# Chapter 23

The rest of the flight had been uneventful. JJ had managed about two hours sleep. Her mind had been restless. A nagging sensation of dread had been constant. She was not looking forward to going home; to facing the wrath of Sarah. She looked at her watch. It was just coming up to 10am, her time. She hated the change in time zones. Her body was bone tired, and she still had the drive home, and a whole day ahead of her. She’d read that the best way to defeat jet lag was to go to bed at her normal time, rather than giving in to her exhaustion. That meant a good 11 hours of staying awake.

She climbed aboard the shuttle bus and took a deep breath. The weather outside was crisp, but the sky was blue. She loved the New England weather. It was always changing, and each day brought a surprise. It was definitely a nice change to see the blue of the sky. She’d missed it the past week. England had been beautiful, but it had always been overcast, which had made her feel colder than she should have been.

The trip to her truck took less than 15 minutes. She was pleased to see the truck still there. It was always a gamble leaving any vehicle unattended for so long. She groped around in her knapsack for her keys. She hoped she hadn’t left those with her heart… 3000 miles away. After a thorough search, she remembered she’d zipped them in the hidden pocket. Another few seconds of fumbling, and they were in her hands. The cab of the truck was cold. She blew hot air into her hands, rubbed them together and started the engine. As the engine rumbled into life, she sent up a silent ‘thank you’ to whoever was listening. She hadn’t been a hundred percent sure that it would start.

Thirty minutes later, she was pulling into her driveway. There was no sign of Sarah’s SUV, and she sent a second ‘thank you’ out. She just wanted to get into the house, check her email and call Cory. She looked at her watch. Her dual time switch displayed 15.45. She wondered what Cory was doing. Had it really only been this morning that she’d held the blonde in her arms? She felt so alone, and her heart ached. How was she ever going to survive 49 days? She shook her head, and collected her luggage.

The house had a distinct chill to it, and it wasn’t just the cold air. She noticed that several pieces of furniture were missing. She walked towards the bedroom. As she entered the room, she stopped dead in her tracks. The king size bed no longer took up the space in the room. The wardrobe doors were wide open and JJ’s clothes were scattered on the floor. There was a note pinned to the dressing table mirror.

JJ,

Welcome home! I took what I felt I deserved. There’s still more I want, but thought it was only fair for you to be here.

I hope it was worth it.

Sarah

JJ couldn’t believe the nerve of the woman! The last thing she wanted to do was hump furniture around, so she went into the spare room and placed her bag on the bed. She reread Sarah’s note. Had the trip been worthwhile? Her mind went back to the last few days and she grinned. Yes, it had definitely been worth it. She’d met the woman of her dreams. And as much as she wished Cory and her would live happily ever after, if nothing else ever happened she’d realised that Sarah no longer meant anything to her. Her thoughts settled back on Cory. She missed her. She missed the laughter. She missed those eyes, and her kiss. Damn it! She missed Cory, period. She needed to keep busy. There was the laundry, and her clothes needed hanging back up. That should keep her busy.

As she loaded the washing machine, she realised she hadn’t called Cory. She grabbed her address book, and searched through her many scribbles until she found Cory’s cell number. She dialled the number, and got straight through to the voice mail. After listening to the instructions, she left a very simple message. “Hey Cory, it’s me. I just wanted to say thank you very much for an enjoyable week. I landed safe and sound. I will email you, and maybe call tomorrow. JJ”

She’d been desperate to say ‘I love you’, but didn’t think it was wise, as anybody could check the messages. As the machine behind her kicked into action, she decided to check her email just to see if the blonde had written. She doubted it, she was probably still at her parent’s. She wondered why her cell phone was switched off, but decided Fred had probably needed his sleep. She contemplated calling her home number, but decided to leave that until tomorrow. She didn’t want to interrupt any conversation Cory might be having should she have returned home.

The computer seemed to take forever to boot up. She drummed her fingers on the desk. Her whole body was a bundle of energy. She’d gone past exhaustion, and seemed to be driven by an intense need to have some sort of contact with the blonde. She’d been so thankful that the computer was still in one piece. She’d had images of Sarah playing havoc with a hammer, and smashing anything she knew was of value to JJ. Having wandered briefly around the house, JJ had taken a small inventory of items that no longer resided in the house. Besides the bed, Sarah had taken her share of the CDs, videos and photos. There was, in fact, no sign that Sarah had ever lived in the ranch house. She wondered what other furniture Sarah wanted, and more to the point, where and with whom was she living.

She tried not to be so disappointed when she noticed there was no email from Cory. She hadn’t really expected one. Cory had said she was going to spend the day with her parents and help them out. She knew it would be late afternoon before there might be anything. She decided it would be nice to send something to Cory. She had so many things she wanted to say but the simplest things were sometimes the best. She went to the Blue Mountain Website, and surfed through the thank you e-cards. She stopped her search when she came across a card which had a bashful looking bear holding a red rose, with the words THANK YOU dancing overhead. Under the bear she wrote a simple ‘Always and forever…. I love you, J.’ She pressed the send button, and closed the machine down. She’d procrastinated long enough. The rest of the chores needed doing.

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Sam looked in on his wife. It was past 9, and she was still asleep. He signalled for Holly to come out, as he needed to let her out one last time. He’d spoken to Cory’s father, and the funeral had been set for Thursday morning. Sam had asked how Cory’s mother was doing. The answer had been not good at all. The doctor had given her a sedative, and she was sleeping. Sam had explained that Cory was doing the same, but they’d be over in the morning to lend their support.

JJ rechecked her email about 4.30. Her thoughts turned to concern when she still hadn’t received an email from Cory. Surely she was home by now. She hoped that whatever Cory was doing, that she was safe and sound. She was worried that her conversation with Sam had gone badly. She wanted to call so badly, but what if she called and made the situation ten times worse? She didn’t want to add to the blonde’s troubles, and resisted the temptation. She also had no desire to talk to Sam, especially if he knew about Cory and her. She typed out a quick email to Cory, expressing her concerns and hoping that all was well. She felt useless. There was nothing she could do. She was 3000 miles away, and couldn’t do a single thing to help Cory.

At least her day had been productive. She’d picked up her clothing, washed and dried her vacation clothes, and got her hockey gear ready for the practice that was being held the next day. Her body ached, and she hoped she’d have enough energy to at least be able to stand on the ice and keep up with her team. They had an important game Monday evening, and she didn’t want to let the team down. She’d expected a call from Sarah, but no one had called all day. She’d also given in and moved the queen-sized bed out of the spare room and into the master bedroom. She preferred to sleep in familiar surroundings, if not in the same comfort.

After another hour of fruitless pacing and cleaning, JJ couldn’t stand her own company any longer. She picked up the phone to call Nancy. Yet again, she reached an answer machine. Was nobody in to talk to her today? As she placed the receiver in it’s cradle, the phone began to ring.

JJ’s thoughts immediately turned to Cory. “Hey there.” She answered the phone trying to sound chipper.

“You sound bright and breezy!”

“Oh, hi Helen. How goes it?” JJ tried to hide her disappointment.

“I take that back, you sound miserable.”

“I’m sorry. I was hoping you were someone else.” JJ settled onto the sofa.

“Should I hang up?” Helen asked tentatively.

JJ felt guilty. “No, it’s good to hear from you.”

“Well we missed you at practice this week. I was just calling to see if you were still available to practice tomorrow. It’s your turn to pick me up.”

“Sure. What you up to?” JJ felt bad that she hadn’t really given much notice to anyone about her trip.

“Nothing much. Jo’s away on business, so I’m trying to amuse myself. What’s going on at your end?” Helen could sense her friend wasn’t her usual self. She’d known JJ for a few years, and they’d dated briefly. But both had agreed they weren’t suited, and a friendship had grown through their love of ice hockey and each other.

“Oh, I just got back from vacation. Nothing much is going on. I’ve got a few beers in the fridge if you’re interested.” JJ needed someone to talk to, Nancy had been her first choice, but she wasn’t sure that she’d completely understand. Helen would have been her second choice, and maybe help her find some solutions.

“Won’t Sarah mind?” Helen didn’t always see eye to eye with Sarah, and had taken to meeting JJ at hockey, and in the bar afterwards.

“She’s not here, so it’s safe for you to come over!”

“I didn’t mean it that way.” Helen felt bad she’d asked.

“Helen, we both know that you dislike Sarah, and she feels the same about you! Come over. In fact, bring an over night bag. You may as well stay over, then we can both drink, and it’ll save me picking you up in the morning.”

“You sure?” Helen just wanted to check.

“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want you here. We’ll be company for each other.”

“And Sarah?”

JJ blew out a big breath, “I told you she’s not here. She won’t be back, so the coast is clear.”

After putting the phone down, JJ’s stomach grumbled, reminding her that the only meal she’d eaten that day was before she got on the plane. And, then there was the measly meal they’d given her on the plane. No wonder she was hungry! She grabbed the Chinese menu, knowing Helen as she did, she’d eat some of the food whether she’d eaten already or not. She called in an order of appetisers, and checked her email one final time. There was still no news from Cory. She tried not to worry, but doubts were beginning to creep into her thoughts.

Helen turned up an hour later, at the same time as the Chinese delivery. “Ooh Chinese! You read my mind JJ, I’m starving!”

The two women busied themselves. Helen sorted through the Chinese boxes, opening the tops and placing them on the living room table. JJ collected paper plates, utensils and a couple of beers. “It looks different in here. What’s changed since my last visit?”

“Considering your last visit was about a year ago, anything could have changed!” JJ commented as she entered the living room.

“Ouch! That was a biting comment. You know why I don’t visit.” Helen pretended to pout.

“I know Helen, I was just teasing. Sarah never did believe that my feelings for you were just that of a friend. Ever since I told her we’d dated she didn’t trust you. When Jo came on the scene she calmed down a little and got off my back, but I do know she made you feel uncomfortable.” JJ was trying to make Helen understand that she knew what Sarah had been like.

“Thanks JJ, but it’s not just that. You and Sarah tend to have arguments, and sometimes it makes us uncomfortable to be part of them.” Helen began to pile food on her plate.

JJ followed suit, she also needed to fill Helen in with the drastic changes in her life. “Well you don’t have to worry about avoiding Sarah, we broke up.”

“No way!” Helen screamed in a high-pitched voice. “When?”

“Last week, well kind of midweek. Hell, I don’t know. She wasn’t happy about me going away. We argued, she cried, and I left. Then I called midweek and she told me she’d left me.”

“I’m sorry, JJ. Okay, so I’m not that sorry! I never thought she was good enough for you, but if you’re hurting, then I’m sorry.” Helen placed her hand on JJ’s knee and gave it a squeeze.

JJ smiled at Helen, “Thank you so much, you are so sweet. Remind me again why we broke up?” That gained her a push from Helen, and the two giggled like children.

“Oh, where do I begin on that one?" They both pretended to shudder.

“I know we both agreed we’d kill each other if we stayed together. Two egos our size should never be allowed to be together.” JJ continued to eat as she thought back to her brief two weeks with Helen.

They’d met on an ice hockey team that JJ had joined straight after returning from Germany. After a few weeks of flirting, Helen had agreed to a date. They had gotten on well, but neither would bow to the others ego, and both were coming in burned from previous relationships. They went on a few dates, kissed and groped a little, but neither had wanted to take the step to becoming lovers. If JJ was honest, her relationship with Tina had totally screwed her over. She’d been raw when she’d been with Helen, and running like hell.

“Speak for yourself, my ego is not overly enlarged! I can’t help being the top scorer for the team, and adored by my many fans.” Helen pretended to run her fingers through her hair, and wipe her nails on her chest. She was mimicking one of their other team members who did consider herself better than any of the others.

JJ giggled. Helen was good fun. “Thanks for your concern pal, but the break up was all my fault.”

“No way!” Yet again Helen screeched at top volume.

“Oh yeah, now I remember why we broke up!! You nearly burst my ear drum!”

“You did the deed, you broke up with her?” Helen was amazed. She’d known that JJ was having problems with Sarah, but she’d just assumed they were going to be together for life. She’d never said anything to the contrary.

“Technically, she broke up with me. But yeah, I may have pushed her to it.” JJ munched on a few crab rangoons, waiting for her friend to begin the inquisition.

Helen took a few gulps from her beer, swallowed the mouthful of food, and studied her friend. She didn’t look happy at all. Her eyes had dark rings around them, and where she usually had a sparkle in her bright blue eyes, now there was nothing but sorrow. “So you said you’d been on vacation. From the looks of you it wasn’t anywhere hot and sunny.”

“Huh.” She expected Helen to begin with asking questions about the break up.

“The vacation, where’d you go?”

“To England.” JJ watched her friend’s jaw dropped.

Helen was shocked! She’d expected JJ to say New Hampshire or Florida, but England. She’d never heard JJ mention the country. If it’d been Ireland, she’s have understood. A lot of JJ’s family lived there or Italy, but England? “You went over the pond, and you never thought to take a friend with you?”

“It was kind of a spur of the moment thing.”

“I’ll say! You never even said you were taking vacation time. So why the sudden interest in England? I hear it’s beautiful. Where’d you stay?” Helen knew she was going to have to pull every word out of JJ’s mouth.

“So many questions. I stayed with a friend, I sorted out my feelings for Sarah and yes, it’s a very beautiful place.” Her mind drifted to Cory. Oh yeah, a beautiful land with some beautiful people…

“And this friend would be?”

JJ had every intention of telling Helen the whole story, but she wasn’t sure how much she should relate, and she wanted Helen to take her seriously. “Her name is Cory, and I met her online about a month ago.”

“A woman, I should have known. Ooh, the plot thickens! Now I understand why Sarah was upset. And?” Helen knew there was more to come. JJ’s face had shown it’s usual spark at the mention of Cory’s name.

JJ took a deep breath. “And I fell in love.” JJ flopped into her seat. She’d said it out loud to someone else. She’d fallen in love.

“Oh my god! You’ve fallen in love? What happened to the woman who told me she was never giving her heart away, she was playing it safe?” Helen didn’t mean to throw JJ’s words back at her, but it was a line that JJ had said many times in the past, and her reason for being with Sarah. Sarah had been safe for JJ. Helen knew JJ had loved Sarah, but she also knew that JJ wasn’t in love with Sarah. It was obvious to anyone who met or knew JJ well.

“I guess it happens to us all someday. I don’t know. I never went looking for it, I tried so hard not to, and then I fell so hard it hurts.”

“Does she love you back?” At these words JJ lifted her head and looked straight at Helen.

“She says she does. I mean, I know she does,”

“You don’t sound too convinced.” Helen hated to push, but if she was to help her friend with her problems she needed to know the whole truth.

JJ’s mind flitted back to the airport, to her last image of Cory. She saw the hurt on Cory’s face, and the love in her eyes. “She loves me, but it’s complicated.”

“In what way?”

“Well for starters, she lives 3000 miles away. And she’s, she’s ummm…married.” JJ mumbled the last line, and then closed her eyes waiting for the fall out.

“Married? Oh no, not another straight woman! JJ, when will you ever learn? It wasn’t enough that Tina stole your heart, promised you the world, and then dumped you for a guy? What is it with you and straight women?” Helen was mad. She knew she should be sympathetic, and saying soothing words to JJ, but she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“Cory’s different, she’s not straight. I mean, she’s married but she’s also gay. She’s been with a woman before, and she was just trying to fit into the ‘normal’ mode. She’s sure of it, and so am I.”

“How can you be so sure? Tina said exactly the same, and you fell for her sweet-talking. You moved countries to be with her, and look what happened!” Helen needed another beer, and to calm down. She loved JJ with all her heart, and she hated watching her friend make a mistake.

JJ followed Helen into the kitchen with the leftovers. “I’m sure Helen. I fought this so hard, but I couldn’t stop it. I spent a week with the woman and I made a promise not to come between a man and his wife. But I couldn’t stop it, and neither could she.” Tears began to stream down JJ’s face.

Helen stopped what she was doing when she saw the tears. After all these years, she’d never seen JJ so upset. She’d never seen the tall woman cry, not after her mother’s death or the hundred bashings she’d encountered on the ice. She put her arm around her friend, but JJ shrugged her away.

“I’m sorry, I’m not used to these raw feelings. Now I feel an idiot, crying in front of you.” She pulled a Kleenex out of the near by box and blew her nose. She smiled at the concerned look on her friend’s face. “I know, a rare event, the ice woman has melted. I cry, I hurt, I’m human!”

Helen grinned, “Hey, no one ever said you weren’t human. I’m just shocked, and I’m sorry I pushed. So, from what you’ve said you two are more than friends now.” JJ nodded. “And her husband?”

“He knows nothing about us. Well, he met me obviously, but he wasn’t around much of the week, and then we went down to London. That’s when it happened. She’s going to talk to him, split up with him. But for the record, I want you to know she says it would have happened anyway. I am not a home wrecker. I swore I wouldn’t come between them, but she isn’t happy and I know I can make her happy.”

“Okay JJ, I believe you. You don’t have to convince me.” They grabbed beers and switched the TV on. JJ had a feeling Helen needed a little time to digest the information she’d given her. They began to watch a Sandra Bullock film. It relieved some of the tension in the house.

Helen had flicked between watching the film and her friend. There was still something bothering JJ. She’d spent many hours in the brunette’s company, and she knew her friend. “So, what’s your plan of action?”

“Plan of action for what? This week, tomorrow, or with Cory?” JJ had a feeling Helen meant Cory, but she just wanted to be sure.

“With Cory. Tell me about her, what’s she like?” JJ spent the next 15 minutes recounting the tale of how they met online, and the trip.

“She sounds fantastic, from what you’ve said! Any photos?” Helen was even more intrigued. She needed to see the woman her friend had fallen for. JJ got up and wandered into the master bedroom, she came back a few minutes later with a photo.

“She sent me this photo online, and I printed it off.”

“Wow, she’s pretty. I like her smile, and her eyes. Well, I have to say, she’s definitely a looker. So what plans have you two made?”

JJ was trying hard to swallow the lump that had taken residence in her throat at the sight of Cory’s picture. “Ummm, well, the first thing we both had to do was to split with our partners. Sarah made life very easy for me, she left during the week. Moved out for good, from the looks of things. As for Cory, she was going to see her family today, and then tell Sam. I’m a little worried, as I haven’t heard from her. I tried calling her cell, but it’s off, and I’ve sent emails but there’s been no answer. I know I’m worrying unnecessarily, but I hate this distance.”

Helen nodded, “It’s hard sometimes, but if you’re planning to continue this romance you’d better get used to it.”

“Hey, what happened to Miss Sympathetic?” JJ joked back.

“You forget that I’ve been in a relationship for 3 years with a woman that travels. You get used to them being away, but it still hurts every time she gets on a plane.” JJ nodded, she’d watched Helen fall head over heels with Jo, a computer analyst who was on transfer at JJ’s previous company. JJ had brought Jo to watch a game one summer when the analyst had been around for a weekend, and the pair had been inseparable ever since, except for Jo’s regular trips every other week.

“So I guess we both have something in common then?” Helen smirked.

“What, we’re both gay? We both like hockey? ”

“No you dummy, we both have a thing for foreigners!” Helen winked and downed the last of her beer. She’d had three and it was beginning to make her feel giddy. It was time for a coffee. “Want a coffee?”

“Yep, I’ll come and help you. I forget Jo’s not American from time to time, but it gives me hope. You and Jo have been together so long, and her green card is due any day now isn’t it?” Jo had transferred from the Canadian branch of the computer firm and had never returned. There had been one or two glitches with her visa when she had been home to visit, so she’d applied for her green card.

“We can’t wait! It should be through by April, and then it’s party time! As for hope, I hate to dash them, but we got lucky. Jo’s company sponsored her, and she had been here a year before I met her. It’s not as easy as everyone thinks to get into the U. S. What plans do you and Cory have?” Helen and Jo had been through some serious discussions and meetings with the INS themselves. Before the acknowledgement of the green card, they had always lived in fear that one day Jo would be denied entrance into the US. There had been one very frantic week where the company had mixed up Jo’s visa, and that had caused the pair a nightmare of a week as Helen feared she’d never see Jo again. Her heart went out to JJ. She had a long road ahead of her.

“We don’t really have a plan as of yet, we only just found each other. She says she’s coming out at Easter for two weeks. We both agreed we’d do some research, and make plans then.” JJ shrugged. There was nothing more she could say about it. Her body began to rebel about the amount of time it had been awake. She yawned and rubbed her eyes. “Helen, I hate to be a lousy host, but I am so tired. And I think jet lag may be catching up with me.”

“Oh, you poor thing. I can turn in now too. I’ll just go and put my stuff in the spare bedroom” She poured a coffee for herself and one for JJ. “Not that this is going to help. I should have made cocoa.”

“I think I’ll be able to sleep, caffeine or no caffeine. There’s one more thing, Sarah was not too happy about my choice, and she made it very clear by taking the bed. So I’m afraid it’s the couch, or sharing my bed. Or, I can take the couch.”

“You are a smooth one JJ. You never could get me into bed when we were dating, and here you are still trying to accomplish that goal!” Helen was pleased to see she’d made her friend smile.

“You wish! So I take it we’re bunking in together?” With that, the two women made there way to the bedroom, both of them wishing it was their lover that they were sharing a bed with.

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Sam woke with a jump. Something had disturbed his sleep. He’d crept to bed late in the evening. Cory hadn’t stirred. He’d cooked her some food, but when he’d poked his head round the door, she’d still been fast asleep. He turned to look at his wife, her face was creased, and her body jerked now and again. As he watched, he heard her mumbling, and then suddenly she cried out. Her arms hit out and he knew she needed to be woken. He shook her gently, her movements increased. Sam tapped her more firmly, and she bolted upright.

“Hey there, I’m sorry, but you were having a nightmare I think.” She looked awful. Her face was puffy, her eyes sore. “I seem to be making a habit out of waking you up like this.”

She smiled weakly. Her head was thumping, and her mouth was dry. “Are there any more of those tablets? My head feels like a truck rolled through it.” “Sure, I’ll go and make a cup of tea. I’m sure Holly won’t mind an early walk.”

“What time is it?” Cory couldn’t make out the clock. Her eyes were way too sore, and her vision was blurred.

“Just past 6am. You’ve been asleep since we got back from your parent’s house.” Sam climbed out of bed, and put on his sweat pants and sweater.

Cory swallowed, her throat hurt. “So it wasn’t some bad dream I was having, he’s really gone?” A tear began to trickle down her cheek.

Sam didn’t know what to do. He’d tried to comfort her the day before, and she’d pushed him away. He just nodded, “I’m afraid so. I’ll be back in a minute.”

Cory lay staring at the ceiling. She felt like an empty shell. Her thoughts drifted back to the previous day, and she realized she hadn’t called JJ, or left her a note. She looked around for her rucksack. It was on the floor by the side of the bed. She leaned over the edge of the bed, a pain shooting through her head as she did so. “Ouch!” She’d managed to work herself up to a migraine. They didn’t happen often, but when they did she was usually violently sick if she moved too much. She was looking for her mobile. She was sure she’d put it in her rucksack after arriving at her mum’s. Finally she found it. It was switched off, and she was hoping there would be a message from JJ, telling her she had arrived safely. She switched the phone on, it buzzed and then a minute later the voice message tone kicked in. She placed the phone to hear ear and listened to the message. A sad smile tugged at her lips, JJ was home.

She deleted the message and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She needed to email JJ, and let her know what had happened. As she sat upright the pain increased, and she collapsed back into the bed. If she moved much more she’d throw up. She knew she couldn’t call America. She didn’t want to wake JJ up. She closed her eyes and only opened them again when Sam entered the room. He placed a cup of tea on the bedside table. Cory didn’t feel like talking to anyone today, she just wanted to be left alone. To say goodbye, and grieve all alone.

“Did I just hear you mobile ring?” Sam could see the mobile was now on the bedside table. Cory nodded. “Anything important?” Cory shook her head. “It’s a bit early for your phone to be ringing isn’t it?”

“Give it a rest Sam, it was the voice mail. Nothing for you to worry about.”

Sam felt hurt. “Sorry for asking. Don’t take this out on me.”

“No, I’m sorry. It was JJ. She just left a message to say she’d arrived safely.”

“Why didn’t she call the house phone?”

Cory didn’t have the energy to answer all the questions. “I wasn’t sure where I’d be, and I usually have the mobile with me, so I told her to call. Does that answer your question?”

Sam had a million other questions he wanted to ask regarding JJ, but decided that it wasn’t the right time. He could tell Cory was in pain as she winced every time she opened her eyes. “The tablets are here. I grabbed the stronger ones. I’m guessing you have a migraine.”

Cory nodded and let Sam place the tablets in her mouth. She felt him lift her head up, and opened her mouth again when she felt the touch of cold glass against her lips. “Thanks Sam, I’m going to have to sleep this off. Can you call dad and let them know we’ll be over later.”

“Sure. Anything else?” Sam knew there wasn’t going to be anything else. He’d been around Cory when she had migraines, and he knew she struggled to handle the pain. He pulled the phone cord out of the wall, there was no way he wanted the high-pitch ringing to wake his wife.

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“You are a piece of work!”

JJ groaned, she knew what she’d see when she opened her eyes. “Good morning Sarah, how sweet of you to come by and welcome me home.” She heard mumbling coming from her side.

“I knew there was something more to you two. I’ve always had my suspicions. It’s not enough you leave me for an English hoe, you have to sleep with Helen, too.” Sarah grabbed the comforter off the two women.

Helen buried her head into the pillow. What a way to start the day! JJ rubbed her eyes, she felt like she was trapped in one of the trashy talk shows that were always on the TV. “Sarah, in case you’ve forgotten, you took our bed and left me with the guest’s. Where else was she supposed to sleep? Look at us. Do you think we’d be dressed in our winter pj’s had we done it? And Cory is not a hoe.” She knew she’d said the wrong thing as soon as Cory’s name had passed her lips. She grabbed her robe from the edge of the bed and ushered Sarah out of the room.

“I don’t think we need to have yet another scene in front of Helen.” She leaned back into the room, “Helen I’m sorry you got caught in this. It’s only 7.30; I’ll go and put the coffee on.

She wandered through the living room to the kitchen. She could tell by Sarah’s stance that she was furious. “I’m brewing some coffee, do you want one?”

“How could you, JJ? How can you do this to me? You promised there was nothing going on!”

JJ was confused. She didn’t know if Sarah was talking about Helen or Cory. “Sarah, I promise on my mother’s grave that there is nothing going on between Helen and me, and if I hear you making trouble for her with Jo, you will regret it.”

Sarah gulped. She’d seen JJ mad a few times, but she’d never seen the fire burn in her eye like it was at that moment. “Okay, okay I believe you. You have to look it from my point of view. I come home to find my girlfriend snuggling in bed with another woman.”

“Excuse me, I think you’ve got your facts wrong there. For one, we were not snuggling. When I woke up Helen was way over her side of the bed and you know it. The second thing is, you are not my girlfriend. You broke it off with me midweek, or have I got the facts wrong?”

Sarah was stuck for words, she’d expected to come home and find JJ in a mess, and that she’d beg for her to come back. She’d been certain that the English dream JJ had been chasing would come crashing down on her. She’d never expected to be greeted with her ex in bed with her ex.

“So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company this early in the morning? The bed wasn’t enough and you needed to take more stuff from the house. Well it’s yours, take what the hell you like.” JJ could feel the blood pumping through her body. She’d never hit another woman in her life. Well that wasn’t technically true, if she counted some rougher ice hockey matches. “I’m going to be out of here by 9am, I suggest you come back then if you want to still be in one piece.” She knew it was just words. She’d never lift a hand to Sarah, but from the look on Sarah’s face, Sarah didn’t know that.

“Whatever.” Sarah headed towards the door. “I’m coming back for the sofa and chairs, Chris and I need them for our place.”

JJ just looked at the woman. She had a nerve, “And you called me a piece of work? Who the hell is Chris? Remember who paid for the furniture in the first place? Oh, to hell with you, if that’s what it takes to get you out of my life, take them. Just leave me the fittings and the electrical stuff. Now leave” She watched as Sarah left the house. It was only then that she noticed the truck outside, and a woman leaning against it with a cigarette in her mouth. The woman stubbed the cigarette out as Sarah got nearer, and JJ could tell that Sarah was not happy with things. She was flailing her arms in front of the stouter woman, and a few f words were sailing back to JJ on the wind.

“Is it safe to come in here?” JJ turned to find Helen waving a white pair of undies in the doorway.

“She’s gone. I gather you heard the whole conversation, so I won’t repeat it!” JJ poured the coffee. Her body was still shaking from the fight.

“Yeah, I heard. I can’t believe you’re going to let her take the furniture. You paid for all the stuff.”

JJ shrugged her shoulders. “If it’s what will keep her happy and out of my way, then she’s welcome to it. Plus, I do feel a little guilty. I did cause the break up. Although I’m not sure where this Chris fits into the equation.”

JJ passed Helen a cup of coffee, “I’ll be right back. I need to check my email. I’m hoping Cory may have mailed me. Cross your fingers for me.”

Helen crossed her fingers and waggled them towards JJ. “No problem, I may take a leisurely bath before practice. My back still hurts from last week’s practice. The coach was brutal midweek, you didn’t miss anything.” Helen headed towards the bathroom; she wanted to give JJ some space just in case the news from Cory was negative.

JJ nudged the mouse over the pad. She usually left the computer running, and only turned it off if she was away for long periods of time. She opened her Outlook Express and waited patiently. There had been lots of activity late into the evening and she only began to frown when it was way past her usual time to receive mail from England. She checked the clock, it had just turned 8, so it was just past midday there. She looked at the phone, what the heck she couldn’t stand it any more. She dialled Cory’s home number and paced backwards and forwards until Sam answered.

“Hello?”

“Hi Sam, how you doing?” JJ was nervous. She had no idea what had gone on between Cory and Sam. She hoped she wasn’t making matters worse. “Is Cory around?”

“She’s sleeping, her grandfather died yesterday morning and she hasn’t taken the news well. I think she feels guilty because she wasn’t there. Though I’m here for her. She can count on me. I’ll let her know you called.”

“O..okay. Tell her I’m sorr…” Before she could get the last word out she heard the click at the other end. “He cut me off, the bastard cut me off!” She was fuming. She’d wanted to ask if there was anything she could do. She was now more than worried. His comment about feeling guilty kept coming back at her, she hoped that Cory didn’t blame her for it. What if she’d changed her mind? She grabbed her coffee and went back to the bedroom, she thought about missing practice but that would mean no game. She reasoned with herself, there was nothing she could do but wait for Cory to contact her and pray that she would be okay until then.

*********************************************************************

Sam clicked the off button on the phone. The sound of JJ’s voice reminded him of the sorry state of affair that his marriage might be in. Cory had definitely been withdrawn. He had put it down to Fred’s death but there was something else. The more he could keep the two apart, the better chance he had of keeping Cory. Plus she’d been asleep all morning, he needed to wake her and see how she was doing. He decided he wouldn’t tell her about the phone call, not until he had to.

When he got upstairs he could hear the drone of the shower, he took that as a sign that Cory was feeling better. He made the bed and waited for the shower to finish.

Cory had felt awful when she’d finally woken. She thought she’d heard the phone but it hadn’t rung in the bedroom so she assumed it was the office line. Her head felt better but she was mentally exhausted. There had been no sign of Sam so she’d made up her mind to take a shower and then download her emails. She needed to email JJ and let her know the news. As she walked out of the ensuite, Sam was waiting for her.

“You feeling better?”

Cory felt weird, she’d been with Sam for years but here he was looking at her naked body and she didn’t know what to do. She covered herself with her towel and began to dry her body. “How’s mum doing?”

“Not too good, they had to sedate her last night. I promised your dad we’d go over as soon as you were feeling stronger. Your mum needs you. The funeral’s set for Thursday.”

“Okay, I’ll just get dressed and we can head over straight away. I just want to check my email.”

“Cor, do you really think now is a time to do that? Your priorities lie with your family, emails can wait. Just think if you hadn’t been playing with your email buddy these past few days you’d have been here. You’d have been able to say goodbye.” He knew it was a low blow but he had to stay in control. He looked at her face; fresh tears had begun to track down her cheeks.

Cory dropped her head and nodded slowly, “You’re right Sam, family comes first.”

Part 24

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