To Catch A Star

Chapter Twenty

(Home Visits)

Andi was beyond nervous as she sat with Jason at an empty outside Starbucks table. She had gotten home a couple of days before and after having a long conversation with Emma via phone, she realised that this needed to happen sooner rather than later. Jason was scrolling through his phone when Andi decided to bite the bullet, clearing her throat. Jason looked up at her, realised that she wanted to talk and locked his phone, placing it on the table.

"I want to start by saying that this isn't an easy conversation to have and I'm going to try to be honest and not change the subject if it gets uncomfortable. I think you deserve to know how I've been feeling and what my mind set is..."

Jason nodded and gestured for her to continue, smiling reassuringly.

"You're my best friend in the world and I love you for that. I love that you are a great dad to Rosalie, and I love that you look after our family. It's just... well... I think that we're on two separate paths? Does that make sense? Bare with me..."

Jason raised his eyebrow, still smiling. Andi thought he looked a little amused and that didn't make sense at all. How does she make herself clear without being too blunt and upsetting him?

"Right, we're best friends, right?"

Jason nodded, looking even more amused.
"And I love you very much. But I don't think I'm in love with you."

Jason's smile widened and Andi didn't know what to do. Did he not understand? She did say that last bit out loud, didn't she? The confusion she had soon changed when Jason spoke.

"Oh, thank God! I thought it was just me!"

He laughed loudly before pulling himself together.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm just so relieved! I was trying to think of what to say to you but I couldn't think of the right time to and I didn't want to upset you. Especially with you having to leave for the programme."

Now it made sense, she thought. She let a relieved smile come onto her face and stood to hug him. He was still her best friend and she wanted him to know that.

"Thank you, I honestly was having an aneurism trying to find the words..."

"I could tell, you looked constipated."

He laughed, causing you to reach up and smack his shoulder. You felt at peace, and you could tell that Jason felt the same way. You also felt proud of yourself. You had just had a difficult discussion and hadn't chickened out of it, maybe this programme has helped more than just your physical health. You thought back to the Nutrition lesson where Joe spoke about weigh and food effecting mental health and smiled a little. Turns out that he was right.

Andi and Dean spent the afternoon talking about when and how they came to the realization that they weren't 'in love' and laughed about awkward moments that had happened because of that. They also discussed how to break the news to their daughter and what would happen now with living arrangements and spending time with each other as a family. Jason suggested he move out when she gets back, which Andi let him know that she was grateful for, and they would take each day as it came with everything else.

They would talk to Rosalie that evening and, to their surprise, she had suspected that this would happen one day. However, it didn't take long to find out that she had shared her thoughts with her 'Auntie Emmy' at one point and that Emma had agreed with her. Typical, Andi thought. Emma was the culprit yet again, damned menace. But she wasn't mad, it turns out that Emma's meddling this time had, in fact, helped.

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Colby was nervous. He was about to call his ex-fiancé, the first time he had spoken to her since he had moved out of their shared home. He was preparing to apologise to her. After the argument with Andi, he thought about what he had done to his ex and realised with disgust that he had never said 'sorry'.

He hesitated over the call button which seemed to be taunting him, his nerves were at a height they hadn't been at since he made his first public appearance since the 'incident', as Jon called it. Swallowing hard, he bit the bullet and waited as the phone rang for what seemed like forever.

Ex – Hello?

C – Hey, it's Colby

Ex – What the hell do you want?

C – I just wanted to...

Ex – I can't believe you have the nerve to speak to me! You broke me! You embarrassed me!

Colby bit back the want to argue and say that she embarrassed him too. He swallowed.

C - I know. I'm sorry, I'm so...

Ex – You can take you're sorry and shove it, you absolute pig! You're disgusting! Lowest of the low, the nerve of you, you egotistical jerk!

The phone went dead. Colby took a shaky breath, which turned into a sob. His shoulders shook as he cried, breathing in and out at a rapid pace. He knew he needed to do something, the nauseous feeling and room spinning becoming overwhelming. He needed help. So, he dialled a familiar number, and a soft voice came through the speaker.

"Hello?"

"I need help *sob*"

"Colby? Colby, where are you?"

"I'm at home, I *sob*"

"It's okay sweetheart, we're on our way. Hang tight."

A few minutes later Colby's front door opened and a few seconds after that, two sets of warm arms wrapped around him. The familiar smells calmed his sobs into whimpers. Jon's leather and tobacco smell, and Renee's fresh cotton and lavender smell, washing over him comfortingly.