Chapter 20 - Hour Of Truth

Tommy: "What are you doing here?"

Person: "I came to see how you were doing."

Tommy: "Well now you see. Just leave."

Person: "Tommy, please let me in."

Tommy: "Chris, I am not in the mood."

Chris: "Good, neither am I." she pushed the door open and walked passed him. When she stepped inside his apartment she couldn't believe the mess she saw.

Chris: "Damn Tom. You really need to clean this place up."

Tommy: "Chris, just go. I am not in the mood to argue with you now."

Chris: "Look Tom, I came to see how you were. I know losing Jude was hard on you."

Tommy: "Hard on me?" he laughed "That's the understatement of the century. Don't act like you care." he went and plopped down on the loveseat.

Chris shot him a sympathetic look, walked over to the couch and sat down: "I do care…….about you. Weather you believe it or not. I don't like seeing you like this."

Tommy: "Than leave and you won't have to."

Chris: "When are you coming back to work? You haven't been in since Jude left you the letter."

Tommy stood up, walked to the door, opened it and waved for her to leave: "I don't need this from anyone. Especially from you. Don't come back here. Just GO." he said angrily. She had no right to even mention Jude. She was the reason he got himself into this whole mess. Chris hesitated for a minute but than left. With all his strength Tommy shut the door closed and walked inside his bedroom again. He, once more, picked up Jude's picture and just held it until he couldn't look at her anymore. Overcome with grieve he left his apartment, in serious need of fresh air.

Back To Jude

Jude: "Where are we going?"

Jordan took Jude's hand and lead her behind him: "You'll see. We're almost there."

Jude quietly followed. They climbed up some staircase that she hadn't seen before. When they reached the top, Jordan swung a door open and stepped through it, Jude followed.

Jude: "Oh my God, it's beautiful." she said looking out.

Jordan: "I thought you might like it." he smiled.

Jordan had brought her up on the roof. He sat down and Jude sat next to him, her eyes still on the wilderness. She curled up, hugging her knees. No one and nothing was anywhere in sight. No cars, no buildings and no people. Nothing but the deserted road and the stars above them.

Jude: "I've never seen anything like this."

Jordan: "I bet. You can't see the starts like this in the city."

Jude: "It's beautiful."

Jordan: "Yeah. I started coming up here when I was a kid. I'd ask myself what else was out there."

Jude: "You never thought about leaving here and actually seeing for yourself?" she asked finally looking at him.

Jordan shrugged: "No. I wondered but as time passed I stopped asking."

Jude noticed the bracelet again dangling around his wrist: "Where is your mom?"

He looked at her with such gentleness: "She died five years ago. Cancer." he stopped and looked up at the stars again. He than looked at his bracelet: "I was 17. She gave me this on her deathbed." he smiled remembering "She said as long as I wore it she'd always look after me. She'd always be with me." Jude smiled.

Jude: "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

Jordan looked at her: "No, it's Ok. It was a long time ago."

Jude: "What about your dad?"

Jordan: "I never knew him. He left when my mom found out she was pregnant. Since than it was just her, Muriel and me."

Jude had no words.

They stayed quiet for a long time just looking out at the stars. Jude wanted nothing more than to share this moment with Tommy. No matter what she was doing or who she was with everything reminded her of him. She missed him like crazy. The thought of her never seeing him again scared her to death. Jude remembered the night Tommy was found after his boating accident. They had sat outside on his terrace and just watched the city. It had been snowing. She remembered the look on his face. How much she longed to kiss him back than and how much she wished he was here to share this moment with her. The longer she went without him, the clearer it became that she wasn't going to last long.

She thought about her family and friends. She wondered how they had taken the news. How they were dealing with everything. Jordan saw she was thousands of miles away and decided to bring her back to earth.

Jordan: "Muriel is sick." he blurted out.

Jude: "Sick? How?"

Jordan: "She has a liver disease. The doctors said any day could be her last. She tries to act like she's fine. You saw her tonight. I bet you would have never guessed she could die at any second."

Jude: "No, she seemed fine. I'm so sorry." there was silence "What are you going to do?"

Jordan: "I have no idea." he admitted.

Jude padded his hand. He smiled at her gently.

Jude: "Is there anything I can do?"

Jordan: "Nah. There's nothing anyone can do for her any longer. I just try to make her last days as easy as possible. I'm glad you stopped here. You have no idea how good it is to talk to someone closer to your own age. For years it has always been just Muriel and me. She loves having company." he added thinking of the older woman fondly.

Jude stayed quiet. They looked out at the stars again.

Jordan: "I've been thinking a lot. Muriel is getting worse. After she is gone, which will be pretty soon, I might leave this place, sell and start fresh. Somewhere new."

Jude understood only too well what he meant. She had done the same.

Jordan: "Enough about me. What's your story?"

Jude: "My story? I don't have a story." she lied with ease.

Jordan: "Must be nice to just be able to up and leave everything and start somewhere where fresh where no one knows you." Jude looked at him. He still had that peace and calm on his face. Jude's new world was shattered when he spoke again…….

Jordan: "I know who you are………Jude."