CHAPTER 19
"I love you."
"Why do you always tell me this? Every time you say that… you run off to Cooper… so just stop, ok?" Charlie hung up and threw the phone across the room. He just wasn't up for another Jody adventure.
Jody looked at her phone and dialed again.
"What now Jody?" Charlie asked, slightly annoyed.
"Charlie, please don't hang up. I have to explain this to someone… and I can't to anyone else but you. So, please, can I?"
Charlie sighed. "Whatever."
"Thank you so much! Ok… wow… I don't know were to start. Um… I love you. And everyone had me so convinced that I was still so in love with Cooper, I just sorta went with it. I had then convinced myself I was in love with Cooper more than I was ever in love with you. But…it wasn't true. And I wouldn't let myself believe anything other than I was in love with Cooper. But… I would always pretend that… he was… you. His arms were yours and his lips… were yours. I was… so in love with you I would just close my eyes and… there you'd be, kissing me. Then Cooper would kiss me… and I'd just be like 'oh, it's Charlie'. But it never was. And finding Cooper lying next to someone else in bed… and then I had this dream. You and Cooper were fighting over me and… he killed you. So then I killed myself so I could be with you forever. I knew then that I really had been lying to myself this past… year and a half. Charlie, I love you."
Charlie didn't know what to say. "Ok, but I can't just take you back just like that! You… you've left me for Cooper like 3 times now!"
"I know!" Jody stared to cry. "But I can't live another minute without you! I love you."
Smiling, Charlie realized Jody was finally telling the truth. "I love you too." He said slowly.
Jody smiled through her tears. "I… can… I have to go find Cooper, ok? I'll call you later?" Jody said, reluctant to end their conversation.
"Ok, bye, I love you."
"I love you too, bye." Jody quickly hung up and grabbed her coat.
Rushing out to find Cooper, she thought of how happy she and Charlie would finally be together. She found him back at their apartment, siting on the couch. He had his head resting in his hands and his fingers were planted firmly on his head, resting in his soft hair.
"Cooper?" Jody asked, standing in front of the closed apartment door.
Cooper spun around and leapt up to see her. He ran over to her and scooped her in his arms. Kissing her, he felt his heart leap. Jody pushed him off and jumped out of his arms. Glaring at him, she reminded herself of Charlie.
"What?" Cooper asked.
Jody shook her head. "Let's sit down." She walked calmly over to the couch and sat down.
Cooper sighed and frowned, knowing this wouldn't be good, and sat down next to his wife. "What's wrong?"
Biting her lip, Jody planed out what she going to say. "I… can't do this anymore. It's just to hard and no one… it's just wrong."
"What's wrong? What are you talking about? If you're talking about earlier… I said I was sorry. And I meant it. I love you so much, if you leave, I don't know what I'll do with myself. I can't… I can't live without you Jody, I love you."
Jody nodded. "I know. I know all this, but, the thing is… it's not you. It's me. See, I had myself in love with you and married to you and so happy with you. But in my head… it wasn't you I was with."
"What are saying?" Cooper asked nervously.
"I can't… be with you… anymore, because… it'd just be wrong."
Cooper itched his head and turned to Jody. "W-what? Why? I don't get this. I thought… this was about what I did."
Jody shook her head and started to cry. "No… this is about what I did to myself. I was lying to myself and to you and to everyone. See, I love you… more like as a friend more than anything." Jody started to hit her knee, finding the right words. "So, it, we, we can't be together like this. And I know that… I don't know anything actually. All I know is who I love, and it's not you…"
Cooper shook his head and looked at Jody with hurting eyes. "It's Charlie isn't it??"
Jody nodded and whipped her eyes, trying to stop the tears. "I'm sorry… I never wanted to hurt you like this…"
Cooper nodded and stood up, forcing himself not to scream or cry or show any signs of any kind of emotion at all. "Why don't you go now."
Jody stood up and wrapped her arms around Cooper. Resting her head on his shoulder, she sighed. "Good-bye Cooper." She tore away and ran out of her home.
