Only one more chapter until the final.
Selena walked back into the house after she put the kids on the bus, still puzzled from what happened last night and why it happened.
But this was just like Jack, he always did this and she knew she should be used to it by now, but she wasn't.
Jack would be absolutely sure about leaving her until it becomes the last minute and all of a sudden he's in love all over again and he acts as if nothing has happened. It was selfish and ridiculous.
Selena flopped onto the couch and started to flip through channels, not searching for anything in particular. Her thumb stopped pressing down on the remote when she heard footsteps on the wooden floor go into the kitchen.
Selena glanced over her shoulder to see Jack in a light blue hoodie underneath a black jacket, reaching into the fridge and grabbing a water.
Without greeting her, Jack walked out of the kitchen. And without taking a second to think and instantly regretting it, Selena calls him back into the room. "Jack!"
Retracing his footsteps, he leaned against the wall and stood where the kitchen and living room met. "Yeah?"
Selena acknowledged the issue and swallowed the lump in her throat. "We're gonna have to talk about last night and it's better sooner than later."
Jack shrugged. "There's nothing to talk about." He pushed the issue aside, taking a sip of his water.
"Don't treat me as one of your groupies, Jack."
Jack laughed and shook his head as he pushed himself off the wall. "You're not a groupie and I'm not treating you like one. I don't think there's anything to talk about, because what happened wasn't and isn't a big deal."
Selena was trying to figure out exactly what Jack meant, but she couldn't. "What do you mean? We're supposed to be getting a divorce and then that happened."
"Yeah, it did." Jack walked over to the couch and sat on the arm then took one of her hands in his. "Do you still want to get a divorce?"
Selena gave a small, but unsure nod as she gazed up at him. "I think it's the best thing."
"Okay...Do you at least want to see if our marriage is salvageable?"
Selena opened to her mouth to decline, but Jack started on another sentence before she could start hers.
"...Because last night, you seemed like you enjoyed it and I think deep down, you want to at least try to save this. I know I want to."
"I do wanna save this, but even if we do, we're gonna be right here again and I just don't think I have the energy for it. Our marriage is hell, and think it's just best if we leave each other alone."
"Marriage is Hell, Selena, but we've gotten through it. Let's just try this one last time. And if it doesn't work out, then that's it."
Selena skeptically eyed him. "Where did all of this come from? Why did this happen?"
"I don't know." Jack shrugged. "I just don't wanna lose you."
Nodding with a small smile, Selena gave him an answer. "Yeah. I guess we could try it."
Biting the inside of his cheek to hide the smile threatening to form, Jack took a seat on the cushion and set a hand on Selena's cheek. "If we're gonna try to save us, then let's do it right. We have to promote a few things in Paris and you've never been, so let's go. They call it the most romantic city in the world for a reason."
Creasing her brows and letting go of Jack's hand, she hummed. "I don't think so. I have a job and Dylan and Naomi have school, so I don't think so."
"Everything will be fine. You rarely miss work and we can get someone to watch them for two or three days. C'mon." Jack pleaded with his eyes, but his voice had a layer of confidence that persuaded her to agree.
"Okay. I guess so."
Jack didn't bother hiding his grin this time. "Alright." He leaned over to peck her cheek before he stood up from the couch. "It's fashion week too, so bring a few good outfits. I have to hit the studio for an hour or two. I'll be back soon."
Selena watched Jack walk out of the room then heard the door shut. Once again, she was left completely puzzled and unsure if this was the right thing to do.
Kicking off fashion week with a bang, Selena walked down the hall in a black long sleeve plunging high slit dress and completed the look with black pumps and dark circular frames.
On her way to Jack who had caught an earlier flight for business reasons, Selena pulled out her phone that vibrated in her hand. She checked the text to read a message from her mom.
Mama: None of us were a match either, I'm sorry mi hijá. We're gonna reach out to your cousins and everyone. - 8:22 p.m.
It was like being stabbed in the heart a million times without dying, and she'd be lying if she said she didn't want to just die already. That's what she was doing anyways, dying.
Her kidneys were failing and she could do nearly everything she's been doing before, but she knew in a few weeks she'd start to get worse until the time comes.
Selena was tired of hearing that everyone wasn't her match. She just wanted it to be over already, she didn't want to hear it anymore.
- Please don't...I'll just get on the wait list. I'll be okay, mom. -8:22 p.m.
Mama: They're family for a reason, Lena. You said yourself that the wait list is years long. This conversation is over with, I'm reaching out to them.
Rolling her eyes, Selena put her phone into her purse and opened the door to the luxurious hotel suite.
The first thing that caught her eye was the
arched doors that open onto the balcony, displaying a panoramic view of the lit up Eiffel Tower that stood perfectly in the distance. It was beautiful and the pictures she always seen didn't do it justice.
As she continued to walk further into the suite, Selena removed her glasses and admired the old paintings that hung on the wall, one in particular captivating her attention.
Running her finger across the golden frame, she studies the art of a street in London, the umbrellas being held over pedestrian's heads that walked in front of a stopping taxi.
Intrigued by the painting, Selena almost forgot where she was when she heard another voice in the room. "Nice isn't it?"
Spinning around, she seen Jack wearing a smile and setting a glass of wine down on one of the tables in the hallway. "You're drinking early."
Smirking, he gave a one-sided shrug. "You got here late." Jack's gaze sweeps over her from head to toe, in a slow and thorough inspection that makes Selena blush. "You look sexy."
With her complicated weight and the disease, she couldn't remember the last time she actually felt sexy.
Jack walked over to her and used his index finger to skim the deep plunging neckline line of her dress. "You're not wearing anything under this, right?"
"I am." She answered in a soft voice as Jack began to get closer, her back now touching the wall.
"What?"
Her heart raced as lust grew in Jack's warm blue eyes, his teeth biting into his bottom lip as his hand grazed down her stomach, making her hips involuntary wind towards him.
"My pa-panties."
"That's all?"
Once Selena nodded, Jack threw his shirt to the ground and lifted her off the floor. Pressing her against the work of art, Selena let out a gasp, "You're gonna ruin the painting."
Jack was to busy unbuttoning her dress to worry about the painting. After he dropped her dress and panties to the floor, he sucked on her neck as he undid his pants.
He gently slid into her causing Selena to throw her head back against the painting and close her eyes tight, clinging onto his shoulders. Jack's hands glided over her skin, caressing her softly, memorizing all of the contours of her body as he enjoyed every inch of her.
"Fuck." He moaned into Selena's neck as she grasped his hair and bucked her hips. Her moans caught in her throat as she felt her walls tighten around him as Jack continued to do what he was doing.
Keeping one arm wrapped around her waist, he lead her towards a powerful release as one of his hands wandered down to her clit, rubbing it gently but urgently.
As soon as Jack's name fell off her lips and filled the room, Jack released himself and gave her slow strokes to ride out their orgasm.
Selena kept her legs wrapped around Jack for a moment, fearing that they would give out if she tried to walk.
Jack kissed her collarbone and hummed a laugh against her shoulder.
Selena raked her fingers through his hair, and chuckled. "What's so funny?" She questioned.
Jack shook his head and lifted his head to gaze into her eyes. "Nothing. I just love you, that's all. And I miss you."
Softly smiling, she didn't say anything, she just pecked his lips then unwrapped herself from him.
"Are you hungry?" Jack asked, getting a nod in return. "We can go walk around to if you want. No bodyguards, just us."
Selena scoffed in disbelief. "Yeah and paparazzi."
"If they see us, we'll ignore them. They aren't like the ones back at home. They can only do so much cause of the laws."
"Okay. Just let me go get dressed."
Jack grabbed her dress and handed it to her. "Here."
Selena tsk'ed. "It's fashion week...I went into and left the airport in that, it's time for a change. I'll be back."
Jack pulled a black hoodie - that had a white playboy bunny in the upper corner - over his body and then buttoned his black jeans.
After a long ten minutes, Selena walked out with her long and sleek hair tied into a long ponytail. She wore a sheer black maxi dress. She accessorized with gold hoops and black pumps to finish the look.
"Ready." She smiled, grabbing her clutch and leading the way out the door.
Jack told Berry, Sean, and Kevin to stay at the hotel and not follow them around, so that they can keep a low profile and be alone.
Jack and Selena found a small restaurant where they ordered their food and conversed, the both of them almost positive that they were on a good path again.
"What exactly were you promoting earlier?" Selena asked, drinking her wine.
"Music. The new album."
"Album? I didn't know you had any songs done."
Jack snorted a laugh as he cut up his steak. "I wasn't just doing coke every time I left the house, Selena. I've been home for months. Our albums don't take that long to do."
"Yeah, sorry. I should've paid more attention."
Jack shook his head. "You have your own stuff to deal with. I get it." He forced a smile to make her not feel guilty. "Speaking of, how is everything going with your family being a match."
Circling the rim of her glass, she exhaled a shaky breath as Jack intently stared at her with worrying eyes. "No one was a match." She softly whispered.
Jack felt his stomach drop. Finding out no one she knew she was a match meant that he could possibly lose her and so would the kids, and that couldn't happen.
Jack went to reach for her hand across the table, but she slid her chair back and grabbed her clutch. "I'm not hungry anymore. I just need some air. I'll be back in a second."
She rubbed her hand on his shoulder as she walked past him, then used it to cover her mouth where her bottom lip began to quiver.
Selena kept her head down to avoid the attention as she pushed open the door and walked inside an empty alley to release her emotions and let her tears fall.
Jack leaned back in his chair, not moving, but just staring at the table. He was almost as afraid as Selena was. He could lose the woman he loves, the woman he loves more than anything. And if he ever did lose her, then he'd lose himself.
Taking in a deep breath and finally moving a limb, Jack reached into his wallet and left just enough money for the bill and a tip. He stood up and left the restaurant.
The air grew colder as Jack walked down the sidewalk to search for Selena, who wasn't hard to find when he heard heavy sobs coming from around the corner.
Down the dark alley, Jack's eyes fixed on Selena who was on the ground with her back against the wall and knees against her chest, her face buried between them with her shoulders shaking.
Jack took his steps towards her and got her to look up at him with swollen eyes. "I told you I'd be back."
"I know." He said.
Selena wiped her eyes and sniffled. "Can we go back to the hotel, please?"
Jack answered by sticking out his hand then pulling her up when she grabbed it.
Once they got back into the room, Selena went into the bedroom to get out of her dress and walked back into the living room in just a tank top and pajama shorts with a now higher ponytail.
Taking a seat on the couch, Jack put his arm around her and soothingly ran his thumb against the back of her neck.
"I don't know what's going to happen, Jack..." She started to choke up and cry again. "And I'm so scared."
Jack held her tight as she hear tears faded into his hoodie, feeling the same way cause if he ever lost her, then he'd go crazy.
Short, but the next two chapters will be a whirlwind.