Chapter Eighteen: Jo's Surprise

Blair stepped out of the motel bathroom wearing her silk nightgown, fluffy bathrobe and her wet hair wrapped in a towel. She had just finished showering and washing her hair.

She made herself a drink out of Coke and Southern Comfort and sat on the bed, ready to blow dry, brush and set her hair for the night.

Since Cody had left and Jo was alone with Rick, Blair had found herself lonely in her room. At least there's some alcohol, she thought moodily, sipping her concoction.

Just as she took off her robe and removed the towel from her damp hair, she heard a knock at the door.

Now who could that be?

Her first thought was Jo. Maybe she and Rick had some kind of disagreement and she wants to be here with me, she thought, somewhat hopefully.

"Jo?" She called out.

She quickly pushed that thought away. Nah. And why would I actually want her and Rick to fight?

There was another knock at the door.

"Jo? Is that you?" Blair called out again.

"It's me, Blair. Cody," Blair could hear Cody respond through the door.

Blair's eyes widened in surprise. Cody?

Blair instantly ran to the door and opened it, shocked and surprised to see Cody Weston, standing soaking wet in her doorway, with the rain falling down like crazy behind him.

Cody gave Blair a crooked smile. "Yeah…I know I'm supposed to be gone, Blair, but…" he trailed off, looking off down the road. He suddenly blushed, looking bashful and shy.

"I wasn't having much luck out there finding a ride," he told her. He then looked quickly past her, noticing Jo wasn't in the room with her. Blair only stood in the doorway, staring at Cody.

"Well…guess I'd better get going…" he said, feigning moving away from the doorway.

Blair frowned, not wanting Cody to go. She felt lonely. Plus, she felt bad that Cody was already wet and would get even more wet if he had to continue waiting for a ride.

"Wait! Where are you going?" She called out.

Cody turned to look at Blair with hopeful eyes.

"I don't know," he answered. "Why? What are you doing?"

Blair shrugged. "Nothing," she answered, smiling shyly. "Just took a shower."

Cody sighed. "That sounds nice," he said. I know I could sure as hell use one.

"You want to take a shower?" Blair asked.

Cody pretended to hem and haw some more.

"A shower does sound mighty nice. Could I…where's Jo?"

"Oh…she went off with Rick. That guy you saw earlier was her husband."

Cody blinked in surprise. That guy? He thought. I didn't take Jo for a lady who was actually into guys.

Cody then stared at Blair, remembering how she had been in the car when Jo and Blair picked him up. He noticed how Jo looked when Blair had placed her feet in Jo's lap and how…blissfully comfortable she looked and downright moony.

He wanted to burst out laughing. Jo has the hots for Blair but Blair's got it bad for me! He was confused how he noticed almost right off the bat, only knowing them for a little while and Blair didn't notice and she obviously knew Jo a lot longer.

He kept a straight face as he looked at Blair. "Well, that seems pretty lonely, Blair," he said. "I always think of motel rooms as lonely."

Blair only shrugged. "Yeah…I guess so," she said. "C'mon in. I can fix you some coffee. There's a little coffee maker here. I haven't tried any of it myself but it's here if you want some."

She widened the door for Cody and let him in, beaming happily and nearly swooning.

Rick poured himself and Jo two glasses of champagne that he had brought with him. He sat next to Jo as close as he could, his arm around her.

The two sat on Rick's bed inside the motel room in silence, sipping their champagne quietly.

"So tell me, my little coconut…what seems to be the trouble here?" Rick asked, breaking the awkward silence. "I want you to tell Daddy everything."

Jo only cringed. "Well, Rick, first off, don't give me anymore fruit nicknames. Second, my daddy's still alive and it gives me the creeps when ya do that shit."

Rick's face fell. "OK. Just tell me what's wrong then," he said tersely.

Jo only stared at him for a minute. "Rick," she finally said. "I'm not gonna tell ya what's wrong. Someday soon, ya gonna understand why I can't but I'm not gonna tell ya why so don't even ask me."

Rick's eyes widened at hearing his wife's serious tone yet again. I don't understand why she's being this way, he thought frustratedly. There she goes again being evasive.

"Um…OK, Peaches, fine…but can I ask you one thing?" He asked, gripping his champagne glass.

"Maybe," Jo answered. She took a sip of champagne.

"Does it have to do with another guy? Are you in love with him?" He asked.

Jo nearly sprayed her mouthful of champagne across the room at her husband's question. Out of all the questions Rick could've asked, he had to ask her that?

"Uh…uh…" she spluttered. "Uh…no," she lied, her mind instantly on Blair. "It's nothing like that," she then said, gulping nervously.

Rick seemed satisfied with that response. However, his face grew red with anger. "Then what?!" He fumed, rising up from the bed. "What, Jo?! Where the fuck are you going?! Are you leaving for fucking ever?! I mean, did you kill somebody or some shit?"

Jo's jaw nearly dropped at Rick's last sentence. If only he knew, she thought.

Jo kept her poker face on, pretending to be angry at Rick's sudden outburst.

"Rick, cut it out! Cut it out right now or I'm gonna leave! I'm not kiddin'!" She demanded, gritting her teeth.

Rick took a deep breath, calming down. "Alright, alright. I'm calm. I'm sorry."

"Good."

Rick tapped his fingers against the bed, glancing at Jo as she only stared at him, waiting to see what he was going to do next.

"Well…can I ask you one other thing?" He asked.

If it's anything like the first question, do I really wanna answer? Jo thought.

"Uh…maybe," she replied tentatively, raising an eyebrow cautiously.

Rick reached into his pocket, pulling out a small box. He then opened it, pulling out a tiny diamond ring.

"Uh…Rick…you already proposed, remember?" Jo said, raising both eyebrows in shock and surprise.

"Yeah…I know that but I was kinda hoping we'd try to renew our vows and try harder to make this marriage work. What do you say?"

Jo took the ring, flabbergasted. She gaped at it. It was a small, shiny diamond ring.

"Aren't you going to see how it fits? Try it on," Rick said.

Jo stared at the shiny ring a second time. It's gorgeous, she thought. But I can't accept this. She then looked up at Rick with tears in her eyes.

"Rick, it's beautiful but_"

"Betcha didn't see that coming, huh?" Rick interrupted, smiling proudly.

Jo only continued to look at Rick, suddenly feeling sick to her stomach.