good idea."
"What choice do I have? Go outside and risk bumping into him and Lucy?"
"That's the thing, they aren't together." Roxy was happy to bring her some joyous news. "Lauren called this morning. Joey doesn't want to be with her, he wants to see you so he can make everything ok again."
"I don't want to see him. That'll break my heart." Jaye wiped the tears running down her face.
"You know what I always say? You can only cry so many tears over someone before you have to start saving them for someone else." Roxy said gently. "You know you have work today? I can phone you in sick if you want, Tanya will understand."
This spurred Jaye to make one of the hardest decisions she'd have to make. "I'm going to go into work."
"Jaye, I don't think that's a good idea. Don't run before you can walk-"
The door opened and Jaye stood there, a smile painted on her face. "I don't care if this is a good idea. I'm doing it. I've never lay around moping before and I'm not about to start now. Women didn't burn their bras so I could lay in bed, crying over Joey Branning."
"I love you, Jaye Mitchell." Roxy hugged her daughter.
"That is not eggy bread, Mum. That is suicidal toast who has just jumped into a sea of egg yolk." She commented before nipping past her into the bathroom.
Getting across the Square without being seen felt like an MI5 mission to Jaye. Dressed in her pink salon uniform, black leggings and beaded sandals, she hurried through the park and past the Vic, sneaking past the Warehouse...without success.
"Jaye?"
Reluctantly, she turned around and saw Tyler and Ant watching her. "Mmm?"
"What are you doing here? Everyone expected you to be..." Ant trailed off as Tyler jabbed him in the ribs.
"Crying in bed because Joey cheated on me with Lucy? Nah, good luck to 'em. They deserve each other if they really think they can treat people like this."
"Good for you. Maybe now you can start looking for a new boyfriend?" Tyler asked hopefully.
"I don't think so. I'm taking a break from men now for the next...year or so. Too much heartbreak and hurt for me. I'd better get to work, catch you later." She ended the conversation with a slight wave before bounding off again.
"She took it a lot better than I expected." Tyler nodded.
"I know. When you cheated on that girl three years ago, she lay in bed crying for weeks." Ant replied.
"Always got to bring the wrong thing up at the wrong time." Tyler muttered, rolling his eyes as he walked back into the warehouse.
"Jaye?" Tanya frowned.
"Were you not expecting me here today?" Jaye asked, knowing the answer from Tanya's expression.
"Well, your name is down but I was expecting you to ask for the next day or two off work - which is understandable...after last night...it must be hard." She knew she was digging herself a hole but couldn't seem to drop the spade.
"It is hard but we're old enough to make our own decisions..." Jaye felt herself crumbling. Her Mum was right, she was running before she was able to walk. All of a sudden, she longed for her bed again.
"Jaye, go and sit in my office. I'll get you a coffee." Tanya smiled at her comfortingly.
Jaye didn't argue; she just slowly ambled into her office and settled in one of the leather chairs, waiting for the lady who knew what she was going through to try and comfort her.