Closing her eyes briefly, Jordan turned to Justin and smiled slightly. "Please...just wait here for me. This is something I need to do alone." she said quietly as Justin nodded and sat back down without saying a word. Without hesitating another moment, the tall brunette began walking toward her father, who stood staring at her, his dark eyes misty with emotion.
As his daughter reached him, Luke struggled with what he should say. Finally, he spoke, "Jordan, first..before you say anything..let me apologize, for everything."
Jordan stared into her father's tanned face, hurt showing in her hazel eyes as she patiently waited for him to finish.
"I realize that you are upset with me, and I know you feel like this is the worst time I could enter your life. Everything is going perfectly for you. You have an amazingly successful career unfolding in front of you, as well as some very supportive friends." Luke stated, gesturing to Justin, who waited patiently in the lobby chair, sneaking glances at the two occasionally. "So I just want to say that I am sorry, and I know that I should have contacted you sooner...but I was afraid. Do you understand?"
Jordan nodded slowly, trying to realize how this man could possibly be in as much emotional anguish as she was at that moment. She stood silent, desperately attempting to understand what her father could be feeling after finally meeting the daughter he never wanted. Anger flashed in her hazel eyes as she listened to Luke apologize over and over again. Finally she interrupted him, her voice strained with emotion. "Listen. I don't want to hear your apologies right now. I don't want to hear any sob stories about how you feel bad coming into my life right now. This isn't about YOU. It's about me, and my mother, and how hard things have been for everyone the day you decided you didn't have a responsibility to the child you fathered." she said, her voice rising slightly.
Luke opened his mouth to say something before Jordan continued, but she beat him to it. "Furthermore...I don't know if I want to accept your apologies. I don't want you to feel bad for me, thinking that this is a bad time and all that bullshit, thinking that you are interrupting my so called perfect life. In fact, I feel bad for YOU, and if you feel sorry for anyone, it should be for yourself. Do you realize how MUCH you missed out on? You completely disregarded me, therefore disregarding everything I have accomplished so far. Yeah, you are here now, trying to make ammends. But ya know what? That doesn't make up for the times that you WEREN'T there...ya know? Where were you when I fell, when I WASN'T successful? You weren't the one who picked me up and brushed me off...that was someone else, who had no biological ties to me at all. And in my mind, that person is the only man I consider to be a true father." Jordan stated, her voice unbelievably steady as her eyes filled with tears as she finished, "And however much this hurts you, I have to be honest...I have more respect for that man than I EVER will for you."
"Jordan..." Luke said, his face tired and drained of color as he reached out to her.
Turning away from her father, she glanced across the room at Justin, who was staring at her, concerned. Then, out of the corner of her eye she spotted her sister coming out of the elevator. 'Shit, just what I need' she thought to herself, brushing away the tears as she looked at Justin, her eyes pleading with him to do something.
Getting up, Justin walked toward Jordan and her father. Upon reaching them, he looked down at the brunette, concerned as he noticed her tears. "Jordan, I think Rachel is looking for you." Justin said, gesturing slightly toward the tall blonde, who was glancing around the lobby curiously.
"Yeah, I probably have some explaining to do to her.." Jordan said, turning away from her father and making her way toward Rachel, who had begun staring at Justin and Luke.
"I'm so sorry.." Justin said, his blue eyes sympathetic as he made eye contact with Luke.
"Don't be..it's not your fault. I'm Luke by the way.." he said, extending a deeply tanned hand toward Justin.
"I'm Justin...nice to meet you." the blonde said politely, accepting the handshake before throwing a concerned glance at Jordan and Rachel, who were disappearing into the elevator.
***
"Thanks for buying me coffee, and sitting here with me. I appreciate it Justin." Luke said, stirring his coffee slowly as they sat in the hotel resturant. After Jordan and Rachel had disappeared into the elevator, Justin, curious about Luke's story, offered to buy him a cup of coffee and talk for a little while.
"I just don't know what to do. She's my baby girl, you know? I regret that day I walked out more than anything...but I was so young, so reluctant to commit."
Justin nodded briefly, waiting for Luke to continue. His eyes tired, Luke sighed as he resumed his story. "See, I was young...immature. So was Karen, Jordan's mother...and things got out of control, as they often do in teenage relationships. When she told me she was pregnant, I was shocked, and didn't know what to do. I freaked out...and stopped seeing Karen, leaving her pregnant and alone. Then, in August, she had Jordan...a beautiful baby girl. I stopped by 2 days after she was born, and that's the last time I ever saw her. I wasn't ready for committment, or the responsibility. I chickened out.." he explained carefully, and finished, leaning back in his chair to look at Justin.
Justin sat speechless for a moment, "Whoa" he said, taking in the emotion filled story he had just heard. "So then you all of a sudden decided to contact her out of the blue?" he questioned, interested.
"I hadn't kept tabs on Karen, so I didn't know much about her whereabouts. Then, when Eternity hit it big, a magazine layout showed a photo of Rachel and Jordan, along with Karen and Mark. I put two and two together, and after debating what I would say to her, wrote a letter...hoping she would receive it." Luke stated.
"And she did.." Justin trailed off, thinking about how Luke, as well as Jordan must be feeling after the outburst in the lobby. "You know, she didn't know what to think after she got your letter. Something changed in her, I could see it in everything that she did."
Luke nodded slightly as Justin continued, "She struggled for a long time, wondering what to do, ya know? Not knowing if she wanted you to be in her life, but at the same time, not wanting to let her chance at meeting her biological father slip away." Pausing for a moment, he waited for Luke to respond. Jordan's father sat there speechless, not sure of what to say.
Finally, Justin stood up slowly, extending his hand to Luke, "Well, Luke...it was nice meeting you, but I'm supposed to meet Chris upstairs in about ten minutes."
"I understand," Luke nodded, shaking Justin's hand. "Please...take good care of my daughter. She trusts you, I can see it in her eyes. Don't hurt her...she's had enough hurt in her life to last a lifetime."
Justin smiled, "I'll treat her well...I promise." he said, before turning and walking away from the small table, leaving Luke sitting alone.
***
Rachel shut the door to her hotel room that she shared with Ashlee, leaving Jordan with Leigh in the main room. Sitting on the edge of the bed, silent, she thought about the man she had seen Jordan walking away from in the lobby. Taking a deep breath, she recalled the conversation she had with her emotionally charged sister in the elevator.
"Is that the guy who showed up at our soundcheck yesterday Jordan?"
"Yes, it is..."
"So are you planning on telling me who the hell he is, and how you know him?"
Jordan looked at her with tired eyes, "Rach, I don't want to get into it...just don't worry about it ok?"
Rachel ran her fingers through her blonde hair in frustration, not understanding who the strange man was, or why he was bothering her sister so much. Reaching for the phone, she quickly dialed a familiar number.
"Hello?"
"Yeah..mom? It's Rach...I need to ask you a question.."