Chapter Thirty

Heaving the saddle back on it’s rack, Jenn slumped on the bench in Paul’s tack room and rested her head in her arms. She quite literally had cried herself out, she simply had no more tears to give. Angry as she was at Jon, her heart had nearly ruled her head again when she saw him standing there. She knew in her soul he hadn’t meant for this to happen but she had to stop it now before both their lives got twisted up in the insanity of it all.

The sound of footfalls coming down the barn jolted her back to reality. Straightening up she rubbed her eyes and blew out a few deep breaths right before Sue peeped around the corner.

“Hey honey………you okay?”

Jenn jumped up and smiled brightly at her. “Hey! Yep just finishing up!” She turned her back to her in an effort to hide her face as she grabbed a damp cloth to rub down the tack she’d just used.

Sue wandered in and sat down on a trunk beside her, watching as Jenn methodically rubbed the leather repeatedly even though it was already shining.

“You know it’s okay to sit still every now and again right?” She kept her voice light and casual. “I couldn’t believe it when Paul said you were still out here riding!” She didn’t mention the fact that he had also told her about meeting Jon and that she had seen him leave in a flurry of gravel not long after.

Keeping her face away from Sue’s view, Jenn attempted a small laugh, “Guess I had a bit too much caffeine today!”

“Jenn………you know you can talk to me about anything right? This has all been a pretty big move for you………I don’t know if I could have done it!” Sue smiled kindly at her, she knew something wasn’t right although she hadn’t ever actually discussed with her whatever relationship was going on with her and Jon.

Glancing back, Jenn relented and hung the bridle up on it’s hook, smiling gratefully.

“Of course I do! You and Paul have been just great to me……” She was wishing fervently that Sue would go, she didn’t know how much longer she could keep up this sunny composure.

“Well why don’t you come on up and have a drink with us tonight?” Sue stood and waited hopefully. As Jenn turned to finally face her, she quickly took in the dark rings under her still red eyes. She had been right to suspect all was not well.

“Thanks but maybe some other time, think I’m just gonna have a bath and hit the hay early tonight”, she sighed and threw the cleaning rag back in the bucket. “My sleeping pattern is still all out of whack!”

Sue, not wanting to push her just nodded, “Of course it is, you haven’t stopped since you got here!” Turning to head out the door she paused, “I mean it though honey, anytime you need to talk, you know where I am.”

Flicking off the light in the tack room, Jenn followed her out the door and gave her arm a soft squeeze. “I won’t forget it, promise!”

Sue admitted defeat to herself and bade her goodnight. Walking back to the main house she worried about what was going on. She was very fond of Jenn and it troubled her knowing that she was upset and alone.

Exhausted, Jenn trudged back to the house, the emptiness seeming to envelope her as soon as the door closed behind her. Her cell still lay in pieces on the kitchen floor from when she had flung it in anger against the wall after texting Jon. Slowly she gathered the scattered pieces, stooping to retrieve the battery pack from beneath the kitchen table. Assembling the various parts, relief flashed through her as the screen flashed back to life. A few seconds later a voice message came through from an unknown number. Warily she pressed the button to retrieve it, half expecting to hear Jon’s voice only for her to smile as Karen’s familiar accent reminded her of home.

“Hey honey………it’s me………I’m not sure what time it is with you right now but……em……I need you to give me a call when you get this babes, okay?………don’t worry about waking me……love you…”

The smile faded as she listened to the message, Karen’s voice had sounded odd, not her usual cheerful self. Jenn’s stomach twisted into a nervous knot as she dialled her number. A quick glance at the kitchen clock told her it was nearly 1am back home in Ireland. Karen picked up on the first ring;

“Hello? Jenn?” Something was definitely wrong, her voice was wrought with tension.

“Karen it’s me! What’s going on?” Jenn gripped the edge of the granite kitchen counter and stared unseeingly at the wall as she listened to her best friends voice start to waver.

“Oh honey……I’m so sorry to do this over the phone…but…” Karen gasped and broke down on the other end of the line, “……you need to come home sweetie………there’s been an accident……your parents………they’re hurt bad……”