The Bad Boy Next Door

Stacey stood in front of Jo's fireplace, looking at the pictures on the mantle. "You took down his pictures."

Jo looked up from her seat on the couch. "Yeah."

"I think I would've done that sooner. Like, boom! 'Don't want to see that face again.'"

"It wasn't like that. I was never angry with him." Jo smirked. "Okay, that's a lie. But it's not like I don't want to see his face."

"It's just kind of a shock for me, I guess," Dawn said, coming over to join Jo on the couch. "I mean, when I left, you guys were fine, and then when I came back, it was just over."

"Things weren't really fine," Jo said. "We were pretending they were, but they weren't. The end didn't come suddenly. I didn't realize it then as much, but looking back, it was kinda gradual."

"Oh. Does that make it any better?"

"No."

"Because you should've noticed earlier?"

"Stop being insightful. It's creepy." Jo looked down at her hands. "It hurts in all kinds of horrible ways. In the way where I'm furious at him…in the way where I blame myself…and in all the little ways I imagine how I could've fixed things."

"Jo?" Stacey said after a moment. "Was there someone else…for either of you?"

"For both of us. Well, lots of someones for him."

Stacey raised an eyebrow. "Oh. Who, um, was it for you?"

"Do you remember the guy who drove us to the airport when my car broke down?"

"Frankie? Hell yeah. He was totally…" Syacet stopped. "You were getting your freak on with him? Color me impressed, Jord."

Jo cut her sister a look, but there was a small smile on her face. "Yeah, Frank and I were together for a bit, but that didn't work out either."

"Was it serious?"

"No, it… Yes, it was. I was happier with him than, well, I've ever been before with any man."

"Then what happened?" Stacey asked. "I noticed a for sale sign next door…"

Jo tried to shrug it off, but Stacey saw the pain in her sister's eyes. "It just didn't work out."

"Jo, it's me-Stace. You don't have to pretend with me."

"I…I messed everything up with him," Jo said. "He loved me. Really loved me. I could see it every time he looked at me, even if I didn't want to. And he wouldn't have betrayed me either, not like Pete, or him, or…or even Dad. But I kept pushing him away, until he wasn't there to push anymore. He…he didn't even say anything. I just woke up one morning and saw the sign on the lawn. " Jo's voiced cracked, and she couldn't hold back her tears anymore. "He's why I'm really hurting, Stace. He loved me, and I…I loved him, too. I don't know what it was, but he found his way into my heart. I feel almost guilty, now, because I feel like I should be missing Pete, but I don't. It hurts that my marriage is over, but when I reach out in the middle of the night, it's not for Pete. It's for Frank."

Stacey frowned, hating to see her sister so miserable. "It'll get better-won't it?"

"I hope so. Yes. It has to. I'll just keep going like I have been, and every day it'll get a little bit better."

"Really? Every day?"

"Not really. But it'll be better soon."

"Can you find him?" Stacey asked. "Maybe tell him you're sorry, and that you love him. And he loves you, too, so shouldn't it just be okay?"

"I wish it were that simple. But I have no idea where he is. We didn't have any mutual friends, so it's not like there's anyone I can ask. I've lost him. I have to just accept that. Move on. Besides, even if I could find him, how could I even be sure that he'd forgive me?"

"I guess you're right. But you still wish you could find him again, don't you?"

"More than anything."

"Then maybe you will-someday."

"Yeah," Jo replied, her heart heavy. "Someday."