risk sending his father to the hospital again by causing him to suffer another heart attack from his hurtful words…no matter how true they were.
Before he left though, he turned slightly, pressing his lips together as the man behind him stared right back at him, and Jordan said, “It wouldn’t have been my dream I was destroying. It was yours.”
And with that, Jordan left. He didn’t know where he was going, but he did know he had to get out of the house before he did or said something he would regret later.
He felt the urge to ball his hand into a fist and throw a punch, but he knew to control the anger building up inside him. He couldn’t do it to his father. He wasn’t like his dad. He couldn’t and wouldn’t be controlling like Clive.
He wasn’t that kind of person.
L ater that night, Cassie had just put Jake to bed, having read him one of his favorite stories she had read him plenty of times before. Just as she has settled herself back down on the couch to finish watching one of her feel good made-for-TV movies, there was a knock at her front door.
Wondering who could be coming to see her at this time of the night, she jumped up from the couch and made her way to the door, not caring that she wasn’t quite dressed for company. When she opened it, she found Jordan standing opposite her, his hands stuffed into his pockets and looking worse for wear.
“What are you doing here?” she asked him; she couldn’t turn him away, even if it was all she felt like doing.
She let him inside, and as he followed her in, he stopped and stood halfway between the door and the small foyer that led to the living room.
Cassie ran a hand through her messy blonde hair, wrapping her slender arms around herself. “Why are you here, Jordan? I finally got Jake to sleep in the next room. You will wake him up.”
He moved toward her. For an instant, she wanted to be spontaneous and take his face in her hands and kiss him. Instead, she backed away, keeping her hand firmly fixed on the doorknob for when she closed the door on him. Why did he always find a way to make her feel as if her heart was beating faster than it ever had before? It was like she was putting her heart in front of a firing squad. She didn’t know if she could deal with anymore of the misery she had suffered through already. She had been hurt too many times in the past. Could she really risk being burned all over again?
“You shouldn’t be here. I think you should go home.”
“I spoke to my dad today. I made him tell me everything.” His words slurred together. Cassie could barely make out what it was he was trying to say. She could smell alcohol on his breath again. Jordan was drunk, and then he felt the need to show up here. She couldn’t understand why he would do that. Did he want to show her a side of him she wouldn't like? She didn't like him drunk, but it was beside the point. She knew he was drinking as a way to get all the anger out of his system.
“You’re drunk, Jordan. Why would you come see me…” she looked at the time on her watch, “…at ten o’clock at night? Yeah, that’s convenient. Once again, you’re only looking out for yourself. If you wanted to talk to me, you could have come at a more decent time of day. That would have been better than going out and knocking back so much beer. I can’t believe you thought I’d want to see you like this.” Cassie shook her head. He obviously didn’t think about the consequences of his actions. He never did. He just whatever he wanted when it suited him.
One part of Cassie wanted to send Jordan on his merry way home, but another part of her was inclined to wrap her arms around his strapping body and tell him everything would be okay. She couldn’t help feeling this way, figuring it was the kind and compassionate motherly side coming out of her, plus the fact, once upon a time, she loved him wholeheartedly, giving herself to him since he’d been the only boy she wanted to be
Before he left though, he turned slightly, pressing his lips together as the man behind him stared right back at him, and Jordan said, “It wouldn’t have been my dream I was destroying. It was yours.”
And with that, Jordan left. He didn’t know where he was going, but he did know he had to get out of the house before he did or said something he would regret later.
He felt the urge to ball his hand into a fist and throw a punch, but he knew to control the anger building up inside him. He couldn’t do it to his father. He wasn’t like his dad. He couldn’t and wouldn’t be controlling like Clive.
He wasn’t that kind of person.
L ater that night, Cassie had just put Jake to bed, having read him one of his favorite stories she had read him plenty of times before. Just as she has settled herself back down on the couch to finish watching one of her feel good made-for-TV movies, there was a knock at her front door.
Wondering who could be coming to see her at this time of the night, she jumped up from the couch and made her way to the door, not caring that she wasn’t quite dressed for company. When she opened it, she found Jordan standing opposite her, his hands stuffed into his pockets and looking worse for wear.
“What are you doing here?” she asked him; she couldn’t turn him away, even if it was all she felt like doing.
She let him inside, and as he followed her in, he stopped and stood halfway between the door and the small foyer that led to the living room.
Cassie ran a hand through her messy blonde hair, wrapping her slender arms around herself. “Why are you here, Jordan? I finally got Jake to sleep in the next room. You will wake him up.”
He moved toward her. For an instant, she wanted to be spontaneous and take his face in her hands and kiss him. Instead, she backed away, keeping her hand firmly fixed on the doorknob for when she closed the door on him. Why did he always find a way to make her feel as if her heart was beating faster than it ever had before? It was like she was putting her heart in front of a firing squad. She didn’t know if she could deal with anymore of the misery she had suffered through already. She had been hurt too many times in the past. Could she really risk being burned all over again?
“You shouldn’t be here. I think you should go home.”
“I spoke to my dad today. I made him tell me everything.” His words slurred together. Cassie could barely make out what it was he was trying to say. She could smell alcohol on his breath again. Jordan was drunk, and then he felt the need to show up here. She couldn’t understand why he would do that. Did he want to show her a side of him she wouldn't like? She didn't like him drunk, but it was beside the point. She knew he was drinking as a way to get all the anger out of his system.
“You’re drunk, Jordan. Why would you come see me…” she looked at the time on her watch, “…at ten o’clock at night? Yeah, that’s convenient. Once again, you’re only looking out for yourself. If you wanted to talk to me, you could have come at a more decent time of day. That would have been better than going out and knocking back so much beer. I can’t believe you thought I’d want to see you like this.” Cassie shook her head. He obviously didn’t think about the consequences of his actions. He never did. He just whatever he wanted when it suited him.
One part of Cassie wanted to send Jordan on his merry way home, but another part of her was inclined to wrap her arms around his strapping body and tell him everything would be okay. She couldn’t help feeling this way, figuring it was the kind and compassionate motherly side coming out of her, plus the fact, once upon a time, she loved him wholeheartedly, giving herself to him since he’d been the only boy she wanted to be
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