He knew what he had to do. He had known for weeks but couldn't admit it to himself, let alone anyone else. Yet, strangely enough, it was Joseph Byrne's ex-wife's recent public meltdown that had brought him to his senses; her frenzied actions had made him realise that he didn't belong in her world anymore. He didn't even want to. The thought of escaping from this suffocating nightmare, that had shrouded him daily for nearly a year, momentarily soothed his tortured soul. It had to be done, for his sanity at least.
It was midnight. After hovering outside the staffroom apprehensively for a delayed period of time, he hurriedly walked in, the door banging behind him, his entrance acknowledged only by the sharp glance of the slim woman who was waiting inside. Despite her obvious fatigue, Jac Naylor radiated beauty. She always had done: her long, silky mane of golden hair was tied back into an effortless ponytail with shorter strands hanging loosely to frame her face; her porcelain-like features, well defined by her high cheekbones, were as alluring as ever and her stunning bottle green eyes twinkled under the dim lighting. Realising that he was staring, the dark, brooding surgeon quickly glanced away and shuffled his feet uncomfortably.
He had to tell her. It was time.
"I need to speak to you"
"That sounds ominous" Bemused, Joseph watched as the woman he once loved turned away from him, busying herself with her coffee, seemingly ignoring everything he had said. She didn't seem to care. Turning around to face him once more, mug in hand, she replied in an everyday tone of voice-"So Joseph, what do you have to tell me so urgently?"
A few seconds silence.
"I'm leaving" were the only two words he could muster.
Pain and sorrow suddenly filled Jac Naylor's eyes and it was this expression-which he had only seen once before in the contaminated theatre years ago- that broke his heart into a million tiny pieces.