A very broken man some day
The Yellow House felt more lonely for Jackson when he thought about his wife leaving home again when she had just arrived home weeks ago. Jackson did not know how long this next trip was going to take, but he only had to bear with her for one more year.
"When will you come back from England?" Jackson asked.
"I will be gone for a few days or a week but not a month because there are still some things I need to handle before coming home," Jennie explained.
"Okay, you can go on this trip since it is important for your job. You should also not stress. I am not mad anymore, and I will be here waiting for you to come home to me." Jackson assured her.
"I love you so much. I don't know what I did in my past life to deserve a husband like you, but I am glad that you fell in love with me." Jennie said. She then kissed Jackson before running upstairs to pack for the trip.
Jackson took a seat on the couch as he waited for his wife to come down. He had this awful feeling in his stomach that he could not shake off. Something did not seem right to Jackson, and yet he did not understand what it was.
"Babe, I will be back soon. I promise. When I return home, we can work on our marriage together and fix whatever that has been broken or wounded in this relationship. Then we can move on and start fresh." Jennie announced after she came down with her bag.
"That's cool with me. Do you want me to drive you to the airport?" Jackson asked.
"I have already called an Uber, and it will be here in a few minutes. You have to go to work today." Jennie replied.
"Fine. But call me when you get there. Okay?" Jackson said.
"Beep!" A car honk sounded outside.
"That's my ride. I promise to call you as soon as I land in England." Jennie assured him.
Jackson grabbed her bag and escorted her to the taxi. He kissed Jennie, watched her get into the cab, and saw the driver driving away before Jackson when back into his home.
He hurried into the guest room where he had already prepared his work clothes for that day, took a cold shower, and got dressed for work.
Knowing that Julie would be awake by this hour, Jackson messages her to find out if she too was prepared for work. Once Julie texts him back, saying that she was ready, Jackson left the guest room and out of his house.
Steven was already waiting outside his company for Jackson and Jennie when Jackson's car drove in. Jackson parked the vehicle, he and Julie got out and approached Steven.
"Good morning, Jul," Steven said with a smile.
It was only Jackson, Julie, and Steven outside the building and Julie felt safe enough to give Steven a hug and a morning kiss.
"Morning, babe!" Julie sweetly replied.
"Okay! Get a room, you two love doves." Jackson said with a giggle as he walked past them.
"Bro! Where are you going?" Steven screamed.
"To buy something to eat from the breakfast café. I didn't eat much this morning since Jennie had traveled, and now I am starving again." Jackson shouted as he continued walking.
"What the heck! Jennie out of the country? Why? When? How? For what?" Steven screamed back, but his buddy was too far away to hear him. Everything about his friend's marriage was confusing Steven, and he knew that Jackson was also confused and hurting right now.
"Babe, I got to follow him. See you later, and I love you." Steven said before releasing his hands from around Julie.
"I love you too," Julie whispers as she watches Steven running after his friend.
"Good morning, Kate!" Julie said in shock when she entered the building and saw Kate gazing at her with excitement in her eyes.
"When did you start dating our Boss?" Kate eagerly asked.
Julie could not dodge this question since she could tell from the way Kate's eyes widened that her colleague already saw what happened outside.
"I guess it's been weeks plus," Julie answered in a low tone.
"Ahhhhhh! OMG! WOW! You are now my role model." Kate screamed with Joy. She then jumps on Julie and gives her a big hug.
Julie felt awkward at first since she did not have a girlfriend to be this happy for her. But after embracing Kate for three seconds, it felt good to know someone cared.
Steven entered the café and saw Jackson eating an apple pie. He sat at the table where Jackson was seated and made an order to the waitress for a hot cup of coffee.
"You don't seem like yourself this morning. Do you want to tell me what's going on with you and Jennie?" Steven asked.
Jennie left for a business trip this morning that's all. I am fine. So don't worry about me." Jackson replied.
"If we were two years into our friendship, maybe I would have believed what you just said. But I have known you for a decade, and you are lying to me right now about you being okay." Steven stated.
Jackson kept eating his breakfast, pretending like he did not hear a word Steven had just said. There was nothing Jackson felt like telling his friend about concerning this matter. Steven seems happy now, and he did not want to ruin that for him by talking about complicated marital issues.
Steven kept waiting for his friend to say something. But after a minute or two, he knew that Jackson was not going to tell him anything. So Steven left the subject alone, and they had breakfast in silence.
"Did you hear from Chris yesterday?" Jackson asked as he and Steven left the café. He felt the quietness was getting too awkward for him and wanted to make small talk with Steven to change the mood.
"Nope!" Steven replied. After his answer, he and his buddy continue walking in silence until they reach the company. Steven wished that Jackson could take the advice he gave to Steven about being honest and use it for himself. Because right now, he knew that there was too much Jackson was holding inside and not expressing.
"If you continue putting yourself last and everyone's feelings first, you are going to end up a very broken man someday!" Steven stated to Jackson before walking off to his office and leaving his friend in the company lobby.