Chapter 4
Still standing between Randy and Dean trying to keeps them separated John, despite his own personal feelings towards Jeff, is not blind to the look of total and utter pain on Jeff's face as he watches Violette walk away with Paige and Roman.
John, trying to compose himself, shoots Randy a glance telling him he needs to let it go. Randy, picking up on John's plea pushes for Dean one last time before putting his hands up and slumping into a seat next to the Bella twins.
"Dude, listen, you gotta try and see this from our perspective here." John says as calmly as he possible can. Walking over to Jeff, looking him squarely in the eye hoping Jeff knew he was struggling to keep his cool. "That girl had it for you bad Hardy. She did everything she could to be there for you. And dude I gotta say, you dragged her through some fucking shit. And what does she get in return? You take off back to your ex-wife! Now I don't know about you, but from where I stand, that seems pretty scummy. Am I right?"
"You know what Cena," Matt jumps in protectively in defense of his brother, "you have no fucking idea what you're even fucking talking about!"
"Excuse me?!" Nikki exclaims jumping to her feet to stand by John joined closely by an enraged looking Brie. "We were the ones there for Vi when your drugged out, asshole brother here left her in fucking pieces! It was all of us who were there to see the pain on her face day everyday. We were the ones who had to convince her on more than one occasion, not to fucking kill herself! Did you know that Jeff!?" Nikki screamed now turning her murderous gaze on Jeff. "Do you even fucking care how many times she attempted to take her fucking life those first few weeks? And over what!? You?! You were off fucking your god damn ex-wife!" Nikki, not being able to hold her composure anymore hauls off and slaps Jeff across the face as hard as she possibly can then staring at him defiantly daring him to hit her or say something back.
All Jeff could do was stand there and let John and Nikki's words hit him, hard. They were right, and so was he. Coming here tonight was a big mistake.
"Oh my god!" Nattie shouts after Nikki slaps Jeff and jumps in between the two. "Geez guys, at least give him a chance to defend himself . Now I'm going to assume here that Dean had other intentions tonight to invite Matt and Jeff other than creating utter chaos. Am I right Dean?" Nattie asks imploringly, hoping to god once, just once, Dean actually has good intentions here.
Still sitting back and smirking at the unraveling events Dean nods at the buxom blonde, "Why thank you Nattie, I thought no one would ever ask. Now lets just all sit down for a minute. Now I know you guys are probably out for blood right now, and I get it, I'll admit I was too at first. Now I'm not saying that I totally forgive Jeff for all the shit that went down but I know the whys and I understand. Now if you people are all done with your pissing match, maybe you'd actually like to hear the man out."
"You have got to be kidding me," sneers Randy. "No, its fine. I'm dying to know what excuses he going to come up with for ruining my best friends life," Brie shot snottily.
Jeff tried as hard as he could to explain his side of the story. He put his feelings of shame and pain aside and explained to them very openly how he had finally recognized how he was doing nothing but pulling Violette down with him down the steep slope to his ultimate demise.
His addiction had been out of control in his attempt to mask the physical pain he was in every single day. He tried desperately to make them understand that in that state of mind walking away the way he did was the best solution his addled mind was equipped with at that time.
He explained to them that he absolutely did not go running back to Beth with any kind of romantic intentions. He just knew he had to get clean and that was the safest place he could think of to go. And he also got to spend much needed time with his daughter and begin to repair that relationship as well.
Jeff admits that during these past eight months he had tried and failed many times to get clean and try and find better ways of dealing with both his physical and mental pain. But today he was two months clean.
As Jeff stands to leave Nattie walksover to he and Matt hugging them both. "I'll make sure Vi gets your version of the story Jeff," she says warmly.
"Thanks Nat, it's all I ask," Jeff responds, his voice catching in his throat as the emotions truly start to hit about what Nikki had said, about trying to take her life. Because of him. "Thanks for being such a good friend to Vi Nat."
"And to you to Jeff, don't forget that. Dean's not the only one behind you, ok. I see how much you love her Jeff, I always have. I never truly believed that you would ever set out to purposely hurt her the way everyone else believed you did. I'm glad you explained your side of things. Now why don't you go say good bye to Violette before you go," Nattie urges fighting back tears.
Jeff looks over at Matt, "You go ahead bro, I'll be at the car," Matt gives Nattie a hug before heading out. Leaving Jeff to go to Vi …
