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When Jo woke up she was confused. She didn’t know where she was, or why Leighanne and Kristin were sitting next to her with worried looks on their faces.

“Are you ok, Jo?” Leighanne asked.

“I guess I am.” Suddenly everything came rushing back, including her breakdown in the hallway. “Man...” She felt her eyes tear up, and there was nothing she could do to stop them from falling.

“Nope. Definitely not ok.” Kristin reached for a box of tissues while Leigh sat down next to Jo in the bed and put her arms around her.

“Shh, sweetie. It’s ok. It will be ok. You hear that?”

“How can it be ok if... if he’s not with me?”

“He is with you. He won’t let you go.”

“I just made him.” Jo’s voice was full of regrets, yet she was completely firm in her decision.

“He doesn’t give in that easy. If he does I will knock some sense into him myself if I have to.” Leighanne patted her back softly.

“I don’t wanna be with him. He’s jealous of Andy. Jealous. Can you believe that? He’s an idiot.”

“I don’t think he is, Jo. He’s so pissed off at him for what he did to you, but jealous? I don’t think so.”

“He acts jealous.” She got out of bed. “I need to be by myself. I’m going down to the gym. If I’m not back in a couple of hours, come down for me, I might have kicked myself to death.” She looked through her bag for some clothes and a towel, then was outside the door before Leigh or Kristin had any chance to stop her.


She got down to the gym, and warmed up. There was a punching bag, and she imagined Andy’s face on it, letting out every little piece of anger and sadness she had in her, the sound of her sobs drenched in the loud euro-techno that was blasting out of the speakers. She felt as if no time at all had passed when Leigh tapped her shoulder, holding out a bottle of water. Jo grabbed it, gulped down all of it.

“Thank you. Another hour, then I’m coming back up.”

Leigh nodded and disappeared, and Jo went back to beating up the punching bag. She hit it over and over again, her feet never still on the floor, until she couldn’t feel her arms anymore. Then she grabbed her stuff and went back up to the hotel room that was now empty. Leigh had taken Baylee with her to watch the sound check. Jo got out of her soaked clothes and stepped into the shower, where she remained standing for almost an hour before she had gathered enough strength to reach for the bottle of shampoo. When she was finished she got out, put on her pj’s and went to bed. She fell asleep instantly, and didn’t wake up until late the next morning when Baylee climbed into her bed.


“Jojo! Wake up!”

She heard his tittering voice vaguely through her dreams. Then she could feel his sticky hands stroking her cheek, trying to tickle her under her chin. She couldn’t help but smile. “I’m awake, Bay.”

“Play, Jojo!”

She opened her eyes, saw him sitting next to her with a sunny smile on his face. His golden locks glistened in the sun like a halo around his head. ”Come here you!” She opened her arms, and he crawled closer, gave her a hug and a sticky kiss on the cheek. She hugged him back, feeling happy for the first time since Stockholm. She had no time to feel sorry for herself, Baylee just grabbed her by the hand and pulled her with him out into the living room, where he’d made a mess with all of his toys. Leigh came out of the bathroom and smiled at the sight of her son and Jo.

“Bay, I thought I told you to leave Jo alone.”

“We play.”

“It’s ok, Leigh. He was just what I needed this morning.” She made an attempt to sit down on the floor, but had to remain standing. “Geeez, I should really have stretched yesterday. Maaan, I hurt.” She laughed.

”I can’t believe you have the energy to stand there for almost three hours. I’d be dead after ten minutes.”

“It’s my favourite work out ever. It relieves all the stress. And once I start, I just keep going until I can barely remain standing.”

Baylee tugged on her arm, and gave her a teddy bear. “Play, Jojo!”

“Yes, Baylee. Let’s play.”


A couple of hours later there was a knock on the door. Jo struggled her way up off the floor, laughing a bit at herself. When she opened the door she felt like her heart stopped beating. Alex was standing outside, pale, with black circles under his eyes looking very tired. Still he was the most beautiful person she’d ever seen.

“Hey.” He tried to smile, but his face felt as if it was made out of cement.

“Hey.”

They stood silent for awhile, just looking at each other.

“Umm... I was looking for Brian.”

“Oh. He’s... not here. Out. With Leigh.”

“Oh. Sorry to bother you then.” He turned around and walked away, left her standing in the doorway looking after him.


"Man. I can’t believe how stupid I am. Or how gorgeous she looks. This is killing me. I don’t know what I should do.” Alex said into the phone.

“Oh, darling. Stick around, don’t give up on her if you really love her. I can’t believe I haven’t met her yet.” Denise McLean’s voice was worried on the other end.

“Well, if I keep up the good work, there won’t be any need for you to meet her.”

“Don’t say that. Don’t even think that. You guys will work this out. She will come around, and you just have to wait. I know that’s not what you do best, but try.”

“I will. Thanks for the support, mum. I just wish I wasn’t so stupid.”

“Anytime, Alex. Anytime. What have you done that’s so stupid?”

“Well, we were out last night, and I met this girl...”

“Oh, Alex. No.”

“No, it wasn’t like that. I just got her number, and I saved it. I feel totally guilty about it.”

“Then throw it away boy. You understand that if she finds it, you’re buh-bye?”

“I guess that’s the right thing to do.”

“You’re damn right it is. Go do it now. Talk to you later.”

“Yeah. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Alex hung up but remained sitting in his chair, fidgeting on the tiny piece of paper that had a series of numbers on it, and a little message. “Call me! Love, Ashley!” He sighed and put the note back in his wallet, safely hid behind a credit card that he rarely used.