An Inconvenient Flame

Chapter 27 - Surface Pressure

Jade sighed as she looked out the window. "It's just too much, Jenn. I'm so hurt right now. He knows what lying does to me...what it does to any and every relationship period. You have nothing if there's no trust."

Jenna nodded her head in agreement. "So, no divorce?" Jade sighed loudly. "I've never wanted the stain of divorce. I said if I would ever be so enamored as to agree to marriage then it was for life." Jenna sighed at her best friend.

Jenna felt Jade put her feelings on the back burner for the sake of unhealthy expectations instilled by her mother when it came to love and marriage. "No divorce, but a much needed separation. I need some space and he needs to work on earning my forgiveness. He needs to sort out this Elizabeth shit as well."

Jenna nodded her head. "She's going to be a part of y'all's lives forever, Gem. Are you okay with that? Are you going to be able to handle that?" Jade thought long and hard on the question as Jenna pulled into her driveway.

"I honestly don't think so. The baby is a part of him, so I can't just ignore them, but her." Jade shook her head. "She was with Jason before me and I can't help but think from what I've read about her that she feels entitled to him somehow. Giving him his first child is only going to strengthen that belief and it scares me."

Jade looked at the Jenna and the expression on her face saddened Jenna immensely. "This wasn't supposed to be my narrative, Jenn. I can't help but listen to the voice inside my head that's laughing at me for thinking I could have real and honest love." Jade broke down and Jenna held her close.

"We don't have to figure everything out tonight. Let's go inside. Get you showered and changed and then off to bed. Your ass is too fat to wear any of my clothes, so I'll go grab you a duffel bag in the morning."

Jade nodded her head with a watery chuckle before looking at her best friend. "Don't fight him, Jenn. I know you want to and I love you for that. You're my biggest supporter and most avid defender, but please don't make this worse by getting arrested for assault." Jenna held up her hands. "No fighting."

Jason and James couldn't find Jade or Jenna anywhere. The remaining guests were family and close friends. "You haven't found her yet?" Hannah Jean asked worriedly.

"Excuse me," Jason flagged down the girl he remembered as their waitress. "Have you seen my wife?" He was not expecting the girl to scoff at him. "Wife. You don't deserve her." Jason glared at her. "Excuse me?" She turned away from him after telling him to check his phone.

They all heard her comments and followed suit. What they found shocked them all. "Jason." Hannah Jean sighed disappointedly. James just shook his head while Harry fumed.

He couldn't yell and shout like he wanted as Layla was sleeping in his lap. They all began to get up. "We're going to have a talk, boy. Believe that." Harry said before marching off with Hannah Jean and Layla in his arms.

Quinn marched up to Jason and slapped the shit out of him. Liam could tell she wanted to do more and held her back. Jason held his cheek as he watched them walk out also.

James stood there in front of him and Jason hated the disappointed look in his eyes. "That's what she was talking about at your bachelor party, wasn't it?" Jason nodded eventually.

"You lied to me. To Jade. To all of us. Don't you think we could've gotten ahead of this if we'd known! Don't you think Jade deserved to hear the truth from her husband instead of the media on her wedding day?"

Jason held his head in his hands. "She has a recording of you telling her to abort your kid, Taylor! How do you think your child is going to feel when they get older and learn their father didn't want them? How do you think the media is looking at you now?"