I watched Harry and Deven silently from across the studio, fuming to myself. She held Jackson with one arm and was fussing at Harry's hair with her free hand. All while masterfully balancing the car seat/carrier thing on her elbow and the overloaded diaper bag slung across her chest. In just the two weeks since the baby she had this mommy shit down to a science. I couldn't help but notice the dark circles and bags under her eyes. She looked exhausted beyond belief and so did Harry. I honestly didn't know how they bounced between their careers and the baby. The thought made me wonder if the group would lose Harry.  

Then again, Joey did it and Kelly wasn't running a high profile career. The most Kelly did had been a clothes store, one she owned in Orlando, Florida. It was a little different than Deven and Harry, but the same thing regardless.  

Jaylyn wants kids, but I don't want any right now or anytime in the near future. I'm far from ready. "Harry," I call out for him and he approaches me, having been waved over once he had looked in my direction. 

"What's up?" he questions, rubbing his eyes and stretching. 

"What would you do if she wanted another kid and you didn't?" 

"Cassie wants some?" 

"Yeah..." I squint my eyes at him, wondering how he would know. 

"What was your reaction?" 

"Snap at her and we've been fighting over everything, but I'm tired of it." 

"I would have asked if she could wait awhile and left it alone." 

"Thanks."  

I walk into the hall of the Los Angeles rehearsal studio and call Jaylyn. "You've reached Cassandrya Kirkpatrick. Please leave a short message with your name and I'll return the call once I get a chance." 

Straight to voicemail? Hmm. I call her older cousin, knowing that she won't answer the house phone. "Hey, C. What's up?" 

"Just wondering why Jaylyn won't pick up when I call her." 

"She's mad at you," he slowly reminds me. 

"I know that. Do you know where I can find her?" 

"I'm not her keeper. She may be in meetings or at the spa." 

He sounds unsure or he may be hiding something from me. "Come on, Chris. If she told you anything, I need to know." 

He starts singing the chorus to Marc Anthony's I Need To Know and I get annoyed, growling at him. "All I know is that you and her have been arguing for the past couple weeks, I swear." 

"Thanks. Talk to you later. I'm going to head home to see if she's there." 

"Good luck." 

I hang up and pop my head into the room Deven and the group are in. "I'm going to run out and I'm sure you're fine in your choreographers' hands. Call me only if you really need me." I get eight thumbs up and head for my house.  

I walk into the house, the main floor seeming to be as I left it. I check the basement studio and find it empty. Guest rooms and the hallway upstairs are fine. I open my bedroom door and my jaw drops. The ceramic dragon is broken, my things are all over the place. Her things are gone, even her suitcase and I race down the two flights of stairs and check the closet in the studio to find it empty of all her belongings. I call Lance. "Dude, she left me!" I choke out once I hear him suck in a breath. 

"Check your texts from her and the coffee table for a note or something," he advises me. 

I put him on speaker, sniffling and silently read the text she sent when she was still mad as I head for the living room coffee table. "She left, she's out of my life." 

"How do you know?" he inquires, curious. 

"The note on the coffee table says she thinks that we should be with people who want what we do and she put 'take care of yourself' as her closing, Lance." 

"Maybe it's not meant to be when it comes to the two of you?" he tries to point out without being a total douchebag about it. 

I shake my head. "She destroyed the master bedroom and everything is all over the room. Her things are gone, she's gone and I have absolutely no idea where she is or who she's with." 

"Maybe it's how things work when it comes to her, JC." 

Almost the same thing he said about her back in 95. "How do you say the same damn thing, considering it's been more than twenty years?" 

He sighs, irritated with me. "Am I the only one who has seen it from day one?" 

"No, I'm aware she's a stubborn and motivated woman who finds a way to make everything work in her and everyone's favor." 

"She needs space and is most likely staying with a friend," he reminds me. 

"Which friend?" 

"JC, back off and she should get in touch with you when she's ready," he suggests. 

"Thanks, Lance," I sigh, hanging up before he could say another word and groan. "Why not just talk to me?" 

"Maybe it's because you're picking fights with her constantly," a voice tells me. 

I spin around and see Kenisha sitting in my armchair to my left, one leg hanging over the arm and the other dangling in front as she lays across the chair with her head on the opposite arm of it. 

"How would you fucking know, Keni?" I demand, my words muffled by my hands when I drop my head into them. 

"I'm her best friend, basically her sister and she tells me everything." 

"Except?" 

"Where she went and who she's with now." 

"Why wouldn't she?" I question, grabbing myself a Jack and Coke. 

"She knows we talk, that's why, stupido." She helps herself to a bottle of Captain Morgan mango rum, making it into a slushy or smoothie. 

Her phone begins screaming like a horror film set and I look at her like she's an alien species. "Who the fuck has that damn ringtone?" I ask, wincing as I wriggle my pinky in my right ear. 

"Just Cassie." She checks her texts and her mouth is agape. "Puta." 

"What did she say?" 

"Just that she fucking hates you for making her feel like shit and hurting her." 

Her phone shrieks again. "Did she tell you where she is?" 

"Yeah, but she told me not to tell you." 

She puts her phone down in front of me and I look at it, confused. "Who is EVD?" I wonder to myself, muttering it. I text Justin, asking if he knows who that is. 

Erik Von Detten. I send some question marks. From the movie Brink! 

I thank him and text Jaylyn. I miss you. Please come home. 

Fuck off. I'm staying here. 

Where is here, Jaylyn? 

We're done, over, fini. Go find yourself another bitch, you fuckin asshole! You can go to hell! You're a douchebag mother fuckin dick. You're a selfish little prick that can't compromise worth shit and can't fight his own battles for shit bc you're a chicken shit bastard!  

What the fuck? Where did that come from? Why are you saying that? 

Leave me the fuck alone, shitbag. 

"I can tell you why she can spell every word right and why there's no filtration for what she's saying or texting, rather." I look at her with a raised eyebrow, curious. "She's drunk texting us and you know she has that swype keyboard on her phone cuz she has an Android phone." 

I sigh. I know you're drunk. Please come home. I'll come get you if you tell me where to pick you up. 

Oh, fuck no! I'm staying here. I took my shit and left to show I'm DONE with you. Fight after fight proved why we CAN'T be together, that we're NEVER gonna work out. Find some other bitch, there's plenty around here. 

Jaylyn, you know damn well that I've loved you from day one and we both know I've made mistakes when it comes to you. Please forgive me. 

Why should I? That's not gonna work on me bc I truly did love you selflessly. I'm over you and over the relationship. I suggest you let go and move on. 

I don't think I can do that yet, never mind love another woman like I do Jaylyn. "I'm going to check on Jaylyn, I'll call when I get there." 

"JC, I wouldn't do that," she tells me as I grab my car keys. 

"Why not?" 

"Just fucking trust me!" she screams at me. 

"I refuse to change my mind; I'm going and that's final," I growl. I hear her mutter her bitter disagreement as I slam the door shut.