Chapter 48
Alone in the bathroom, Jessica stared at herself in the mirror. In the past few days, this room had become her sanctuary. It was the only place that she could go where Shane would not follow her. So far from the moment she woke up till the time he finally would let her go to sleep he never left her side. Even now, she knew that he was sitting right outside waiting for her to come back out.
After her attempt to try to reach him failed, Jessica was at a lost for what to do next. What Shane had said struck a nerve with her and brought back what she had been fighting not to accept. Jeff was gone and it was all her fault. Even if everyone could forgive her for that, she knew she could never forgive herself. After everything that's happened she wouldn't be able to face the Hardy's again. She was alone.
She closed her eyes and pictured his smiling face. Still even with her predicament, the sight of him brought her peace. She thought of the past couple of weeks, not Shane's actions, just the times when she was with Jeff. Safe in his embrace, that was where she wished she was.
"Are you okay in there?" Shane knocked on the door disturbing her thoughts.
"I'll be out in a minute." She called to him and again looked into the mirror. Taking a deep breath, she went outside. As expected Shane was right there.
"I was worried. You were in there for a while." He said taking her hand.
"Sorry I was just washing up."
"It's okay, what do you want to do now?" He asked her eagerly. Every excited or happy expression form Shane made her stomach turn. She knew she didn't have many options but spending the rest of her life with Shane was definitely possible. She needed to get away but so far he hadn't let his guard down once. Even at night, he made a big scene of locking her into the bedroom. She needed to figure out a way to get him out of the house. "You're quiet, again."
"I'm sorry. I'm just a little stir crazy. Do you think maybe we can get some air or something?" She asked hopefully.
"I don't think that's a good idea." He said shaking his head.
"Shane, I'm not going to go anywhere, I promise. I just need a break."
"I can't take that chance." He told her and sat her on the couch. "Look, I know you're tired of being cooped up. I understand that but you need to use your imagination. There's so much we could do here."
"Like what?"
"Well," He paused trying to think of something and then his face lit up. "We can have our first date!" Jessica just stared at him in disbelief.
"Think of it. We can have a nice elegant dinner and watch a movie. Everything we should have done. We can get all dressed up." He told her.
"In what?" She said and he paused. He knew she had very little clothing, only a few outfits. When he had broken into her house a few weeks back he had intended on taking most of her wardrobe with him. Unfortunately, when he had gotten there he saw the Hardy brothers, more importantly Jeff hugging her. By the time he had gotten to her bedroom and saw all the photos on the wall, particularly the one of her gazing up at Jeff, he lost it. He trashed everything, and didn't realize what happened until there were only a few items left
"I'm sorry about that, but you look good in anything." He looked at her and saw that she didn't share the same excitement. "You don't like my idea." He stated looking like a wounded child. He walked into the kitchen and started slamming things around. Jessica jumped as she heard dishes crash on the floor. "Is this what you want?" He yelled rushing into the room. "Why must you constantly ruin everything? I'm trying to make the best of everything and I would have thought that by now you would too. When two people love each other as much as we do it shouldn't matter what we do. I've done so much for you!" He stormed erratically around the room getting angrier by the minute. Jessica had already gone through enough of his temper tantrums to know that she had to calm him down.
"Shane, stop." She said softly walking towards him. "Believe me, I didn't mean to upset you and I appreciate everything you have done."
"Then why do you keep doing this?"
"I don't know. I guess I'm just conflicted." Jessica started with a plan on how to get Shane out forming in her head. "After how much you put me through…"
"For you." He reminded her.
"I know for me, but you scared me a lot, you know that and then these past couple of days, we've had some really great moments. I would just start to feel confused about my feelings for you." She reached for his hand and wrapped her own around it.
"How do you feel about me?"
"We could make this work." She said looking to him.
"Then why are you so mean to me?"
"Because I was scared, but I won't be anymore. I want this to happen."
"You mean it?" He asked and she nodded.
"I do." Biting everything back she leaned forward and kissed him.
"I knew you would come around." He said when she pulled away. "So now we can have our first date?"
"No." She said and his face changed again. "Not like this. Not yet."
"Why?"
"I've been so mean to you; I want to make it up to you. It should be perfect."
"What do you have in mind?" He asked her.
"Well we are limited on our choices, so we'll have to do what you said, only better."
"Then why can't we do it tonight?"
"Because, everything has to be right. I need some more time to plan it out, so I can show you how much I love you." She flashed him the brightest smile she could muster and all of his anger melted away. Seeing that she got him she decided to press further. "Just give me a few days to plan everything out. I want it to a surprise."
"Okay." He relented.
"I just hope we have everything. I guess I'll have to make do with what we have." She said disappointed.
"Well, I want to help. You just let me know what you need and I can get it." He said excited and she smiled again.
"It would be really great if I had something nice to wear. I mean you have all these nice clothes and I don't have much. I just want to look special for you, for our 'first date'."
"I can go out right now and get you something."
"You would do that for me?" She asked him seductively.
"Absolutely, I'll be right back." He ran off and then came back into the room with his jacket and car keys. "I can't believe this is happening." He said coming back up to her. Jessica just looked at him and smiled. He leaned down and gave her one last kiss before walking out the door.
She waited a few minutes then checked the door. He had locked it of course and the only way to unlock it was with a key. With the iron bars on every window there was no way for her to get out. She knew that somehow she had to get her hands on those keys. Not knowing when Shane would return, she couldn't waste anymore time. Jessica started to rummage around the house, checking every part hoping something could help her come up with a plan. While pulling out a drawer in the kitchen, she stumbled across the newspaper article that Shane had picked up when he last left the house. Picking it up, she opened the first page and was shocked by what was listed in the caption underneath Jeff's picture.
Jeff Hardy is in the hospital recovering from his wounds. Doctors are expecting he'll make a full recovery.
Jessica's emotions went from relief to fury as she read the article. He told her Jeff was dead. He kept saying it over and over, using that pain and her emotions to control her. What worse, she fell for it. She touched Jeff's picture one more time before putting the paper away where she found it. She had to get out of here, she thought to herself with renewed energy but first she needed a plan.
