Chapter Fifty Seven

As Jon drove over to the farm, his cell bleeped with a message from the lawyers to say the statement about the divorce had been released as planned. Shaking his head ruefully he tossed the phone onto the passenger seat. How’s that for fucking timing? He’d managed to evade any attention as he left the house by the side entrance and the roads were mercifully quiet. Swinging into the farm, he drove by the yard and straight over to Jenn’s house. Immediately he noticed the absence of her car, he could only hope she was just taking some time out before she came back.

A quick look into the house confirmed nobody was home and when he reached the barn he found that devoid of human activity also. Muttering to himself as he wandered back out into the sunlight he almost collided with Sue coming bustling around the corner.

“Jon!” She made no effort to conceal her surprise at seeing him. “We didn’t expect to see you here today!”

A weak smile was all he could muster as he shrugged his shoulders. “Hey Sue, I guess I don’t really have anywhere else to be right now…..any idea where Steph is?”

She took in his tired appearance, the tousled hair and pale pallor of his skin and made a quick decision. “I’m pretty sure she just went out on a trail ride with Karla so she’s probably gonna be a while”, she smiled cheerfully at him in an attempt to bolster his spirits, “I was just about to make some coffee, why don’t you come and have a cup with me?”

“Sure, why not….” Walking beside Sue back up the bath to the main house he cautiously asked a question, “I don’t suppose you know where Jenn is?”

“Uh……..I think she might be gone shopping…” Sue’s panicked attempt at a little white lie made him smile inwardly. He might have known Jenn would have sworn them to secrecy if she had told them anything at all. Stopping on the path he gently took her arm in his own.

“Sue you know as well as I do that Jenn doesn’t ‘do’ shopping….unless it’s for a damn horse!”

Sue blushed as she shot him an embarrassed look, “Okay that was a pretty awful cover up but I’m not supposed to say!”

“Not supposed to say what exactly?” His pulse quickened as he unintentionally tightened his grip on her arm. Was there more he didn’t know about?

“She got directions for your place off Paul this morning, I think she might have been going over to see your ……eh…to see Dorothea?” Sue fumbled her words awkwardly.

Releasing his grip, Jon sighed with relief. “It’s okay Sue, you’re off the hook, I know about that, I haven’t seen her since though.”

“Ah, right. Well in that case I’ve no idea where she is, sorry!” Side by side, they continued up the path to the back door of the house. “Did you try her cell?” Opening the screen door, she ushered him into the house in front of her.

“No…….I’d rather talk to her in person……..it’s complicated…” Jon wiped his feet on the mat dropping his eye contact but not before Sue caught the quiet shadow of desperation that crossed his face.

Choosing not to probe further for the moment, she showed him to one of the comfortable wicker recliners by the French doors of the modest kitchen. Bustling about brewing the coffee, she made small talk about pretty much everything she could think of, going from the weather to Steph and the horses and ultimately ending up babbling about local politics of all things. Throughout it all, Jon answered politely with nods and inclinations but Sue noticed, he never once tore his gaze from his view of the farm avenue.

Handing him his coffee, she sank down in the recliner opposite wincing as the creaky joints of the chair protested loudly. They had been the only items from her parent’s old farmhouse that she had laid claim to and although they were shabby and worn, she point blank refused to let Paul throw them out.

“You’ve had quite the time of it lately haven’t you?” Observing the cloud of despair which seemed to be hovering over him she spoke softly, “Both of you have.”

He finally met her eyes as he reluctantly turned away from the window. She had always secretly marvelled at his startling blue eyes, Paul would never have let it drop if she had mentioned it but never before had she seen them look so haunted. She only had the briefest outline of what had been happening in his life lately from what her husband had told her but it was clearly obvious that events were taking a heavy toll on him.

“More than you could ever know Sue.” Sighing sadly he looked across at her. “She doesn’t deserve this……” He trailed off with a resigned shrug.

“No, that’s true, she doesn’t but I doubt you do either.”

“Whatever about me, my family’s problems are mine, they shouldn’t be hers.” He shook his head slowly staring back down at his coffee that he held nestled on his lap. “I should have been able to protect her from anymore trauma.”

“Did you ask her Jon?” Sue sat forward in her chair. “Did you ask her if she wanted to be protected?”

A mixture of confusion and surprise rippled through Jon’s brain. “What do you mean?”

“Jon, Jennifer O’Neill is the most independent, stubborn and proud person I know, so what I mean is I don’t think she expects you to do anything except love her………which I think you do.” Settling back in her chair, she sipped at her coffee as she watched him digest her statement. She was probably overstepping boundaries here but she couldn’t stand to see either of them go through anymore.

“She knew coming into this that your ‘situation’ was not simple, granted maybe she didn’t quite realise the extent of it but she hasn’t backed out yet Jon. And for what it’s worth I doubt she ever will, not now.”

She was a little taken aback to see moisture rimming his eyes before he quickly looked away. Without saying anything he took a swallow of coffee and stood up, the recliner squeaking noisily on the tiled floor as it was pushed back.

“I need to go find her………will you call me if she shows up here?”

“Of course.” Remaining seated, Sue looked up at him with concern, the man didn’t look like he was in any fit state to go driving. She had no idea what exactly had gone down between them all over at the house but it obviously hadn’t ended well. 

Placing his coffee cup in the open dishwasher, he straightened his coat and headed for the door not before stopping to look back at her.

“Thanks Sue……..and not just for the coffee. Tell Steph I'll be back later.”

With a quick smile, he was gone out the door and marching back to his car. Watching from her seat by the window, Sue sighed worriedly as she saw him accelerate up the avenue. What was to become of the situation she couldn’t tell but she hoped with all her heart that it could somehow be worked out.