Ohio is For Lovers (JT Woodruff)

Part Four

It's been a couple days since JT left, I'm back at work and I feel empty inside. Nothing exciting or interesting has happened, just me going to a job I hate to survive without anyone to be here for me.
I'm at work filing papers and putting them into cabinets, and I see that JT sent me an audio file. I'm curious to see what it is but my boss doesn't let me check my phone while I'm at work.
So I wait an hour or two, just sitting in the backroom of the office filing which is extremely tedious, until I can finally leave and see what he sent me.
I drive myself home in JT's car that he left behind, I haven't cleaned it because it's one of the few things I have to remind me of him.
When I get home I sit on the couch and I listen to what he sent me.
It's a clip of that song he played me a couple nights ago when we were out in the cornfield, except it's not acoustic. I get excited when I hear it, I'm surprised that they've gotten this far along in recording already. It's not a professional recording by any means and it still sounds quite rough but I love it. I have a feeling that this song, Ohio Is For Lovers, is gonna be a hit.
I text him back and say "I love that song, crazy you're that far along"
I download the audio file onto my MP3 player so I can listen to it later, it's really cool to hear his music dream unfold from a small basement band to professionally recorded music. I can't wait to see if this album gets big.
He doesn't respond, I bet he's recording more music. I wait until later tonight to hear from him.
I go to the grocery store. Why not? I have nothing better to do and I don't have much food left in the fridge. Usually I just eat whatever's quickest and cheapest, like ramen.

I make myself chicken Alfredo for dinner, maybe cooking something will make me feel better. I put on some music while I'm cooking and it's actually pretty enjoyable.
I eat my dinner alone, it feels pretty sad to be eating by myself but that's probably how it will be for a while.
I take a shower to soothe myself for the night, I love taking long warm showers. I have JT's song stuck in my head again. I ponder on what he's doing right now, probably recording more music and hanging out with his band in Chicago. I'm sure there's lots of cool things to do there when they're not in the studio.
I take out one of my favorite albums, American Football's LP1. It's been one of my favorites since it came out four years ago, and the angst and sadness in the album perfectly captures the way I feel right now. "Never Meant" almost always makes me tear up. There's no album quite like it.
Of course, I end up crying to the music. It reminds me of JT, I wish he was here right now to help me get through this.
"Thanks baby. Wanna call now?" He texts me shortly after I'm done listening to American Football. I call him excitedly.
I hear the sound of a car accelerating and music playing in the background, JT must be driving somewhere.
"Hey what's up?" I ask him after answering.
"Hi sweets, not much right now. Just joyriding around Chicago by myself." He says to me.
"Oh, why are you not with your band? Is everything okay?" I ask him.
"Yeah, it's all good. I just wanted some alone time. The sunset here in Chicago right now looks beautiful." He says casually.
"Oh yeah, I bet it is! Wish I was there with you to see. So what's been happening over there?" I ask him curiously.
"I know, I wish you were here too. Well, we recorded Ohio Is For Lovers as I sent you earlier. Technically not the album version though, we just recorded it to have it for reference, we haven't made any full song recordings yet. We've just been working on basic stuff like that. It's been a super fun progress." He tells me.
"I'm glad it's been fun for you. I already miss you, life is so boring here without you. It's so hard to sleep now without you with me."
"I'm sorry, I wish I could be there for you. I feel so bad for leaving you, maybe you should hang out with some of your friends or pick up a new hobby? We can definitely talk if something's bothering you though." He tells me, I feel bad for complaining about the way I feel because he really can't help me much.
"No, it's okay, thank you for caring. I have been talking to people, it's just so hard without your physical touch." I whine.
"No I get it, I feel the same way. We can talk on the phone as much as you please, but it's not the same as having me. It's a really sucky situation." I can hear the loneliness in his voice, we are both struggling to accept this new and difficult reality.
"I'm gonna go out JT, I love you so much." I'm sniffling now, I just don't want to think about it anymore.
"Wait a second, out to where?" He asks me, a little concerned.
"Just gonna go drink, I'm lonely and I wanna be around people." I say.
"Okay, just listen. That's okay, but don't you lay a finger on any guy there. Not that you would, but don't think that because I'm gone you can just do whatever you want." He says to me.
"No I won't, why would I do that. I love you and nobody else." I say before hanging up.