Chapter 42
Jade
“Sophie and Willow, can you please go wash your hands? Dinner’s getting dished up.
” Toni shouted at the girls who were playing in the backyard.
She stood at the door, waiting for them to come into the house and rolled her eyes at Jade.
“You’d swear they never spent time outside before and asking them to come in is the worst request they’ve ever heard! ”
Jade chuckled, “a bit like me when I was their age.”
“You can say that again,” Fiona looked over at Jade and waved the serving spoon in her direction. “It hasn’t improved much over the years either, it’s a miracle on Fridays when you’re here on time.”
“Oooh, is this ‘everyone gang-up on Jade Day’?” Evan asked as he came into the kitchen followed by Rob. “Because I can totally get on board with that.”
“No, it’s not,” Jade argued, “that was last week, not my fault I wasn’t here.” She grinned at her brother but felt it waver.
It had been the longest week of Jade’s life without any communication from April. They all knew it.
Jade had gone back and forth in her mind over the past few days, but had decided that no matter what, she would make it work.
If April really needed to follow her dad’s plan, Jade would try to get on board with it if it meant she didn’t lose the woman she loved.
She didn’t really do social media anyway, and wasn’t a regular follower of entertainment news, so chances were, she wouldn’t see the photos or hear the implicated update on April’s romance with her mixed-doubles partner, Simon anyway.
Yet in doing so, she couldn’t wonder if she was compromising her own beliefs for someone else? She wasn’t sure anymore.
Dinner was various stuffed potatoes and mixed salad.
Jade felt herself eating it but not really tasting it as she was so preoccupied.
She felt guilty as she’d been away for so long and had missed these dinners when she wasn’t there.
The kids were chatty; Willow was finally opening up around them all a bit more since she and Toni had started moving their things in with Evan and Sophie over the past few days.
The little spark of confidence was great to see.
Yet Jade felt like she just couldn’t bring her focus to the room.
After the meal was finished and the table was cleared, they all made their way through to the living room. Her Dad had suggested watching TV for a short while before they had dessert. Jade lingered in the kitchen until Cleo came to find her.
“I know you’re elsewhere today,” her sister said as she sat in the chair beside her, “and that’s ok, none of us are judging you for it. But I really think you need to come through to the living room just now.”
“Cleo, please, just give me a few minutes, ok?” Jade pleaded.
“I don’t like seeing you hurting like this, Jae.
You’re hiding yourself, and it’s not like you.
” The concern was written all over Cleo’s face and in her voice.
“I get that what has happened isn’t what you expected, but it doesn’t change who she is or what she means to you.
” Cleo dipped her head to catch Jade’s eye.
“You just have to remember, the only reason this happened is because of what you mean to each other. Those people only brought it up because it was obvious you were more than just friends simply walking side-by-side. That’s a good thing. ” Cleo said with a smile.
“Yeah, I know.” Jade agreed softly.
“So, with that said, get your backside through to the living room and come watch TV with everyone.” Cleo said, “I’ll even let you sit beside me. On the floor. The mini humans have claimed a chair each. Unless you want to help me move them?” Cleo smirked.
Jade caved and smiled a little, “Let them keep their chairs, I’m happy enough on the floor.”
She followed Cleo through to where the rest of her family sat watching the TV.
“Hurry, it’s about to start!” Ivy said from her seat on the floor in front of Sophie.
“What’s about to start?” Jade asked as she and Cleo joined Ivy on the floor.
“Ssssh,” Jade’s Mom said and simply pointed at the TV.
Jade watched, as the popular interview talk show started. The host, Blair Collins, began the show as always introducing the three guests who would be involved that night. But as that night’s guests were introduced, the room fell silent.
There, in the show’s greenroom, alongside a legend of cinema and a popular comedienne, sat her partner.
On TV. Looking as breathtakingly beautiful as she ever had.
Looking exactly the same as the first time Jade laid eyes on her.
Actually, she was dressed exactly the same.
Except for one small addition: the star-shaped diamond necklace Jade gave her to wear at Dani’s wedding.
The air left Jade’s lungs as she saw the necklace, and a smile grew on her face. She felt Ivy’s hand reach out and squeezed her knee, followed by Cleo’s resting on top.
“Jade!” Willow exclaimed, “April’s on TV!”
“Yeah, it seems that way, Wills,” Jade said, disbelieving her own eyes which she couldn’t tear away from the screen.
The room fell silent as they watched the first two guests getting interviewed.
They listened comfortably to the actor who they had watched in numerous movies throughout their lives.
They laughed at the comedienne’s stories and the interaction between her and the actor who she was clearly fangirling over.
Then it was April’s turn. As the final guest, she would be given the shortest amount of airtime. Jade wondered what she would say in those short few minutes.
“Now, April, am I right in saying this is your first time doing any talk show?” Blair asked.
April smiled nervously, “yes, that’s right.”
“With all you have going on just now, winning quite a few titles this year so far, missing out on others by the skin of your teeth, and now about to compete in the US Open starting this weekend in New York, you’re a busy young woman,” Blair began.
“I don’t know a great deal about tennis, but I’d imagine with all that training and travel and competing, you don't get much downtime?”
April laughed, “there’s not a great deal of it, no, but I don’t compete at every tournament. That allows me to have recovery time.”
“Oh, I’ve seen those awful ice baths, do you have to use those?” Blair asked with a laugh, the other guests joining in.
“Yes, I have to use them, they’re not my favorite, I’ll say that much,” April laughed.
“I also schedule time off to train on the different surface types ahead of the tournaments I compete at. Clay would be the trickiest for me, but it’s also my most successful in terms of title wins.
But I also take time off for select family things, like attending my best friend’s wedding a few weeks ago. ”
“Oh, I do love a good wedding! So, tell me, did you fly solo for the wedding, or did you enjoy a special someone’s company there?” Blair asked.
Jade gasped. What was she going to say to that? Was April really about to do this? She edged closer to the TV screen, as if sitting closer would help her hear April’s answer before everyone else.
“Well, for the wedding I flew solo,” April answered, before adding with a smile as she touched the necklace. “My special someone had to work.”
And there it was. Jade’s eyes filled, her mom let out a squeal before her hand flew up to cover her mouth, Evan sat forward on his seat, and she felt Sophie’s arms wrap around her neck in a hug.
“That’s you, Auntie Jade,” her niece whispered in her ear.
“Yeah, Squirt, that’s me,” Jade said with a teary smile.
“Ssssh”, Toni demanded, “listen.”
“Are they a tennis player like you? Are you the next power couple of the courts?” Blair asked with a mischievous grin.
April laughed, “No, they’re not a tennis player, but they do work in sports as a physical therapist.” Her hand reaching for her star-shaped necklace again and smiling.
Blair’s tone shifted and became much calmer than his usual energetic manner, “I get the impression whoever they are must be extremely special to you, given the smile on your face when you talk about them.”
April lowered her head slightly and blushed with a smile. Jade held her breath at the same time she saw April take a large breath before finally saying, “Yes, she really is someone incredibly special.”
That was what did it; Jade’s eyes overflowed. She didn’t bother to wipe any of the tears away; they were the happiest ones that had ever fallen from her eyes.
“Now, kiddo,” Jade turned to her dad, “She’s made her declaration; how are you going to make yours?”
“Well, I’ve been thinking about this,” Cleo started, “And I have a plan, but you need to give me an hour to make some calls.”
Jade turned to her sister through a teary laugh, "I’m all ears.”