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Jo hung up her phone, put it back in her pocket and cursed under her breath.

“What did you say Jojo?”

“Oh, nothing Baylee. Come here you.” She put her arms around him and hugged him. He kissed her on the cheek and ran back over to the corner where he’d been sitting with all his toys.

“Play, Jojo!”

“Yeah. I’ll play with you.” She walked over to him and sat down on the floor, listening to him talk about his toys. Then he started singing, and she joined him, watched as he danced around the room. But nothing could keep her mind off of the call she’d just got. Her mother had called her, telling her the date of Andy’s trial. She should be booking tickets and making arrangements to go home, but she just couldn’t bring herself to do it. Her horrible experience with Andy was over, she was just hoping to forget it and move on, and this was the only thing keeping her from doing so. She wanted to enjoy being newly engaged and spend time with Alex, but now she had to go to Sweden. She got to her feet and turned on the radio to play some music for Baylee.

“Be good now. I’m going downstairs to check what we should make for dinner.”

“Okay!” He kept dancing around as she walked out of the room. She could hear voices from the living room, Alex and Brian were in there playing the piano and singing. She recognized the tune that Alex had been working on before they had gone on the tour, so she stopped in the doorway and listened to the words, how their voices were woven together in perfect harmony.

“I’m going crazy, Living this way, Need you here, Please come back and stay. Stay with me, with me, Just stay with me.”

Alex played the final notes, to accompany Brian as he finished “Come back and sta-ay”. Jo was speechless. She had goosebumps all over, and she rubbed her arms to make them go away. Alex looked up and saw her standing there.

“Hey! Did you hear that?” he smiled as she nodded.

“It was beautiful.”

“I wrote the words in London. It’s... for you. So far it goes by ‘Joanna’s song.’”

“Oh, baby. I love it. I love you.” She took him in her arms and hugged him tight.

“I love you too. Just don’t get too excited. If we ever put it on an album it will probably be called Come Back And Stay.”

“Just shut up. I don’t care about that,” she laughed and kissed him.

“Ahem... I’ll go check on my son.” Brian laughed. “Love the song, man.”

“You don’t have to go... I was just on my way down to the kitchen to check what I should cook for dinner.” She blushed.

“I’ll go up anyways.” He smiled and left the room.

“Yey! He’s gone! Let’s...”

Brian stuck his head back in the room, a big smile on his face. “Nope, let’s not. There are children in the house, Bone.”

Alex just laughed. “Alright then. Cook. Kitchen. Come on.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her across the hallway, into the kitchen.


As they were looking through the fridge for something edible, Jo decided it was time to tell Alex about Sweden.

“I got a call from my mother today. I have to go home. The trial is a week from tomorrow.”

“Really?” He looked at her. “So, when are we going?”

She bit her lip. “I haven’t got the ticket yet. But I’m going as soon as possible.”

“What do you mean? You’re going? As in I’m not?”

“Yes.”

“You can’t do it alone, Jo.”

“I won’t be alone. I’ve got my parents.”

“Are you sure? Because I wanna be there with you.”

“You’ve just got home from the tour. You’ve been travelling for two months. This is your time to just chill, be at home.”

“Jo... You do realise I’m not at home now, don’t you? I’m living with a friend, because you’re there. What should I do? Go to Florida?”

“You should do whatever you wanna do.”

“I wanna be with you.”

“Listen. You couldn’t take it when I told the police what had happened. And you’re gonna sit through a trial, where every aspect of it is brought up?”

“Yes. I’m sorry I turned away then, but I had to. I couldn’t listen to you talking about it, because I was afraid I’d go look for him and kill him.”

“He’s gonna be in the room this time. And you can’t kill him in a courtroom. You just can’t.”

“I know that. Geez, Jo. I have to be there.”

“No. You’re not coming, and that’s it.”

“At least bring Lina. You need someone there with you.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m gonna be all alone when they interrogate me anyway. And I’ll be fine. It will be ok, I promise!”

“Lina.”

She knew that he’d made his mind up, so she sighed and decided to accept it. “Ok, I’m bringing Lina. If she can go, that is. If not, I’m going alone.”

“But...”

She cut him off. “No buts. No and’s, or’s or whatever’s. That’s it.”

Unwilling to fight with her he smiled. “Fine! How about chicken?”

“I’m no chicken...” she just stared at him when he chuckled.

“No, princess, you’re not. For dinner?”

“Oh... Yeah, that works for me!” she smiled and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. “Sorry. Just a bit tense.”

“It’s ok.”


They prepared dinner together, and as the chicken was in the oven getting ready Jo tried to find Lina. She was nowhere to be found, so Jo called her.

“Lina.”

“Hey girl, where are you? I’ve been looking for you!”

“Nick took me out.”

“Oh... My mother called. I have to go to Sweden for the trial. Will you please come with me?”

“Yeah, of course I will. When?”

“The trial is a week from tomorrow, so sometime before that. Haven’t got us the tickets yet. I will now though, and then I’ll call you, ok?”

“Do that! Wait. What about Alex?”

“Not coming. Talk to you later!” Jo hung up before Lina had the chance to say anything else. She called the airline and got the tickets, they were leaving in five days, and then she went down to the kitchen again. Leighanne was there, and she was taking the chicken out of the oven.

“Hey, you shouldn’t do that.”

“It’s alright, I’ve got it.” Leighanne put the chicken down on the counter.

“Look... I need some time off... to go to Sweden. The trial and all that.”

“Sure. When are you leaving?”

“Friday. The trial starts next Monday.”

“No problem. You bringing Alex?”

“No, but Lina’s coming with me.”

Leighanne frowned and sat down on a chair. “He’s not coming? Why?”

“I told him not to.” Jo sat down as well, leaning her elbows on the table, and his her face in her hands. “I don’t want him to have to go through it.”

“So you’ll just do it alone then? Jo, that’s not a good idea...” She was interrupted by Brian, Baylee and Alex entering the kitchen.

“Food! We smell food! Is it done?” Brian laughed and lifted Baylee onto his shoulders.

Jo smiled. “Yeah. Just help me set the table.”