All I Wanna Do | Danny Amendola

Chapter 28

** Danny's POV **

"Should I try and call her again?" I asked as Leo began to stir on the couch next to me.

I still wanted to jump on a plane and take off to Wisconsin— there was no way she wasn't there. Julian, for once, was that voice of reason— reminding me that there was the slightest possibility that she wasn't there. That we'd be wasting time by going somewhere she wasn't.

Julian let out a sigh as he looked up from his phone. He was surfing through Penny's Facebook to see if any of Jamie's friends or Iamie had anything with her location.

"If you want," he mumbled. "She wouldn't answer anyway."

"Dola?" A small voice mumbled from next to me. Leo was officially awake.

"What's up, bud," I asked as I pulled the little guy into my lap.

"Why so sad?" His big blue eyes were looking up at me, full of wonder. "Where Jam Jam?"

I leaned down to press a kiss to his forehead and shook my head. "She Uh... She went on a vacation. And I miss her very much," I told him.

He moved up in my arms and pressed a big sloppy kiss to my cheek. "Wub you," he told me. Then he wrapped his arms around my neck to give me a tight hug.

I hugged him back, wrapped my arms around him and looked at Jules over Leo's shoulder. He had a small smile on his face. "I love you, too, Bud," I replied. Tears began to pull from my eyes as he tightened his grasp on me.

"Gonna be okay," he whispered to me. "No Sad."

I nodded and pulled from him, looking down at him in my lap. He smiled up at me and reached his little hands up to wipe my tears.

This little kid made me want so much, yet made me appreciate what I already had.

Our little moment ended when Julian's phone began ringing. His eyes went wide as he brought it up to his ear. "Hey," he answered, eyeing me as Leo sat back in my lap and looked back at Jules. "Really!?" His eyes lit up.

My heart jumped. They found her. They knew where she was.

"Oh," he replied, tearing his eyes from mine as he looked down at his lap. "Y-yeah... I got it... I'll see you soon." Julian let out a sigh as he pulled his phone from his ear and shook his head.

"Jules?" I asked. My heart was racing. "Did.. Did..."

Jules didn't look happy. He didn't seem to want to give me an answer. "LeeLee... Do you want to go play with the dogs outside?" He asked.

Leo's eyes went wide and he nodded. He jumped from my lap and moved to wake Clay up. "Clay!!! Wake up!" He practically screamed and let out a little giggle as Clay began to lick him.

Claire was next. Both of them absolutely loved Leo... And I couldn't blame them. Julian stood up and motioned for me to follow as he headed for the back doors. He slid it open and Leo and the dogs ran into the small fenced area.

It was a beautiful day... about 60 degrees and perfect for early May.

Julian sat down at a patio chair. I followed suit. "Dola," Julian began, giving me a look I couldn't identify.

"Where is she?" I asked, eyes locked in his. "Where Jules? I gotta get to her!"

"They found her... But she needs some space. She needs time," he told me.

"Where is she?!" I said, raising my voice. "Where is my wife, Julian?!"

"I-I can't tell you," he said as he shook his head. "Penny will kill me. Jamie just... Needs some time."

I didn't know what came over me. All I saw was red. I needed to know my wife was okay. I needed to talk to my wife. I needed to hold her again.

I lunged forward, pushing him back in his chair to the point that we hit the ground. I landed right on him, grasping his shirt in my fists. "Where the hell is she!?"

"I-I... She's-..."

I was pulled off of him by someone grabbing the back of my shirt. I looked up to see Tom, with Gisele behind him and Penny rushing over to Leo— probably hoping he wouldn't see what I'd just done.

"Dola! What the fuck!" Tom said, clearly angry.

I took in a breath before bursting into tears. My wife was gone and I attacked my best friend. Why was my life crumbling around me?

** Jamie's POV **

Katie stood from the couch as I brought my phone up to my ear. "Hello?"

"Jamie?!? Hun! Thank you for answering! Are you okay? Where are you? Is... Danny is going crazy! We're all going crazy! You didn't have to leave," Gisele exclaimed, speaking too fast.

I shook my head. "Danny is better off without me," I said, on the edge of tears. "He can find someone who can give him what he wants."

I was getting sick of explaining myself. I'd already made a mistake of leaving, now everyone was reminding me of my mistake. I was only beginning to hurt more.

"You know that's not true," Gisele said. "Where are you? Are you okay!?" Gisele sounded concerned.

"I will be," I mumbled. "I just... Time will tell." I didn't know how to answer. I wasn't okay, and I didn't know if I would be for a while.

I mean, I'd fucked up my marriage. I walked out on Danny. I couldn't fulfill the one that Danny wanted most in his life.

I couldn't help but think I was a failure.

"Where are you?" Her voice was soft and understanding. A lot less frantic.

"D-Don't tell Danny," I mumbled. "I need time."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. It sounded like Penny was there. "Hun... I- He's going crazy," she reasoned.

I shook my head. I was a failure. "Please," I said, a sob shaking from my chest. "I need my space, G. I really need it. I don't want to be found. I need to be me and not what anyone else wants me to be."

Gisele let out a long sigh before she answered. "Can... Okay. I won't tell him for a week," she promised. "He's going to be mad enough to begin with."

"Home." Is all that left my mouth. "I-I'm sorry. I love all of you guys... But I can't keep doing this. I can't keep hurting you all. I can't keep hurting Danny."

"Jamie, you're taking this harder than you need to. Danny loves you. He wants nothing more than you right now. He doesn't want a baby... He wants you. He wants you back home. Back in his arms. It doesn't matter that things aren't panning out the way you want. You two have true love— He loved you when you didn't wa-..."

Panic began to rise in my chest. She was right. And I felt the same about him. I missed him. I missed home. I wanted him.

Without another thought, I hung up and threw my phone at the other end of the couch.

**

Not too many chapters left! We will have 31 chapters plus an Epilogue!!