Not the One
Chapter 26
I could not believe my eyes when I saw Jane outside my house the next morning while I was getting ready to go to work. She was standing there, with her parents, talking to my parents. Her suitcases were by her side. I was really curious as to know why she was there when she was supposed to be in Paris. I quickly opened the door and stepped outside. They didn’t immediately notice me, but I stood there watching them, until Jane looked up and locked eyes with me.
“Jane? What are you doing here?” I asked.
“I… lost my job,” she mumbled. I knew she was disappointed by the look on her face.
“Oh, I’m so sorry.” I went closer up to her. Her mom was staring at me up and down. She probably wanted to blame Jane’s failure on me.
“It’s not your fault,” Jane said. “Beth didn’t like my designs and she ended up hiring someone else right after. I was totally heartbroken. And to make matters worse, Fernando broke it off with me. He didn’t think I was ready to be his wife especially after I lost my job.” Jane was now crying. My parents ushered her to go inside the house for some apple cider, and she followed. I didn’t know what to do because I had to go to work. I wasn’t going to abandon my job just to stay here and comfort Jane.
I left my house without a word. I arrived at the shop and did my job. The whole time I was focusing on Jane and how difficult of a situation she must be in right now. I wanted to give her a hug but doing that in front of her mom would be awkward.
The whole time I was working, I wanted the time to pass by faster. I had to go home and talk to Jane whether or not she wanted to talk to me. I didn’t forget to fill up the gas like my dad told me to.
I drove really fast all the way home and realized Jane was most likely back at her house. I felt stupid. I wanted to talk to her in person, but doing that would be hard.
“Mom, is it okay if I go over to Jane’s right now?” I asked.
“Oh, but dinner’s soon,” she replied.
“It’s okay, I’m not hungry. Just save some for me and I’ll eat it later.”
“Okay.” I hurriedly left the house and ran all the way to Jane’s. All of this felt so familiar, like it happened just yesterday. I knew I had to go through her mom before getting to her.
“Jane!” I called outside her house when I arrived there, panting hard. I did not remember ever running that fast in my life.
Luckily, her dad came out instead of her mom. “Leo?”
“May I talk to Jane, please?” I asked.
“Hold on, let me go ask her.” He disappeared back inside and a few moments later, Jane came out. She looked exhausted and ill.
“What do you want, Leo?” She demanded.
“To talk.”
“About what? My whole life is already ruined. There’s nothing to talk about. Talking would just make things worse for me. So if you don’t mind, leave. I want to be alone right now.” She slammed the door in my face. Was this what I deserved for coming all the way over here to comfort her? I think not.
I knocked on her front door and yelled, “Jane! Jane! Please talk to me. I don’t want to see you like this…” I could hear her sobbing on the other side of the door. She must not have left to go in her room. “I know you’re there… now will you just open the door and figure out solutions to your problem?” I wanted to help her, but it was hard to do that when she was not cooperating.
“Go away, Leo! You have no idea how I feel right now. I don’t need your sympathy,” she said, her words muffled through the door.
I stood there, not saying anything. Maybe she wasn’t ready to talk just yet. After all, she did just come back. I was going to give her a few more days and then I was coming back. I left without a word.
“Jane? What are you doing here?” I asked.
“I… lost my job,” she mumbled. I knew she was disappointed by the look on her face.
“Oh, I’m so sorry.” I went closer up to her. Her mom was staring at me up and down. She probably wanted to blame Jane’s failure on me.
“It’s not your fault,” Jane said. “Beth didn’t like my designs and she ended up hiring someone else right after. I was totally heartbroken. And to make matters worse, Fernando broke it off with me. He didn’t think I was ready to be his wife especially after I lost my job.” Jane was now crying. My parents ushered her to go inside the house for some apple cider, and she followed. I didn’t know what to do because I had to go to work. I wasn’t going to abandon my job just to stay here and comfort Jane.
I left my house without a word. I arrived at the shop and did my job. The whole time I was focusing on Jane and how difficult of a situation she must be in right now. I wanted to give her a hug but doing that in front of her mom would be awkward.
The whole time I was working, I wanted the time to pass by faster. I had to go home and talk to Jane whether or not she wanted to talk to me. I didn’t forget to fill up the gas like my dad told me to.
I drove really fast all the way home and realized Jane was most likely back at her house. I felt stupid. I wanted to talk to her in person, but doing that would be hard.
“Mom, is it okay if I go over to Jane’s right now?” I asked.
“Oh, but dinner’s soon,” she replied.
“It’s okay, I’m not hungry. Just save some for me and I’ll eat it later.”
“Okay.” I hurriedly left the house and ran all the way to Jane’s. All of this felt so familiar, like it happened just yesterday. I knew I had to go through her mom before getting to her.
“Jane!” I called outside her house when I arrived there, panting hard. I did not remember ever running that fast in my life.
Luckily, her dad came out instead of her mom. “Leo?”
“May I talk to Jane, please?” I asked.
“Hold on, let me go ask her.” He disappeared back inside and a few moments later, Jane came out. She looked exhausted and ill.
“What do you want, Leo?” She demanded.
“To talk.”
“About what? My whole life is already ruined. There’s nothing to talk about. Talking would just make things worse for me. So if you don’t mind, leave. I want to be alone right now.” She slammed the door in my face. Was this what I deserved for coming all the way over here to comfort her? I think not.
I knocked on her front door and yelled, “Jane! Jane! Please talk to me. I don’t want to see you like this…” I could hear her sobbing on the other side of the door. She must not have left to go in her room. “I know you’re there… now will you just open the door and figure out solutions to your problem?” I wanted to help her, but it was hard to do that when she was not cooperating.
“Go away, Leo! You have no idea how I feel right now. I don’t need your sympathy,” she said, her words muffled through the door.
I stood there, not saying anything. Maybe she wasn’t ready to talk just yet. After all, she did just come back. I was going to give her a few more days and then I was coming back. I left without a word.