The Long And Winding Road
Notes: The usual disclaimers apply, and remember that all episodes that came after "This Charming Man" aren't canon in this story.
Word of warning – this chapter includes some harsher language than usual for this story.
Thanks to Maibe Josie, lifelover, GlamGlitterRockFabulous, YellyBelly, Angelstargirl, newtallelegant and chadslover for the recent – and greatly appreciated – feedback. And since reaching Chapter 50 is a sort of milestone, let me also add a word of thanks to all those who've continued to take the time to read this story. I'm glad it's received such a great response throughout the last year.
Chapter 50 - Get It While You Can
On a bench in front of Degrassi Community School, four friends ate lunch together. Emma and Manny sat on one side while JT and Toby faced them on the other side.
"So, Em," Manny said, "it's been a couple of weeks. Has having Mr. Simpson living in the house with you and your mom stopped being weird?"
"We've all started getting used to the new arrangement," Emma replied.
"Good thing, since there's a baby on the way," Toby commented.
"The only real tension so far has been between him and my mom."
"Ah, so the honeymoon is over already," JT joked.
"Shut up," Emma said, rolling her eyes. "She just has to keep reminding him of little things. Like if he snags the last cup of coffee, he needs to make another pot rather than automatically assume one of us is going to do it. Or…that whole thing about putting the toilet seat down when he's done. Things like that."
"Since the Nelson women are so liberated," JT offered, "how about some equality? You and your mom can start putting the seat UP when you're done."
"JT, I'd tell you to shut up again, but that's actually the same dumb joke that he made. And trust me, Mom gave him an earful about that. But then they started laughing about it and all was peaceful again."
"I'm sure it takes time to make adjustments when you've been used to doing everything a certain way for so long," Manny said.
"True, but things are a lot smoother than I thought they would be this soon."
"Guess this means JT is never gonna get married," Toby teased.
"And why is that?" JT asked.
"Compromise is not exactly one of your specialties."
"Tobes, I've shared a locker with you long enough to know that maybe YOU shouldn't be the one to talk about other people not compromising."
"And here we go again with the never-ending locker space feud," Manny said.
"Not at all," JT responded. "Besides, what my poor misguided friend Mr. Isaacs doesn't get is that I would never WANT to get married."
"Everyone wants to get married someday," Manny corrected. Her idealized thoughts about romance were ever present.
"Not me, Manny. I'm committed to a life of public service."
"Public service?" Emma asked, almost choking on her drink after hearing his remark. "JT, I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but I can't picture you as the type who'd care to devote his life to public service."
"That just shows how much you know, Emma. With so many women in the world and only one JT Yorke, I'm devoted to the cause of leaving myself available for everyone. It would be unfair to deprive them all if I had to pick just one person."
JT's friends laughed.
"Well, we know Emma's not like that," Manny then said.
"Oh, we do?" Emma asked.
"Come on Em," Manny responded. "You know you're going to marry Sean some day. Can't you feel the love in the air?"
"Is that what's in the air? I thought that was just the pollution that Emma's always griping about," JT joked.
"Sean and Emma are back together, JT," Toby said, having by now gotten beyond the previous year's crush he had for Emma. "Might as well get used to it and stop complaining."
"I don't complain. I don't think he's this great guy or anything, but it's Emma's mistake and I'm staying out of it."
"JT, if you ever tried to get to know Sean, you'd see for yourself that he's a really nice guy," Emma offered.
"Right, Emma," JT said sarcastically. "No offense, but if reality ever gets so twisted that I can find something nice to say about Sean Cameron, I'll eat my hat."
Emma just shook her head and smiled. She wished her good friend got along with her boyfriend, but she didn't think it was going to happen anytime soon.
"Anyway, back to me," JT continued. "Who needs marriage? I'm going to be an old man – we're talking 40 years old – and living in one of those fancy singles condos. Sitting in a hot tub surrounded by a bunch of 18-year-old girls."
"JT," Toby spoke up, "I thought with your tastes, you'd rather be 18 years old and sitting in a hot tub surrounded by a bunch of 40-year-old women."
"Shut up, Tobes."
"Manny," Emma interjected, noticing that the girl's attention had turned away from the conversation, "quit staring over at Craig. You're being a little too obvious. Again."
"I'm not staring, Em. I'm simply…glancing. Appreciating."
"Come on, Manny," JT pleaded, holding his stomach and giving off a pained expression. "There are people trying to eat around here."
"I wonder what Kendra's doing right now?" Toby questioned.
"Not you too, Toby," JT said. "Am I the only one left who hasn't exchanged my brain for some crazy ideas about romance?"
"Yes!" the other three said loudly and in unison.
"Sad," he kidded them. "You're all sad."
That was several years ago.
Now, on this Wednesday morning, JT sat alone on the ground in a cemetery facing a gravestone. It belonged to Jillian Yorke.
"Looks like the people who run this place are taking good care of things," JT spoke, looking at the stone. "The grass is mowed. No weeds. I knew it would be okay here. After you…after it happened, Dear Old Dad said he had important meetings and couldn't get back to town until the night before the funeral. He said I might as well take care of everything. So Emma helped me pick out this cemetery and this particular area, with all the trees nearby for shade. She thought you'd like this and I agreed with her.
"All this time…I still miss you. But it's gotten easier. That's not an insult. It's just that my life has stayed busy. And it's been really good. I know it's been a long time since I've come out here, Mother. For awhile I didn't want to come out here.
"Anyway, what's new with you? Meeting many interesting people up there? Does God have as good a sense of humor as I think He would? I mean, with all the strange people walking around down here, He's GOT to be good with the sarcasm.
"Look, I don't know how it works up there and whether you have any idea what's going on, but so much has been happening. Emma and I…well, you called it. We're in love. Real love, not kid stuff. You never made it a secret that you thought she was who I should be with. Even before we got together, she was a great friend. She's still a great friend…and a lot more. I have all these good parts of my life, but Emma's the best part. No contest.
"I bought a ring last night. You should have seen the salesman. Rotten guy, but he knows his rings. It's not the biggest ring I saw in the store but it's real nice. Emma doesn't like things that are too flashy. That meant I couldn't pick out anything that weighs a ton or would glow in the dark. I really think she'll like the one I got.
"Now I'm trying to figure out the best way to propose. At first I thought about using my theater sign. Putting up the words 'Marry Me, Emma' in place of the film titles. But maybe I should go with the more romantic approach. On Saturday, we could watch the classics like always, then I'd take her out to eat. Campanelli's. Guess you could say it's our special restaurant. Before dessert, I'd get down on one knee. She'd probably think I've dropped my napkin or something. But right then I'd propose. Who knows? I'm sure there's a way I can use both ideas. I'll figure it all out.
"I just hope she doesn't think it's too soon. Sure, we're 18, but it's not like we both haven't been through a lot already. I'm not going to get in the way of the stuff she wants to do. She's a great writer and I know she's going to do great things. And she's there for me with what I'm doing. I just want to make things official. I love her and I know that she's the only one for me. That won't change in five years or 105 years. And I think…no, I KNOW…that she feels the same way about me.
"I think the big test for us happened after I bought the movie theater. The two of us had some big arguments about the whole situation. But we got everything all worked out. It made us even closer and proved that we can deal with anything.
"We've graduated. I've got my own business. She's about to start working part-time and then attend university in the Fall. I've had to start thinking about where to live. The timing just feels so right. Emma and I are good for each other, Mother. I know this will be a good thing. No. A great thing.
"So…that's my big news. What else can I tell…Yeah. There's always THAT. I guess you know that I finally found out last Fall what your husband – my so-called father – thinks of me.
"It doesn't bug me like it did at first. Truth is, I hardly think about him or the situation at all anymore. Emma was a big help there. Sean too. Yeah, that's right. Sean. I know I never had a good word to say about him all those years. But he worked so hard to make up for things he'd done in the past. I guess you could say we bonded over us both having screwed-up family relationships, and then I figured out he was a nice guy. We started hanging out, and now he's one of my closest friends. Even if I still can't come close to beating him at pool.
"So about my…about your husband…I don't let it get to me anymore. He's not worth it. Sure, I still wish…You should have told me what he thought about me and why. So I wouldn't have had to hear it straight from him last year."
JT sighed.
"I'm not mad at you," he continued. "Who knows? Maybe you were going to tell me some day, and thanks to that gunman at the bank you never got the chance. Or maybe you were never going to say anything. Doesn't really matter now. You loved both of us and maybe you handled things the best way you knew how. Like I said, that's all part of the past and it can stay in the past. I've got so much that's good in my life, and a lot that I'm looking forward to. I just needed to come out here and tell you about all this good stuff.
"And now, my only major problem is how I'm going to be patient enough to wait until Saturday to propose."
JT remained at the grave awhile longer – talking further as well as spending time in silence. Then he left the area and returned to his car. As he started driving, he called Emma on her cell phone. She answered from Ryan's Grille, where she sat with Manny at a table eating breakfast.
"How was it?" Emma asked him while Manny continued eating. "Are you okay?"
"It was fine," he replied. "And I'm fine."
"I still say I should have been with you," she said in a regretful tone. "This was your first time to go out there in over a year. I wanted to be there for you."
"Next time, angel. Promise. This time I had to go alone. I can't explain it right now, but trust me. I had to do it this way."
"Is today going to be very busy?" she asked, knowing it was time to change the subject.
"The usual. I have some meetings set up for later this week, but today it's mostly paperwork and paying bills."
"You'll have fun tonight, though," she assured him. "Don't forget that we're going out for pizza with Manny and Sean."
"I remember," JT said loudly. He was starting to have trouble hearing Emma's voice and thought she might be having the same difficulty. "I'm still picking you up, right?"
"Yeah."
"Sounds good. See you tonight, Emma. Love you."
"What was that?" Emma asked, noise and static making it difficult for her to make out what he said.
"I can't hear you, Emma," JT said. "I think my phone's acting screwy. Probably needs to re-charge."
"JT?"
'Oh well,' JT thought while turning off his phone. 'She's probably figured out the problem by now.'
"Dead," Emma said.
"What?" Manny asked her.
"The signal. I started hearing a lot of static on JT's side. Missed hearing the rest of what he was saying."
"I'm sure it had something to do with him having undying love for you. Either that, or he was explaining how he was going to stop off at some doughnut shop for breakfast on his way to work."
Emma laughed, then finished drinking the remaining coffee in her cup.
"Okay Manny, now repeat what you were saying right before JT called. I want to make sure I heard you right."
"All I said was that this weekend Sean's borrowing his brother's bike and we're going riding for the day."
"Manny Santos, Biker Chick…I don't believe it."
"Very funny, Em. Sean asked if I'd ever been on a motorcycle. I'd never even thought about it before, but he said it would be fun. I'm open to trying something new, so I was all for it. Out on the open road. The wind blowing through my hair…"
"The bugs smashing into your face…" Emma added.
"I'll be sitting behind him holding on, so any bugs will have to go through Sean to get to me. Hey, do you think I can convince him to let me take over the driving at some point?"
"Worth a shot, but I wouldn't hold my breath. I'm glad you two are having so much fun together."
"You know that I wasn't even looking for a relationship this year," Manny commented. "But then Sean and I started spending time together and…We just seemed to click. It's been fun getting to really know each other these last few months. Learning about each other's interests. Trying new things. Spending time together with our friends. I really care about him, Emma."
"I know. I can tell he cares about you too."
"Emma, speaking of our friends…" Manny said, happy but wanting to change the subject before she started blushing, "You never did tell me. How's the apartment search going?"
"JT and I still need to see more places. We're checking out a couple of them tomorrow. So far it's going well. You should see JT. I think managing a business has come in handy here. He's not letting any of those rental people get away with exaggerations or pushing him into getting something he doesn't want."
"Em, you look like you're at least as excited about him moving as he probably is, if not more."
"JT's been asking for my thoughts about each place. That – combined with the fact that we both seem to like and dislike the same places – makes it seem all the more like he's trying to find something that we would both feel at home in. I really like the thought of that. There's also the idea that his current living arrangement is his last tie to his father, so I'll be so glad for JT once that connection is severed for good."
"Understandable," Manny responded. "But there's even more to it. I can tell."
"It's hard to explain," Emma said. "With each apartment we look at, I start feeling more and more like it really ought to be OUR place we're hunting. Not just his. In my mind I can see where furniture would go. I can picture us together in each room. Living. Loving. Everything."
"Everything?"
They were briefly interrupted by a waiter who came over to check on them and to fill up their cups.
"I admit," Emma began once the waiter left, "there's certainly the idea – a very nice idea – that with this new place, we'll finally have a chance to…"
"To 'everything,'" Manny helped the suddenly shy Emma finish her thought, knowing what she meant.
"Right," Emma agreed. "Okay, he and I both agreed last year that we would wait until after we were all finished with high school. And since graduation, I know it's crossed both of our minds more than once. I'll admit I'm looking forward to when…to that first time."
"As well as all the times after that?"
"Yeah," Emma grinned. "You'd be…shocked…at some of the thoughts I've been having on occasion. I'M shocked at some of the thoughts."
"You love him, Emma. And he loves you. Those kind of thoughts are normal. Expected."
"I know. Anyway, having a place where we can be…together…is another reason I'm glad he's looking for an apartment. I mean, the idea of…of making love…in his father's house…well, we'd need to perform some sort of tribal ritual first to get rid of any of Nathaniel Yorke's evil vibes that might still be lurking in the corridors.
"Of course, there's always MY bedroom. But who in their right mind would think that my basement has the proper atmosphere for such an activity?"
Manny grimaced and Emma suddenly remembered walking in on the beginning of such a scene years earlier.
"Oops. No offense, Manny."
"Em, did I ever mention how sorry I am about…"
"About you and Craig trying to turn my bedroom into some sort of Lust Nest?"
"Yeah. That."
"You did," Emma replied. "Don't worry about it. I've tried to put the whole experience out of my mind. Sure, at the time, I considered burning my bed, but since I showed up before things went too far, I was content to just burn the sheets and pillow cases."
"Emma…Tell me you didn't."
Emma rolled her eyes.
"Of course I didn't. I'm kidding."
Manny, relieved, couldn't help but laugh.
"Emma, does JT know you have such a wicked sense of humor?"
"Knows it AND loves it. Well…most of the time. Anyway, don't get me wrong, Manny. The feelings I've been having about his move are related to much more than just the physical."
"I understand," Manny responded.
"Because I've also had lots of other moments. Moments that were somewhere in the back of my mind for quite awhile but have been moving forward with all the talk lately about finding JT a home we'd both like. Moments where I imagined he and I…Not just living together. Like roommates. I've said I wouldn't do something like that – even with JT – and I still stand by that idea. But together. Completely.
"The two of us…Facing the highs and the lows. The good and the bad. The exciting times and the ordinary everyday times. From struggling to learn the best ways to balance our work obligations with plenty of 'just us' time, to debating whose turn it is to take care of the laundry. Knowing that he's the first thing I'd see when I woke up and the last thing I'd see before going to sleep."
"Hold on, Em," Manny started smiling. "Are you talking about wanting something…official…between the two of you? Something that would first have to involve a ceremony?"
"I know," Emma said. "You must think I'm really losing it. That I'm not saying the kind of things you'd expect of Emma Nelson."
"Let's see…You've got your university plans set. You know that you want to make a career out of writing. And now you're considering how to make your relationship with the most important person in your life even better. You're trying to find a way to have it all, and that sounds EXACTLY like what I'd expect of Emma Nelson."
"You don't have to say anything, Manny. I know I'm sounding unrealistic and selfish."
"I'm not thinking that at all."
"JT's already made one huge life-altering decision this year in buying TMD. I wouldn't want him to think I was trying to add pressure to his world by asking him to…by proposing another major change. We already know we have a whole lifetime together to look forward to."
"Emma, I think if you're sure about what you want, then…Well, you're the one who once told me that there's nothing wrong with the woman being the one to ask the guy to…"
"Don't mind me," Emma interrupted. "Like I said, it was just a thought. Things happen when they happen for a reason. So for once I'm not going to push or press. I'm going to let nature take its course."
The day progressed normally until that afternoon. Sean was busy working under the hood of a car at the auto repair shop when a co-worker walked over and informed him that he had a visitor waiting at the front desk. Sean left his area, curious who was there to see him since he wasn't expecting anyone. His expression became one of displeasure when he saw that the mystery guest was Jay.
"Cameron, you need to find a better class of people to work with," Jay greeted. "They wouldn't even let me go back to find you. Told me I had to wait right here. Since I'm such a good sport, I agreed. This time."
"Outside," Sean said sternly. He then led Jay out and around to the side of the building. "Okay, Jay. What do you want?"
"Now is that any way to talk to an old friend?"
"You mean EX friend," Sean corrected.
"I was kinda rough on you the other week at that graduation thing," Jay said. "But you used to have a sense of humor. Don't take it all so personally."
"Don't worry, Jay. I didn't. Because nothing you say can get to me anymore."
"Yeah. Okay. Whatever. Listen, I think it's really good that you have this job here. This has to be a great place to work. How much do you take in every week?"
"That's none of your business."
"No, I'm not talking about whatever little money they want to give you," Jay corrected. "I mean how much do you really make? This place must be a gold mine for good parts you could sneak off with and sell to other places for big bucks."
"You know, Jay, every time I think I know how big an idiot you are, you find a way to sound like an even bigger idiot."
"Don't be so greedy, Cameron. Let me in on the action. You can't tell me you've been letting this golden opportunity go to waste. I know you."
"Wrong," Sean countered. "You don't know anything about me."
"I know that you're exactly like me. Only not as honest."
"Honest? Jay, you've never known the meaning of that word. And even if you did, I bet you couldn't spell it."
"I'm honest enough to know I like to have fun and don't mind letting everyone know that I'll do whatever I need to do to make it happen. You were the same way until you decided you should feel all guilty about doing what you want. I feel sorry for you. Now you're trying to be Mr. Perfect with your job and your loser friends."
"Watch it."
"We were best friends," Jay said. "I'm willing to forget all this Saint Sean crap and we can be friends again. We can still have a lot of fun. Just like before."
"Jay, I'm going to tell you this for the last time and then I never want to talk to you about anything anymore. Being friends with you was wrong. Hanging out with you and doing all the stuff I did…none of that should have happened. But it did and I've tried to make up for it. I will never be like I was then ever again.
"I don't want to hear how you feel sorry for me because I'm not acting like…like someone who would ever be friends with you. I don't want to hear about your schemes to have fun by hurting other people. I don't want to hear your opinions of the people I care about and who believe in the real me. And don't you ever come around here again."
"Or what?" Jay challenged, getting right up into Sean's face. "Are you gonna mess up my hearing?"
"I'm not even going to answer that," Sean answered, unfazed.
Jay stepped back and laughed.
"That's what I was afraid of. You really are lame, Cameron. Oh well. Can't say I didn't try to talk some sense into you."
Jay starts to walk away.
"Hey Jay," Sean calls to him.
"Now what? Is my walking not boring enough for you?"
"Just so you know, Jay…If I ever hear a complaint around here that anything's gone missing – whether it's a car, a spark plug or even a pencil – I'll make sure the manager and the police know to look at you as the top suspect. And you know I will. So you really DON'T have a reason to ever come back here."
"Fine," Jay responded, annoyed with the outcome of the conversation. "You win. Have your miserable boring life. You deserve it."
After Jay walked away, Sean took a deep breath and then went back inside and over to his work area. He grabbed his jacket that was lying on a nearby chair and pulled his cell phone from the pocket. He punched in a number and waited a moment.
"Hey Manny," he said once she picked up. "It's me. How's it going? Yeah, I'm good. On a break. I…I was feeling kinda stressed and…wanted to hear your voice."
Sean stood listening to Manny as she began talking on a variety of subjects. As a result, the stress from his encounter with Jay quickly departed and his frown soon changed into a smile.
Early in the evening at the Nelson-Simpson house, Emma walked up from her bedroom to find her mother walking around the living room in circles.
"Uh, Mom? Practicing for that championship round of Duck Duck Goose against Jack and his playmates?"
"Funny," Spike replied. "I know I left my purse in THIS room but I don't see it anywhere. Snake and Jack are already out in the car waiting, and I just know Snake's going to start honking that horn any minute."
On a hunch, Emma walked over to the couch and noticed a purse wedged in between two of the cushions and barely noticeable.
"Is this it?" she asked, pointing down at the couch.
"Now how did it get buried down in there?" Spike asked while retrieving it.
"Jack. He's done it before with my purse, too. He knows we keep money in them, like treasure chests. And so…"
"And so he buries our purses." Spike started to laugh.
"Yeah," Emma confirmed. "Instant buried treasure. Hey, have fun tonight."
"We will. Though Jack has made it quite clear to me that he'd rather go out with you and JT than over to Joey and Caitlin's with us."
"I'll talk to JT later on about us doing something together with Jack again real soon."
"That would be nice," Spike responded. "Jack always has so much fun with the two of you."
"Yeah," Emma agreed. "To Jack, JT's the fun older brother who's willing to play all the games Jack likes, as well as coming up with his own."
Suddenly, they both hear the sound of a car horn.
"Okay, Snake. I'm going to get you for that," Spike said jokingly while heading for the front door.
"Mom?" Emma called to Spike before she left.
"Yeah, Em?" Spike turned away from the door and once again faced her daughter.
"It's not unrealistic to try to have it all. Right?"
"Of course it's not unrealistic," Spike answered without hesitation. "Sure, you have to factor in room for plenty of disappointments and struggles. But if you're honest with yourself about what it is that you truly want, and you're willing to put in the effort…anything's possible. Why do you ask? Is something wrong?"
"No," Emma assured her mother. "Just the opposite. Everything's going great. I was just curious about your opinion. Thanks."
"Anytime, Emma. You and JT have a good time tonight. Right now I have to go instruct my husband on exactly what he can do with his horn."
"Now THERE'S an image I don't need in my head," Emma kidded. "Bye Mom."
Meanwhile, JT sat in his office at TMD. His plan was to finish reading one last document before leaving to pick up Emma. Instead, he had the ring box open on his desk beside the picture of Emma. He looked at the ring, then he looked at the picture, and then he looked at both the ring and the picture at the same time.
'How in the world am I going to make it to Saturday?' he thought. 'I know. Because I have two ways I could propose and right now neither one is ready. That's how I'm going to make it. I need these next couple of days to make sure everything is just right.'
Just then, Spinner walked into the room. Startled, JT hurriedly closed the small box and put it in the top drawer of his desk, where he kept such office supplies as pens, pencils and paper clips.
"Spin, I think we ought to start working on your next big project around here – learning how to knock."
"The door was open," Spinner responded. "You don't knock on an already open door. And anyway, you said you wanted to see me before you left."
"Oh yeah. I almost forgot. It's about how things should go tonight. I know I ought to have someone specific who's in charge when I'm not here, but I'm almost always here during the day when all the major decisions have to get made. And at night everyone here knows what they have to do, so it's not really a priority. Pat and Amanda are the ones who usually try to keep an eye on things when I'm not here. You know Pat has the night off. Amanda's here, but she's got a meal break later on. So if anything comes up while she's gone, or if there are any phone calls, I want you to take care of it. Are you okay with that?"
"Dude, don't worry. I talk to customers all the time, and I DO know how to use a phone."
"I'm sure most of the calls will be people asking what's playing or what time they're playing. But if it's anything else, just take a message."
"No problem."
"Just keep everything simple," JT cautioned Spinner. "Nothing fancy. I have this feeling that if you got creative, the lawyers would end up getting involved."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever, JT."
"And do whatever you need to do – bite down on a pencil, bang your head against a wall, whatever – but don't use the word 'dude' when you're talking to anyone on the phone."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Spinner claimed.
"Uh-huh."
"By the way, what are you hiding in your desk?"
"Hiding?" JT replied. "I'm not hiding anything."
"When I came in you were moving like lightning trying to get something put away before I could see it."
"Okay, Spin. You caught me. I've got these nude photos of you and I just can't stop looking at them."
"JT, that's sick…" Spinner rolled his eyes.
"And if it weren't for all those pesky sexual harassment laws, I'd be chasing you around the desk right now."
"You think you're so funny, but I'm not going to laugh," Spinner responded, even though it was indeed taking an effort for him not to laugh.
"I'm sure you want to laugh. Close enough."
"So what's really in the desk?" Spinner tried asking again.
"Nothing you need to worry about. And I'm taking it home with me so you don't have to bother going through my desk looking around when I leave."
"Spoiling all my fun as usual," Spinner said.
"That's one of the perks of being in charge," JT smirked.
"Since I'm not going to get anything out of you, I might as well get back out there."
"Before you do, go ahead and take this time right before the next wave of customers comes in, get whatever sacks of trash are ready to go, and take them out back to the dumpster."
"Will do. And don't worry about tonight, JT. I'm not going to mess up."
"Hey, needless worrying is also something that comes with being in charge."
Spinner left the office. As he went to take the trash out, he didn't notice that someone standing near the restrooms was watching him walk out the back door. Once Spinner was gone, this person walked toward JT's office.
JT knew he only had about a minute before he needed to leave so he was quickly reading over the document that was still in front of him on his desk. Out of the corner of his eye, JT noticed someone standing at his door. He picked up a pen as though he was about to start writing. The person entered the room and shut the door behind him, but JT didn't react.
"Thought that moron would never leave," the uninvited guest, Jay Hogart, said. "Why would anyone want him around? Just as well I couldn't hear what the two of you were saying. I'm sure it wasn't interesting."
Jay noticed with some disappointment that so far JT wasn't acknowledging him.
"So…this is what the nice folks do all day," Jay continued. "Sit around looking at papers and being all serious. Good thing I never cared about being nice. I think I'd die of boredom."
Jay grew annoyed that JT wasn't looking up at him or responding to him. JT simply continued to look down at what he was supposed to be reading.
"Maybe Cameron wised up and turned on you, Yorke. Are you deaf or something? Everyone should pay attention when I walk into a room…and start worrying about what I could do."
JT put down the pen and finally looked up at Jay.
"That's more like it." Jay said.
"Sorry about that, Jay," JT spoke in a cheerful tone. "It's just that when you came in, I remembered I was going to create a new sign. You know there's that sign near the front door of the building that says 'No shirt, no shoes, no service.' Well, I've been meaning to put up another sign right next to it saying 'If you're a thief, too dumb for words or both, you're not welcome.' I know you fall into the 'both' category, so you really shouldn't be here. But since the sign isn't up yet, I won't hold you to it this time."
"You need to stop thinking you can talk to me like that, loser," Jay said in his most threatening tone.
"And you need to stop thinking you can scare anyone over the age of 2," JT responded calmly. "Give it up with all the tough talk. You're the joke of the neighborhood, Jay, and that's no secret."
"Is that the kind of crap you told Sean that made him into a wimp who turned on his only real friend?"
"You give me way too much credit," JT answered. "It was a long time after Sean's sanity came back before I gave him a chance to show me how he'd gotten away from you and your kind of fun. The good choices he started making were all his idea.
"As for real friends, that's what he's got now. Hanging around you wasn't about friendship, Jay. Just a bad habit he was finally able to kick. And even in his worst moments, he was a better person than the mess I'm looking at right now will ever be. Now…Still want me to notice you, or are you ready to leave?"
Jay, looking very annoyed, ran his arm across the desk knocking everything to the ground. This was the first time that JT had ever started to feel nervous around Jay, but he wasn't going to let it show. He refused to give off the kind of reaction Jay thrived on. Instead, JT stood up and casually walked around to the front of his desk and faced the unwanted visitor.
"Very dramatic, Jay. Almost enough to give me chills. Okay, not really. But now I'm confused."
"What now?" Jay grew discouraged that he still didn't seem to be intimidating – or even angering – JT.
"Does that mess you caused count as littering or vandalism?" JT asked, trying to sound lighthearted. "You're more of an expert about criminal behavior than me, so I just want to know exactly what complaint to make with the police."
"I want you begging me not to bother you or your pathetic buddy Cameron. Crawling would be a nice touch. But you better quit it with not taking me serious!"
"I'm doing my best, Jay. Honest. But you just make it so gosh-darn hard to quit. Even at the post office, your picture isn't up on the board with the ones of other criminals still walking the streets. The only time they post your picture is when they want something to hang on a dartboard. Now, about what I should tell the police…"
"You are NOT calling the cops."
"Well, you're right about that," JT confirmed in a less-than-serious tone. "Not if my phone is broken after the way it sailed across the room a moment ago. I'm just not having a good day with phones. Have you ever had one of those days where…"
"Shut up talking to me like I'm one of those idiots that cares about your jokes! You WILL take me serious. And you're never gonna laugh at me or get anyone else to laugh at me ever again."
Jay then looked down and noticed that the picture of Emma had landed near his feet. Seeing it gave him an idea.
"Here's a thought, Yorke. Maybe Cameron's not a total loser now after all. Maybe he only puts up with a dork like you because it gives him an excuse to hang around the blonde again. Maybe they're both friendly with you to your face, but they're doing it when you're not around. Then laughing about you."
"You're just trying to get to me, Jay. In your usual ridiculous way. Not going to happen."
Jay picked up Emma's picture and held it. JT didn't like this but was determined not to give Jay a reaction.
"Or maybe you and Cameron share her," Jay said, smirking. "That's one time I couldn't blame either one of you. I mean, she didn't look like much the first time I laid eyes on her. But I've seen her walking through the neighborhood. For a loud, tree-hugging bitch, she looks like a nice piece of ass."
Needless to say, that was the final straw.
JT, incensed by that last comment, suddenly – and with all the strength he could muster – pushed Jay. The push was hard enough that Jay stumbled backwards. Jay, surprised by JT's sudden show of force, dropped the picture as he landed hard – though still standing – into the filing cabinet sitting against the wall beside the closed office door. Looking furious, Jay retaliated, charging forward at JT and pushing him backward against the desk.
While JT struggled to maintain his balance and his footing, he didn't notice Jay pulling a switchblade from his pocket. Before JT knew what was happening, he felt a sudden sharp pain in his stomach. Then he felt it again as Jay stabbed him a second time. Now having even more difficulty standing, he easily dropped to the ground when Jay pushed him over with one hand while putting the blade away with the other hand.
Not genuinely angry, Jay was actually delighted that he'd finally gotten a reaction from someone he considered a nuisance. A reaction that wasn't laughter and ridicule. Jay also realized that things must have gotten busy outside the office since nobody had yet come in to see about the noise. Not that Jay genuinely cared that much whether anybody heard the scuffle or not. After all, he considered himself an honest man. He felt a sense of pride in this moment.
"See?" Jay, a smile now on his face, asked as he looked down at JT. "I knew I'd get you to start taking me serious. I don't hear you making jokes NOW. You did this to yourself, coming at me like you did. I thought I'd just get you scared. Or maybe a little pissed off. I should be upset that you got mad enough to try pushing me around. But at least it gave me a chance to have some fun. Can't believe Cameron hates this kind of thing. His loss. More fun for me. And I haven't had this much fun in a long time."
Jay stood still for a moment, considering whether there could possibly be anything of value in the office worth taking. Not seeing anything of obvious worth out in the open, he decided not to bother searching through the file cabinet or desk. Besides, he felt he had already achieved his good fortune for the evening.
Before turning to leave, Jay looked over at JT one last time. JT was down on the ground with one hand on his stomach. He wanted to get to the phone, except he wasn't sure where it had landed after Jay had knocked everything off the desk. Additionally, he was losing the strength to move around while also beginning to lose blood. And finally, a part of him was now afraid to do or say anything while Jay remained in the room.
"But I'm interrupting," Jay said as he walked toward the door, phony politeness filling his voice. "I'll leave you alone so you can go back to doing whatever it is you do around here. That is, if you still can."
Next Chapter - Coming soon!