Where's My Happily Ever After?

The ride to Quinn’s new home was very awkward as the thick silence surrounded us. Monique was staring out the window, but would occasionally steal terrified glances in Edwin’s direction. I hated to think what was running through her fragile mind. Avery was sleeping quietly in my arms. Edwin had his entire focus on the road, though I was glad that his knuckles weren’t clenched too tightly on the steering wheel. At least he wasn’t mad or anything.

I was busying myself with thinking about Jasper. I was careful to make sure Edwin wasn’t paying any attention to my thoughts, though, since I didn’t want to make him angry. I especially didn’t want to make him angry in front of Monique. I hated to think about what damage we had already done to her.

But back at the hospital Edwin had kissed me so softly, like he was the Eddy I loved. Yet I hadn’t been able to make myself kiss him back! Then there was the fact that I wanted to kick Edwin’s ass for harming Jasper, but I hadn’t exactly strangled Jasper when he had punched Edwin. What was happening to me?

It had been so long since high school and Jasper. I hadn’t expected either of them to ever happen again, especially not Jasper since we hadn’t exactly broken up on good terms. While I was trying to cope with losing him, I had tried to get him jealous by making out and whoring around with every guy in sight. Meanwhile, I later found out that Jasper had been taking depression medication to make the urges to kill himself go away. I felt like an ass when I found out that I had made him suicidal, but a broken heart doesn’t let you think with your brain.

I had loved him so much, but he had thrown me away because I wouldn’t give him a child. Edwin had used guilt to get me to give him Avery, but in the long run I found out that I would make a pretty rad mom. Edwin loved me; he just had a weird way of showing it. But could it be possible that Jasper still loved me?

“Jade,” Edwin murmured quietly. I looked over and saw him holding the door open for me, Monique standing silently behind him.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, blushing slightly. “Daydreams.”

Edwin smiled, but I didn’t buy it. He reminded me of an overdramatic actor who hasn’t seen work in days and has just been given one last shot to make it happen.

And that performance was ending his theatrical career.

Nonetheless, I took the hand he offered me and allowed him to hold me for a second before leading him to the door. He had a firm hold of my hand, and I had the feeling that he was terrified that I’d leave his side if the chance arose. He wasn’t too far off the mark, and I hated to admit that. Monique was on my other side, smiling softly up at me and her brother.

The walk to the door seemed to take longer than it should have. Monique did start speaking, but only mindless baby talk to Avery. He gladly attempted to communicate back with her, but I doubted if she heard any more than I did: absolutely nothing.

I unlocked the door with the key my best friend had given me and left Edwin and the kids to wander around the house. I busied myself with going upstairs and into Quinn’s bedroom.

The glass was still broken and there was an eerie sense of danger still in the room. The dagger Quinn had spoken of was nowhere to be seen, but I did see the unmade bed. The blankets were tangled up in a mess and the pillows were scattered carelessly, presumably from the two exchanging...

Okay, so Nathaniel had recently got laid!

A chill went up my spine as a piece of glass shattered under my foot. I glanced down, but...

There was no glass.

I whipped my head around and screamed: that man Quinn had talked about was standing right there by the window! He hadn’t been there a second ago!

He looked familiar from somewhere, sure enough.

I heard Edwin screaming, but I could only watch as the cloaked man tried to decide what to do.

He was gone before Edwin had even made it to the stairs.