It Takes Two

Go Ahead and Ruin Someone Else's Life

"I need to take this. I will be right back, and then we can start tracking." Jake said, standing up from his chair and walking outside. Evan paused mid chord, staring at the other man's retreating form.

"Well okay then." Evan mumbled, pulling out his phone to scroll a bit on tiktok while he waited for the producer to return. He wasn't sure why Jake was so freaked out. It was obvious Andy felt the same way.

Jake got outside, the phone still ringing as he stared at it. His thumb was hovering over the ignore button. Jake knew nothing good would come out of this conversation but damnit, his curiosity got the best of him. He sighed loudly before he hit answer, putting it on speaker because that made him feel better for some damn reason. Like it somehow put distance between himself and his ex.

"Hello?" He finally got out, staring off into space, unable to look at the phone. It was surreal. He hasn't talked to Clara on the phone since before he even moved in with Andy. He didn't know what to say.

Jake felt too much and not enough all at once. He didn't know how to feel about this. He hasn't talked to Clara in so long. What did she want? What was he supposed to say to her?

Jake was exhausted and the conversation hadn't even started yet.

"Hi, Jake." Clara said in a meak, quiet voice that threw Jake off completely. That wasn't like her at all. Clara was a commanding presence, she made herself known in every situation.

"Is there something you need?" Jake asked calmly, wanting to get whatever this was over with.

That was when Clara immediately broke down into tears. Jake's brows furrowed and he looked around as if there was anyone there that would or could help him.

"I want my family back!" She sobbed suddenly, the sharp, ear piercing sound making Jake jump.

Jake had wanted to hear those five words so badly during their divorce and even a few months after the fact. He had tried so hard to keep their family together, he would have done anything to do it.

"What?" Was all Jake could spit out, completely shell-shocked. He had never thought this would ever actually happen.

"I fucked up, okay? I get that. I wanted something new and thrilling and didn't realize how fucking lucky I was until it was too late!" Clara cried. Jake slowly sat down on the ground outside of his studio, unable to form words. What the fuck was going on?

"Steve hated kids and I was so fucking stupid, Jake. I thought that my life would be better if I just went along with it, but it wasn't! I ruined my marriage, my relationship with my daughter, my parents barely speak to me now, and all of our mutual friends have cut me off!" Clara continued, and Jake said nothing, merely listening.

"I thought you would keep trying like you did during the divorce, but then I come around and find out that you sold our house and moved away to God knows where and all I could think about was those stupid clothes!" Jake looked down at his left hand, studying the bare ring finger as she spoke. He didn't remember when he stopped wearing it.

"I just want to be a family again. I want to be a mom, I want to be a wife, I want to go to her soccer games and take her to the movies again." Clara was all but begging. "I was so stupid. I wanted excitement so badly, I was convinced that my life was boring and that I needed more, but I didn't. I had everything I could have every possibly wanted out of life and I fucking ruined it!"

Jake didn't know if he was supposed to say something when she stopped to take a gasping breath, still very obviously crying. So he just stayed silent.

"Then I find out you moved in with Andy and he's pretty much taken my place without even fucking trying!" Clara sobbed, clearly miserable. "I've missed everything with Avery. I've missed almost all of five because I'm so fucking stupid!"