****
Justin pulled into the studio lot and placed the car in park, leaning his head against the steering wheel as he attempted to contain the millions of thoughts and worries that drifted through his mind. He hadn’t planned on things ending up this way, didn’t know how they’d gotten so out of control. He wasn’t sure of how to stop it, or how to fix it. Something that had started so innocently, so inadvertently...had slowly but surely ripped at the seams that held his family, especially his relationship with Jordan, together.
Exiting the vehicle, Justin strode towards the studios and unlocked the doors, entering the empty lobby. Making his way towards his office, he stepped inside and plopped down into the oversized chair, glancing across the broad wooden desk surface at the family photo that rested there. Reaching out to pull it towards him, his heart ached as he took in Jordan’s beautiful face, the mischievous twinkle that shone brightly in his eldest son’s eyes, Noah’s shy grin, and even his own bright eyes and charming smile. Seemingly the perfect family.
Reaching for the telephone, Justin set the framed photo face down upon the desk as he dialed a familiar number. Running his hand over his closely cropped hair, he patiently awaited an answer on the other end of the line.
“Hello?” April spoke pleasantly into the phone.
“April...hey. Are you busy? I really need to talk to you.”
“Busy...um...well, it’s my day off. Where are you?”
“The studios...listen, I really need you right now. Please?” he urged.
“Okay...I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” she stated before issuing a quick goodbye and hanging up the telephone.
Placing the receiver back on the hook, Justin’s eyes filled with tears as he held his head in his hands and waited for April to arrive.
****
Jordan placed the last of Noah’s clean clothing in the drawer, shutting it with her hip as she picked up the laundry basket and continued down the hallway to the master bedroom. After separating her and Justin’s clothing into piles, she wandered aimlessly into the bathroom, gathering up wet towels and other dirty laundry that needed to be taken downstairs.
Picking up the laundry basket, Jordan paused, noticing Justin’s luggage resting on the floor near the foot of the bed. Shrugging, the dark haired woman leaned forward, hoisting the carry-on and garment bag onto the bed, unzipping them and quickly removing the contents. Pulling her husband’s suit out of the garment bag, Jordan tossed the pants, shirt, and jacket thoughtlessly in with the rest of the laundry, not noticing the small white piece of paper that fluttered to the floor.
****
As April turned onto the street that housed Celebrity Studios, her thoughts continued to whirl with everything that had happened in the past few days. She couldn’t help but think about everything Justin had told her, everything that they had discussed so openly on the recent trip to New York. She just wasn’t sure if she was ready. She didn’t know if she would be able to lay everything out on the table, to put herself out there and vocalize everything she was feeling, and had been feeling for awhile. Justin said that she should follow her heart, that it would guide her to do what she truly felt was right. But that was the problem. Even her heart seemed to be confused, sure one moment, full of indecision the next. She just hoped that the choices she had made were the right ones.
Pulling into the lot and parking alongside Justin’s sleek sports car, April stepped out of her vehicle and started towards the building, uncertainty looming over her every step of the way.
****
JC flipped angrily through the channels, punching the buttons on the remote as he surfed for something worthwhile. His mind drifted back to the near argument he’d had with April barely ten minutes earlier.
****
“You’ll be where in fifteen minutes?” he inquired curiously, stepping into the doorway of the kitchen where April stood.
April set the receiver down as she turned to the sound of her boyfriend’s voice. “How long have you been standing there?” she asked in response.
“Long enough to know that you’re going somewhere...so where are ya goin’?”
“The studios.”
“I thought today was your day off.” he remarked, arching a brow questioningly.
“It is...I just have to run over there really quick. I promise I’ll be back soon.”
“You promised that we’d spend the day together, just us.” JC returned, his voice cold.
April sighed, “JC, we will spend the day together. This won’t take long, I’ll be right back.”
“Well then I’ll go with you, just let me get some shoes on.”
“No!” she said quickly, “I’ve got to leave now or I’ll be late, and it’ll take even longer.”
Before JC could formulate a response, April had grabbed her keys and exited the apartment, leaving the dark haired man staring after her.
****
Turning off the television, JC grumbled impatiently as he glanced at the clock. His frustration began building as he thought about how things had been between him and April since she returned from her trip. His worst fears were confirmed by the mere fact that she’d acted more normal now than she had in months, fueling the theory in JC’s own mind that she felt guilty about whatever was going on between herself and Justin. She knew that it was him on the phone that night, she’d said so herself. He just wondered why she hadn’t just gotten everything out in the open when he asked her about it last night before bed. Shaking his head, he rose from the recliner that he rested in and wandered aimlessly into the bedroom, flopping down lifelessly onto the plush mattress.
Glancing to his left, his eye caught April’s half unpacked baggage from the New York trip on the floor near the bedroom door. He hadn’t noticed her unpacking her luggage earlier, but quickly dismissed it as something she must have started while he was still sleeping. Redirecting his gaze up towards the ceiling, his eyes remained transfixed there briefly as the phone emitted a shrill ring from it’s position in the kitchen. Lifting his lanky frame off of the bed, he started quickly out of the room to answer the telephone, some of the clothing sticking haphazardly out of April’s baggage catching his foot as he passed. “Ugh.” he muttered, bending down to push the black sweater that had attached itself to his foot back into the open luggage. As he did so, he paused, his expression growing confused as he felt a velvet box buried within the depths of the small suitcase.
Pulling his hand back quickly, velvet box now clutched in his hand, JC stopped in the room as the phone continued to ring a warning. Examining the box he held, he frowned, debating whether or not he should open it and view the contents. He tried to remember if it was something he’d purchased, but the velvet rectangle didn’t seem familiar. Odd, he thought, considering how new the exterior looked. Shrugging, he moved to sit on the bed, his mind still going back and forth as if good and bad angels were sitting upon each of his broad shoulders. One part of him kept telling him that it was probably something he’d given her, no big deal. The other half of him insisted it wasn’t, causing him to wonder why she’d have a need for such fancy jewelry on a short business trip filled with meetings. However, he knew better. This business trip wasn’t just about meetings, it had involved dinners, not to mention late nights. His curiosity getting the best of him, he relented, opening the box carefully and gazing down at the contents within as his heart shattered for the last time.
****
“It just didn‘t go how I‘d planned. At all.” Justin sighed, looking at April through red-rimmed eyes. “I mean, I told you in New York, how I was going to talk to her...and tell her how I was feeling...about what was going on...“ he trailed off, turning away from his companion. Slamming his hand down onto the desk, he let out a frustrated cry, “I’m sick of living like this April, I just...I can’t do it anymore.”
April’s tone was soothing compared to that of Justin’s agitation as she spoke to him, “J...you don’t mean that. I know you don’t....”
“I do mean it.“ he said bitterly.
Reaching forward, she guided his face toward hers with a gentle hand. “Look at me and tell me that then. I don’t believe you.”
Hanging his head in defeat, Justin let out a breath and paused before speaking softly. “You’re right. I don’t mean it.” he relented, glancing back up to meet April’s blue eyes with his own. “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to be sorry.” she stated in response.
“Okay, then I’ll thank you.”
Arching a well defined brow, April looked confused. “For what?”
“For coming over here on your day off...I know you wanted to talk to JC today about everything...” he responded, with a shrug.
Waving off his thank you, the blonde woman smiled half-heartedly. “I needed the time away to think anyways...so it’s okay.”
Justin frowned slightly, “You haven’t told him?”
“Not yet.”
“Well what now?” he laughed slightly despite his miserable mood.
“I just haven’t had a chance this morning...” she explained, shooting him a dirty look. “Besides, if the way your day has gone so far is any indication...I think maybe I’ll just wait and talk to him about everything later on.”
“Our situations are very different. For one, I’m married.” Justin retorted.
“What...you think I’d forgotten that fun fact?” April smirked, rolling her eyes.
“Smartass.”
Glancing at the clock and realizing she’d been gone longer than planned, April sighed audibly. “Alright, I’ve got to get going. Are you heading home?”
“Nah, I think I’ll just stick around here and get some work done...” Justin said, gesturing around at the paperwork scattered over his desk.
“You know you’re just using that to avoid Jordan.”
“Maybe.” he stated with a non-committal shrug.
“Okay fine. I’m going home now to talk to JC, and just get everything out in the open. Then...” she said thoughtfully, “...then we’ll go talk to Jordan and see where things go from there. How‘s that sound?”
A hopeful smile dancing across his handsome face, Justin nodded. “Okay. I just need to get this all out on the table tonight, it‘s time I faced the music.”
Turning to leave the room, April spoke once more. “That makes two of us...”