Don't You Go and Carry On With Your Life

Valentine's Day

It's been so long since I've went out on a date for Valentine's Day. Last year and year before that, Alex and I skipped Valentine's Day because he had to work. Austin told me that he was taking me to the Hibachi restaurant, Benihana's, today and I was really excited. Kellin had a date with Vic and Alex was going to keep Kylie. It was his weekend with the kids anyways. I was going to drop Kylie off because Kellin was already gone with Vic. I was dreading going over there and having to face him again. Especially after he confessed that he would find some way to meals me love him again. His behavior was probably going to be unpredictable and sporadic from now own.

I packed Kylie's suitcase for her and finished getting myself ready for Austin. I wanted to drop her off at Alex's house and be back before Austin came to pick me up. I had thirty minutes before Austin would be here so I had plenty of time.

I put on Kylie's shoes for her and grabbed her suitcase. When I opened the door I was met with Austin standing there about to press the doorbell.

"Hey, what are you doing here? I thought we weren't leaving until seven-thirty?" I asked.

"No our reservation is at seven-thirty. I told you I'd pick you up at seven." He chuckled at my confusion.

"No the text you sent me said..." I unlocked my phone so I could read the message back to him.
Austin Carlile

Hey I made our reservation for 7:30 so I guess I'll come get you at around 7 tomorrow.
Read 02/13/16

". . . Never mind I'm an idiot." I hit my head with my palm. "I misread your message, I'm sorry."

"It's cool! I'm sure we can still make it on time." He assured me. "Is that your daughter?" He asked looking down at Kylie.

"Yeah this is Kylie." I said.

"She's so cute." He picked her up and she looked at him trying to see if she knew him.

"Hi." She told him shyly and I laughed.

"Hi!" He said back. "My name is Austin, what’s your name?"

"Kylie." She said.

"It's nice to meet you Kylie. You don't mind if I take your Dad on a date do you?" He asked her.

"No." She shook her head making me smile, even though she doesn't know what a date is.

"Good! I'll have him home by midnight."

"The kids are staying with Alex." I told him.

"Oh in that case I'll have him home tomorrow." He said. He sat her back down and she walked over and grabbed my hand.

"Come on, I need to drop her off at Alex's house." I said.

"We can stop on the way."

"You sure we'll make it?" I asked and he nodded. "Okay. I'll give you the directions there." I told him.

We walked out to Austin car and I stopped at mine to get Kylie's car seat. Austin opened his back door for me and I sat the seat inside of it. Then I picked Kylie up and strapped her into the seat. Austin opened my door for me and I thanked him as I got in. I told him the directions to Alex's place and he got us there in fifteen minutes.

"Okay I'll be right back." I told Austin as I got out. I got Kylie out along with her bag and took her to Alex's door. I was trying to rush so I wouldn't make us late and so I could spend as less time with Alex as possible. I knocked on Alex's door and a few seconds later he opened it.

"Hey... where's Kellin?" Alex asked when he opened the door.

"He's on a date with Vic. Here's her bag." I answered quickly and handed him Kylie's stuff. I kissed Kylie on the cheek and quickly told her I loved her.

"Look Jack before you go can we maybe talk-" Alex said but I interrupted him.

"-Alex I can't." I said before and handed Kylie over to him. Then I walked back to Austin's car. The last thing I needed was to stress about Alex while on a date with Austin.

"That was fast." Austin chuckled as I got in his car.

"I don't want us to miss our date." I said and he nodded.

*************

*Alex*

I watched Jack speed walk off to the passenger side of a black Lincoln. That definitely wasn't his car and I didn't know anyone he knew that drove that kind of car. It was most likely Austin's car and they were probably going a date for Valentine's Day.

I closed the door behind Kylie and I, and sighed. "That should be me taking Jack out on a date tonight." I grumbled to myself.

It's been two months since Jack and I last talked. He had been avoiding more than usually ever since I told him I wasn't going to move on from him. I don't regret talking to him about it. I'm just tired of having to be separated from him and our kids. I was hoping that as soon as he and Austin broke up we could get back together. And if he's not ready after that, then I'll continue to wait. I didn't want to be with anyone other than Jack, the hardest part was watching him be with someone else. There was no way he didn't love me deep down inside. He was probably lying to himself about his feelings. I was going to try my best to make him come to terms with the truth.

"Kylie lets go buy your Dad a Valentine's Day present." I told her and she nodded.

I grabbed my car keys and took us to the Target closest my house. I wanted to buy Jack a something just so he would know that I was thinking about him. I also needed to really start competing with Austin now. I needed to show Jack that I was way better than him. Doing that was going to be difficult, but rewarding nonetheless.

When Kylie and I made it to the store, I went to the flower aisle hoping they had red tulips still. I walked down and saw that there were a few tulip bouquets left. Everyone always bought roses for this holiday thankfully. I grabbed the tulips and turned to get Kylie so we could walk to the Valentine's Day candy aisle. She wasn't right behind me anymore. She all the way at the end of the aisle pointing at something.

"What is it Kyls?" I asked.

"Untle!" She exclaimed.

"What?" I asked.

"Untle!" She repeated and I walked over to see what she saw. I regretted it as soon as I stepped over. She was pointing at Joe, Jack's brother, as he looked at Valentine's Day cards on another aisle. I felt my stomach dropped once he looked over and spotted us. He smiled mincingly and started walking in our direction. I took a step back every step he took towards us. That man scared the shit out of me. He acted more like Jack's dad then his brother. We've never had a conversation where he wasn't threatening me. This was the first time he was seeing me after Jack and I's divorce.

"Well well well look who we have here." He chuckled.

"Uh h-hi Joe. H-how have you been?" I stammered.

"Better now that I'm finally running into you. I've been hoping for this for a while now."

"I um know that I've messed up badly, by doing the number one thing you told me not to do to Jack (break his heart), but I swear I'm trying to fix it now." I said and he chuckled.

"I don't want you to fix it. I told you what I would do if you ever hurt him. What was it that I said again, Alex?" He asked and I gulped.

"You um said that you would break my heart too." I mumbled.

"No no no I said ‘I would physically break your heart.’ That's the most important part. Tell me, lawyer, how much time would I serve for killing you right this second?"

"Well since you're doing it out of anger it would be second degree m-murder. So you would get fifteen years to life." I said and he nodded and thought it over.

"Nah I won't kill you...today. But I want you to stay away from Jack. He deserves better than you and you know it." He spat at me. I understood where he was coming from. If anyone ever cheated on Kellin or Kylie I would want them dead, but I know I could fix this if he and Jack gave me the chance.

"I can be better for him." I promised and he shook his head.

"No you'll only end up hurting him again. Stay away from him or I will hunt you down and break your jaw. The only reason you're not incapacitated right now is because Kylie is here." He threatened.

"Joe I swear I love Jack more than anything in thi-"

"-You're not understanding me. Stay the hell away from Jack or I will end your life. I'll happily do the jail time if that means you won't be around to bother him anymore. Do you understand?" He asked and I looked down and nodded. "Good. Now put the tulips down and leave." He demanded.

I sat the flowers back on the counter and picked Kylie up. She waved goodbye to Joe as I walked us to the exit to leave. Once we got to my car, I buckled Kylie in her car seat and got in the driver seat. I sat in the parking lot thinking about what to do next. I still wanted to get the flowers for Jack despite all the threats Joe told me. I don't think he would really kill me, but he wouldn't think twice about actually hurting me. The only way to get Jack back was to constantly remind him that I still loved him. If that meant I would have to take a few punches from Joe then so be it.

I drove Kylie and me to another Target further away from my house. We quickly went inside and I bought the last bouquet of red tulips they had. Then I grabbed a box of Jack's favorite chocolate. This wasn't going to make Jack fall back in love with me, but it was going to start off letting him know that I was serious about not moving on.

Once we checked out, I drove us to Jack's house so I could place the gifts on the porch for him. I wish I had Kellin's house key so I could place them inside, but this would have to do for now. I wrote on the card that came with the flowers for Jack and then place them down on the ground. I wasn't sure when he would be back from his date to get them.

I got back in my car and drove Kylie and me home.

************

*Jack*

Austin brought me back home the next morning. He had to work Saturday mornings so he brought me home on his way to work. He was running a little late because I decided to join him in the shower. I waved as he drove away and then I walked to my front door. I saw something sitting on my porch the closer I got. I noticed it was flowers and chocolate. I picked them up and read the card that came along with it.

"I love you." Was all it said.

Austin was so sweet. He took me out for dinner and dessert and then he still had flowers and chocolate sent to my house. I wondered how he knew my favorite chocolate was dark mint chocolate. I stood there for a few minutes trying to think of how he could have found that out. I don't remember him asking me about it and I don't think he trick me into giving him the answer. I looked down at the card again and noticed that the hand writing looked way too familiar. This wasn't from Austin.

I sighed as I took the flowers and chocolate inside. Of course Alex bought me something for Valentine's Day. He was trying to "win" me back by being romantic. I contemplated whether or not I should call him and ask him not to do stuff like this for me. It was probably the only way I would get him to stop.

I picked up my phone and pressed his name to call him. The phone only rang once before he was answering.

"Did you like your flowers and chocolate?" He asked as soon as he answered and I rolled my eyes.

"Alex, why did you buy me this stuff? I thought I told you to move on." I sighed.

"And I told you that I can't do that. I know you don't want to believe me but I'm still in love with you and I'm going to get you to realize that you still love me too."

"Flowers and chocolate aren't going to get me to love you back." I chuckled.

"Well I guess I better start trying harder." He said and hung up.

I looked down at my phone and sighed.

"Damnit."

Notes

Alex isn't giving up any time soon!