Two months later

  
            Nothing felt right anymore. Not his job or his life. JR felt like a shell of the person he used to be. He woke up and went through the motions of going to work then coming back home straight. He then spent most of the time in Hayley's room trying to preserve whatever presence she left behind. He'd instructed the staff not to wash the sheets or touch anything. Her wedding dress hung on the wall reminding him everyday of what he'd had and lost. He was so miserable without her but not once did he regret loving her. She was a special woman who'd opened his heart. Maybe later when the pain had lessened he would look back and thank her for showing him how to love. But right then it was just too much.

After she had been discharged Vince had locked her away in his Tower. JR had tried to see her but it was all in vain. At first he'd thought Vince was hiding her not letting her talk to him but after a few attempts she'd called him and told him to leave her alone. Her voice alone halted his attempts. She had sounded so cold, so distant and there was a bit of resentment towards him. She hadn't even wanted to hear him out. Just like that she had cut him out of her life. And he couldn't help but feel all alone. He was still mad at his father for hiding the truth. Nick had deserted him when he needed his help so they fell out. Who did he have now? Jasmine had left to one of her trips. The house was so quiet without Hayley or Alexis. Even the staff walked around with sad faces.

Currently JR was lying in bed with his eyes closed recalling his memories with Hayley when he heard loud voices coming from downstairs. His heartbeat picked up and his hope soared imagining Hayley had come back. Jumping up he rushed downstairs only to find the last person he had expected to see. His mother. Lucinda Rutherford. His whole being deflated like a balloon without air. Of all the times his mother could show up, this was the worst. He didn't have the energy to deal with her. "Hi mom." he said then turned around heading back to his room.

"That's it?" he stopped but didn't look at her. "I haven't seen you in almost a year and all you can say is 'hi mom'?"

"Dad is in his study. Please go bother him and leave me alone"

"What an ungrateful child you are" that did it. JR knew his mother wanted to have it out with him and he knew he should have walked away from her but after everything he couldn't hold it in any longer. He needed to let some of it out or he would drown in his sorrows.

"Ungrateful?" he spun around and walked towards her stopping a foot away. "Ungrateful mom? You say that like I'm the one who's been neglecting you all their life. All I've ever done is try to please you. I did whatever you wanted me to, dressed however you wanted, took piano lessons that I hated for you, everything you asked but it still wasn't enough. You kept asking for more and more and when I tired of being your puppet you took that as your chance to remind me how you saved my life. Adopting me wasn't saving my life mom. It was you choosing to be my mother. I didn't choose you, you chose me and I've done everything I can think of to repay you back but enough is enough. I'm done trying to please you mother. Call me ungrateful all you want. I don't care anymore" JR finished his rant and left the house. He couldn't stand to spend one more second there knowing his mother was going to find fault in everything he did.

But that was just it. It didn't matter how old you were you still wanted your parents to be proud of you. All his life he'd tried to please his mother but nothing was ever enough. He didn't know how other kids felt but for him it was harder. Lucinda Rutherford never failed to remind him that they had saved him from growing up in an orphanage. His birth mother had died during childbirth and he didn't have any relatives so his next destination would have been an orphanage but Jim and Lucinda had adopted him after having a miscarriage. Lucinda hadn't wanted to try to have kids of her own again because she said she couldn't take it if she lost another child. But that made her a bitter person. She took out all her anger and misery out on JR always reminding him that she was doing him a favor by raising him.

With Hayley, JR had forgotten all about his mother and her ill treatment. She had filled the void in his heart making everything else fade into the background. But now that she had left him, he felt like he always did. Alone. Looking up he realized he was outside Nick's apartment building. He was the only real friend he had and it didn't surprise him that he would end up there. Reluctant to go back home he went in, taking the elevator that stopped outside Nick's door. There was a bit of distance from the elevator to Nicks door and for a second he contemplated on leaving. That choice was taken out of his hands when the door opened and Nick took a step outside then froze having looked up and saw him. He never thought there would be awkwardness between him and his best friend. After a few seconds Nick went back inside but the left the door open leaving the decision up to JR.

He sighed and followed him inside where he was handed a glass of scotch. They took their drinks silently until Nick spoke up first. "I did it for you"

"What?" JR asked even though he heard and knew what Nick was talking about.

"Not telling you where Hayley was, I did that for you. JR she was mad and hurt and had just found your father had been lying to her. You were the last person she would have wanted to see....."

"So what you were protecting me by siding with Vincent?"

"Yes. But you still insisted on seeing her anyway so what good did it do if she still ended up leaving you and we lost our friendship?" JR remained quiet analyzing what Nick had just told him. Would he still be with Hayley if he hadn't rushed her to talk to him?

"Lucinda is back" he mumbled. Nick winced then brought the whole bottle of scotch and settled it on the table between them. He knew how Lucinda treated JR since he'd been there to witness it as they were growing up. He also knew how it ate at JR for not being able to please the woman even though he didn't see why his friend even tried. They'd talked about it and JR had told him that it was different for him. He knew his parents would love him unconditionally because they were his own. But as for JR he grew up in fear of being taken back to the orphanage and not having a family. Of being alone. That was his greatest fear and Nick understood where he came from. And why it hurt him when he thought he'd sided with Vince and not him.

"Have you seen her?" Nick asked quietly

"Not since she moved in with him."

Nick nodded. "I talk to Alexis sometimes." JR clenched his jaw but said nothing. Nick took out his phone and dialed a number then waited while it rung. "Hey you" he said into the phone then laughed. "Yeah. Not happening but that's not why I called. I have someone who wants to talk to you." silence then "Why don't you ask them yourself?" he handed JR his phone then walked out to the balcony giving him the privacy he needed

JR stared at the phone not knowing what to do with it. He placed it on his ear just as Alexis's voice said "Hello" from the other end.

"Hey sweetie"

"JR? Is that you?"

He swallowed the lump in his throat "Yes it's me. How are you?"

"Fine but I really miss you and Jim. Is he okay? I hope he's taking his medicines on time now that am not there to remind him." she said in such a worried voice that a tear slipped from his eye. He brushed it away quickly hoping Nick hadn't seen him.

"Don't worry too much. He's fine and missing you too." JR hoped that she was too young to know what the tremble in his voice meant.

"Tell him that I'll see him soon but I have to ask mom first. She's okay too JR. Don't worry about her" how old was she again? She sounded so much like an adult. The fact that she told him about her mother when he didn't even ask, conveyed what an old soul she had. He wondered if she had grown up so fast in the time he hadn't seen her.

"Deal. I'll talk to you later honey."

"Okay. I love you" she said then hang up not knowing the havoc she'd caused JR. She'd said I love you, like that was what they said to each other everyday after talking on the phone. It pained him to think it could have been like that. Instead of goodbyes it could have been I love yous and see you later. He threw his head back swallowing the scotch in one mouthful. The drink burnt it's way down his throat but he didn't care. He needed to forget everything.

-------------------------

Hayley stood outside Alexis's room trying her best not to alert her of her presence. She listened in on the one sided conversation she had with someone who could only be JR. Her heart broke for her daughter and she felt horrible for thinking only about herself. She had been so consumed by past memories that she hadn't seen what it was doing to her daughter. Like it or not Alexis had formed an unbreakable bond with Jim and JR. With everyone living in that house. Just because she was mad at Jim didn't mean her daughter had to suffer too. Her fallout was between her and Jim and Alexis didn't deserve to suffer because of it. What about JR? Her conscience threw that back at her but she shoved the question down to a place she only visited at night. Right now it wasn't about her or JR. Taking out her phone she dialed a number that for some reason she'd kept.

"Hello"

"Hi Zach. I need your services are you busy?" Hayley asked praying he was free.

"No. I haven't been busy in a while. How can I help you Hayley?"

"I need you to do me a favor"

"Anything." Hayley explained what she wanted then hung up. She prayed that she was making the right decision and she wouldn't regret it later. Opening Alexis's door she walked in.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing." she said too fast and if Hayley hadn't heard her conversation with JR she would have figured out her daughter was hiding something.

"Good. I need you to pack clothes for the weekend."

"Are we going somewhere?" Alexis asked getting up from the desk she was occupying. It was littered with books, pens, and other things Hayley didn't dare touch.

"Not we. Just you but I promise you'll like it"

Zach arrived half an hour later parking outside the apartment complex. Hayley brought a fidgety Alexis down who stopped whining when she saw the driver. If there was one thing her daughter wasn't, it was patient. "Bring her back to me Zach. Am trusting her with you" she told the man who nodded with Alexis still in his arms. Turning to Alexis she said "Behave and eat all your vegetables. Just because I can't see you doesn't mean I won't know"

"Yes mom" Alexis said rolling her eyes. Zach opened the back door and placed her on the seat making sure to buckle her seat belt then went around to the driver's seat. Alexis waved back at her until the car disappeared around a corner. Hayley sighed feeling like a burden had been lifted off her shoulders. She didn't have to feel guilty anymore for keeping Alexis away from her other family. Back inside, she found Vince who looked like he'd just arrived.

"Hey where are you coming from?"

"Downstairs. I sent Alexis to the Rutherfords. She'll be staying there for the weekend" she said moving towards the kitchen therefore she didn't see Vince freeze.

"What? You didn't tell me you were planning to do that" his tone didn't sit well with her.

"It was a spur of the moment decision. Why Vince do I need your permission to make decisions about my daughter's well being?" she asked testily. It hadn't escaped her attention how Vince had kept her from seeing JR. That's why he had bought this apartment where one needed a key card to get in. And she'd let him because she needed space but that didn't mean he owned her. She appreciated his efforts to keep her safe. And that was the end of it. Other than that he was just a good friend.

"Don't get all defensive on me Hayley. It was just a simple question." Vince retreated to his bedroom. Hayley blew out air through her mouth then followed him. She opened the door to shirtless Vince who just raised his eyebrow. She got distracted by his chest. She'd forgotten how well built he was. Back when he was teaching her how to defend herself, they'd had a moment. All sweaty and breathing heavily, she'd pinned Vince to the floor, her first victory and in the heat of the moment she had stayed on top of him a minute too long. He had flipped them, with her underneath him and kissed her. It had been a sweet kiss but it paled in comparison to the ones she'd shared with JR. Realizing she was staring she cleared her throat.

"Sorry. Am just cranky because I have nothing to do"

"You didn't do anything when you were living with them." Vince accused not bothering to put a shirt on.

"Yeah but that was different."

"Different how?" he asked approaching her. Even when he was too close he didn't stop until his body was pressed against her. Hayley tried to take a step back but Vincent's arm shot out and pulled her in. "You know I have feelings for you. Don't tell me you can't see it. Give me a chance Hayley" he whispered brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"I..... I..... Vince"

"I saw the way you looked at me just a few minutes ago. Give me a chance to cultivate whatever feelings you have for me. Who knows maybe this could work out?"

"But.... "

"Please Hayley. I know I can make you happy if you let me" Hayley saw his head inch closer to her and for a second she wanted to pull away. Then she remembered she had no reason to do so. Vince was a good man who cared immensely for her and Alexis. He'd been there for her without asking for anything in return. After the kiss they'd shared, she had told him she wasn't ready and he had understood. She realized now that it must have been unfair to him for her to start a relationship with someone who wasn't him. Why hadn't she gone to him first? Even though they never talked about it, it was clear he was waiting for her. He had a girlfriend here and there but they didn't last for more than a week. So why had she not given him a chance? Because he's your friend. Always will be. But didn't most relationships start with friendships? Closing the distance between them, she kissed him.

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Ahem.

Be nice guys. I love Vince as much as I love JR. They both deserve a chance. I say JR's time is up. Let Vince show us what he can do. In and out of bed 😉😉

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