Come Home, Frances

C24: Like How It Used To

Jaydee's POV

I'm still at the wedding just a different spot since I'm avoiding Frances' Father.

"Hey, can I introduce you around a little bit?
Can't feel good to be the odd man out." Kielle said when she saw me.

"I'm not the odd man out." I said turning down her invitation.

"All right. If you say so. You just seem
a little creepy over here all by yourself." She said and about to leave.

"I'm just waiting for Frances, man." I said apologetic about how I treated her.

"All right, well, best of luck with that." She said and I didn't like her tone.

"You like this, right?" I said to her. I think I'm already drunk or I just don't like her.

" I'm sorry, like what?" Kielle retorted.

"Frances leaves you behind.
She goes and has this life without you,
with some other person that no one gets.

And now you get to see her reject all that." I said slapping her with the truth.

"I mean, I like it a little bit." Kielle said laughing sarcastically.

"Yeah?" I said. Fuck

"Well, let me tell you what I like.
I like the fact that Frances told me
everything about you, Kielle." I said to her threatening her.

"Okay." She said rasing both her hands.

"She told me that when she was with you,
she would wake up at night in a panic,
thinking, "Is this all there is?"" I said mocking her.

"She told you everything, huh?

Did she tell you that she threw herself at me
the other day?

Did she tell you that?

Or did she stop telling you everything
when she forgot who the hell you were?" She retorted shouting it to my face.

"Look, I get why you're being such a dick.

You obviously love her,
and you think you're gonna get her back.

But the thing is, she outgrew you.

What makes you think
that won't happen again?" I said to her.

"Thank you for that advice.

I will mull it over
while I'm in bed with your wife." Kielle said finally snapping the last thread on my patience.  I puncher her in the face causing her to fall down.

"Jaydee!" Frances shouted before she stormed out. It's like lighting stuck at me when I heard her voice.

"Frances, wait!" I said when I catch up with her outside.

" What the hell were you thinking?" She shouted at me furiously.

"I don't know. That's a really good question, because I have been driving myself insane,

making a complete ass of myself!
Literally trying everything possible
to try to save what we have.

And you've been
throwing yourself at Kielle." I said while looking down trying to stop my tears.

" That's not fair." Frances said in more calmer tone.

" It's not fair?" I finally look at her and saw her tears fall down. I used to be the one wiping your tears wife know its her.

"I see the way you look at her.

I know, because you used to look at me that way." I said finally letting my tears fall down.

"Jaydee, J" She tried saying my name. As I turn my back to her.

"No, I think we need to start being realistic.

Your memory's not coming back.

The fact is that I'm still just a stranger." I said. I think I'm finally giving up. It's long overdue.

"I'm not trying to hurt you.

But I'm just...

I'm so tired of disappointing you." Frances said crying herself out.

"I know.

I'm so sorry.

I'll apologize to Cresila and Duke." I told her but she stop me.

"Oh, God, no, it's fine.

Wedding disasters have a way
of turning into great stories.

Eventually." She said wiping her tears.

"How do you look at the girl you love
and tell yourself it's time to walk away?" I said while taking my time to memorize her face one last time. I can finally walk away and told everyone I did everything I can to bring her back.

"Jaydee?" She called my name so I stop walking but ai couldn't face her.

"I hope one day I can love
the way that you love me." She said crying again. Please stop.

"You figured it out once.

You'll do it again." I said to her trying so hard not to broke my voice.

At the studio

"Shit.

You're here, not there.

Are you okay?" Maddie said when she saw me crying at the studio while holding a guitar.

"I'm done.

It's over. I give up." I told her.

"No, you never give up, Jaydee." She said and hug me.

"No, if we were meant to be together,
we would be together.

I was just thinking about the first time
that we went to that Greek restaurant

on the corner.

There was this big banner saying
"Now Serving Soup,"
and I just started to go on and on
about all the obstacles

that the owner must have overcome

to achieve his lifelong dream
of serving soup.

And then... And when I was finished...

She didn't say anything for a few seconds
and she just...

She just sort of exhaled it.
It was almost to herself.

"I love you."

And it just hung there.

It was the first time she had said it,
and I didn't even wanna respond.

I just wanted to keep hearing it.

That was two weeks after we met.

It only took her two weeks
to fall in love with me before.
She doesn't love me." I said to her. I give up. It's not happening. She's not coming back.

The next day. Attorneys office.

" Sign here, please. " The lawyer said. I signed the divorce papers as fast as I can and left the office to head back home.

Fast forward.

I'm done packing all of my ex-wife's things when I saw the stray cat she always fed Before.

"Come here, little buddy." I said and feed her with left over pizza.

"We'll be fine budd. " I said and pat her head.