Confront: To bring face to face with
She walked down the street, holding onto her husband's hand as they made their way to the general store. They had long ago settled into their quaint motel room, surprised to find that it came with a small kitchen. They were only planning to stay for about two weeks but she knew they couldn't eat out every meal. So she had convinced her husband of this and now they were walking down the general store.
She had caught the looks as she passed various residents of the small town, shock and disappointment lacing each one of their faces. She tried not to let it get to her but she knew what they were all thinking. Her and Justin had been perfect together. He had treated her well and she...well, she cheated on him and ran away.
Every time since that day she went to bed, thinking about that day she had climbed into Shane's car and never looked back. Every time since that day she had regretted that decision but she couldn't go back in time. She could only hope Justin would forgive her when she finally did get to see him.
He looked over at his wife, noticing her features that told him she was deep in thought. The scrunched together eyebrows, the wrinkles in her forehead, the determined look in her eyes, all tell tell signs that she was thinking about something important. So he chose to keep silent, something he learned long ago after many fights and arguments.
His eyes flickered to the diner across the street where a large sign in the window indicated there was a sale on summer fruit pies. Blueberry had always been his favorite and Jennen's too. He wondered if Jennen's parents still owned the diner. Surely they did. That diner had been passed down from generation to generation in the Summers bloodline as had all the recipes and the original menu.
For a minute there his thoughts got away from him and he pictured himself married to Jennen, working in the diner with her family, their kids eating blueberry pie with vanilla ice cream at the diner's counter. He had thrown that away though, ending his relationship with Jennen before it got that far. He had chose to cheat and when she found out he had chose to run off with Crystal, marrying her instead. Now he was back though and a small part of him still wondered about Jennen and if he would get to see her while he was in Shelby Forest.
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She unbuckled the seat belts on both of her children's car seats as her husband helped her get their children out of their SUV. She lifted up her daughter, smiling as Kamryn wrapped her tiny legs around her, settling on her hip and wrapping her tiny arms around Jennen's neck. She caressed Kamryn's soft wavy dirty blond hair before fixing the back of Kamryn's pink ladybug t-shirt and jean shorts.
"J, is Kamryn's white sandal on the floor anywhere? She only has one shoe on." Jennen said with a chuckle as Justin looked for his daughter's shoe.
"Found it." He stated proudly as he raised the sandal in the air, taking a hold of Kile's hand and helping Jennen get Kamryn's shoe on," I'm going to go get a shopping cart. I'll be right out." Justin said as he grabbed Kile's hand before disappearing into the general store.
Jennen popped open the trunk as she held her daughter who was due for a nap. They had been running errands all day and were finally getting to go shop for groceries. She hoisted a bag filled with her children's sippy cups, pull ups, and extra sets of clothing over her shoulder, slamming down the trunk door until it latched closed. She made her way to the sidewalk stopping in place when she noticed the couple making their way towards her. Her brown eyes met his green ones as they just stared at each other.
The lady beside him cleared her throat and Jennen plastered on a fake smile. She stayed in place as they slowly walked up to her, cautiously approaching her.
"Hi Jennen." Crystal was the first to speak to her.
Jennen took in her short blond hair that framed her heart-shaped face, her deep green eyes dazzling in the bright Tennessee sun but she saw them hiding something, her smile tight and strained. She watched as Crystal looked at her daughter, who was now asleep with her head resting on her shoulder. Her green eyes scanned over the small child and Jennen held onto her daughter tighter.
"Babe. Kile is knocked out. At least this will be a peaceful shopping trip." Justin said as he wheeled the shopping cart out of the store and onto the sidewalk, stopping when he noticed the couple standing in front of his wife.
He looked over at Jennen, taking in his wife's defensive stance and her tight grip on their daughter. He didn't know what was going on but he didn't like the fact that after nine years here Crystal was, showing up in his life unannounced much like the same way she left. More importantly, he didn't like that Shane was showing back in Jennen's life and he didn't like the way Shane was eyeing his wife right now.
He walked over to Jennen, his hands resting on her hips, kissing her cheek as he moved around her body taking a sleeping Kamryn from her arms. He placed his daughter in the shopping cart with his sleeping son, focusing on taking the bag from Jennen's shoulder also placing it in the shopping cart well aware that all eyes were on his movements.
"How are you Justin?" Crystal asked somehow finding her voice again.
Her green eyes took in his tall frame, when she had left he was a lanky teenager..now though, he was all man. His t-shirt pulled tight across his chest as he wrapped his arms around Jennen, making his biceps bulge. She bit back a moan as he pink tongue licked his lips as he swallowed softly, causing his Adam's apple to move. His messy mop of curls had been cut off, replaced by short sandy brown tendrils. His strong jaw was clenched and she noticed his grip on Jennen tightened.
She looked over at her husband realizing why Justin seemed so protective of Jennen right now. Her husband was practically eye-fucking Jennen. She rolled her eyes feeling jealousy spreading throughout her body. Jennen had always had Shane's affection but now she had Justin's too.
Jennen had Justin's children. Jennen had Justin's last name. When she saw Justin place soft kisses along Jennen's neck, she felt her blood boil. Jennen had his love now too.
She figured he had probably moved on. In fact deep down she knew he had moved on. She never expected him to move on with Jennen though. Not Jennen, the girl who had been dating Shane when she cheated with him. Had he really been that desperate to run into Jennen's arms?
"I'm doing good. I got a wonderful wife and two beautiful kids. I just opened my dream restaurant and it is doing really well. How are you...and Shane?" Justin asked as he eyed Shane.
He hated Shane, not because he ran off with Crystal. He got over that a long time ago. He hated Shane for hurting Jennen. His perfect Jennen. His parents and her parents had been shocked when he started dating Crystal but Jennen had started dating Shane and left him with no choice but to move. He guessed that's why he fell so hard for Crystal, he had put his all into the relationship to forget about Jennen.
When Shane left her though with no word and they found out Crystal had left with him, Jennen had showed up at his doorstep crying. He had taken her in his arms, vowing to himself that she'd never experience any kind of pain as long as he had her in his arms. He had settled for Crystal and he would later admit that only to Jennen.
"We're good. So, Jennen...you and Justin?" Crystal asked, hoping she wasn't glaring at Jennen.
"Yeah. Justin and I are married now. These are our two year twins Kile and Kamryn." She said as she gestured to the twins sleeping in the shopping cart.
"Wow! They're beautiful." Crystal said as she looked over at Justin who was beaming with pride.
"Thanks. So....any kids for ya'll?" Jennen asked and Shane laughed.
"Hell no!" He said as Justin just shook his head and caressed Jennen's stomach with his hand.
"That's a shame. Children are wonderful. Jennen and I are wanting more." He confessed as Jennen nodded and Crystal felt jealousy travel through her again.
"We really should be going. It was um...good running into ya'll. Take care." Justin said as he grabbed Jennen's hand and gently tugged her in the direction of the general store.
"Yeah, it was great seeing ya'll." Crystal said as she looked at him longingly as Shane rolled his eyes.
The couple watched as their former loves walked into the store with their children, going about their happy and complete lives.
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She let out a sigh as she flopped down on the motel bed, ignoring her husband as he paced back and forth.
"Did you see how smug he acted? Really. He's always been an asshole. I don't know why she married him! Maybe she likes being married to an asshole but she could do so much better."
She just rolled her eyes. He had been going on and on like this ever since they had left the general store, accusing Justin of things he hadn't even done.
"He wasn't being smug. You were practically drooling over his wife." She stated as she stared up at the ceiling.
Her heart was breaking. It had been breaking, ever since she had found out he was happy with someone else. It had been breaking, ever since she had watch them shop happily together in the general store. Watching as Justin stole kisses from Jennen while they walked down the various aisles. She had wanted to pull him away from Jennen and kiss him herself. She wanted him to be with her. She wanted his children to be hers too.
"What did you say? First of all I wasn't drooling over Jennen. Even if I was, I couldn't help it. She's fucking hot even after having two kids." He mumbled but she still heard him.
She rose from the bed, walking over to him with a questioning look.
"You think she's hot? Do you want to be with her? Is that what you're telling me?" She asked in a low calm voice even though rage filled her insides.
"No. I'm just stating that she's easy on the eyes. She always been. I just think she can do better than Justin. That's all I'm saying." He said with a shrug of his shoulders.
"Better like you, you mean?" she said with a roll of her eyes.
"Oh don't pull that bullshit with me. I saw you eyeing Justin! You wish you were in Jennen's place, married to him! Don't you?" He shouted at her as he got up in her face.
"You're just jealous of Justin! You wish you were married to Jennen! You can deny it all you want but you can't deny the way you look at her! Even Justin saw it!" She shouted back at him.
"You would notice Justin's reaction! Sometimes you're such a whore. You've always been around him!" Shane shouted as she slapped him.
They had been fighting like this ever since they got married. It had never stopped only getting worse and worse the longer they were married. They both knew that the fire they had for one another died long time ago, maybe before they even left Shelby Forest.
"Get the fuck out! I don't care where you go just get the fuck out!" Shane shouted as she more than gladly got the keys to their car and grabbed her wallet, leaving the hotel in a blubbering mess.
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He walked out of the restaurant, lighting up a cigarette as he looked down the street. Jennen would kill him if she caught him smoking, considering he quit when she got pregnant. There was an emergency at the restaurant though and after many stressful hours he was finally able to head home. He took a few quick puffs before throwing down the cigarette and stomping it out.
He took off his apron, draping it over his arm as he made his way to his SUV. He was fishing out his keys when he spotted her, crying on the steps of the motel. He debated with himself about whether or not he should approach her. They weren't close like that anymore, hadn't been for a while now. He really needed to go home though. Jennen was waiting on him. He listened to her sniffles, deciding a few minutes talking to her wouldn't hurt.
He approached the steps quietly, taking a seat beside her. Both of them silent, him not sure as to what he should say and her embarrassed for crying in front of him. Finally he cleared his throat and she looked up at him.
"Shane and I got into a fight." She whispered and his hand make it's way to her back, running up and down her back much like he would soothe one of his children.
"It'll be okay. Ya'll love each other." Justin said as he tried to soothe her.
"No we don't. We put up a good front but we have so many problems." She confessed and he didn't know what to say, "sometimes I think we should just get divorced."
"Don't say that. Just talk to him not yell at him talk. That always works for Jennen and I. Couples fight, it's healthy but make sure you focus on the problem not the reaction to the problem. You're a great catch Crystal. I'm sure Shane is happy to have you as his wife." Justin said as he rose from his seat, fiddling with his keys.
"Thanks Justin." She said as she threw him a small smile.
"No problem. I've got to get home to my wife. Mom's got the kids tonight so we're finally getting some alone time." He stated with a smile.
"Enjoy your night." She said as she tossed him what she hoped was a smile.
"You too." He said before walking to his SUV and getting in.
She watched the man that she loved leave to be his wife and heart broke a little bit more inside. Being back in Shelby Forest and seeing him made her wish she had never left. Maybe she would stay from now on.
Chapter End Notes:
Thanks for sticking with me. It'll pick up soon. I just have to set it up. Thanks for reading and reviewing!
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