The room seemed to be almost painfully quiet, a morose calm having taken over. The only sound that Jason was even aware of was his own forced breaths. His eyes glazed with disbelief, he questioned, "What did you just say?"

"I'm moving to London," Mimi answered, using her quickly diminishing willpower to will the tears from falling.

His brow crinkling with an unsettling mixture of frustration and confusion, Jason tried to make sense of what was happening. Sure, Mimi had seemed distant for the past few weeks - ever sense the mystery trip she took. Only as Jason pondered the origins of Mimi's withdrawn behavior did that single trip come back to haunt him.

"When you took that trip a few weeks ago, that's where you went. To London," Jason stated, leaving no doubt that it was a fact, not a question.

Nodding, Mimi replied, "Yes, and I'm so sorry that I didn't tell you then, but I really didn't think that I would get the job."

"But, you did."

"Yes, I did. And, now, I'm accepting the offer. You have to understand my reasons for this, Jase."

"You know what? I don't understand. Why don't you explain it me?"

Mimi felt her heart break even more as Jason used his fiercest tone to disguise the pain and betrayal he was obviously feeling. If Mimi had learned anything during her time with Jason, it was that he was a master at hiding the hurt he felt.

"I need some type of treasured commitment in my life, Jase. If I can't get that from you, then I need to find it somewhere else. This job just might be what I'm looking for."

Dropping his gaze to the floor, Jason quietly asked, "So, you're saying that you're choosing the job over me because it's offering you more stability? More commitment?"

"I'm so sorry, Jase. You have no idea how much I wish things were different," sincerely apologized Mimi as she finally lost the battle to control her tears.

Jason quickly jerked his gaze away from the floor and stared into Mimi's sad eyes. Using his thumb to wipe away the tears on her face, he responded, "Don't be sorry."

Then, without warning, Jason jumped up from his seat and looked almost happily down at Mimi, excitement practically dancing in his eyes. Pointing to his girlfriend as though she were a child, Jason ordered, "Don't move from that spot. Oh, God, this is fabulous."

Giving Jason her most incredulous look, Mimi heatedly asked, "What? You think that it's a good thing that I'm moving to some foreign country?"

As Mimi prepared to rise to her feet, Jason placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back down on the couch. A smile appearing on his face, he said, "No, you leaving me could never be a good thing, but I think that this whole situation is just what we needed. I mean, I've always heard those crackpots on Oprah talking about some life altering moment that shed some magical light on their life and helped them see where their heart really lay. I just never thought that I would have one of those crackpot moments, but I am - thank God."

Mimi attempted to interrupt Jason, but he quickly restated, "Don't move. Okay? Just stay here at the apartment until I get back."

Before another word could leave her mouth, Mimi found herself watching Jason practically run out the door, loudly slamming it behind him. Standing, she unhappily sighed and said to herself, "I needed to pack anyway."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Pain shot through Jason's right shoulder as he slammed his body against the shutting door. Gasping for breath, Jason's eyes met with those of a man who had become quite familiar over the course of the past weeks.

Jason pushed his way inside as he said, "I'm so glad I got here before you closed."

"Well, as I'm sure your throbbing shoulder is telling you, I was just about to shut the door and lock it."

Waving a distracted hand at Dean, Jason quickly jogged over to the display case. His eyes roaming over the various shining pieces of jewelry, Jason searched for the ring. After endless trips to see it, he knew that it was time to buy the ring and propose to Mimi.

Turning to look at Dean with almost frantic eyes, Jason pleaded, "Please, please, tell me that you moved the ring and that it's still here in the store."

"I'm sorry, sir. A gentleman came in this morning and purchased the ring. I'm terribly sorry, but I assure you that he, like yourself, wanted only that ring. He insisted that no other would suffice."

Combing his hand nervously through his hair, Jason said aloud, "I can't believe this! I finally realize how much I love Mimi, and the ring is gone! Why does this kind of thing always happen to me? Why?"

Dean took a cautionary step away from the disgruntled male and answered, "I'm sorry, but I don't know what to tell you. If it is of any consequence, the young man who purchased the ring made it very clear that the woman who would be wearing it deserved it more than anything else on this earth."

Jason gave a sound quite similar to a snort and retorted, "Do I look like I really care what some punk said about his girlfriend?"

"Not really."

Quickly pulling out his cellular phone, Jason hurriedly dialed a number that might as well have been his own personal help line. Hearing the person on the other end pick up, Jason stated, "Shawn, I need your help. Where are you?"

Dean watched intently as Jason paused to hear Shawn's response. Then, Jason said, "The Java Cafe? Okay, that's great, I'm on the other side of Salem Place. I'll be right there."

Meeting Dean's curious gaze, Jason quickly explained, "My girl's getting a ring, because she deserves it. God knows that she deserves a thousand rings for putting up with me this long. And, if anyone can help me get this mess sorted out, it's got to be my friend Shawn. He's just got to be able to help me this time."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As soon as the door before her was opened, Belle was engulfed by a powerful embrace from her long-time friend. A few feet behind her, Chloe watched and silently wondered what she could say to make things better.

Pulling away from Belle, Mimi said, "I am so glad you guys could come right over." Stepping aside so Belle and Chloe could enter the apartment, Mimi tearily continued, "I tried to start packing for the move, but I just couldn't concentrate. It seemed like every time I started to pack something, it reminded me of Jason."

Plopping down on the couch between the other two women, Mimi asked, "What am I going to do without him? He's my entire world."

Chloe gave a very weak smile as she took the brown paper bag she had been holding and placed it on Mimi's lap. "I can't tell you what to do with your future. But, for right now, I say we all work together and devour this ice cream."

As Belle silently stood and went to the kitchen to retrieve the bowls and spoons that were so desperately needed by the emotional females, Mimi directed her attention to Chloe. Slowly, she said, "Thank you, Chloe. I know we weren't always the best of friends, but I'm really glad that I have you on my side now. I'm beginning to see what a great friend you are."

Chloe only gave a slight nod as Belle returned and took her place on the couch.

While Mimi opened the container and began to distribute the ice cream, Belle curiously asked, "Meems, when you called, you didn't exactly say where Jason went."

"That," Mimi answered as she dropped the final scoop into the bowls. "Is because I don't even know where he went. He just told me to stay here at the apartment." Handing her friends each a bowl of the cold food, Mimi added, "He was acting really weird."

"Um, Meems, you do realize that this is Jason we're talking about, right?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah, what's your point?"

"Well," began Chloe with a genuine smile. "When does he not act a little weird?"

Looking at Chloe with wide eyes while Belle simply watched with her grin, Mimi challenged, "Give me one time since you've been back in Salem that Jason has acted weird. Just one time."

"How about on the very day I returned to Salem? Jason's excuse for me and Philip almost missing Shawn and Belle's wedding was that Philip was donating a kidney. Now, Mimi, you can't tell me that isn't a little bit of weird excuse to give."

Instinctively defending Jason, Mimi insisted, "Maybe he's just creative. That doesn't mean he's weird."

"Of course not," Belle added. "And, back in high school, Philip was never a prep and Shawn was never a risk taker. Nope."

Laughing at Belle's rare sarcasm, Mimi said, "Okay, so maybe Jason has his weird moments, but don't we all? I just wish I knew what he was thinking when he ran out of here. I hope he doesn't go and do something crazy."

Smiling, Chloe jokingly said, "Jason do something crazy? Nah, never."