You And I Against The World

Miscommunication

A day after the incident at the store, Jack and Jennifer have been a bit stressed. The boys, Max, Elias, and Ivan, came home from Lupe's house, which made things a bit chaotic within the household.

Jennifer and Jack were both constantly bumping heads and not seeing eye to eye on certain things, mostly small things such as not knowing what to eat, who is gonna change the babies diapers, that sort of thing.

Throughout the day Jennifer was trying to stay calm. Everything that had happened with Alex in the past started to come back and haunt her in a way... She started to feel nervous and anxious because of the trauma that she experienced within her relationship with Alex...

Shortly after the kids had lunch and Jack put Ivan and Elias down for their nap, he sighed and walked over to his and Jennifer's room.

Jen was on the bed just staring into space as she was reliving everything in her mind. Jack slowly reached over and touched Jen's arm. She flinched hard and had a scared expression on her face.

"Baby... Are you okay...?" Jack asked her and was worried.

Jen didn't realize what he said because she was still spaced out and kept thinking about Alex.

"Huh? W-what? C-can y-you repeat?" She said as she stuttered a bit and struggled to get her words out.

"Babe are you okay?" Jack asked her again and Jen wasn't able to hear anything, it was as if he was inaudible. She just pictured Alex about to yell at her. She stared at Jack and as she was in her world reliving everything bad with Alex.

"Jennifer?? Baby snap out of it." Jack said gently, because he knew how fragile and sensitive Jen would get sometimes.

The soft gentle tone of Jack's voice snapped Jen back into reality and she shook her head softly.

"I-I'm sorry... I just-" Jen said before being cut off by Jack. "You were just having an episode of reliving the bad stuff...?" Jack said as Jen looked at him and nodded softly as tears formed along her waterline as tears slowly started to stream down her face.

"It's okay... I know... You are safe... You are okay. You are safe. You are okay." Jack said multiple times in a gentl, soothing tone to calm her down. He pulled her close as Jen sighed, letting out her frustration and rested her head on his chest.

Jack rubbed her back softly and kissed her head as he kept repeating the phrase,"You are safe, you are okay..." He kept repeating himself until Jennifer fell asleep. He slowly laid her down on the bed and put Jennifer's favorited giant knitted blanket over her as she slept peacefully.

Jack sighed and took a quick shower then took a nap with Jen afterward.

The next day, Jen got an unusual text.

Jen froze after she read the message... She did not know how to respond because she somewhat knew who it was but was not sure but didn't want to reply either... She set her phone down and went to go take a shower.

Her phone vibrated again. It was another text.

Jack woke up and read it. He was a bit confused and knew exactly who it was. He sighed in frustration because every time he thought of that man, anger rushed throughout his body.

Jen was still in the shower doing her thing. Jack got up angrily and walked up to her. He stood beside the shower. "How did he find you?" Jack asked. "How did who find me?" She said confused. "How did he find you??" Jack raised his voice at Jen.

Jen got a bit tense and looked down once she realized whom Jack was talking about.

"I don't know..." She whispered but she wasn't loud enough because of the water running.

"I am not gonna repeat myself. Answer the question!" Jack said in a stern tone which triggered Jen. She started to get silent again and she didn't know how to respond. Jack banged on the glass hard and walked away angrily. He knew he shouldn't have done that but his grumpiness in the morning combined with the anger from what the text Jen received, angered him. He got dressed and stormed out the room slamming the door extremely hard. Jen sat in the corner of the shower and started to cry as she felt that Jacks's actions resembled how abusive ex used to always act around her.

Jack was not thinking straight because he completely forgot how sensitive Jen is when it comes to yelling and certain things that may trigger some intense flashbacks that she had with her ex. He got in his car and punched the steering wheel hard.

"GOD DAMN IT!!" He yelled and sighed then went on a drive to clear his mind. He came back 3 hours later with food for him and the kids and Jen.

As Jack walked in the boys, Ivan and Elias, we're on their play mat playing with some toys as Emme and Max were watching a movie with Jen. Jack sighed because as he walked closer to them, he could tell Jen had been crying.

"Hey, guys! I brought some food!" Jack smiled and Max and Emme ran to him and got the bags of food from him and took it to the kitchen, leaving the boys and Jen alone with Jack.

Jennifer paused the movie and her first instinct was to get the boys. Right as she got up and was about to reach to grab Ivan first, Jack grabbed her arm softly... Bad mistake because it triggered more bad flashbacks and memories for Jen. She looked at him and had a worried expression on her face as she felt weak and frozen in his grip. She stared at Jack as all the bad memories she had with her ex started to run through her mind.

As soon as she snapped out of it, she pulled her arm back and instinctually twisted Jacks' arm and pinned him against the wall slamming his face against the wall. He groaned in pain. Jen realized that Jack was not her ex and immediately apologized and felt awful for what she did.

"Baby I am so sorry!" Jen said worriedly.

Jack turned around and raised his hand to stretch it since Jen pulled his arm pretty far back against his back. As he raised his arm to stretch it, Jen flinched hard and covered her face.

"Baby... I am sorry about earlier... I am so sorry, I just saw the text and the thought of him that early in the morning angered me... I am so sorry and I would never take my anger out on you the way he did... I apologize as well for not being careful with my actions as well as raising my voice... It was a misunderstanding and miscommunication between us because of me. I'm sorry again babe." Jack said apologetically and sighed as he pulled Jen in for a hug. She started to cry again as she hugged him.

"I was beyond scared... I thought you were going to get into the shower and beat me or something once you raised your voice at me... I... was... so... scared... " Jen said in pain while crying from her past traumatic experiences.

"Baby girl.... You know I would never be like him... I am a man of my words and I stand by what I mean when I say I love you and that I will never be like him." Jack said trying to reassure Jen that everything would be okay. Jen nodded and sighed.

To be continued....