Page 50 of Arrogant Arrival

Even though I know the hit is coming, and I brace for impact, I’m so surprised by the force behind her punch…so much so that I stumble backwards. I grab my jaw and stare wide-eyed at Jolene. Her face wears a strong mask, but her eyes are bleeding before me. She turns back around walks away.

I want to scream for her to listen to me. Let me explain. But what can I say? Pamela set this up to where there’s no way Jolene would believe me. My mind races with what I should do, but I finally get my dumbass in gear and rush after Jolene. No matter how much I cry out her name, she doesn’t slow down. She runs out the door. Before I make it to the door, Ma stands in front of me.

“Jimmy mou! What’s happened?”

“Did you know? Did you help arrange this?”

“What are you talking about? Why would I ask what happened if I knew?”

“Then who let Pamela into my bedroom?”

Ma gasps. “Yourbedroom?She came over, asked about you, and then after a cup of coffee said she needed to go to the restroom. Then you walked in and ran upstairs. I figured she hadn’t come back because you bumped into her.”

“Yeah, you could say I bumped into her. She was laid out half naked on my bed, and practically assaulted me. Jolene walked in and…”

“Oh, Jimmy mou. No adrouli mou.” She takes me in her arms and hugs me. “She’ll come back. Let her cool down, son.”

Yia-Yia clears her throat. “Don’t be a fool. Go after her. At least let her know you’re not still in the bedroom.”

I run out the door and go next door to Bianca’s condo. She answers but hasn’t seen Jolene. I jog into town. Running down each street, quickly scanning everywhere for her. I stop and place my hands on my knees. My lungs are burning and my heart feels like it’s about to pop out of my chest. I didn’t know a broken heart could still beat, but it does. I search all night, but there’s no sign of Jolene.

Jolene

“I basically wrote it out for him. I’m willing to try new experiences and I’m going to be working with his cousin’s magazine. You know what his response was?Nothing.Instead, I go back to the house and find that Greek whore on herkneesin front of him.” I hiss into my cellphone. I’ve just arrived at Athens International Airport. I’m about to tell the family goodbye, and then head back to my life.Alone.

“What did he have to say? Did you knock her on her ass?” Lana asks.

“You bet I did,” I huff out. “I didn’t need him to explain. It was pretty clear.”

“Why?”

“If he wanted a relationship with me, then he would say so. He would ask me to be with him. He would fight for me. Instead, he went and got a sendoff and showed me just how ready he is to commit.”

Lana loudly sighs into the phone. “Really? I don’t know, it sounds like you two were heading somewhere.”

“We were until we came to a fork in the road apparently.”

“Are you not a strong independent woman capable of thinking for herself? What’s with you? In every area of life, you go for what you want except for intimacy. You’ll ask a man to sleep with you but notbewith you? Plus, you told him you don’t date pilots, so maybe he’s scared he’ll get rejected again.”

“I’m just tired of having to beg–”

“Spare me the bullshit. I think you need time to figure out what you want and then go after it. Whether it’s a relationship or new career. Nobody needs to give it to you, and nobody needs to approve of it. You decide what you want and then go after it.”

“Go after it.”

“Yes, go after it. But don’t think anyone rejected you until they actually have said those words. Don’t let that bitch take what you want. You do have a mouth that you can use for something other than–” I end the call before she can finish that sentence.

Turning on my heels, I head back to the group. Since I didn’t want to see Jim again, I stayed with Bianca and Dex last night. I hated asking Bianca to lie to her cousin for me, but she did when he came by. I’ve taken a flight leg to work to get back home earlier than planned, for obvious reasons. They leave Greece today as well, and Dex offered to drive me. It was a sweet offer, but it’s time for the lies to end and for me to travel solo again.

“My cab should arrive at any moment,” I smile and say to Dex.

“Well, I guess we better get this over with before your cab arrives. Don’t want to miss your flight,” Dex says as he extends his hand to me.

The door opens and Martha and Patty hurry in. I stand tall despite my nerves. What if they reject me and don’t even bother saying goodbye? Should I go ahead and save myself by waving bye and running off?

Bianca turns to me and I take little Georgina’s hand in mine. “I’m going to miss you, princess.”

“You don’t have to. You can visit any time. Besides, I’ll be in touch about the blog.”

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