Sleepless nights
A/N: I own nothing...
The Saturday morning after Thanksgiving, Jordan pulls up outside Shane's Pittsburgh home. Having stopped to get coffee and doughnuts, he grabs the box and paper tray and heads for the door. Before he gets there, Shane opens the door and steps aside to let him in.
"Damn, Jay, when was the last time you slept? You look like shit." Shane takes the box from him and they head into the kitchen. Sitting at the counter, Jordan hands Shane his coffee. Shane, opening the box of doughnuts, takes one and sets it on the counter in front of them.
Jordan, eyes bloodshot with a 3 day old beard, yawns. "Shane, I haven't slept since we brought Justin home. It seems like every time I close my eyes, he starts crying. I forgot how much work it is taking care of a newborn." Scratching his chin, he takes a bite of his doughnut. "Man, I don't see how women do it. Angela kicked me out of the house this morning. She says I'm getting in her way and she told me I was getting on her nerves. I'm only trying to help, you know?"
"Maybe she's trying to give you a little break. You do look like you need one." Shane gets up to get a napkin. "How's he doing? Everything check out when you guys took him to the doctor yesterday?"
"Yeah, they say he's a normal, healthy 2 week old baby. All he does is eat, sleep and cry." Rubbing his eyes, Jordan takes a sip of his coffee. "Not being able to sleep has given me plenty of time to write, though. I've got my laptop in the car. I meant to bring it in , but I forgot to grab it."
"You can get it later." Taking a sip of his coffee, Shane asks, "Have you heard from Mark? I think they're finally getting the point."
"Yeah, I talked to him on Tuesday. They can make all the demands they want. I'm not giving in." Jordan yawns again, leaning back on his stool.
"If we start recording next week, we should be able to get the album out by April, but I'm not going back out on tour. Angela needs you at home. Tommy and Deborah seem to be getting serious, too. We all need this break." Looking at Jordan,who's about to fall asleep where he sits, he shakes his head. "Go crash in the guest room, Jay. I'll wake you up in a couple hours."
Not arguing, Jordan makes his way up the stairs and into the guest room before crashing on the bed on top of the covers.
Back in Three Rivers, Angela lays Justin down in his crib, tucking the blanket around him. She tiptoes out the door and pulls it closed behind her. Making her way downstairs, she calls to Danielle and Brian who are in the den. "Hey, you guys want something to eat? I can fix us some lunch."
"Angela, you gave birth 2 weeks ago, you will not fix me lunch." Danielle and Brian follow her into the kitchen. "Why don't you sit down and let me fix you something?"
"It's no problem, really. I'm tired of sitting around and watching everyone else work. Jordan has let me do absolutely nothing since we got home from the hospital. I sent him to Shane's this morning so I could breathe. I feel like he's smothering me." She walks over to the fridge and starts pulling out leftovers. "Dad brings food by here every morning. We have plenty."
"Angela, you sent him away? How did that go? 'Jordan, you're getting on my nerves because you're taking very good care of me and our family.' Or was it, 'Jordan, stop letting me rest and go away'?" Brian looks at her like she's crazy. "Obviously, he's only trying to be here for you. I can't believe you sent him away."
"Oh, shut up, Krakow. He's been letting me rest, but he hasn't gotten any sleep. As soon as he hears Justin whimper, he runs to him. He changes his diaper. He brings him to me when it's time for him to eat, but then he takes him from me and burps him. He bathes him, he sits and rocks him at night. I just want to have some part of it." Angela puts a plate of pasta in front of both of them. "He looks like hell. He needed a break. I called Shane and he told me to send him over."
Grabbing her own plate, she sits at the end of the bar. "Shane called me a few minutes ago. Jordan has been sound asleep in the guest room since about 5 minutes after he got there. I knew he needed to get away for a while."
"Brian, take notes. When we have kids, I want you to do the same thing Jordan is doing." Shaking her head at Angela, she talks around the food in her mouth. "My sister is an idiot. If my husband wants to wait on me hand and foot, I'm not going to complain."
"Angela, you shouldn't be giving him a hard time. He didn't get to do this when Maddie was born. He was working. You had to do it. I guess he's trying to make it up to you or something." Angela looks at Brian oddly. He shrugs, saying, "What? I just think you're complaining for nothing."
"Ok, where did Brian Krakow go? You're defending Jordan? I can't believe it!" Danielle and Angela start to laugh.
"What? What's wrong with me defending Jordan? He has been my brother in law for like 8 years. I'm not allowed to take up for him?" Taking a bite of his food, he scowls at them.
"Well, Brain. There was a time when you and Jordan couldn't be in the same room. Even after you started tutoring him again, you guys weren't really friends." Angela shrugs. "I just find it odd, that's all." Angela goes back to eating her food.
March 1995
In the week after Jordan and Angela had made up, they spent every second they could together. Every morning before school, every afternoon, except when Jordan was working. They were together at lunch, in the hall, under the bleachers, in his car, in the boiler room, everywhere.
They were standing in front of Angela's locker after lunch when Brian walked by. Jordan knew that Angela hadn't talked to Brian. They both had been avoiding him. As happy as he was that they were back together, he was also afraid that if she talked to Brian, her feelings would change.
Jordan watched as Brian walked to his locker, then he watched Brian sneak a peek at them. He leaned back against the locker and pulled her to him, kissing her. With her in his arms, he almost forgot about Brian. Almost. When he came up for air, he glanced over at Brian and he was staring right at them. He knew what he had to do.
Telling Angela he'd see her later, he walks over to Brian, who was putting books in his locker. "Hey, Brain, can we talk?"
Looking at him with contempt, Brian shuts his locker and turns to walk away. Jordan reaches out and puts his hand on Brian's shoulder.
Turning back to Jordan, Brian yells at him. "Don't touch me! Just don't touch me. Why should I talk to you? I helped you win her back. What more do you want from me?" Brian, red faced and angry, continues to yell at Jordan in the middle of the hall. "You got the girl. Even after she found out you didn't write the damn letter, she still chose you. I poured my heart out to her and I let you use my words. It made her really happy until she found out it was me. You're such a freaking idiot. No, I'm such a freaking idiot!"
"Brain, look, I don't think we should do this in the hall." Jordan looks around at the crowd gathering. "Let's go outside or something."
"No. I will not go outside. What, you don't want everyone to know the truth? You don't want people to know that you're a retard? You couldn't even write a love letter by yourself! You had me write a love letter to the girl I've been in love with for years so you could get her to sleep with you!" Dropping his backpack to the floor, Brian steps closer to Jordan. "I know what you want from her. The same thing you want from all the girls. Everyone knows how Jordan Catalano is. Once you sleep with her, you'll toss her aside, just like every other girl you've been with."
"Brain, I'm telling you, you don't wanna do this here. Let's take it outside." Jordan tries to touch Brian's arm, but Brian slaps his hand away. The crowd around them grows larger.
"I said don't touch me! Just leave me alone. It's bad enough that I have to live across the street from her. I have to sit in class and watch you two together. I can't go anywhere with out running into you. I have to watch you put your hands on her. At least I love her. I wouldn't pressure her to have sex with me. I wouldn't sleep with her best friend!" Taking a step closer to Jordan, Brian gets in Jordan's face. "You don't even love her!"
Jordan closes his eyes and opens them slowly. "You're wrong."
"What? I didn't hear what you said. Speak up."
"I said, you're wrong. I do love her, Brian. I was wrong to like ask for help. And I did tell her that I didn't write the letter. I didn't lie to her. I'm sorry that I got you involved or whatever." Jordan pushes his hand through his hair. "I know how you feel about her and I'm sorry that I put you in this position. I do love her. And whatever happens between us is no one's business."
"Well, when you get tired of her, I'll be there. When you get what you want and toss her aside, I'll be there for her. You're all wrong for her and she'll see that." Brian steps back and picks his backpack up from the floor and looks back at Jordan. "She'll realize what an idiot you really are and she'll come running to me."
"No, I won't, Brian. I'm sorry, but I don't feel that way about you." Neither Jordan or Brian knew that Angela was standing at the back of the crowd with Ricky and Sharon. Pushing her way through to Jordan, she steps up and puts her arms around him. "Brian, I'm sorry that you've been hurt by this, but I love Jordan. He and I are together and whether he breaks my heart or not, I won't come to you. And you know, this is really none of your business."
"Angela, how could you chose him? He's no good for you. He is going to hurt you, just watch." Taking a deep breath, Brian continues. "I thought once you realized that I wrote that letter to you, then you'd finally give me a chance. I love you. I've loved you since we were little. How could you pick him over me?"
"Because I love him. I'm sorry, but I don't love you, Brian. The letter you wrote was beautiful and it did make me happy, when I thought it was from Jordan. But then I found out it was really from you. You used him, Brian, just as much as he used you." Looking up at Jordan, she asks, "Can we get outta here?"
Taking Angela by the hand, Jordan moves through the crowd. Instead of going to class, they head out the side door. On the way to his car, he pulls her to a stop. "Hey, I'm sorry you had to see that. I didn't want for it to happen that way." Frowning, he touches her face. "I just thought I should talk to him. I didn't know he was gonna like flip out."
"It's ok. Can we go sit in your car, just to talk?" She takes his hand and walks to his car. After waiting for him to unlock her door, she climbs inside.
"I'm sorry, Angela. I know that's all I seem to say lately, but I am." He lays his head back on the seat and closes his eyes.
"Jordan, I'm glad it's over. To be honest, I have been avoiding Brian. I figured he would flip out, I just didn't expect him to do it in the hall in front of the whole school. I kinda thought I would have to face him standing in the middle of the street in front of his house." Sliding closer to him, she leans into him. "Let's not talk about Brian anymore. I want to talk about what just happened."
Opening his eyes, he looks at her in confusion. "Weren't we like, just talking about what happened? I mean, I said I was sorry. I didn't mean to set him off."
Giggling happily, she kisses him quickly. "I wasn't trying to get you to apologize. I mean, why should you be sorry? You just stood in the hall and told everyone that you love me." Seeing his look of panic, she can't help but laugh.
"Shit. I did, didn't I?" He slides his arm around her and pulls her against him. "Damn, I guess I'll just have to make it clear to everyone that I don't like you in that way, or whatever."
Poking him in the ribs, Angela laughs. "Jordan, that is so not funny! Don't remind me. I want to forget all about the first time you asked me to 'do it' with you, ok?"
"Why? It's part of what got us together in the first place. I was trying to cover my ass. I can't believe that I said we should just do it because everyone already thought we did." Kissing her forehead, he starts playing with her hair.
"Well, if Krakow hadn't started the rumor in the first place, then we would have never had to go through all that." She turns her face into his shoulder.
"What are you talking about?" Letting her go, he turns her so that she faces him. "Brain told everyone we did it in my car? He's the one that told people that shit? I don't believe it. Here I was feeling sorry for that little fucker when what I shoulda been doing was kicking his ass!"
"Jordan, that wouldn't solve anything. It was a long time ago, anyway. I think we should just stay away from Brian for a while." She touches his cheek. "He has a right to be angry. I should have talked to him last week. I kinda knew how he felt about me, but I ignored him. I didn't want to deal with it. I've been so happy, I didn't want anyone to ruin it for me."
"Well, I didn't want you to talk to him, either. I kinda thought you would choose him over me." Not wanting her to see how insecure he still is, he looks down, hiding behind his hair. "I mean, he is better for you than I am. He's like smart and good and he wouldn't treat you the way I have."
"Jordan, look at me." She takes his chin in her hand, pulling his eyes back to hers. "I chose you. It's you I want to be with. None of the rest of it matters."
Pulling her into his arms, he buries his face in her hair. "Yeah, well, I still want to go kick his ass."
Present day
It's late afternoon when Jordan arrives home. Pulling into the driveway, he sees that Danielle and Brian are there. Shutting off the engine, he opens the door and grabs his laptop case before heading in through the garage.
Jordan VO: I can't believe Shane let me sleep all day. I knew I was tired, but I can't believe I slept 8 hours. I do feel better though.
Walking in the door, he sees Angela, Danielle, Brian and Maddie sitting at the kitchen table. Angela greets him with a smile and a kiss.
Looking up at him, she says, "Did you enjoy your nap? You certainly look refreshed."
"Yeah, I guess I didn't realize how tired I was." After greeting everyone, he asks, "Where's the baby?"
Rolling her eyes, Angela laughs. "He's been fed and changed and now he's sleeping in his crib. He's good for a while. Why don't you let me worry about him and you just relax?"
"Are you sure you should be up running around? You've looked after him all day. Don't you think you need to take it easy?" Hearing everyone laugh, he looks around the table. "What? She just had a baby, she should be resting."
Brian is the first to speak up. "Jordan, all we've heard is how you won't let her do anything. She's complained nonstop about how you wait on her hand and foot and treat her like a princess. She wants you to let her change diapers and fix dinner and do laundry. Maybe you should just sit on your butt and not do anything. Obviously, she doesn't appreciate how you're taking care of her so well."
Danielle kicks Brian under the table, while at the same time, Angela smacks him on the arm. "Hush, Brian. That's not how it was, Jordan. She just told us that you're wearing yourself out and she wants to help. She did just have a baby, but she's better and she's starting to feel helpless."
"Hello, I'm still sitting here. I can speak for myself." Standing up next to Jordan, she links her arm through his. "Don't you feel better since you've finally rested."
"I do, but that doesn't mean you need to overdo it. I'm not gonna stop helping with Justin or around the house, so you can just get used to it." Sitting down in the chair where she had been sitting, he pulls her into his lap, kissing her.
Watching her dad and mom kiss, Maddie jumps up from the table. "Ew, I'm going to my room now. I so don't want to see my mom and dad making out in the kitchen." She tells Danielle and Brian bye and heads upstairs.
Watching Angela and Jordan together, Danielle giggles. "Aw, aren't they cute, Brian? It's amazing that they still do that after all this time."
Brian grins, "Yeah, Dani, it's amazing. Angela, you don't know how lucky you are."
Jordan and Brian look at each other and they both start laughing.
After spending a sleepless night hiding form tornadoes here in Central Georgia, I thought it would be a fitting title for this chapter. I thought about ending this story after the baby was born. I'm not sure where I'm going to go with it. I have so much fun writing the flashbacks, I think I might start a new story, kind of a continuation. Review please...do you want me to keep going, or would you rather I end it? Thanks ~gagirl29