Chapter 19

One morning, Justin woke up early and was packing a bag when Jenn woke up. 

“Where are you going?” Jenn asked. 

“I’ve got rehearsals coming up for the tour. I’m gonna be gone for a bit. I’ll try to be back in a few days, but it’s gonna be a lot of back and forth with meetings and various rehearsals for choreography and working with Kevin and the band.”

“You HAVE to go? Now?” She begged. 

“Jenn, I’ve put this off as much as I could. The tour starts in less than 6 weeks. We knew I’d have to go at some point.” She could sense the disappointment in his voice. 

“I need you here. Mom is still in the hospital, we don’t know when she’s going to get to come home.” Jenn’s voice was shaking. 

“I know, but you said I couldn’t stop from going on tour just for you,” he sighed. 

“That was with dad, and everything was so far away at that point. Now it’s Mom and I need you HERE!”

“Jenn, I can’t. I’m sorry. I love you, but I have to do this. It’s not just me anymore, it’s the crew, dancers, band. If I cancel everything, it affects them, too.”

“Forget them. I’m your fiancée. You said my family means the world to you. Stay.  Please, Justin, stay. I need you.”  

Justin couldn’t look at her. He felt so defeated. “I know, but I can’t. That’s why I tried to do this early in the morning, so I’d be gone before you woke up.”

“So I’d find you gone with only a note to explain things?!”

“So I wouldn’t have to see your face, hear your voice and STILL have to walk out. I have no choice Jenn, there’s too much riding on this. I’ll be back for Thanksgiving and Christmas. We’ll see about doing Christmas here if Mom can’t travel.  I’ll do my best to come back as much as I can, I promise to call every night.  But I have to go. I’m sorry.”  He finished packing his bag and he left. 

Jenn just sat on their bed, sobbing. She felt helpless on a good day, now her support system was gone. How was she going to get through this?