There was an almost awkward silence between Shawn and Jason as they sat in
a corner booth of Star Lane. It was only with the greatest of willpower
that Shawn kept himself from fidgeting under the pressure created by his
own nervousness. There, in the darkened night club, Shawn was preparing
himself to learn a truth that could easily destroy his remaining hope.
Jason nodded his head in the direction of the stage and remarked, "You should have got here sooner. Phil had a live band performing for Belle. They were actually pretty good."
"Yeah, I'm sure they were great." Clearing his throat, Shawn added, "So, are you going to tell me what's been going on around here while I was gone? If so, let's quit beating around the bush and get to the point."
A weak smile graced Jason's lips and he replied, "I see you still don't like playing games. Around here, that's a rare quality, pal."
"I'm beginning to see that. Wanna tell me just what games the old gang is playing?"
Reclining his body as best as he could at the booth, Jason took a careful sip of his drink. He had a strong feeling that he was going to need all the fortification he could get. Stealing a glance across the table, Jason realized that Shawn was still looking at him expectantly.
Jason released a sigh before beginning, "Well, first you have to understand that the 'old gang' isn't what it use to be. Things have changed - a lot. Back in high school, the in-crowd included me and Jan, you and Belle, and Philip and . . . Chloe."
Shawn could not help but notice the way Jason hesitated to say the last name. Nor could he ignore how Jason's entire tone changed with just that one word. It became lower, darker.
"Anyway, Shawn, it's not like that anymore. The gang has an all new roll call."
"Consisting of?"
"Consisting of Belle, Philip, Brady, and Mimi. Or, the 'penthouse crew' as Jan likes to call them."
For some reason, Shawn had a hard time accepting that those four people had become a favored circle of friends. On the brighter side, Shawn felt happy that Mimi was finally a part of the crowd she had so wanted to join. Little did Shawn know what a nightmare Mimi's dreams had proven to be. Raising his hand to signal Jason's silence, Shawn asked, "Why those four? I mean, what possible reason is there for, say Brady, to be hanging out with Meems?"
Jason tightly gripped his glass as Shawn began to swallow his own drink. Unclenching his jaw, Jason unhappily muttered, "She's married to him."
Those four words were all it took to force the intoxicating liquid out Shawn's mouth and across the table in a shower-like display. Wiping his mouth with a napkin, Shawn coughed and questioned, "What? How did that happen?"
"Like everything else that's screwed up in this town, it goes back to Chloe. But, we'll get to that later. Before I go on, you need to understand just where we stand with the others."
"Alright, you've got my full attention."
"I've been out of high school for five years. And, during that time, I've gone from one of the most popular guys to a near nobody. Who would have thought that Mr. Woods was right when he said that who we are in high school has nothing to do with who we become in the real world? Anyway, I've somehow gotten stuck sitting on the sidelines watching everyone else." With an ironic grin, Jason added, "But, at least I'm not as much of an outcast around here as you are. I gotta tell you man, there ain't going to be a whole lot of people around here happy to see you. In fact, I'm probably the only person around here other than your family that doesn't want you gone."
"Yeah, well, I'm not exactly interested in winning a popularity contest. All I want is the truth - all of it."
"I'll tell you what I can, but there is some stuff that I just don't know. Among that stuff is a large part of Philip and Belle's relationship. I can give you the basics, but that's about it. I've had enough problems of my own in the romance department without worrying about theirs."
In high school, Jason had never been Shawn's favorite person. During their senior year, they had managed to become friends, but even then things were far from being warm and fuzzy. Jason had always been Chloe's leading antagonist, and Shawn was her greatest defender. The two just didn't mesh well. Now, however, Shawn was finding himself increasingly grateful to have Jason on his side. It was becoming painfully obvious that he wasn't going to have a great deal of friends jumping to his aid.
"I'll take whatever you can give me, Jase. I have to know about Philip and Belle. I actually received a letter from her while I was away at school, and she told me that there was a special guy in her life and that it would be better if I just stayed away from her and Salem. I never would have guessed that the guy was Philip. I can't believe that he would just swoop in on Belle like that while I was away. Especially after the way he went on and on about how much he loved Chloe."
Jason took a deep a gulp of his scotch. The conversation had really just begun, and Shawn was already starting to show his temper. It wasn't what Jason would consider an ideal situation.
"To be honest, I think that Philip and Belle are just as screwed up as the rest of us. Right up until the moment you walked in here tonight, they were the happy couple. It's like they consider themselves the Romeo and Juliet of Salem or something. Even worse, the entire town thinks that they're just so wonderful together and have so much in common."
"Belle and Philip? What exactly do those two have in common? From the looks of things, Belle's still an angel and Philip's become the biggest jerk in town."
"Maybe, but Brady Black is definitely a close second. I gotta tell you, Shawn, Mr. and Mrs. Kiriakis and Mr. and Mrs. Black make me want to gag myself."
Shawn found himself actually smiling at Jason's disgust. It was quite comforting to know that he had someone on his side when it seemed the entire world was against him. "I take it you're not a big fan of Brady's."
"You could say that. Or, you could say that I'm saving my best pair of shoes to dance on his grave."
"Ouch," remarked Shawn with a light laugh. "It's nice to know that Brady's people skills haven't changed while I was away."
Giving a smile of his own, Jason said, "Nah, Brady's the same misfit he was before you left. Only now, he's got a ton more cash thanks to a few lucky breaks on the stock market." Jason paused to look across the club to where Brady had found yet another person to argue with. "I've got to give Philip this much, he's always willing and able to one-up Brady. Of course, that's the only good thing I have to say about Philip."
"I thought you two were good buddies. What happened?"
Raising his glass in a mock toast, Jason dryly answered, "Love. The one thing that's been able to rip us all apart."
"How so?"
"You know what, Shawn? Let's cut the crap. We can place the blame on anyone we choose, but in the end there are exactly two people who are responsible for most of the broken hearts in Salem. Chloe Lane and . . . you."
Shawn could not understand where exactly Jason's sudden anger originated, but he certainly didn't welcome it. Showing a little of his own anger, Shawn remarked, "Look, I don't know what twisted version of six degrees of Kevin Bacon you're playing, but I seriously doubt that you can blame an entire town's heartaches on me and Chloe."
Jason mentally cursed himself for losing his temper with Shawn so suddenly. He had felt the anger growing from the time he told Shawn about Brady and Mimi's marriage. And, the more he tried to ignore the anger, the more it wanted to surface. Finally, it had - at Shawn's expense. Begrudgingly, Jason apologized, "I'm sorry. It's just that I've been under a lot of stress lately and rehashing the past doesn't help any."
"Don't worry about," generously forgave Shawn. Of course, he had his own selfish reasons for so quickly forgiving his friend's temper. Shawn needed answers, and it looked like Jason was the only person willing to give them to him. "Why don't you just tell me how you could think that Chloe and I were to blame for everyone else's lives? In fact, why don't you just tell me the whole story - starting from when I went to Kings Point?"
"Alright, if you want it that way," replied Jason. Leaning his head back, Jason looked at the ceiling and took a deep breath. There was a lot to tell, and he wasn't sure how much of it he really wanted to remember.
"You know how you and Brady both left about a month after graduation?"
"Yeah."
"That's when the trouble started. You left us, Shawn. Whether you knew it or not, you were our conscience, the one we could all turn to. When you left, it changed all the rules, especially for Chloe. I don't think you realized how much she depended on you. After you left, she was sort of lost, but at least she had Belle for a little while."
A slight pang of guilt assaulted Shawn as he looked away from Jason and began to glance around the crowded club. He had meant to keep in better contact with Chloe, he truly had. But, things had become so hectic that he'd slowly lost contact. He knew that he should have been more aware of Chloe's feelings. Through their senior year, Shawn and Chloe had developed a unique friendship that truly bettered them both.
It had started when Shawn learned about his mother's affair with John Black, the affair that produced Isaac. Of course, learning that J.T. was not even his brother was bad, but learning that he and Belle shared a sibling had nearly torn Shawn apart. At his weakest moment, he had discovered what a wonderful friend Chloe truly was. She had spent countless hours just listening when he needed to vent. At a time when he couldn't turn to Belle, the young woman he loved, Shawn was able to turn to his friend. Somehow, he had lost that friendship.
Confused by Jason's last sentence, Shawn asked, "What do you mean for a little while?"
"Well, about a year after you and Brady moved away, he returned from college. Within two months, he had lured Chloe away from Philip." Jason paused before continuing in a softer tone, "You should have seen them together. I had never liked Chloe, but to see the way she looked at him, it was pretty cool. I thought those two would last forever. Too bad they didn't. Of course, Brady found a way to blow it."
Shawn bit back the urge to question Jason's tainted view of Brady. He had a feeling that there was nothing he could do to alter Jason's perception of Brady. It would be fruitless to even try. However, that didn't stop him from wondering why Jason hated him so very much.
Jason took a few extra moments before continuing his tale. He knew that the next part was the hardest and most regrettable.
"When Brady got with Chloe, that sent your precious Belle straight into Philip's arms. I suppose it was just a little too weird for Chloe to have her best friend and her ex-boyfriend dating. She tried to convince everybody that she was cool with it, but she wasn't. Anyway, things weren't great, but everybody got by okay for a while. Right up until December of 2003."
Sensing Jason's reluctance, Shawn prompted, "What happened then?"
Deciding that he couldn't tell Shawn all the details quite yet, Jason answered, "Nobody knows for sure. On the first day of 2004, Chloe skipped town and hasn't been back since and none of us have seen her."
Shawn knew that Jason was leaving something out. Some event that caused Chloe's departure. But, he decided to let it go for the moment. He just wanted to get a feel for the years that he had missed in Salem.
Rubbing his hands together anxiously, Jason decided to just skip the unimportant details and tell Shawn the basics. He really wasn't in the mood to relive his mistakes. Pretending to look at his watch, Jason said, "It's starting to get late, so I'm going to wrap this up real quick for you. Okay?"
"Sounds good to me."
"It couldn't have been more than three months after Chloe left when Brady and Meems tied the knot. If you want more info about that, you'll have to ask somebody else, because I don't know. I've worked for Brady since he opened this club, and I still don't have a clue about those two."
"Whoa, Brady owns this club?"
Smirking, Jason asked, "Couldn't you tell by the name? Star Lane? When Brady and Chloe were together, he called her his star. Yeah, he thought he was a freakin' poet. After a while, he started just calling her Star - making her Star Lane."
Shawn shook his head at the irony. From what Jason had said, Brady and Chloe had been separated for a long time. Yet, Brady had insisted upon naming his club after her - not Mimi. Interesting. Maybe things weren't so blissful in paradise after all.
"Hey, there is one thing that I know about Phil and Belle that might cheer you up. He had to propose three times before she said yes. Everyone thought that she was holding out for you."
"I wish she would have."
"Too little too late, pal. So, back to my little history lesson. Two years ago today, the perfect couple had the wedding of the century. I'm talking huge. You had to see it to believe it."
Too himself, Shawn whispered, "A perfect wedding for my perfect girl."
"A couple of months after the wedding, they adopted this little homeless baby, Katrina. I suppose she's about three or so now."
Shawn couldn't force himself to deal with Belle and Philip raising a child together. If he did, it would certainly be the straw that broke his back. Asking the one question that had nagged at him from the moment he saw Philip kiss Belle's neck, Shawn question, "Do you think she really loves him?"
"Maybe. Maybe not. Sometimes it's hard to tell what's the truth and what's just a false appearance."
A calm peace settled over both men and they each were lost in thought. Shawn was considering all that had been said, and Jason was considering all that still needed to be said. There was one thing that he had left out. And, it was a secret that he needed to share. It had been eating away at him for so long, and he just wanted to tell someone so he wouldn't be forced to carry the burden alone.
For some time, Jason had been bothered by a sin that needed confessing. And, with Shawn sitting there so ready to listen, he knew that it was time to begin telling his own story. Too bad he began to tell his story just as Mimi was coming to retrieve her purse. Even worse, Mimi thought it in her best interest to stay hidden from both men and merely listen to their conversation.
"There's something I've been needing to get off my chest, and I think that you would be just the right person to hear it."
"Go ahead."
"Well, what I have to say isn't exactly something I could say to Philip or Brady even I was friends with them, especially Brady. I may work for him and get along with him because of it, but let's face it, he's a self- absorbed jerk. Of course, that's not even close to being the reason why I could never confess my little secret to him."
"Jase, man, what have you done that's bothering you this much? Wait, is this about a woman?"
"Yeah, it's about a woman."
Shawn smiled and asked, "Anyone I know?"
"Oh, yeah." Taking a deep, fortifying breath, Jason continued, "I'm going to be honest with you, Shawn. I've slept with quite a few women that I didn't love. Through my college years, I was never anything like 'Phil the human puppy dog.' I didn't feel the desire follow some girl around and be her one and only. Jan transferred to another college right before we started our junior year, so that left me free to play the field. Of course, since this seems to be the night for me to confess my dirty sins, I might as well be completely truthful. I was never faithful to Jan before she left town."
Wanting to cheer his friend up, Shawn warmly said, "So, you guys were lucky enough to have a second chance. My mom mentioned that you two were getting married. Listen, Jason, I'm sure that you're sorry for the way you acted in the past and that you will be faithful to Jan this time." Shawn refrained from mentioning whether or not he believed Jan would be faithful. After seeing her and the bartender, he wasn't so sure.
"Too late, I've already cheated on her. Then again, after tonight, Jan and I will be history. So, I'm not sure if it really matters."
Shawn sat speechless. Despite their severe problems, Shawn had always thought that Jan and Jason shared some type of love. From the sound of Jason's voice, he had been mistaken.
"Shawn, I'm not wanting to tell you about my relationship with Jan. She never loved me, so I'm not sorry for betraying her. What I needed to confess was how I used someone that I didn't love to get back at Brady. You see, I slept with a woman in his life just to hurt him. I was never in love her and never will be. I just wanted to get back at Brady."
Mimi stifled her own cries as she heard Jason speak. For a moment, she felt sure that she was going to be sick. In a world of darkness created by Brady, Jason had been a light. Now, she believed that she was discovering that he was even darker than the man she had married.
Forgetting all about her purse, Mimi ran back down the hall, thankful that she hadn't allowed the guys to see her. All she wanted was to find some dark corner to crawl into. There, she could cry herself to sleep. And, in her sleep, she would hope to escape the pain in her life.
Shawn glared at Jason suspiciously. He was truly shocked to learn that his companion would do something so spiteful. Even for Jason, it was low. With a twinge of hesitation, Shawn asked, "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying the last thing Chloe Lane did before leaving Salem was me."
Jason nodded his head in the direction of the stage and remarked, "You should have got here sooner. Phil had a live band performing for Belle. They were actually pretty good."
"Yeah, I'm sure they were great." Clearing his throat, Shawn added, "So, are you going to tell me what's been going on around here while I was gone? If so, let's quit beating around the bush and get to the point."
A weak smile graced Jason's lips and he replied, "I see you still don't like playing games. Around here, that's a rare quality, pal."
"I'm beginning to see that. Wanna tell me just what games the old gang is playing?"
Reclining his body as best as he could at the booth, Jason took a careful sip of his drink. He had a strong feeling that he was going to need all the fortification he could get. Stealing a glance across the table, Jason realized that Shawn was still looking at him expectantly.
Jason released a sigh before beginning, "Well, first you have to understand that the 'old gang' isn't what it use to be. Things have changed - a lot. Back in high school, the in-crowd included me and Jan, you and Belle, and Philip and . . . Chloe."
Shawn could not help but notice the way Jason hesitated to say the last name. Nor could he ignore how Jason's entire tone changed with just that one word. It became lower, darker.
"Anyway, Shawn, it's not like that anymore. The gang has an all new roll call."
"Consisting of?"
"Consisting of Belle, Philip, Brady, and Mimi. Or, the 'penthouse crew' as Jan likes to call them."
For some reason, Shawn had a hard time accepting that those four people had become a favored circle of friends. On the brighter side, Shawn felt happy that Mimi was finally a part of the crowd she had so wanted to join. Little did Shawn know what a nightmare Mimi's dreams had proven to be. Raising his hand to signal Jason's silence, Shawn asked, "Why those four? I mean, what possible reason is there for, say Brady, to be hanging out with Meems?"
Jason tightly gripped his glass as Shawn began to swallow his own drink. Unclenching his jaw, Jason unhappily muttered, "She's married to him."
Those four words were all it took to force the intoxicating liquid out Shawn's mouth and across the table in a shower-like display. Wiping his mouth with a napkin, Shawn coughed and questioned, "What? How did that happen?"
"Like everything else that's screwed up in this town, it goes back to Chloe. But, we'll get to that later. Before I go on, you need to understand just where we stand with the others."
"Alright, you've got my full attention."
"I've been out of high school for five years. And, during that time, I've gone from one of the most popular guys to a near nobody. Who would have thought that Mr. Woods was right when he said that who we are in high school has nothing to do with who we become in the real world? Anyway, I've somehow gotten stuck sitting on the sidelines watching everyone else." With an ironic grin, Jason added, "But, at least I'm not as much of an outcast around here as you are. I gotta tell you man, there ain't going to be a whole lot of people around here happy to see you. In fact, I'm probably the only person around here other than your family that doesn't want you gone."
"Yeah, well, I'm not exactly interested in winning a popularity contest. All I want is the truth - all of it."
"I'll tell you what I can, but there is some stuff that I just don't know. Among that stuff is a large part of Philip and Belle's relationship. I can give you the basics, but that's about it. I've had enough problems of my own in the romance department without worrying about theirs."
In high school, Jason had never been Shawn's favorite person. During their senior year, they had managed to become friends, but even then things were far from being warm and fuzzy. Jason had always been Chloe's leading antagonist, and Shawn was her greatest defender. The two just didn't mesh well. Now, however, Shawn was finding himself increasingly grateful to have Jason on his side. It was becoming painfully obvious that he wasn't going to have a great deal of friends jumping to his aid.
"I'll take whatever you can give me, Jase. I have to know about Philip and Belle. I actually received a letter from her while I was away at school, and she told me that there was a special guy in her life and that it would be better if I just stayed away from her and Salem. I never would have guessed that the guy was Philip. I can't believe that he would just swoop in on Belle like that while I was away. Especially after the way he went on and on about how much he loved Chloe."
Jason took a deep a gulp of his scotch. The conversation had really just begun, and Shawn was already starting to show his temper. It wasn't what Jason would consider an ideal situation.
"To be honest, I think that Philip and Belle are just as screwed up as the rest of us. Right up until the moment you walked in here tonight, they were the happy couple. It's like they consider themselves the Romeo and Juliet of Salem or something. Even worse, the entire town thinks that they're just so wonderful together and have so much in common."
"Belle and Philip? What exactly do those two have in common? From the looks of things, Belle's still an angel and Philip's become the biggest jerk in town."
"Maybe, but Brady Black is definitely a close second. I gotta tell you, Shawn, Mr. and Mrs. Kiriakis and Mr. and Mrs. Black make me want to gag myself."
Shawn found himself actually smiling at Jason's disgust. It was quite comforting to know that he had someone on his side when it seemed the entire world was against him. "I take it you're not a big fan of Brady's."
"You could say that. Or, you could say that I'm saving my best pair of shoes to dance on his grave."
"Ouch," remarked Shawn with a light laugh. "It's nice to know that Brady's people skills haven't changed while I was away."
Giving a smile of his own, Jason said, "Nah, Brady's the same misfit he was before you left. Only now, he's got a ton more cash thanks to a few lucky breaks on the stock market." Jason paused to look across the club to where Brady had found yet another person to argue with. "I've got to give Philip this much, he's always willing and able to one-up Brady. Of course, that's the only good thing I have to say about Philip."
"I thought you two were good buddies. What happened?"
Raising his glass in a mock toast, Jason dryly answered, "Love. The one thing that's been able to rip us all apart."
"How so?"
"You know what, Shawn? Let's cut the crap. We can place the blame on anyone we choose, but in the end there are exactly two people who are responsible for most of the broken hearts in Salem. Chloe Lane and . . . you."
Shawn could not understand where exactly Jason's sudden anger originated, but he certainly didn't welcome it. Showing a little of his own anger, Shawn remarked, "Look, I don't know what twisted version of six degrees of Kevin Bacon you're playing, but I seriously doubt that you can blame an entire town's heartaches on me and Chloe."
Jason mentally cursed himself for losing his temper with Shawn so suddenly. He had felt the anger growing from the time he told Shawn about Brady and Mimi's marriage. And, the more he tried to ignore the anger, the more it wanted to surface. Finally, it had - at Shawn's expense. Begrudgingly, Jason apologized, "I'm sorry. It's just that I've been under a lot of stress lately and rehashing the past doesn't help any."
"Don't worry about," generously forgave Shawn. Of course, he had his own selfish reasons for so quickly forgiving his friend's temper. Shawn needed answers, and it looked like Jason was the only person willing to give them to him. "Why don't you just tell me how you could think that Chloe and I were to blame for everyone else's lives? In fact, why don't you just tell me the whole story - starting from when I went to Kings Point?"
"Alright, if you want it that way," replied Jason. Leaning his head back, Jason looked at the ceiling and took a deep breath. There was a lot to tell, and he wasn't sure how much of it he really wanted to remember.
"You know how you and Brady both left about a month after graduation?"
"Yeah."
"That's when the trouble started. You left us, Shawn. Whether you knew it or not, you were our conscience, the one we could all turn to. When you left, it changed all the rules, especially for Chloe. I don't think you realized how much she depended on you. After you left, she was sort of lost, but at least she had Belle for a little while."
A slight pang of guilt assaulted Shawn as he looked away from Jason and began to glance around the crowded club. He had meant to keep in better contact with Chloe, he truly had. But, things had become so hectic that he'd slowly lost contact. He knew that he should have been more aware of Chloe's feelings. Through their senior year, Shawn and Chloe had developed a unique friendship that truly bettered them both.
It had started when Shawn learned about his mother's affair with John Black, the affair that produced Isaac. Of course, learning that J.T. was not even his brother was bad, but learning that he and Belle shared a sibling had nearly torn Shawn apart. At his weakest moment, he had discovered what a wonderful friend Chloe truly was. She had spent countless hours just listening when he needed to vent. At a time when he couldn't turn to Belle, the young woman he loved, Shawn was able to turn to his friend. Somehow, he had lost that friendship.
Confused by Jason's last sentence, Shawn asked, "What do you mean for a little while?"
"Well, about a year after you and Brady moved away, he returned from college. Within two months, he had lured Chloe away from Philip." Jason paused before continuing in a softer tone, "You should have seen them together. I had never liked Chloe, but to see the way she looked at him, it was pretty cool. I thought those two would last forever. Too bad they didn't. Of course, Brady found a way to blow it."
Shawn bit back the urge to question Jason's tainted view of Brady. He had a feeling that there was nothing he could do to alter Jason's perception of Brady. It would be fruitless to even try. However, that didn't stop him from wondering why Jason hated him so very much.
Jason took a few extra moments before continuing his tale. He knew that the next part was the hardest and most regrettable.
"When Brady got with Chloe, that sent your precious Belle straight into Philip's arms. I suppose it was just a little too weird for Chloe to have her best friend and her ex-boyfriend dating. She tried to convince everybody that she was cool with it, but she wasn't. Anyway, things weren't great, but everybody got by okay for a while. Right up until December of 2003."
Sensing Jason's reluctance, Shawn prompted, "What happened then?"
Deciding that he couldn't tell Shawn all the details quite yet, Jason answered, "Nobody knows for sure. On the first day of 2004, Chloe skipped town and hasn't been back since and none of us have seen her."
Shawn knew that Jason was leaving something out. Some event that caused Chloe's departure. But, he decided to let it go for the moment. He just wanted to get a feel for the years that he had missed in Salem.
Rubbing his hands together anxiously, Jason decided to just skip the unimportant details and tell Shawn the basics. He really wasn't in the mood to relive his mistakes. Pretending to look at his watch, Jason said, "It's starting to get late, so I'm going to wrap this up real quick for you. Okay?"
"Sounds good to me."
"It couldn't have been more than three months after Chloe left when Brady and Meems tied the knot. If you want more info about that, you'll have to ask somebody else, because I don't know. I've worked for Brady since he opened this club, and I still don't have a clue about those two."
"Whoa, Brady owns this club?"
Smirking, Jason asked, "Couldn't you tell by the name? Star Lane? When Brady and Chloe were together, he called her his star. Yeah, he thought he was a freakin' poet. After a while, he started just calling her Star - making her Star Lane."
Shawn shook his head at the irony. From what Jason had said, Brady and Chloe had been separated for a long time. Yet, Brady had insisted upon naming his club after her - not Mimi. Interesting. Maybe things weren't so blissful in paradise after all.
"Hey, there is one thing that I know about Phil and Belle that might cheer you up. He had to propose three times before she said yes. Everyone thought that she was holding out for you."
"I wish she would have."
"Too little too late, pal. So, back to my little history lesson. Two years ago today, the perfect couple had the wedding of the century. I'm talking huge. You had to see it to believe it."
Too himself, Shawn whispered, "A perfect wedding for my perfect girl."
"A couple of months after the wedding, they adopted this little homeless baby, Katrina. I suppose she's about three or so now."
Shawn couldn't force himself to deal with Belle and Philip raising a child together. If he did, it would certainly be the straw that broke his back. Asking the one question that had nagged at him from the moment he saw Philip kiss Belle's neck, Shawn question, "Do you think she really loves him?"
"Maybe. Maybe not. Sometimes it's hard to tell what's the truth and what's just a false appearance."
A calm peace settled over both men and they each were lost in thought. Shawn was considering all that had been said, and Jason was considering all that still needed to be said. There was one thing that he had left out. And, it was a secret that he needed to share. It had been eating away at him for so long, and he just wanted to tell someone so he wouldn't be forced to carry the burden alone.
For some time, Jason had been bothered by a sin that needed confessing. And, with Shawn sitting there so ready to listen, he knew that it was time to begin telling his own story. Too bad he began to tell his story just as Mimi was coming to retrieve her purse. Even worse, Mimi thought it in her best interest to stay hidden from both men and merely listen to their conversation.
"There's something I've been needing to get off my chest, and I think that you would be just the right person to hear it."
"Go ahead."
"Well, what I have to say isn't exactly something I could say to Philip or Brady even I was friends with them, especially Brady. I may work for him and get along with him because of it, but let's face it, he's a self- absorbed jerk. Of course, that's not even close to being the reason why I could never confess my little secret to him."
"Jase, man, what have you done that's bothering you this much? Wait, is this about a woman?"
"Yeah, it's about a woman."
Shawn smiled and asked, "Anyone I know?"
"Oh, yeah." Taking a deep, fortifying breath, Jason continued, "I'm going to be honest with you, Shawn. I've slept with quite a few women that I didn't love. Through my college years, I was never anything like 'Phil the human puppy dog.' I didn't feel the desire follow some girl around and be her one and only. Jan transferred to another college right before we started our junior year, so that left me free to play the field. Of course, since this seems to be the night for me to confess my dirty sins, I might as well be completely truthful. I was never faithful to Jan before she left town."
Wanting to cheer his friend up, Shawn warmly said, "So, you guys were lucky enough to have a second chance. My mom mentioned that you two were getting married. Listen, Jason, I'm sure that you're sorry for the way you acted in the past and that you will be faithful to Jan this time." Shawn refrained from mentioning whether or not he believed Jan would be faithful. After seeing her and the bartender, he wasn't so sure.
"Too late, I've already cheated on her. Then again, after tonight, Jan and I will be history. So, I'm not sure if it really matters."
Shawn sat speechless. Despite their severe problems, Shawn had always thought that Jan and Jason shared some type of love. From the sound of Jason's voice, he had been mistaken.
"Shawn, I'm not wanting to tell you about my relationship with Jan. She never loved me, so I'm not sorry for betraying her. What I needed to confess was how I used someone that I didn't love to get back at Brady. You see, I slept with a woman in his life just to hurt him. I was never in love her and never will be. I just wanted to get back at Brady."
Mimi stifled her own cries as she heard Jason speak. For a moment, she felt sure that she was going to be sick. In a world of darkness created by Brady, Jason had been a light. Now, she believed that she was discovering that he was even darker than the man she had married.
Forgetting all about her purse, Mimi ran back down the hall, thankful that she hadn't allowed the guys to see her. All she wanted was to find some dark corner to crawl into. There, she could cry herself to sleep. And, in her sleep, she would hope to escape the pain in her life.
Shawn glared at Jason suspiciously. He was truly shocked to learn that his companion would do something so spiteful. Even for Jason, it was low. With a twinge of hesitation, Shawn asked, "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying the last thing Chloe Lane did before leaving Salem was me."
