JxT
It was raining. The ranch house looked desolate under the torment of the nimbus clouds and it gave a cold atmosphere, not just literally. At the front door, eight people stood looking at the taxi that was to take half of them away.
Jade was hugging Callie tightly and she looked up at her with hopeful eyes trying to convey the message that she didn't want to go. They both looked around to see Tori and Lola hugging tightly. Tori caressed her daughter's face and smiled at her. Lola walked towards her sister and they hugged tightly. After that, she got an umbrella and accompanied her to the taxi with an arm around her shoulder.
"Take care of yourself." Jade whispered to Tori, stroking her arm.
"Yeah, I will, you too," she nodded and tried not looking at her directly. She leaned in and gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek.
"Bye," she said and took another umbrella. Jade watched her go feeling helpless that she wasn't able to stop her, again. She looked at Cat and Robbie who kissed deeply before parting.
Finally the taxi pulled away and Jade, Cat, Beck and Lola stood staring at it forlornly.
JxT
Five minutes after her mother, sister, and uncles left, Lola was laying on her bed, hugging Cuppy tightly and not bothering to wipe away the tears that were spilling down her cheeks. Never in her ten years of living has she ever cried this much. Or cried at all. The last time she cried was when she scraped her knee learning to ride her bike when she was six. But that didn't hurt at all compared to the pain she was feeling now.
Cat came in slowly, her own face a little puffy from crying and sat on the edge of her bed, "Honey, do you want to talk?" She asked softly, her voice a little hoarse.
Lola shook her head. She knew that once, not long ago, talking to Cat about her problems would have been good enough for her. After all, for most of her life, Cat was the closest thing she had to another parent. But now, everything was different. Now Lola knew that she had a real second mother and parent - her very own warm, wonderful, caring mother. After years of dreaming, wondering and imagining what her mother would be like, she actually met her face to face. Spoken to her. Thrown her arms around her like she would never let go. How could she possibly go back to life without her?
The life she'd had for so long seemed empty to her now. She hadn't been living with Jade, Cat, Beck and Sammy. She'd been living without Tori, Callie, Trina, Robbie and Andre. It was enough to make her wish she had never gone to camp, never found Callie, and never even met Tori. Because if those things had never happened, she wouldn't be hurting so much right now. Lola sniffed and let out a hiccuping sob. A few more tears slid down and dropped onto her pillowcase. It's all my fault, she thought to herself bitterly, because it was all my idea. She remembered that night at camp when she sat up straight in bed, flushed with excitement at the thought of switching places with Callie. My brilliant beyond brilliant idea.
JxT
Ten minutes after her ex-wife and daughter pulled out of the driveway, Jade was rummaging around in her wine cellar. She had no idea what she was doing or why she was doing it as she yanked bottles off shelves, read their labels in the dim light, and shove them back in a different order. She just knew she had to stay busy, that she'd do anything to avoid thinking about what just happened. After years of missing Tori, years of not knowing Callie, she came that close to getting them back - only to lose them. Again. Jade was so preoccupied that she didn't notice Lola coming down the stairs.
She was looking for her - She's the one person in the world who must feel as bummed out as I do right now, she thought - and she knew she was down here, but she was surprised by the loud noises of clinking glass. She's never heard her Mom handle the wine bottles roughly. She's usually so gentle with them. Surprising for Jade West. As Lola crossed the floor, Jade didn't even notice her until she was standing right next to her.
