It's complicated

Dry martini with a twist

~

"I thought you weren't coming"
Jake didn't at all seem surprised when, ten minutes later, Jane opened the door of the car and sat down in the front seat next to him. In fact, he had purposely waited to see if his ex-wife would decide to join him.
Jane took a deep breath and stared out to the road ahead "well...I reconsidered" she held her head up high as she gave Jake a side glance that was that quick, Miranda Priestly would've been jealous.
Jake turned the keys and smirked as the engine started.
"Restaurant or mine?" He asked.
"If your driving doesn't kill me, your food certainly would" Jane couldn't help but smile.
"Restaurant it is then"
Jane scanned his hands and raised an eyebrow when she realised a certain golden item was missing. "Your ring" she muttered "your not wearing it"
"And neither are you" he smirked.
"The difference being that I've been divorced for the past ten years" Jane narrowed her eyes at him, waiting for an explanation.
"I posted it"
"You posted it?" Jane chuckled.
"To Agnes" Jake explained as his eyes delicately scanned her "she threw hers in a river which, even I'll admit, was a tad dramatic so I decided to post it to her"
"...and why am I not believing that the ring arrived alone" Jane smirked.
"Because it didn't" Jake admitted "it arrived wrapped around the divorce papers"
"That's something only you would do" Jane smirked "smarter than the whole river thing, I'll give you that"
"Was that a compliment?"
"No, just a thought"
A small smirk was exchanged between them.
"How are the kids?" Jake asked.
"Suspicious" Jane gave Jake a quick side glance, hoping to catch her ex-husbands reaction.
"When are they ever not suspicious"
"When nothing's going on" Jane shrugged Her shoulders as she repositioned herself on the chair so she could see Jake's face.
"And something is going on?"
Jane narrowed her eyes at his braveness "theres nothing going on.....but"
"But...?"
"But..." Jane repeated "...there is"
"Now I'm even more confused" Jake smirked.
"Well...if you wanted a direct answer, you should've asked a direct question"
"Ok" Jake chuckled "you want a direct question...no problem. What is this? What are we? Friends or...."
"...what do you think we are, Jake?" She interrupted him before he could say the one word she dreaded. More. He always wants more.
"I ask a direct question and still get a confusing answer" Jake chuckled "you've always managed to be in control of your life. The business, the kids....kicking me out." Jake smirked when he heard Janes sharp intake of breath. Jane's head swung round, she wasn't going to like what he had to say but perhaps it would just be the thing she needed to hear. "But now.....now your confused" he continued "You don't know what to do. The decisions in your hands, there's no doubt about that. You don't know whether you should continue making the kids happy or do something that would make you happy, just because it might 'rock the boat' at home"
Jane stared at the ground for a few seconds before she finally built up the courage to look Jake in the eye. He was right, he was always right. He knew her inside and out, she couldn't deny it.
"....and would it make me happy?" She whispered, their eyes still connected. Jake cleared his throat and took the red light as a chance to stop and look round at her. Jane's eyes grew watery, perhaps they already were. She hadn't noticed until a single tear dripped onto her dress.
"I sincerely hope so" he whispered in a tone just as quiet "I'd make it my mission if you'd allow me. They say it takes ten thousand hours to master something. I've had thirty years, how could I fail?"
"You've failed before"
"But that was ten years ago. I was blinded. I thought getting to be a partner in the company was what I should be aiming for, what I should put all my time and effort into." Jake surprised himself my his own words, he couldn't even begin to imagine what Jane was thinking.
"Wasn't it?.....isn't it?"
"No. I should've been living for the kids.....you"
Jane turned her head away and chose to stare out the side window. She traced her fingers along her lips as she carefully thought about what Jake had said.....all of what he had said.
The traffic lights changed back to green, Jake's hand returned to the steering wheel, but it wasn't alone. Jane's hand lay on top. Jake smirked as her hands returned back to her side. The rest of the journey was made in complete silence. Jane watched the city go by. Young couples held on to each other as they tried their best to run through the sudden rain shower. Who was she kidding. She's too old to start again. She could forgive, but she'd never forget.
The car came to a sudden stop when Jane had her thoughts all but concluded.
"Think back to yesterday"
Jane's head span round at Jake's words.
"Yesterday?" She repeated.
"We had fun, we were carefree. We didn't think about anyone but ourselves. We did what we wanted to do and didn't have to put a name to it"
He was right.
"...until our eldest nearly caught us" Jane reminded him.
"And what if she had caught us?" Jake asked.
Jane opened her mouth to respond but nothing came to mind. What would Lauren have done if she'd caught them? She would've been disappointed but what would she have actually done.
Nothing.
"You can't think of anything" Jake smirked.
"No...but something will come to mind"
"But it won't" Jake argued "because we both know that she would've said a few harsh words, stormed off then fell into our arms and apologised the next morning"
"Perhaps" Jane let a sigh escape her lips "but.."
"But...What?"
"I'm too old for all....this" she placed a hand to the side of her head as she felt a small head ache coming on "I'm too old to start again" she whispered.
"Janey"
"Yes?" Jane's head spun round.
"Shut up"
Jane didn't get time to react. His lips pressed against hers. She tried to stop him as her head pushed back against the leather seat. The kids. But for some reason the message from her head, didn't seem to reach the other parts of her body. What could she do? She'd fallen for Jake Adler all over again. Literally.

~