Chapter Twenty-One: Separation

Blair, are you alright, honey?" Cody asked Blair several minutes after he had kissed her.

Blair had been lying down on the bed with Cody sitting on top of her, his hands expertly running through her hair.

Blair didn't respond. Am I? She wondered. I like Cody. So what's wrong with me? I finally got the chance to be alone with him. So what's the problem?

All of her past relationships with all the men she'd dated, ending with Casey, flew through her mind. Then she thought about Lee. She already knew how that one turned out. She liked Cody a lot. He was funny, cute, badass and just plain hot. He was different from every guy Blair had ever dated. She then remembered in her state of inebriation that it was truly Jo she'd wanted. Jo's with Rick anyways so it doesn't even matter.

Suddenly, the realization suddenly hit Blair like a ton of bricks. I like Cody but I'm not really in love with him. It's infatuation. And infatuation is a dangerous thing. I've fucked up. What am doing? Blair stared at Cody, suddenly finding herself wanting Jo in her arms and not him.

"I…uh…uh…" she then tried to answer. She then sighed. "I dunno, Cody. I'm just not really in the mood anymore. Can we just go to sleep now?"

Cody only stared at Blair, stunned. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Uh…sure…whatever you wanna do," he replied. He got up off of her.

She'll probably want me to leave, he thought. He took a quick glance at the window. It was still raining outside.

Blair gave Cody a sympathetic look as she noticed him glance at the window. "No. You don't have to leave, Cody. I'm not so cruel, I'm going to make you go out in the rain."

Cody shrugged. "Lemme guess…you were thinking about Jo, huh?"

Blair only half-nodded. "I'm sorry," she replied honestly.

Cody only shrugged. "I guess it was a bit of an honor to be your almost lover but I can see who truly has your heart." It would've been a bigger honor to get into those panties of hers but I've got bigger plans that don't involve fucking.

Blair nodded. "Thanks for understanding," she said.

"So your offer still stands? I can stay?"

"Yeah…sure," Blair replied sleepily. "Maybe we can be friends even. We might see each other down in Mexico."

She then placed her head down comfortably, snuggling deep into her pillow. She closed her eyes, immediately drifting off to sleep.

Cody, on the other hand, only stared at Blair thoughtfully. What does she mean 'Mexico'? He thought in bewilderment.

The next morning, Rick rose from his sleep to find his bed completely empty. He then glanced around the room and saw that Jo was nowhere to be found. He sighed. I've lost her, he thought grimly, shaking his head.

He then turned his attention towards the other side of the bed and noticed a piece of paper with Jo's handwriting scrawled on it. He quickly picked it up and read it:

Rick –

Meet me at the motel restaurant. Need to talk more.

Jo

Rick pursed his lips in thought. He was disappointed his night didn't go the way he had expected. What more could she possibly want to talk about? He thought. Something's definitely up.

He got up out of bed to shave and take a shower and pack his suitcase for the trip back to Peekskill. He had no intention of spending a long time with Jo in the restaurant so he called a cab and asked to be picked up in half an hour. He then quickly got dressed to find the restaurant.

The restaurant was attached next door to the motel. It was a small restaurant bustling with waitresses and customers. He spotted Jo at one of the booths alone, drinking a cup of coffee and smoking a cigarette. I haven't seen Jo smoke before, he thought in shock. Something really must be going on.

He walked over to her. "Morning," he said to her brusquely.

"Good morning," she said tersely. She then motioned for him to sit across from her. "Have a seat," she said to him.

Rick sat. "So…when did you start smoking?" He asked curiously.

Jo put her cigarette out in an ashtray in the middle of the table. "I smoked when I became a Young Diablo," she informed him. "I only quit when I started going to Eastland. But I've had a lot on my mind lately."

Rick raised an eyebrow. "And I bet you won't even tell me," he said, laughing bitterly.

Jo groaned in annoyance. "Lay off me, will ya?" She snapped. "I don't need your shit this morning, alright? I don't. I've got a fuckin' hangover and I hardly slept a wink!"

She then sighed as she noticed Rick's hurt face. "I'm sorry, OK? Sorry," she apologized.

Rick sighed. "Jo, it doesn't have to be like this. I'll say I never found you. I'll do whatever the fuck you want me to do. We'll find a way out of this, whatever it is," he begged.

Jo chuckled wryly. "Wow, Rick. Did ya take some kind of pill that makes ya say all the right stuff?" She asked.

"I'm choking on it," he replied, chuckling, hoping to ease the tense mood.

Rick and Jo sat in silence for a minute, fidgeting.

"Well, uh…do you want me to come with you?" Rick asked hopefully.

However, Rick could already tell, just from the hesitant look in her eyes that him going with her was out of the question.

"Oh…wow…it's probably not such a good idea," Jo told him, giving him a sad smile. "Maybe I'll see ya later at some point…down the road."

She then patted his hand softly and then placed something in his hand. He looked at it and then back at her in shock.

She had placed her wedding ring and the other ring he had tried to give to her in his palm.

"Wait…what…Jo…you keep this!" He said, stunned.

Before Jo could respond, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a cab pull up out front.

"Looks like your taxi's here," she told him.

Rick then reached out and gave Jo a hug. "Are you happy, Jo?" He asked in a small voice. "I want you to be happy."

And just like that, my wife and I are separated and I don't even know why, Rick thought, shaking his head.

Jo frowned, feeling bad that she was cause of Rick's sadness. But I'm not happy with him, she thought. I have to find my own happiness.

"I'm happy, Rick," she told him honestly. "Happy as I can be."

Rick sighed, picking up his suitcase. "Then I guess that's all that matters. Take care of yourself. Give Blair my regards."

"I will," Jo replied softly. "Good-bye, Rick."

Rick only nodded, turning around to leave the restaurant. Jo watched as he put his suitcase into the trunk of the car and then went into the car.

And out of my life, she thought sadly. Even though Jo knew she was no longer in love with Rick and knew she would probably never see him again once she got to Mexico, she also knew a small part of her would miss him.