An Eternity of Lies

Chapter 7

Jaylyn looked at the clock hanging on the wall across from her, eight fifty, the party would be starting in ten minutes and she was still at home wearing her normal long sleeve shirt and jeans while a glass of wine was in her hand. She wasn’t the type of person to drink wine or any beverage that could dull the senses but tonight was different, tonight she was going to look a man in the face; a man who would be dead by morning, and pretend everything was perfectly fine. Five minutes later she finally got up and dropped off her glass in the kitchen before going to her room and changing into a knee length royal blue dress and a pair of black dress shoes, fixed her hair a bit, and checked that the top of her scar wasn’t showing. Satisfied, Jaylyn grabbed her car keys and walked outside into the still night air. Well I might as well get this over with…

            Ten minutes later she walked through the doors and into the brightly lit room where all her coworkers and their guests were milling around ether talking in groups, drinking champagne and eating, or dancing to the music that, at the moment at least, was nothing close to music most people would have a formal dance for.

            “Jaylyn we’ve been looking everywhere for you!” Jo’s voice called out and Jaylyn forced a smile onto her face as she turned to greet them.

            “Sorry about that.” She apologized. “I’m not a big fan of parties… mainly because of how ridiculous I feel in a dress.”

            “You look beautiful.” Jo assured her.

            “You’re saying that because you feel out of place here and are trying to start a conversation to get to know me.” Jaylyn analyzed before smiling sincerely. “Thank you though.”

            “Not another one.” An older man groaned and glanced towards Henry.

            Henry looked like he was going to roll his eyes but turned to Jaylyn instead. “This, as you have probably figured out is Abe.”

            “Nice to meet you Abe.” She shook his hand before turning as footsteps approached.

            “Jaylyn, I see you’re late.” Adam spoke up in a joking manner before turning and smiling at the others. “I’m Lewis by the way.”

            Jaylyn watched as Henry tensed up as the others introduced themselves to her coworker. Adam turned and left them be, his black suit soon becoming lost in the crowd of people.

            “So, Jo, tell me how Henry finally got you to agree to come tonight.” Jaylyn smirked. “You don’t seem very comfortable here with all these people.”

            “Actually I had to convince Henry to convince her.” Abe laughed.

            Henry sent him a small glare. “I would have asked her later.”

            Jo grinned at the bickering pair before turning to her. “Like Abe said, he convinced Henry to convince me. Henry just called me up at ten in the morning and told me about it before asking me to go with him… I decided it wasn’t worth sitting around by myself on a weekend.”

            Jaylyn felt a rush of pity for Jo, she seemed to really care for Henry and within two hours he would be taken from her… just like her husband had. She mentally cursed herself for becoming a therapist, if she hadn’t she wouldn’t know about Jo’s past or countless other cops’. After a few more seconds of silence though she glanced around once and turned back to the detective.

            “Sounds like it.”

            “Are you okay?” Jo asked. “You seem a bit spaced out.”