Chapter 24 - Faded
Jordan: "So this is it? The end of your journey?"
Jude smiled: "I guess so."
Jordan nodded: "I'm glad you're going back."
Jude: "Me too. Come with me."
Jordan looked up at her blazing eyes: "What?"
Jude: "Why not? You're selling. You have no place to go. Come to Canada with me. We'll get you a job and if you want to go to school."
Jordan: "Jude, I can't just get up and leave everything."
Jude: "You don't have to. You have nothing to leave." she looked around. He followed her eyes and realized how right she was.
Jordan: "Ok."
Jude: "Really? You're serious?"
Jordan shrugged: "You're right. I have nothing to leave behind."
Jude threw herself in his arms. She was happy to be going back home.
Jordan: "Hey you were working on a song this morning. Can I hear it?"
Jude: "It's not ready."
Jordan: "Oh come on. Please?"
Jude: "I let Martin borrow the guitar. It's up in his room. I hope you don't mind."
Jordan: "No, go get it."
Jude: "I can't go into the man's room."
Jordan: "Why not? You're just going to take the guitar. If he comes back we'll tell him you went to change his sheets."
Jude: "I don't think-"
Jordan: "Oh come on. I really want to hear it."
Jude: "You go get it."
Jordan: "Fine. I will."
He stood up and left the lobby. Jude remained sitting. "I am going home as soon as Jordan sells this place. I'm going to see everyone again. I'm going to be in Tommy's arms again. God, how I've longed to feel his touch on my skin again." her thoughts were interrupted by Jordan and the guitar. He handed it to her and she smiled at him. Softly she brushed her fingers against the cords.
"It hurts to know you're out there still,
I'd like for things to be normal but they never will.
Transparent I am growing by the minute of time,
I am forgetting everything that used to be all mine.
Uuuuu desperate times call for desperate measures,
When I lost you I lost all my world's treasures."
She looked up at Jordan who was paying close attention to her. Then she turned her head to face the guitar again…….
"Uuuuu I'm just fading away,
So faded by the break of day.
Into nothingness by the sun's ray,
So faded I just can't stay.
You're looking right at me but you just can't see,
What mess you've made out of me.
Her fingers danced over the cords as if they had just been set free. Jude was in a trance, her eyes closed she lived for this. She lived for the moments when she could sing her soul out for everyone to hear. For Jude Harrison, this was life. Her music, her ambition, her passion. Jordan could see how free she felt when she sang. How raw and powerful her voice made every single word sound. He saw how much emotion she put into her songs. It's what made her great. It's what made her Jude Harrison, teen rock-star.
Your eyes pierce right through me, taking me in,
I need you like a drug, you're under my skin.
Open your eyes, just look ahead,
So many things between us that were left unsaid.
Uuuuu I'm just fading away,
So faded by the break of day.
Into nothingness by the sun's ray,
So faded I just can't stay.
You're looking right at me but you just can't see,
What mess you've made out of me."
Jordan watched her. She was now completely lost in her song. Her eyes were closed. She knew every string on the instrument like the back of her hand. She was completely and utterly lost in her music. The beat picked up. Her voice became more aggravated…..
"So what if you need more time?
I need you now, is that a crime?
It huts to know I'm just invisible to you,
I need you to see me but you just see through.
Ooooo just stop and try to understand,
I am annoyed I fell for you, it was unplanned.
Uuuuuu look at me I'm fading away,
This might be your last chance with me today.
Uuuuu I'm just fading away,
So faded by the break of day.
Into nothingness by the sun's ray,
So faded I just can't stay.
You're looking right at me but you just can't see,
What mess you've made out of me."
She finished in a soft and light tone finally opening her eyes. Jordan smiled at her…
Jordan: "Wow. I've never heard anything like it. You're really good. What is it called?"
Jude smiled at him sweetly and sat the guitar down: "Thanks. It's called 'Faded'. It somehow just fits. Maybe you should bring this back to Martin's room so he doesn't know you went in there."
Jordan: "Can you do it? I have a few phone calls to make."
Jude: "Ok, where was it?"
Jordan: "By the window, against the wall."
Jude took the guitar and made her way to Martin's room. Jordan had given her the spare key. She stopped in front of the door and unlocked it. Once she walked in, she found his room looked similar to hers. She placed the guitar by the window and turned around when something caught her eye. She turned back facing the table. Shocked she stood there lifeless. She didn't move, she couldn't move. She was looking at a picture of herself. Finally coming out of it she picked it up and found magazine articles of her. She quickly skimmed through them.
Martin had known all along whom she really was. Her eyes began to burn. Her heart picked up a few beats. Her hands trembled. She wanted to call out to Jordan but no words left her mouth. She head the door open and jumped up scared, causing all of the paperwork to fall to the ground. Martin stood in the doorway.
Jude took a step back as Martin took a short step forward. He looked down at the papers in front of Jude's feed and than back up at her. Jude bend her knees a reached to pick up the articles.
Jude: "What is this? Who are you?" she yelled throwing the papers and picture his way. She was angry. He couldn't blame her. Her eyes burned holes through him. He picked up her picture and made his way towards her. Jude sped across the bed to the other side of the room, away from him.
Jude: "WHO ARE YOU?" she demanded angry.
Martin: "Jude, it's not what you think." he tried to reason with her.
Jude ran for the door: "JORDAN?" she yelled hoping he'd come to her rescue. Martin ran after her.
Martin: "Wait up. Let me explain." he yelled after her. They were out in the hallway now. Jude ran for the stairs.
Martin: "Kwest…….." he yelled. Jude stopped dead in her tracks. Jordan ran up the steps and caught up to her.
Jordan: "What's going on here?" he asked clueless. Jude turned around and faced Martin again. How did he know about Kwest? Jordan stopped behind Jude on the stairs.
Jordan: "Are you alright?" he asked her.
Jude: "Yeah, I'm fine." she said not looking at him but still at Martin. "He knows who I am." she said.
Jordan looked at Martin: "How?"
Martin walked to them now and stopped: "I was about to explain before she ran." he said. "Follow me." he instructed. Jordan and Jude looked at each other and decided they had no other choice. They followed him to his room. Martin pulled out a chair and sat down. Jude and Jordan took seats next to each other on the bed.
Martin: "Kwest and I go way back. After your accident he called me and said that something didn't fit. He said that your sister's husband, Jason, handles all of your financial business and that a large lump of your money was withdrawn before you supposedly died." she nodded. It all fit. After Jason finished school she did hire him to handle her financial responsibilities and she did go to the bank and took out some money, so she did see how they were suspicious. Martin continued "Kwest said you went through a lot and he wouldn't put it past you to just try and leave everything behind. After Jason told him about the missing money they got suspicious and called me. I'm a private invest Igor and they thought I could help. I got hold of the police reports and I went back to the cottage you were staying at and to my surprise you were just leaving. I followed you over here."
Jude was shocked. This man had been with her this whole time and she had no idea. Jude just now came to the realization that they knew back at home that she was alive, so why hadn't they come to find her?
Jude: "So they know I'm alive?"
Martin: "No, just Kwest and Jason. They haven't told anyone yet. They want to see if you'll come back on your own after you resolve everything. We weren't sure if it was you in the first place and they didn't want to give your family false hope."
Jude: "Wait, if you're a PI, than how come you know how to play the guitar so good?" she asked suspicious. Martin smiled at her.
Martin: "When I was younger, I was just like you. I wanted to become a rock star. I played at local clubs and karaoke bars but I never made it big. My gigs didn't pay the bills so I went to school for criminal justice instead and here I am ten years later."
Jude relaxed. His story seemed believable. Martin picked up the phone and handed it to her. Jude looked at it puzzled but back in her head she knew what he wanted her to do.
Martin: "You don't have to call your parents yet but at least call Kwest or Jason. They deserve to know the truth. They all miss you." he reasoned with her. Jude reached out for the receiver and looked at it for a long time. She gulped and finally dialed the numbers. It rang once, twice……
Person: "Hello?"
Jude's voice gave up on her. She was frozen still. So many fond memories flooded her. Her voice trembled.
Person: "Hello? Anyone there?"
Jude: "H…hh……hi" she finally managed to say.
Person: "Who is this?"
Jude: "It's Jude." she released a cold breath of air. She was waiting for a response. There was silence. The air was getting thinner by the second.
Person: "Jude? It's really you?"
Jude: "Yeah, Kwest, it's really me." it felt so good to hear his voice. A tear left her eye. She closed them shut and waited for his response in anticipation. Martin and Jordan just stared at her. When Kwest didn't respond she broke the silence: "I'm coming home."
Kwest: "Jude……..I don't know what to say." he was shocked. Martin had told him Jude was alive but he couldn't bring himself to believe it. It hurt to much to think of her returning only to be disappointed again. He rather let that tiny doubt in his mind fill the void of her. But now. Now she was really talking to him. It was her voice. There was no doubt in his mind that this was Jude Harrison.
Jude: "Don't say anything. Please, don't tell anyone. I'll be home in a couple of days and I want to be the one to tell them the truth. Can you please do this for me?" she pleaded. She had no right to ask him for anything after what she pulled but here she was none the less asking a friend for help.
Kwest: "Jude, I don't know. Tom-" he was interrupted.
Jude: "I know Tommy has been drinking a lot. I saw the memorial service on TV. Take care of him for me, until I come back." she asked.
Kwest: "I don't know if I can. Jude, he is really messed up. He won't listen to anyone." he tried to reason with her.
Jude bit her lip, then continued: "Just give me two days. I promise I'll be home soon."
Kwest: "I'll do my best……..Jude?"
Jude adjusted herself on the bed and gripped the receiver harder. She didn't know what to expect: "Yeah?"
Kwest: "I missed you. It's good to have you back."
Jude smiled: "I missed you too." It was as if a ton of bricks had been lifted off her shoulders. She couldn't stop smiling and handed Martin the receiver.
The next day Jordan had finalized the sale of the hotel. Jude packed her scarce belongings and was ready to go home. Martin had done his job and left wishing her good luck. Together Jude and Jordan made they're way to the airport. Once on the plane minutes seems like hours. Jude was nervous, scared but excited all at the same time. Hours of dreading and longing later the plane landed. Jude called Kwest and told him to get Sadie, Jason, Kat, Jamie, Stuart and Ivette all to her house. She wanted them all to be there so she wouldn't have to explain why she did what she did. Kwest followed her instructions without telling them what was really going on. Jude and Jordan walked out of the cab. It was home sweet home. They headed straight for the door. Once there Jude opened it slowly and peaked her head through. She couldn't see anyone but she heard voices coming from the living room. Jordan didn't know what to expect. He'd never been outside of his little humble home. She took Jordan's hand and together they entered. Once inside they followed the trail of voices and soon enough faced a room full of blank and shocked stares.
Hey guys I am back from Europe. There is the latest update. Did you guys like it? Like always feedback is appreciated.
Europe was amazing. It was so much fun seeing all my friends again. The clubs and shopping rocked and the New Years party I went to was the best ever. Of course not to mention all the cute guys. Too bad it was only 2 weeks although I am happy to be back home with everyone. I missed my bed.
Anyways I hope the update was worth waiting for and I hope I haven't lost any of my loyal readers. I'll try to update more tomorrow or the day after that so check back.
Minela