�Figuring It Out� Chapter 9: Fight

Ashley returned home on Friday. We would be starting to write and record for the new album the following week. No one ever did find out what Jacob was doing with Jessica at the airport. Jacob had been unusually cheerful for the past few days and nobody dared to ask him why.

�Dan?� Ashley asked me Friday after dinner.

�Yeah Ash?� I replied putting the last plate into the sink.

�What�s up with Jenna?� he asked rubbing his hands together.

�Huh?� I asked abruptly.

�She�s been so� distant lately,� Ashley rocked his chair back and forth.

�I haven�t noticed,� I said pissed off that Ashley had noticed something about Jenna that I hadn�t.

�Is something going on between the two of you?� Ashley asked.

�Not that I know of,� I said skating around the subject.

Just then Jenna walked into the kitchen holding the phone. She looked pissed off and was holding the phone in a tight grasp. Her eyes flared in anger. All conversation between Ashley and I stopped.

�Jenna?� Ashley asked trying not to get the phone thrown at him.

�What?� Jenna snarled.

�Um,� Ashley bit his lip. �What�s wrong?�

�What makes you think anything is wrong?� Jenna glared at him. Ashley looked to me for help. I knew I had to save his butt, somehow.

�Jenna, I don�t think it�s wise to kill Ashley right now. Ya know with all our album promotion stuff going on and all,� I said trying to help him out.

�Who said anything about killing Ash?� Jenna said turning to me. �Did I?�

�Uh, no?� I said unsure of where she was taking this.

�Do you know who was on the phone?� she asked.

�Uh no, that�s why I ask�� Ashley said trailing off when Jenna gave him a look.

�It was my mother,� Jenna said matter-of-factly.

�So?� Ashley asked missing the fact that Jenna was pissed beyond words.

�So? God Ashley! Okay, now I might kill him, Dan,� she said throwing her hands in the air.

�Ash, just listen to her,� I said getting annoyed at his ignorance. �Go on Jenna.�

�Thank you Dan,� she paused and then continued. �So anyway, she says �how�s that husband of yours?� and I say �fine� and then she goes psycho on me.�

�Psycho?� Ashley questioned her. �What are you talking about?�

�Shut up Ash!� Jenna screamed at him. �She�s all like �we never did like him� and I�m trippin� out. So I reply �and you�re telling me this because?� and she says �because if you don�t leave him, you can�t be our daughter anymore�. Can you believe that?�

I stared at her in shock. She was talking about me. Her parents didn�t like me? And they were going to take it out on Jenna? I had to do something but I didn�t know what.

�Now can I talk?� Ashley asked. Jenna nodded. �I think that�s a bunch of crap. How can she say something like that to you? Don�t even worry about it. We all love and support you. Who cares what they think?�

�Me,� Jenna said her eyes on the ground. I saw the tear fall and splash beside her shoe.

I moved closer to her and hugged her. �Jenna. Shhh, baby, it�s okay.�

She was sobbing hysterically now. My shirt was soaking up her tears. Her hands gripped my back not letting go.

�Oh Danny, I�m so sorry. I�m sorry,� she said through her sobs.

�You have nothing to be sorry about. It�s okay Jenna. You didn�t do anything,� I said reassuring her.

�Dan, don�t leave me. She didn�t mean it,� Jenna was shaking.

�Jen, calm down, I�m not going to leave you,� I said hugging her tightly. �What makes you think that I�d leave you?�

�The way that your happily married parents just decided to up and divorce in the spur of the moment,� Jenna said unhappily. �And nobody seems to understand the love we share.�

�Jenna, just because one happy marriage didn�t work out doesn�t mean that ours won�t,� I gave her a final hug. �I understand our love, you understand our love, and that�s all that matters.�

She pulled away and wiped her tears. I caught sight of her wedding ring. It glittered against her moist eyes. I would never leave her no matter what anyone said.

�How can I say I love you?� she asked quietly.

�What?� I said taken aback.

�Just saying �I love you� can never express how deeply I do love you,� Jenna said, her crystal blue eyes staring directly into mine.

�But I know what you mean,� I felt the tears form. �I�ll always know.�

She didn�t have to say anything else. All the words that she could have possibly said were written in the smile on her face. Her hand brushed my cheek. My skin prickled at her loving touch.

�Baby,� she whispered in my ear.

All of a sudden I felt his eyes. I turned and saw Ashley watching us with hate in his eyes. I knew that he had always loved Jenna but she had never felt the same way. He despised me for that.

�God damn asshole,� Ashley muttered as he walked out of the kitchen.

Jenna watched him go. �I thought he was over it.�

�I guess not,� I replied starting to go after him.

�No,� Jenna said grabbing my hand. �Let me go to him.�

�Okay,� I relented. She followed Ashley upstairs.

I sat down at the table and waited for her to come back and tell me what was going on. Minutes turned to hours. What was going on? I decided to go look for them.

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