Woody stood between Jordan and Nikki, his eyes darting between Jordan's hurt and confused face to Nikki's demanding and questioning one. Jordan suddenly turned on her heel and walked back down the hall, past the living room and in the direction of either her's or Emma's rooms. Woody didn't know where she would go to seek comfort.
"Jordan!" he yelled down the hall at her retreating back.
"Oh is that how it's going to be?" Nikki asked, tugging at the ring on her finger and throwing it at Woody.
"Nikki!" he yelled at his fiance who was speed walking back down the hall she came from in the diretion of the elevator. Woody stood in limbo between the two women, wondering what one he should explain himself to first. He watched as the elevator doors peeled open and Nikki stepped in without so much as a backward glance. He could almost feel the anger radiating off of her. He stood there for another minute, still debating on what to do.
Coming to the realization that Nikki was probably already in her car and halfway to her parents house by now, he closed the front door and walked slowly and quietly down the hall to Emma's room. Easing the door open, he noticed that Jordan had pulled a chair up to Emma's bed and was stroaking her dark hair, watching as her little chest rose and fell with each breath she took. He stepped in and closed the door behind him, leaving it open a crack for a sliver of light to edge into the room.
He knelt down beside Jordan and placed a warm hand on her knee, not looking at her but at their daughter who looked so much like her. Jordan didn't say anything.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," he said quietly, breaking the mounting tension.
"Doesn't matter," she whispered in reply.
Though she was putting on the facade she always did, Woody ould hear the hurt and pain in her voice that she had masked.
"Yes it does. I should have told you."
"Woody ... just leave. Please. I really need to be alone," she said, her eyes still not moving from Emma's sleeping face.
"What!" he asked in return.
"I can't do this right now. Please ... go," Woody could hear the desperation in her voice, the plea that lay so deep without solace. It was breaking his heart to hear her so hurt.
He stood up quietly, placing a kiss on Emma's forhead and walking to the door, turning and stopping at the frame.
"You may not want me in your life, Jordan. But I'm gonna be in Emma's, whether you like it or not. She's my daughter too and I've missed way too much of her life already." He turned on his heel and walked out of the room, down the hall and out of the apartment and for all he knew, out of Jordan's life for good.
XXXXXXXXXXShe's got a smile that seems to me, remindes me of childhood memories. Where everything was as fresh as the bright blue sky.
Woody sat in his car outside the hotel, Gun's N Roses blaring on the radio. It was as though everything was tormenting him, everything reminding him of either Emma or Jordan. This song, the one that tugged at his heartstrings, definatly reminded him of Emma.
Now and then when I see her face she takes me away to that special place and if I'd stare to long, I'd probably break down and cry.
He didn't know what was stopping him from going into the hotel. It wasn't as though either Jordan or Nikki were there. No, he knew that right now he was the last person either of them wanted to see.
Sweet child o' mine
Sweet love o' mine
There was a strange comfort of sitting in his rental car alone, nothing but the rain pounding on the windows to keep him company. It was methodic and rythmecial, very dependable. Woody knew that as long as those clouds were looming over the greater Boston area, the rain would keep coming. And from the look of the dark grey clouds growing ever bigger by the minute, the rain would keep coming for awhile.
She's got eyes of the bluest skies As if they thought of rain I hate to look into those eyes And see an ounce of pain
The image of Emma swam through his head, her blue blue eyes standing out more than anything. He wished more than anything that she was with him right now, sitting in his lap. He could sing her songs and teach her all of the things he had always wanted to teach his kids.
Her hair reminds me of a warm safe place Where as a child I'd hide And pray for thethunder And the rain To quietly pass me by
Not only did Emma's hair remind him of his childhood, of the little memories he had with his own mother, but it reminded him of Jordan. Emma had those same little curls at the tips of her hair, the little ringlettes you could put your fingers inside and twist around and it still maintained it's shape.
Sweet child o' mine
Sweet love o' mine
He glaced at the clock on the dashboard, 2:37 am. He had left Jordan's at around 12. It had already been two and a half hours of sitting in his car with nothing but the rain and the radio for company.
Where do we go Where do we go now
His cellphone rang from somewhere at his feet. He pulled it out and flipped it open. "Hoyt," he answered promptly.
"Woody, it's Jordan." Her voice was panicked and tense and Woody could hear it cracking in stress and worry.
"Jordan what's wrong?" he asked, sitting up more in his seat.
"Emma's not with you is she?" Woody noticed that it was a rather rhetorical question but he answered anyways.
"No, of course not. Why?" he asked, his adrenaline rushing to his head. His heart pounded in his chest. This couldn't be happened. Not now.
"Woody ... Emma's gone."
Where do we go Sweet child o' mine