As Jessica strolled into the park, she noticed the slight breeze rustle the leaves making them fall to the solid ground one by one. She made her way over to a vacant bench set a little away from the hustle and bustle of kids and families. Looking up at the tree that once served as shade for the bench area, she noticed that the leaves that once filled the branches had almost all fallen. Down they come like multicolored rain. Golds, reds and browns. Then her eyes caught the movement of one particular leaf, as it made it's final journey to the earth. It fell in a graceful tumbling motion, seeking the least resistance from the autumnal air.

An excited and happy squeal caused her to turn and look at a little as she ran by. A broad smile on her face as she was being chased by her father. Jessica watched as the man effortlessly catch the little girl, lifting her into the air causing her to release another round of happy squeals.

Her eyes moved from them to a young couple curled up together with a blanket draped around them. They both seem to be sharing the same book. The woman looked up at her partner and he rewarded her with a kiss. Jessica closed her eyes and looked away.

Loves seem to come easy to everyone else but me. I don't understand.

Loneliness sounds like such an easy thing to fix, find a friend, reach out to someone who cares. Yet every time she let someone in the pain and disappointment was never far behind. There are nights it takes a hold of her. Growing steadily until it dominated her emotions, she would lie awake wishing for daylight to come. Somehow the light of day always made things a bit more OK.

Javier's betrayal had cut her deep. It came as a surprise blow to her already insecure emotions. At work she put on her bravest face, pretending everything was alright, simply because she didn't want him knowing just how badly she was affected. The truth is she was very much falling apart. What made it worse was she wanted comfort, from him. For the sake of her pride though she resisted the urge when he was near.

“Fancy running into you here”

Jessica turn at the sudden intrusion of her quiet internal battlefield. She did not expect to see Bethany standing there. Suddenly her self pity was replaced by anger and she clenched her hands into a fist where they laid on her lap.

“May I help you?” She replied in a chill tone

“Yes. You can start by stop trying to sabotage my marriage.” Said Bethany as she sent her a pointed glare.

“Marriage implies you would have already gone through the bells and whistles and entire trimming that comes with the ceremony. Last I checked you don't even have a ring on your finger”

“Thanks to you!”

“How is any of this my fault? Last I checked I'm the one being chased, but tell me Bethany, who's chasing you?”

The other woman look livid, ready to strike out at any minute. Jessica braced herself for it.

“Look Erika…” She began

“Jessica...its Jessica”

“Hmm. I just came here to give you some friendly advice.”

“Friendly? I wouldn't quite say your handshake matches the smile on your face”

“And what's that suppose to mean?” She snarled

“It means I know you're the carbon copy. There's nothing real about you”

Jessica got up and walked away, every intension of getting as far away from the other woman.

“If you care about him walk away. He won't have the life he's suppose to if he's tied down to you.”

“A life I'm sure you think you can give him?”

“Naturally.”

Jessica shook her head and walked away. On her walk back to her apartment she came to the conclusion that she needed a break. Which is why she went back to her apartment to pack a bag and catch a bus back home.

“OK what's wrong” asked Jordon looking at her with one eyebrow raised.

She hates when he does that. That usually means you're in store for one of his famous interrogations.

“Does something have to be wrong for me to come home?” She asked

“Yes” all her brother's replied

She looked behind Jordon to see the rest on them seated on they large family couch obviously in the middle of takeout dinner.

“Can you move away from the door. Its cold out here and I'm hungry and tired” she complained

She exhaled when Jordon nodded and took her bag from her shoulder and moved so she could walk in. She immediately took one of the disposable plates and pilled it with pizza and wings and swiped Jason's half drunken bottle if beer.

“Sure you can have my beer sis” he grumbled

“Thank you your too kind” she replied with a cheeky grin.

She dug into the food and her taste buds watered in appreciation when she bit a piece of the wings. She looked up to see that all her brothers had paused with their eating and were staring at her with odd expressions.

“Do I have something on my face?” She asked over a mouth full of chicken.

They shook their head no and went back to eating their own food.

“Who is he?” She heard Jordon ask in a clipped tone.

She sighed and wiped her hands before looking over at him.

“Him who?” She asked

“The guy that obviously hurt you to have you running home with your tail between your legs”

“I can't just miss you guys?” She asked defensively

“I didn't say that. If you missed us you would have called us more often than you do which is almost never”

She winced at his accusatory tone. She knew he was right. She had gotten so caught up in her internship and Javier she had been neglecting everything else.

“I'm sorry.” She replied

“You don't have to be. We're glad you're home. At least I am”

She giggled at they way Jason and Joseph glared at him.

“What I'm trying to say is that we worry about you sometimes. We know you're and adult now but you're also our little sister. If a guy is giving you a hard time we would like to know” said Jordon.

"Its nothing worth mentioning." She replied with a shrug

"Liar liar". Her conscience screamed at her. "Yeah but they don't need to know that." She thought.

"If you say so" he grumbled

And man she she wrong. She woke up to the biggest surprise on her doorstep the next morning.

Sorry for the wait guys. I got caught up with my bookclub and editing my other books. I'll try to have another update later or tomorrow.
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