Spotlight Girl //a Jeremy Jordan Fanfic//

Fourteen: Moving On

Jamie's POV

Aunt Alice was not entirely on board with the idea of me moving to America.

I mean, I couldn't blame her! Hell, even I wasn't entirely set on the plan yet and even Jeremy seemed on the fence and anxious about it and he'd been talking this through with Ashley for a few weeks!

In true Aunt Alice fashion, she was appearing calm, cool and collected on the surface, but I could see the twitch in her eye forming and the slight wringing of her hands and tightness in her shoulders - once she reached her breaking point, all hell would break loose!

"Jamie," Alice says after Jeremy has explained the idea to her and a long moment of silence afterwards. "please go put the kettle on while I chat with Jeremy, would you darling?"

I exchange a look with both Alice and Jeremy. I knew this was code for "please leave so I can give your father a piece of my mind!" but I really wanted to stick around and see what she would say. However, when I saw the icy, hard look she gave me, I knew it was best not to push my luck.

"Right, of course! Tea coming right up!" I nod, making my way out of the room as quickly as I could before it could get more awkward.

In the kitchen, Ashley is sat at the table, feeding Clara and Evie is sat across from her, chatting away.

I walk over to the kettle and flip the switch, sneaking back over to the door leading in to the living room to try and listen in to what they were saying.

Alice's POV

"Alright," I sigh once Jamie has left the room. "What games do you think you're playing?" I ask, folding my arms across my chest and turning my attention back to Jeremy.

"I'm not playing any games," Jeremy replied coolly, her arms crossed across his own chest, mirroring me. "I just found out I had a daughter for the past 16 years and I want to get to know her, what's wrong with that?"

"Nothing wrong with that at all," I say, beginning to pace across the floor in front of him, feeling my blood simmering beneath my skin. "Except for the fact that you are proposing to uproot her entire life to move in with the father she only just met 3 months ago!"

My words clearly struck a nerve as Jeremy's jaw tensed. "As I already said," Jeremy sighed, "This is Jamie's decision, if she decides she wants to move out to the US then that's what we'll do, if she wants to stay here, then we'll find a way to make it work, either by us moving over here or flying back and forth."

"It's not just about location Jeremy!" I snap, making him flinch ever so slightly. "I love that girl as much as my own children. She's a smart, well rounded and brilliant child and I would go to hell and back for her." I felt a lump come to my throat, my eyes stinging with tears. I swallow hard and take a deep breath. "She has gone through so much this last year and I don't want her to get her hopes up just to have them shatter and leave her disappointed...I can't let you do that to her!"

We're both silent for a minute, leaving me with the memory of all those years ago when I confronted Jeremy before he left that last time. From the look on his face now, I can tell he's thinking the exact same thing and knows just how serious I am about those promises now as I ever was back then.

"The last thing I want to do is hurt her," Jeremy says finally, "I know its only been a few months, but I love her the same amount I love Clara...as though I've known her all 16 years of her life...but it shatters every part of my heart knowing I missed out on so much with her and and her Mom--"

At this, his voice breaks and he breathes in sharply through his nose. "You know how much I loved her Alice...she was my first love, my everything...there was nothing I wouldn't have done for her!"

A hushed sort of quiet falls between us once more, as he falls back onto the sofa, his head in his hands. "I don't want to overstep any boundaries here, I just want to know my daughter." he says quietly, barely above a whisper.

I walk over to the sofa and drop down beside him, my arms around his shoulders before I can even think about what I'm doing. I knew Jeremy had his heart in the right place, he was a good man, a good father from what I had already seen with baby Clara...but I still didn't trust him after that last email he sent to Julia...

Shaking the thought from my mind, I straighten up once more and turn to him. "I believe you want what's best for Jamie. She's a smart kid and I believe she will make the right decision for her...however," I begin, looking him dead in the eye.

"You have to promise to not to break her heart...or I will do everything I told you I would do to you 16 years ago and then some...capeesh? " I smile, smacking him on the back a couple times before standing up and wandering over to the kitchen door, which was slightly ajar.

I let out a small chuckle, of course she was listening in, little earwig, just like her mother...

Opening it up, Jamie almost fell into my arms as she leaned against the doorframe, trying to act all casual. "So...have you given this 'moving to America' business anymore thought since you started eavesdropping on our conversation?"

Jamie bit her lip, looking down at the floor sheepishly. "Kind of..."

Jeremy stood up from the sofa, his hands in his pockets. "Yeah?"

Jamie shrugged, twiddling her thumbs for a few moments before replying. "I think I'd like to give America a go..."