Two weeks later....
Jordan walks into to her office balancing her coffee and the newspaper. As she sits down at her desk she notices a familiar plain white envelope. With a she smile she reaches for her letter opener. Before she can read the note Lily walks in the door.
"Classic movie night at Garrett's, it's been awhile." Lily says as she waves her little white envelope.
"It's only been a month or two. We've missed you there."
Lily sits slowly down on the couch and says "Well it didn't feel right to go, you know, over to his house."
"Are you OK with it now?" Jordan asks.
"Oh yea...no problem...in fact" she says as she stands "I'm looking forward to it."
"I'm glad to hear it."
"Jordan, never forget what's worth remembering and never remember what you should just forget about."
"Where did that come from? Are you writing greeting cards now Lily?"
"No just getting on with my life. Maybe you should too."
Lily walks to the door and turns with her fingernail to her lip. "Hmmm, the only problem I have is what movie to pick out, something really to put them all on edge; decisions, decisions."
Jordan smiled at that. For as long as they had been doing Classic Movie Night at Garrett's house it has been the girls against the guys. Chick flicks against thrillers. Half the fun was watching Bug squirm during some sappy romantic scene. A trip to the video rental store was on the agenda for this evening.
Anything would be better than sitting home watching her life spiral out of control. The last two weeks have been a mixture of single malt scotch and self analysis. Not the best of combinations. A night of popcorn, pizza and lively debate was just what she needed.
Suddenly feeling lighter than she has in weeks Jordan begins her day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Woody stops at his desk to go through the pile of mail lying there. He gets more mail at the office than he does at home.
"Ad,bill,ad,ad,.... what's this?" The white envelope had no return address the handwriting looked very formal. Woody sat down as he opened it.
'You Are Cordially Invited to Classic Movie Night. An Evening of Quality Film and Insightful Conversation....
He read on noticing that Garrett is putting on the party. He is taken back a bit, the last time he was invited to a theme party with this group of people he ended up playing a murderer. The invitation says to RSVP. He reaches for the phone. The odds were that Jordan would be there. Just to see her face would be enough. Wouldn't it? He was at loss anymore. One day she runs hot the next cold. She is the ultimate puzzle. Was it all worth it? He pulls his hand back. Why did he put himself through this? He drags his hands through his hair in frustration. He did this to himself because he relished in the possibilities. With a cleansing sigh he picks up the phone and dials Garrett's extension.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Garrett looks around his den the evening of the party, all his guests save one were milling about. It is a good crowd. Nigel and Bug are checking the connections on his new surround sound equipment in the big screen TV. Jordan and Rene Wolcott are warily making small talk on the sectional. Lily and Peter are in the kitchen popping popcorn. A good crowd. And it felt good to have Lily back. They may have not worked out as a couple, but he truly valued her friendship.
The doorbell rings. "Ah, our last guest," Garrett says as he goes to answer the door.
"About bloody time," Nigel complains as Lily and Peter come in to the room bearing large bowls of popcorn.
Woody walks into the room piled high with a combination of DVD and video boxes. "Hi, hope I'm not late."
Nigel whispers to Peter "And I thought DA Wolcott's presence was going to be interesting part of the evening, let the side show began."
Woody scans the room until his eyes find Jordan. She looks good, maybe a little tired, but it's the same face that haunts his dreams, making him wake mornings in a pile of tangled sheets.
"Alrightey now," Nigel rubs his hands together. "Anti up all, let's see what we have here."
Movies come out of pockets and bags to end up on the coffee table, tapes of all shapes and titles. Hands reach out from all directions just to get closer looks at the box spines.
Nigel reaches for a tape, "How about this to start?" He shows the cover to the group.
"Viva Las Vegas? Nig, I don't..." Garrett sighs.
"The King, race cars, and Ann Margaret in a cat suit, what more could you want?" Nigel points out. Popcorn begins to fly in his direction.
Peter pipes up "How about 'Taxi Driver'?" grabbing a box Woody brought.
Nigel and Bug begin to act out the 'You talkin' to me?' scene. Jordan smiles and mouths, "That was last month."
Bug picks up 'Silence of the Lambs" to a resounding "Yuk" from the crowd. More popcorn is in the air.
Rene picks up "Casablanca". Woody takes a drink from his water bottle and begins a spontaneous monolog:
"Why did you have to come to Casablanca? There are other places.".................... "I wouldn't have come if I'd known that you were here. Believe me Rick, It's true. I didn't know."....................... It's funny about your voice, how it's changed. I can still hear it: 'Richard dear. I'll go with you anyplace. We'll get on a train together and never stop.'".......................... "Please don't. Don't Rick! I can understand how you feel."....................... "Huh! You understand how I feel. How long was it we had, honey?"........................... "I didn't count the days.".................... "Well I did. Every one of them. Mostly, I remember the last one. The wow finish. A guy standing on a station platform in the rain with a comical look on his face, because his insides had been kicked out."................................. "Can I tell you a story Rick?"........................ "Does it have a wow finish?"........................ "I don't know the finish yet.".......................... "Go on and tell it. Maybe one will come to you as you go."
Rene says in awe "I'm impressed."
Woody smiles at his feet and self consciously replies. "I have a soft place in my heart for Rick. He's in love with a woman he can never have." He looks up and directly at Jordan.
Anything to break the tension that buzzed around the room Jordan picks up the closest tape. "Ah...let's see... how about 'An Affair to Remember'?" Damn wrong tape.
Lily begins to jump up and down "Yes! That's got to be one of my favorites!"
In unison the men in the crowd yell "Chickflick."
Bug adds "And I didn't think there enough Kleenex in eastern Massachusetts."
As the airborne popcorn comes her way, Jordan throws the movie back into the pile.
"I hope someone is going to stay and vacuum" Garrett looks around at the popcorn mess.
"OK, OK let's see here." Peter paws through the scattered piles. He hopefully holds up 'Dumb and Dumber'. Realizing he was about to face a borage of popcorn he reaches for another tape and comes up with a candidate. "How about 'From Here to Eternity'?"
Rene comments "Gays in the military...I"
"Oh come on now," Lily interrupts "Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr on the beach...Hello?"
"OK" Rene replies with a soft smile.
"So it's settled. Everyone find a seat let's get started." Garrett takes the tape and pops it in the machine.
After the opening sequence Jordan glances over at Woody sitting at the end of the sofa. He had Rick and Ilsa down to a tee. Too bad there was a war. Ilsa was a fool to leave Rick. And Rick was a bigger fool for trying to hang on. She needed to get up for a second. The room was suddenly very warm. Using the excuse of making more popcorn she grabs a bowl and walks into the kitchen.
Finding the popcorn was easy. Opening the cellophane wrapper and getting it in the microwave was the hard part. Suddenly the package was gently taken from her hands.
A familiar voice says "Looks like you need some help."
Jordan turns and looks at the face that is only inches from hers. He was so close she could smell the spicy scent of his aftershave. Closing her eyes she breathes in deeply.
Misunderstanding her actions Woody says "Sorry I startled you." He steps aside and begins to work on the popcorn wrapper. Funny his fingers didn't seem to be working any better then hers. "Damn things" he mutters as the cellophane gives way. He puts the bag in the microwave and sets the timer.
Turning to face Jordan with his heart on his sleeve, he says "How have you been? I've missed you."
Jordan smiles up to him, her composure collected, she says, "I'm fine, and how's the murder and mayhem department been lately."
He feels the overwhelming urge to kiss her senseless right where she stood and see how calm and cool she could stay. He hates that nonchalant look.
"Jordan, maybe we can go out to dinner sometime and catch up on what you've been doing the last few weeks."
'Meeting up with old lovers and coming to grips with old memories.' Jordan thinks to herself. She closes her eyes and counts to ten.... "I don't think so; I've been really busy lately."
"Coffee then" he waits a second for an answer. "Jesus, Jordan throw me a bone here." Woody was not going to give up this time with out a fight. But Jordan was temporarily saved by the bell of the microwave.
After emptying the popcorn in the bowl she answers "Woody, I don't..."
That's the last straw.
He grabs her arms and turns her face him. "Jordan I'm tired of the 'I'm sorrys' and 'I don't knows'. Enough already!"
"Keep your voice down they're going to hear you." Jordan hisses at him.
He releases her arms as quickly as he grabbed them. Stepping away, he felt That Impenetrable Wall was there and it made him mad as hell.
He turns his back to her, his shoulders stiff.
Desperate to regain some kind of control of this quickly deteriorating situation Jordan says "Come on Woody, lighten up, things have been great haven't they..."
Jordan couldn't get any further because Lily peeks through the kitchen door. "Hey" she says as she tiptoes into the room. 'The attack on Pearl Harbor is about to begin and Garrett wants to know what you want on your pizza." Lily looks back a forth between Jordan's pale face and Woody's back. "Am I interrupting something?" Woody makes a rude sound, but doesn't interfere.
Jordan quickly hands Lily the bowl of popcorn and ushers her out he door. "We'll be right out." Once Lily is gone Jordan turns to Woody and says "I can't give you the answers you want right now. I'm sorry Woody." With that she walks out of the kitchen. In that moment, she truly wishes that things could be different between them.
"Can't or won't Jordan? Which is it?" He turns to see he's alone in the kitchen.
Woody slams his palm against the wall. He knew how the Navy felt at Pearl Harbor. Defeated and in a pile of ashes.
He walks back into the den just as Garrett is waving good-bye to Jordan at the open door. Everyone was watching Woody instead of the guns blazing in black and white.
Nigel grabs the bowl of popcorn and hands in to Peter. "See I told you; better then bloody 'Days of our Lives'".
Garrett returns to the room drags his hand down over his face and points a thumb to the kitchen door. "Hoyt, you care to tell me what happened in there?"
Woody's face becomes curiously calm, he looks as if he was going to say something, but then that lopsided grim crosses his face. "No, Dr. Macy, I don't think I want to." He sits heavily on the sofa. All eyes are still on him as if at any minute he'd go berserk. "So has Montgomery Cliff bought it yet?" he grabs the remote and turns up the sound. He was going to enjoy this evening if it killed him.
Peter looks at Nigel and whispers "I think Charlie Brown just told Lucy to stick it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jordan sits in her SUV. She can't remember making it home. Thank God for emotional auto pilot. Fat rain drops begin to pelt the windshield. Great, even Mother Nature was mad at her.
Could things have gone worse? She hits her head against the steering wheel. Her Dad once told her that 'we can't change the past and we can't know the future. We've only got right now.' After tonight she didn't even have that. Not anymore.
The rain is coming down in buckets when she finally steps to the curb. At least it's hiding her tears.
When was he going to realize that all the sensible words in the world were not going to work on her? She was her own independent woman, not led by her heart. She refused to feel the pain there. Her pride wouldn't let her. With renewed confidence she walks to her building.
By the time she let's herself into her apartment, she soaked to the skin. The sound of the keys hitting the entry table echoes through the empty room. She stops and stares at them for a minute. Looking up she mentally calculates how many of her belongs could fit in the back of her truck.
Throwing her bag to the floor in disgust she yells out to the demons that haunt the room. "Not this time!... not this time." She sinks to the floor to contemplate her next move.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Later that evening, Garrett and Rene stand next to the kitchen door peering inside.
"It's kind of grotesque to watch isn't it?" Rene whispers to Garrett.
"Would you stop it? Can't you see he's in pain?" Garrett hisses back.
The party had long since broken up and Woody still remained. After running the vacuum he loaded the dishwasher, alphabetized Garrett's movie collection and has now stacking empty soda cans in a pyramid on the kitchen counter.
"Are you going to do something?" Rene says pulling her head back out from the kitchen door.
"What do you want me to do? I can't put him on suicide watch, that's your job." Garrett shoots back.
"No, just talk to him...get him out of here...something." Rene puts her hands on her hips. "Unless, you'd rather have him spend the night..."she says searching for her bag.
Garrett couldn't figure out which was worst; how angry he was at her for showing so little sympathy or how she had just assumed she was spending the night. The idea of Hoyt snoring on his couch or night of wild sex made him turn and walk into the kitchen. He didn't miss the self satisfied smile on Rene's face.
Woody jumped as Garrett walked into the room. The soda cans went flying.
As Woody bent down to start picking them up Garrett said "Leave it, I'll get them in the morning. Woody why don't you sit, let's talk."
They took a seat at the kitchen table. Woody begins to wipe away imaginary crumbs.
"How do I put this?" Garrett starts. "Jordan is a difficult woman at best. But I think, in her own way, she cares very deeply for you."
Woody gives a look like 'tell me something I have heard a thousand times' He notices out of the corner of his eye Rene peering in the door again.
"She just needs to be reminded that life goes on..."
"You want me out of here don't you?" Woody interrupts.
"Well...no,no stay as long as you like, your my guest." Garrett harrumphs.
"No, really I'm fine. I can see you want to be alone." Woody stands and leans down to Garrett, "Frankly, just between you and me, I think Ms. Wolcott is kind of scary.
Garrett could have sworn he heard something fall in the other room. Deciding it was best to get Woody on the road as soon as possible, Garrett gets up to walk Woody to the door.
Once in the entry way Rene hands Woody his stack of tapes. "It was nice seeing you this evening Detective Hoyt."
"Yes ma'am, it was nice seeing you too." Woody takes the tapes from her trying to avoid touching her hand. Rene smiles sadistically at him as she leaves the room.
Garrett shoots her a look of 'was that necessary' and turns back to Woody.
Looking at his watch Garrett says, "You know it's not that late; why don't you stop by her place."
Woody looks at his watch "Dr. Macy, it's one in the morning."
'I know she's home because I made her promise she wouldn't skip town, again."
"What?"
Garrett all but pushes him out the door. "Just stop by, finish this thing one way or another, because frankly I'm tired of it."
He shuts the door in Woody's surprised face and turns to Rene who had just walked up behind him.
"I hope you did the right thing." She says. Garrett opens his arms to her and she walks in.
"I hope so too. I was just getting use to having Jordan back to stay."
Jordan walks into to her office balancing her coffee and the newspaper. As she sits down at her desk she notices a familiar plain white envelope. With a she smile she reaches for her letter opener. Before she can read the note Lily walks in the door.
"Classic movie night at Garrett's, it's been awhile." Lily says as she waves her little white envelope.
"It's only been a month or two. We've missed you there."
Lily sits slowly down on the couch and says "Well it didn't feel right to go, you know, over to his house."
"Are you OK with it now?" Jordan asks.
"Oh yea...no problem...in fact" she says as she stands "I'm looking forward to it."
"I'm glad to hear it."
"Jordan, never forget what's worth remembering and never remember what you should just forget about."
"Where did that come from? Are you writing greeting cards now Lily?"
"No just getting on with my life. Maybe you should too."
Lily walks to the door and turns with her fingernail to her lip. "Hmmm, the only problem I have is what movie to pick out, something really to put them all on edge; decisions, decisions."
Jordan smiled at that. For as long as they had been doing Classic Movie Night at Garrett's house it has been the girls against the guys. Chick flicks against thrillers. Half the fun was watching Bug squirm during some sappy romantic scene. A trip to the video rental store was on the agenda for this evening.
Anything would be better than sitting home watching her life spiral out of control. The last two weeks have been a mixture of single malt scotch and self analysis. Not the best of combinations. A night of popcorn, pizza and lively debate was just what she needed.
Suddenly feeling lighter than she has in weeks Jordan begins her day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Woody stops at his desk to go through the pile of mail lying there. He gets more mail at the office than he does at home.
"Ad,bill,ad,ad,.... what's this?" The white envelope had no return address the handwriting looked very formal. Woody sat down as he opened it.
'You Are Cordially Invited to Classic Movie Night. An Evening of Quality Film and Insightful Conversation....
He read on noticing that Garrett is putting on the party. He is taken back a bit, the last time he was invited to a theme party with this group of people he ended up playing a murderer. The invitation says to RSVP. He reaches for the phone. The odds were that Jordan would be there. Just to see her face would be enough. Wouldn't it? He was at loss anymore. One day she runs hot the next cold. She is the ultimate puzzle. Was it all worth it? He pulls his hand back. Why did he put himself through this? He drags his hands through his hair in frustration. He did this to himself because he relished in the possibilities. With a cleansing sigh he picks up the phone and dials Garrett's extension.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Garrett looks around his den the evening of the party, all his guests save one were milling about. It is a good crowd. Nigel and Bug are checking the connections on his new surround sound equipment in the big screen TV. Jordan and Rene Wolcott are warily making small talk on the sectional. Lily and Peter are in the kitchen popping popcorn. A good crowd. And it felt good to have Lily back. They may have not worked out as a couple, but he truly valued her friendship.
The doorbell rings. "Ah, our last guest," Garrett says as he goes to answer the door.
"About bloody time," Nigel complains as Lily and Peter come in to the room bearing large bowls of popcorn.
Woody walks into the room piled high with a combination of DVD and video boxes. "Hi, hope I'm not late."
Nigel whispers to Peter "And I thought DA Wolcott's presence was going to be interesting part of the evening, let the side show began."
Woody scans the room until his eyes find Jordan. She looks good, maybe a little tired, but it's the same face that haunts his dreams, making him wake mornings in a pile of tangled sheets.
"Alrightey now," Nigel rubs his hands together. "Anti up all, let's see what we have here."
Movies come out of pockets and bags to end up on the coffee table, tapes of all shapes and titles. Hands reach out from all directions just to get closer looks at the box spines.
Nigel reaches for a tape, "How about this to start?" He shows the cover to the group.
"Viva Las Vegas? Nig, I don't..." Garrett sighs.
"The King, race cars, and Ann Margaret in a cat suit, what more could you want?" Nigel points out. Popcorn begins to fly in his direction.
Peter pipes up "How about 'Taxi Driver'?" grabbing a box Woody brought.
Nigel and Bug begin to act out the 'You talkin' to me?' scene. Jordan smiles and mouths, "That was last month."
Bug picks up 'Silence of the Lambs" to a resounding "Yuk" from the crowd. More popcorn is in the air.
Rene picks up "Casablanca". Woody takes a drink from his water bottle and begins a spontaneous monolog:
"Why did you have to come to Casablanca? There are other places.".................... "I wouldn't have come if I'd known that you were here. Believe me Rick, It's true. I didn't know."....................... It's funny about your voice, how it's changed. I can still hear it: 'Richard dear. I'll go with you anyplace. We'll get on a train together and never stop.'".......................... "Please don't. Don't Rick! I can understand how you feel."....................... "Huh! You understand how I feel. How long was it we had, honey?"........................... "I didn't count the days.".................... "Well I did. Every one of them. Mostly, I remember the last one. The wow finish. A guy standing on a station platform in the rain with a comical look on his face, because his insides had been kicked out."................................. "Can I tell you a story Rick?"........................ "Does it have a wow finish?"........................ "I don't know the finish yet.".......................... "Go on and tell it. Maybe one will come to you as you go."
Rene says in awe "I'm impressed."
Woody smiles at his feet and self consciously replies. "I have a soft place in my heart for Rick. He's in love with a woman he can never have." He looks up and directly at Jordan.
Anything to break the tension that buzzed around the room Jordan picks up the closest tape. "Ah...let's see... how about 'An Affair to Remember'?" Damn wrong tape.
Lily begins to jump up and down "Yes! That's got to be one of my favorites!"
In unison the men in the crowd yell "Chickflick."
Bug adds "And I didn't think there enough Kleenex in eastern Massachusetts."
As the airborne popcorn comes her way, Jordan throws the movie back into the pile.
"I hope someone is going to stay and vacuum" Garrett looks around at the popcorn mess.
"OK, OK let's see here." Peter paws through the scattered piles. He hopefully holds up 'Dumb and Dumber'. Realizing he was about to face a borage of popcorn he reaches for another tape and comes up with a candidate. "How about 'From Here to Eternity'?"
Rene comments "Gays in the military...I"
"Oh come on now," Lily interrupts "Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr on the beach...Hello?"
"OK" Rene replies with a soft smile.
"So it's settled. Everyone find a seat let's get started." Garrett takes the tape and pops it in the machine.
After the opening sequence Jordan glances over at Woody sitting at the end of the sofa. He had Rick and Ilsa down to a tee. Too bad there was a war. Ilsa was a fool to leave Rick. And Rick was a bigger fool for trying to hang on. She needed to get up for a second. The room was suddenly very warm. Using the excuse of making more popcorn she grabs a bowl and walks into the kitchen.
Finding the popcorn was easy. Opening the cellophane wrapper and getting it in the microwave was the hard part. Suddenly the package was gently taken from her hands.
A familiar voice says "Looks like you need some help."
Jordan turns and looks at the face that is only inches from hers. He was so close she could smell the spicy scent of his aftershave. Closing her eyes she breathes in deeply.
Misunderstanding her actions Woody says "Sorry I startled you." He steps aside and begins to work on the popcorn wrapper. Funny his fingers didn't seem to be working any better then hers. "Damn things" he mutters as the cellophane gives way. He puts the bag in the microwave and sets the timer.
Turning to face Jordan with his heart on his sleeve, he says "How have you been? I've missed you."
Jordan smiles up to him, her composure collected, she says, "I'm fine, and how's the murder and mayhem department been lately."
He feels the overwhelming urge to kiss her senseless right where she stood and see how calm and cool she could stay. He hates that nonchalant look.
"Jordan, maybe we can go out to dinner sometime and catch up on what you've been doing the last few weeks."
'Meeting up with old lovers and coming to grips with old memories.' Jordan thinks to herself. She closes her eyes and counts to ten.... "I don't think so; I've been really busy lately."
"Coffee then" he waits a second for an answer. "Jesus, Jordan throw me a bone here." Woody was not going to give up this time with out a fight. But Jordan was temporarily saved by the bell of the microwave.
After emptying the popcorn in the bowl she answers "Woody, I don't..."
That's the last straw.
He grabs her arms and turns her face him. "Jordan I'm tired of the 'I'm sorrys' and 'I don't knows'. Enough already!"
"Keep your voice down they're going to hear you." Jordan hisses at him.
He releases her arms as quickly as he grabbed them. Stepping away, he felt That Impenetrable Wall was there and it made him mad as hell.
He turns his back to her, his shoulders stiff.
Desperate to regain some kind of control of this quickly deteriorating situation Jordan says "Come on Woody, lighten up, things have been great haven't they..."
Jordan couldn't get any further because Lily peeks through the kitchen door. "Hey" she says as she tiptoes into the room. 'The attack on Pearl Harbor is about to begin and Garrett wants to know what you want on your pizza." Lily looks back a forth between Jordan's pale face and Woody's back. "Am I interrupting something?" Woody makes a rude sound, but doesn't interfere.
Jordan quickly hands Lily the bowl of popcorn and ushers her out he door. "We'll be right out." Once Lily is gone Jordan turns to Woody and says "I can't give you the answers you want right now. I'm sorry Woody." With that she walks out of the kitchen. In that moment, she truly wishes that things could be different between them.
"Can't or won't Jordan? Which is it?" He turns to see he's alone in the kitchen.
Woody slams his palm against the wall. He knew how the Navy felt at Pearl Harbor. Defeated and in a pile of ashes.
He walks back into the den just as Garrett is waving good-bye to Jordan at the open door. Everyone was watching Woody instead of the guns blazing in black and white.
Nigel grabs the bowl of popcorn and hands in to Peter. "See I told you; better then bloody 'Days of our Lives'".
Garrett returns to the room drags his hand down over his face and points a thumb to the kitchen door. "Hoyt, you care to tell me what happened in there?"
Woody's face becomes curiously calm, he looks as if he was going to say something, but then that lopsided grim crosses his face. "No, Dr. Macy, I don't think I want to." He sits heavily on the sofa. All eyes are still on him as if at any minute he'd go berserk. "So has Montgomery Cliff bought it yet?" he grabs the remote and turns up the sound. He was going to enjoy this evening if it killed him.
Peter looks at Nigel and whispers "I think Charlie Brown just told Lucy to stick it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jordan sits in her SUV. She can't remember making it home. Thank God for emotional auto pilot. Fat rain drops begin to pelt the windshield. Great, even Mother Nature was mad at her.
Could things have gone worse? She hits her head against the steering wheel. Her Dad once told her that 'we can't change the past and we can't know the future. We've only got right now.' After tonight she didn't even have that. Not anymore.
The rain is coming down in buckets when she finally steps to the curb. At least it's hiding her tears.
When was he going to realize that all the sensible words in the world were not going to work on her? She was her own independent woman, not led by her heart. She refused to feel the pain there. Her pride wouldn't let her. With renewed confidence she walks to her building.
By the time she let's herself into her apartment, she soaked to the skin. The sound of the keys hitting the entry table echoes through the empty room. She stops and stares at them for a minute. Looking up she mentally calculates how many of her belongs could fit in the back of her truck.
Throwing her bag to the floor in disgust she yells out to the demons that haunt the room. "Not this time!... not this time." She sinks to the floor to contemplate her next move.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Later that evening, Garrett and Rene stand next to the kitchen door peering inside.
"It's kind of grotesque to watch isn't it?" Rene whispers to Garrett.
"Would you stop it? Can't you see he's in pain?" Garrett hisses back.
The party had long since broken up and Woody still remained. After running the vacuum he loaded the dishwasher, alphabetized Garrett's movie collection and has now stacking empty soda cans in a pyramid on the kitchen counter.
"Are you going to do something?" Rene says pulling her head back out from the kitchen door.
"What do you want me to do? I can't put him on suicide watch, that's your job." Garrett shoots back.
"No, just talk to him...get him out of here...something." Rene puts her hands on her hips. "Unless, you'd rather have him spend the night..."she says searching for her bag.
Garrett couldn't figure out which was worst; how angry he was at her for showing so little sympathy or how she had just assumed she was spending the night. The idea of Hoyt snoring on his couch or night of wild sex made him turn and walk into the kitchen. He didn't miss the self satisfied smile on Rene's face.
Woody jumped as Garrett walked into the room. The soda cans went flying.
As Woody bent down to start picking them up Garrett said "Leave it, I'll get them in the morning. Woody why don't you sit, let's talk."
They took a seat at the kitchen table. Woody begins to wipe away imaginary crumbs.
"How do I put this?" Garrett starts. "Jordan is a difficult woman at best. But I think, in her own way, she cares very deeply for you."
Woody gives a look like 'tell me something I have heard a thousand times' He notices out of the corner of his eye Rene peering in the door again.
"She just needs to be reminded that life goes on..."
"You want me out of here don't you?" Woody interrupts.
"Well...no,no stay as long as you like, your my guest." Garrett harrumphs.
"No, really I'm fine. I can see you want to be alone." Woody stands and leans down to Garrett, "Frankly, just between you and me, I think Ms. Wolcott is kind of scary.
Garrett could have sworn he heard something fall in the other room. Deciding it was best to get Woody on the road as soon as possible, Garrett gets up to walk Woody to the door.
Once in the entry way Rene hands Woody his stack of tapes. "It was nice seeing you this evening Detective Hoyt."
"Yes ma'am, it was nice seeing you too." Woody takes the tapes from her trying to avoid touching her hand. Rene smiles sadistically at him as she leaves the room.
Garrett shoots her a look of 'was that necessary' and turns back to Woody.
Looking at his watch Garrett says, "You know it's not that late; why don't you stop by her place."
Woody looks at his watch "Dr. Macy, it's one in the morning."
'I know she's home because I made her promise she wouldn't skip town, again."
"What?"
Garrett all but pushes him out the door. "Just stop by, finish this thing one way or another, because frankly I'm tired of it."
He shuts the door in Woody's surprised face and turns to Rene who had just walked up behind him.
"I hope you did the right thing." She says. Garrett opens his arms to her and she walks in.
"I hope so too. I was just getting use to having Jordan back to stay."