Ninety-Eight

She'd walked in just in time to hear not only Carol suggest that she should be the one to blame for Jon's run in with Jason, but also that he’d taken things into his own hands and hired goons to “deal” with him? Who was this man?

The ceramic mug thunked on the carpet and hot coffee spilled across the cream fibres. Her heart thumped in her throat, and her hands shook. She couldn't fucking believe it. He'd really been that stupid and never told her? And worse, was he ever going to?

"Jess, shit" Jon went to lurch on instinct out of the chair but winced as the pain ripped through his chest "Fuck it" he swore sinking back down. "Jess" he said again beckoning her over to him.

But she remained glued to the spot "You did what?" she asked calmly. Still aware of Carol in the room she wanted nothing less to lose it in front of her and have anymore displeased with her and Jon’s relationship.

Carol raised a brow at Jon."Yes Jon you better tell us what you mean you did, set some guys? What guys?"

He looked straight into the brown startled eyes, to find anger that he'd never seen before. His eyes fell to her hands which curled into tight balls. "Ma. Can I talk to Jesse alone?" he asked her. He had major explaining to do and the fire in her brown eyes told him it’d better be good.

Carol looked surprised but nodded "Ok sure I'll just—"

"Don't bother Carol, I just remembered somewhere I need to be" Jesse said not even picking up the mug that had fallen at her feet, she snatched her pursed and keys off the table.

"Jesse please, don't go let me explain" Jon said, damn it why was he so stupid to let that one slip? Fuck. She was angry and her everlasting small shred of loyalty to that fucker was evident in her eyes. "I had to do something" he said.

She threw her hands in the air and laughed "Why because I didn't lay charges against him? You went behind my back and got your "boys" to pay him a little visit? What are you Marlon Brando?" she asked.

"Jess it was a stupid thing to do, obviously... I see that now. Fuck I paid for the mistake did I not?" he growled angrily his own fingers digging into the leather arm of the couch. He understood her anger, he did. He should have never done something so stupid and if he could make the decision again he wouldn’t.

She blew her breath out and shook her head "I'm not sure if I'm angrier that you called the mob on him, or that you actually KNOW the mob. Maybe you're not the man that I thought you were" she spat. It just came out. Who was he? She spent years thinking she knew who Jason was, her husband but turned out she never knew him at all. And now, she was engaged to a man she again thought she knew. The diamond on her finger blurred in her vision as she fought to hide the emotion.

Damn him being restricted he wanted to grab her and hold her against him to show her that he wasn't like the man she was making him sound like.

"Jesse please don't say that, I had to protect you and the kids. What else could I do? What if he hadn't come after me? What if he'd gone after them or you? I would have never forgiven myself if anything happened to either of you" he said.

"It still doesn't excuse what you did Jon…" she said quietly. She hated that Carol was here, she didn't want to discuss this in front of her.

She grabbed her coat and tugged it on roughly. "I'm going out, I'm sure your mother can look after you" she said hurrying towards the door.

Jon lurched himself out of the couch and grunted as the pain ripped through him. He clutched his middle as his mother cursed him.

"Sit down Jon, for god's sake" she said settling him back on the couch.

"Jesse" he growled before taking a deep breath "Please stay, talk to me"

She turned back turning the door knob "I can't even look at you right now" she said before she exited and clicked the door behind her. She had no idea where she was going. Her hands soaked with the warm splashes falling from her eyes.

How could he do this? What sort of man did this? Not her Jon, so she thought. God damn him. She wrapped her arms around her body as the lift doors closed. Somewhere deep inside her she knew he'd done only what he thought was the best thing to do in the situation. He had to take control. That was Jon.

As the lift pinged on the ground floor, she had no idea where she was going. She just kept walking. Disappearing into the downtown Soho bustle, she jumped feeling her cell phone vibrate through her purse. She didn't even look. She knew it would be Jon. So she kept walking not knowing where she was headed. Just that she had to put some distance between her and Jon.

~

"Dammit" he raked his hand through his hair and slammed down his phone hearing her voicemail. It was never meant to be this way. She was never of meant to know.

Carol shook her head and sat back down next to him. "Oh Jon, what were you thinking trying to take things into your own hands. I know that you thought you were only doing what you needed to baby…but the mob? I thought you were past all that" she said.

His hands found his face "Mom, I just didn't know what else to do.I'm sorry I did but I still stand behind why I did it. I don't care what he did to me. Better me than her, or my children I’ll stand by that forever."

"Why didn't you get her to press the charges? This all could have been avoided..."

"Don't. I'm sick of hearing it. I respected her decision on that. I'm not blaming her for doing it. I do understand in a funny way why she didn’t. But now she has to understand where I am coming from. No one is wrong. Each person just did what they thought that was right" he leaned back and closed his eyes.

"And yes this was wrong" he admitted gently. Yes Jason lashed out at him because of what he did. He realized that now.

"Well she'll calm down Jonny, just give her time"

"God I hope so, I love her Ma. I’m used to having her around and I didn’t want to fuck it up” he popped his knuckles.

Carol furrowed her brow and nodded “I can see that. I didn’t want to admit it but she’s a good woman. You know I still have reservations on you and Dorothea splitting but it’s not my business. But Jesse’s ok, and the kids do like her a lot”

Jon smiled “Yeah they do, she’s been great with them through all this and I want to marry her as soon as the divorce is final. I didn’t see myself marrying so soon after all this but I want to as soon as everything is final”

Carol nodded “That’s fair, and I am assuming under the circumstances her marriage would or could be annulled”

He sighed “I have no idea but if she ever forgives me for what I’ve done. We’ll find out. I just want to move on from all this”

Carol sat down next to her youngest son and took his hand “She loves you too much Jonny. A woman can see a woman in love too easily, and she loves you… a lot” she said.

“Thanks Ma. I appreciate it”

~

Jesse had been walking for an hour or so and when she looped back to the apartment she stood at the entrance on the street and looked up at the looming building. She was still far too angry to go in. All the scenarios had gone into her head on her walk but still came with the final result which was that he’d paid someone in the mob to beat up her ex-husband. Crazy or not, it was still wrong.

She kneaded her fingers into her arms, god what do I do? Maybe the one person that knew Jon would be able to help her see sense though this. His ex-wife.

She walked into the underground parking lot and flipped open her phone dialling Dorothea. The number still there from where Jon was in hospital.

“Jesse?” she asked surprised.

“Hi Dorothea, sorry to ring you. I just don’t know who else to talk to. You’re probably the last person that wants to hear about this but I need your advice. On something that’s happened” she nervously explained finding her keys and jamming open her door.

“What’s he done?” she asked seriously.

“Can I meet you somewhere?”

“I’m still in the city. How about I meet you a Raphael’s in thirty minutes, we’ll get a drink and talk”

“I know where it is, I’ll see you soon” she closed her phone, This was nuts. His ex? But just on her brief encounters with Dorothea she knew if anyone understood the way his mind worked it was her. And Jesse needed to understand him. She didn’t want to lose him over this.