Her chest felt tight as she put a hand over her beating heart, catsuit in tatters, face smudged from her time spent helping to rescue Grace. She was hungry and tired but there was a determination in her steps as she made her way to Jack’s apartment though she faltered in her steps a few times.
Am I crazy to be going to him? she thought as stopped at a corner to let a car pass before continuing. He didn’t even text me back. Maybe he doesn’t want anything to do with me? Heart sinking at the thought as the building came into view, Katelynn’s steps slow before stopping completely, wondering if she was doing the right thing.
Yet she didn’t want a “what if” to hang over her head for the rest of her life.
She gulped, standing there among the crowd just a few feet from the entrance of the building, ignoring the stares as she was too focused on one thing only.
Jack.
It had been more than a week since that last, fateful text from Katelynn. As the days had gone by, Jack had waited, hoping desperately that she’d message him again, and hating himself for and more for not answering. But it had hurt so much when she came back, only to leave him again. He was too afraid, too weak, to try again.
Katelynn’s birthday had come and gone, with no word from the woman herself. When they’d become a couple, back in December, Jack had been so sorry that he’d missed her birthday that year, and held out hope that they’d do something very special and romantic for this one. Instead, he’d spent the day alone in his apartment – painting, cuddling the dogs, and when he couldn’t hold it back any longer, breaking down and crying in silence.
Now that he’d gotten that out, however, he was feeling a little better. He still missed Katelynn terribly, but at least he could go outside and go through the motions of his life again.
And the weather’s nice today, the blue man thought, looking out the window. I could take the dogs to the park. Maybe something will happen.
This was it. She was at his door and trying to make an attempt at knocking. She raised a fist, move it forward and then stop, chickening out. What she imagined to be Stella’s bark, her mind filtered through memories of being together and playing with their dogs.
I can’t do this… she thought as she slumped to her knees, hair curtailing around her. She had shown nothing but bravery in helping her friends but now.
It was all gone.
Thoughts and scenarios of how this would play out filtered her mind and in every one Jack pushed her away and said he was tired of being hurt by her.
Tears began forming at the corner of her eyes, mixing in with the dirt on her face. She just wanted to see him.
She might be too afraid to open the door, but Stella wasn’t. The young bulldog perked up suddenly, her ears flicking as she heard her mistress weeping out in the hall. Though she hadn’t shown it as much, the dog had missed Katelynn just as badly as Jack did. She jerked away from him as he was trying to put a leash on her, and ran to the front door, barking excitedly, her whole butt wiggling as she wagged her tail.
It took Roxy a moment to catch on – she wasn’t as close to Katelynn as Stella – but the little pug soon caught the scent and ran to the door as well.
“Hey, girls, come back!” Jack insisted. “What is it? What’s out there?” The dogs weren’t growling, so it probably wasn’t anything dangerous. Curious, he opened the door.
Jack Maple 