No Time Left To Regret

Chapter 17

Joe sped out of the parking lot of the hotel and headed for the apartment he shared with Beth, praying that he wasn't too late and he could stop her from leaving him forever.

Joe found a parking spot, threw the car in park and rushed into the apartment. Calling out Beth's name as he moved from room to room. The last room he checked was their bedroom, which was also empty. Joe sat down on the bed in front of Jonathan's bassinet. Putting his hands together and bringing them up to his lips, he stared at the baby's bed, wishing Jonathan was in it.

He was too late and she was already gone. How could he possibly find her now? Joe sighed, looking to the bassinet one last time. When something caught his eye. He furrowed his eyebrows as he stood up to get a closer look at the object in the bassinet. He picked it up, getting a closer look and a memory burst at the same time.

It was a picture of he and Beth on their first date at the Santa Monica beach pier. Joe remembered taking the picture as he smiled widely and Beth was laughing at a joke Joe had just said moments before the picture was snapped, capturing them within that happy moment forever. How he wished to get that moment back, it's all he wanted.

Staring at the picture, brought an idea to mind. Maybe she had gone to the pier. It was a long shot but the last possible option he had left to get his family back before it was too late.

With the picture in hand, he ran out the door. Climbing into his car and tossing the picture on top of the letter and wedding rings in the passenger seat. Joe headed for the pier, praying the whole time that she would be there.

Joe seemed to reach the Santa Monica Pier in record time. He leaned over, quickly picking up, the letter, picture and wedding rings before hastily exiting the car, shoving the letter and picture into his back pocket and the rings into his front pocket before he got close to the crowd.

He walked quickly, looking for Beth and the baby. There were so many people at the pier, so many Mothers with babies. It was literally looking for a needle in a haystack. But Joe was resilient and not to mention on a mission, so he wasn't giving up until he found his wife and son.

Joe saw Beth, carrying Jonathan in a baby sling in front of her. Walking aimlessly down the boardwalk. He sprinted up to her, bumping into a few people along the way, shouting apologies as he moved as fast as he could through the crowd. He finally reached her and stretched out his arm, grabbing her shoulder to stop her from walking.

"Beth! I'm so glad I found - you." Joe said quickly as the girl turned around to face him. The girl he chased down wasn't Beth, but someone who looked just like her.

"Excuse me, do I know you?" the girl asked, looking at Joe expectantly.

"Um, no. I'm sorry you look just like someone I'm looking for. Sorry to have bothered you."

"It's alright." the girl replied as Joe frowned and began walking away. "I hope you find who your looking for!" the girl called out to Joe, but he was already half way down the other side of the boardwalk.

Just as Joe was walking along, he glanced out onto the beach. He rushed over to the railing and looked over, straining his eyes to see if the girl standing on the beach was who he was looking for or just another look a like. He couldn't tell and he didn't have time to stand there and figure it out.

He stayed along the railing as he moved briskly through the crowd, while keeping his eye on the girl on the beach. Getting closer to the lower railing, that lead to the beach, Joe didn't waste any time jumping that and walking as fast as he could through the sand up to the girl he hoped was Beth. This time he approached this girl differently, not wanting to creep her out like he did the poor last girl he thought was Beth. He stopped a few meters behind the girl. He greeted her softly.

"I've been looking all over for you."

Beth sighed. "What are you doing here, Joe?" she asked remaining unmoving, staring at the waves crash into shore. While rhythmically rubbing Jonathan's back who was sleeping on her chest.

"I've been looking for my family and I found them. Are you alright?" Joe asked moving closer to Beth slowly.

"Yeah, I'm fine - considering I've been left twice to care for your baby alone. But that's fine. Aren't you supposed to be moving on with your life as a single guy with no responsibilities? After all, it is what you wanted." Beth retorted bitterly, turning slightly to look at Joe.

"No, I want to move on with my life with you and JJ. Let's go back home and talk." Joe suggested, placing his arm around her.

"No! I'm not going anywhere with you!" Beth growled, pushing him off her.

"You're my wife and we're gonna go home and work this out! I am not arguing with you in public." Joe spoke lowly and with a bit of venom in his words, as if to show he was in charge of his family.

"I'm not your anything - we're divorced. I'm sure you know that after reading my letter I left at the hotel. So, we have nothing further to discuss." Beth turned and started to walk away from Joe, he was quick to stop her.

"Where are you going?" he asked, grabbing her upper arm.

Beth stopped and looked at Joe.

"I am leaving California, getting as far away from you and your family as possible. I only stopped here to reminisce one last time about the only place where we were really happy." Beth explained.

"I know, I remember. I brought the picture of us here that you left behind in JJ's bassinet. See, I have it, look." Joe pulled the now crumpled picture out of his back pocket, shoving it towards Beth.

She just pushed it away.

"I know what it looks like, Joe. You have no idea how many times I looked at that picture and cried while you were gone. But it's yours to keep, now you can cry over it like I did so many times before. Goodbye Joe." Beth said as she pulled her arm out of his grasp and began walking again towards the pier.

Joe was quickly on her heels.

"No, wait you can't leave. Just wait a second, hear me out." Joe moved in front of Beth now blocking her from moving forward.

"What Joe? Everything's been said. We tried and it didn't work out between us. You don't want to be tied down with a wife and child - you even said so yourself. So I gave you the out you wanted. I'm moving on, just like you did."

"I didn't mean to leave. I was just scared of all the sudden changes. But within an hour of being away from you and JJ I knew that I belonged with the two of you forever." Joe looked down and pulled the rings from his pocket. "I want our marriage and these bands that symbolize that union." Joe grabbed Beth's free hand and slipped the wedding band back onto her left ring finger. "Most of all I want you to take my sorry ass back and let's make this second chance we have been given work out for the best this time."

"Third chance, technically." Beth whispered.

"Ok, my third chance to make amends with you. So, will you take me back?" Beth just looked at him, not giving him an answer. Joe groveled a little more. "I'm sorry for leaving you twice. I'm not leaving you again, I promise. I know I've said that before but I mean it this time. Please forgive me?" Joe pleaded, flashing a frown complete with his protruding bottom lip and sad puppy dog face. He still had a hold of her hand, waiting for a reply.

"Fine, for the baby's sake I will take you back but if you run off again, I can't promise what I might do to you." Beth laughed a sinister laugh, Joe laughed too, until he realized that she might just be serious and would do some bodily harm to him next time, if he did leave. He was worried but relieved at the same time to have his family back. He put his arm around Beth as they walked off the beach and back to their cars.

***Chapter End Notes*** - Thank you for reading, please leave a comment and vote on the chapter if you like it. Only one more chapter of this story remains and then it will be finished. I hope you have liked it so far. Thank you to everyone who has read and liked this story so far. I really appreciate it.