AJ took a deep breath as he stood at Jen's mothers front door. In his hand he held a dozen roses that he had brought for Jen. She didn't know that he was coming and he wanted it that way. The element of surprise just the way he liked it. Or if course just in case he chickened out he wouldn't have to come up with an excuse. He took another deep breath and rang the bell. AJ waited for what felt like an eternity until Jen showed up at the door.
"AJ, hi," she said surprised that he was there.
"Hi Jen. These are for you," he said pulling the roses out from behinh his back and handing them to Jen.
"Thank you AJ they're beautiful, but why?"
"Because I love you," he said, "I wanted to tell you so many times, but I just couldn't. I finally found the courage to tell you."
"AJ....," she said looking at the roses, "I don't know what to say."
"Tell me that you love me, lets be together again," he said. She looked at him with tears in her eyes.
"I love you," she said. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. He didn't know what else to do. She threw his arms around him and held him to her.
"I'm sorry about what happened before. I'm not scared any more so I won't run, you don't have to worry about that," AJ explained. Jen smiled as tears of joy consumed her face.
"Lets just take this one step at a time this time around," Jen said.
"Anything you want, I'm not going anywhere."
"Thank you for coming back to me. The other day when I talked to you, I wanted to tell you, but I just couldn't. I thought that you had moved on."
"Never."
"Come in," she said still not letting AJ go, "my mom had something to take car of, she won't be back until later."
"Okay," he said letting her go and stepping inside the house. They went into the living room where Anthony was playing.
"Ma ma!!" Anthony yelled when she walked in.
"He's talking?" AJ asked.
"Yeah." She smiled.
"That's great."
"You remember uncle AJ?" Jen said to Anthony, hoping that he would pick it up, but he just sat there and looked at AJ.
"It's okay," he said, "he's still young. Besides, mama is a great start don't you think?"
"Yeah, it is." He smiled and lightly kissed Jen on her lips. She smiled, she was glad to have AJ back in her life.
*The Next Day*
AJ hummed as he walked into the conference room. Brian looked at him and smiled. He had no idea what AJ was so happy about.
"Hey man," Brian said.
"Hey," AJ answered.
"What's gotten into you?" he asked.
"Me and Jen got back together," he told him.
"Really?"
"Yeah, yesterday. I showed up at her door and told her how I felt, and she felt the same way." Brian looked at AJ, with his smile gone. "What's wrong?" AJ asked, worried.
"Nothing, nothing," Brian answered quickly.
"Then why do you look like you just saw a ghost or something?"
"I just don't know if you seeing her is the best idea. She told Nick she loved him. I think he believes her and Anthony.."
"That was fake. She told me. I called her after I hung up with you but she wasn't home so her mom gave her a message and she called me back. I told her what you had told me and she said that she lied to him so that she could get him to see Anthony and so that it gave her time to think of something else to come up with."
"She told you that?"
"Yeah, she said that he was I guess coming on to her and she had to tell him that she faked it. Why? Has she told you something else?"
"No. I just can't believe that's what she did."
"Why not? He desirves it. It's not like he was truthful with her when they were together. He finally knows how it feels to be lied to."
"I guess," Brian said as Nick and Howie came into the room.
"Hey guys," Howie said.
"What's up?" Brian asked, "Hey Nick."
"Hi," Nick answered.
"Whats wrong?"
"Nothing at all. Just glad to be alive."
"You don't seem it."
"I'm just tired that's all. I didn't sleep at all last night. I had a lot on my mind."
"Sorry I'm late," Kevin said walking in, "The gangs all here again."
"Yeah, it almost didn't happen," Brian said.
"Yeah, Nick, you gave us quite a scare last month," Kevin said.
"I scared myself."
"I bet you did. Never the less, we're glad that you're okay. I can speak for all of us when I say what the hell were you thinking?" Kevin comment with laughter following.
"Who the hell knows anymore. I don't think that I was thinking very much of anything at that point," Nick said.
"Tell me about it." Nick laughed.
"Okay, I get it," Nick told them.
"So, are you going to watch after Anthony?" Howie asked.
"Yeah, I'm gonna be there."
"That's great," Brian said, "I wish you luck."
"Thanks," Nick said looking at Brian.
"How you feeling to be out of the hospital?" Howie asked.
"I'm glad. I really wanted to get my life started."
"I don't blame you," Kevin said, "Hey, AJ, you've been pretty quiet."
"I really don't know what to say," he told them.
"Oh," Kevin said. Nick looked over at AJ, and he had a feeling that something was going on between him and Jen. He just knew it. Why was that getting to him? There was nothing there for him and Jen and he knew it. AJ and her was the perfect match and it killed him inside to know that.
"Well, it's great to see you anyway," Nick said to AJ.
"I guess it is." A silence fell over the guys as they sat there. AJ wasn't sure if he should tell Nick about him and Jen then. He knew that he was going to find out about it anyway because he said that he was going to be around Anthony. Brian looked over towards AJ and sighed.
"So, we are here to take care of business, so lets get started," Brian said.
Chapter 30