Chapter 22

Ash and Pascal sat at their favorite table in Jacob's diner as they waited for their orders to arrive.

It had been Pascal's idea to come to Jacob's because Ash had been melancholy ever since he returned to Ganghaven. In fact, Pascal didn't understand what was going on between Ash and Jo.

Last he heard, Jo was so in love with Ash, she'd taken a bullet for him. Ash had also been head over heels in love with her. He was sure the lovebirds still loved each other, so why were they even apart.

I may never get to understand love, he thought.

He looked at Ash who was caught up in some memory of some thought.

"Yo, what are you thinking of, man?" Pascal asked, trying to distract Ash from his bad mood.

"You know, I first met Jo here." Ash said with a sad smile, "She was sitting at our table with her friends."

Pascal groaned inwardly. While trying to get Ash to quit thinking of Jo, he'd only compounded the problem by bringing him to the place they'd first met.

Ash, oblivious to his friend's reaction continued, "I was immediately drawn to her, as mushy as this sounds, like a magnet. But then I saw the hawk tattoo on her arm and knew she was a gangster. I was furious with myself for being attracted to a gangster, and furious at her for not being of a suitable reputation."

Pascal grinned, "You've always been judgemental."

Ash nodded, "I know, right? It almost cost me Jo, too."

Pascal refrained from telling him that he didn't have Jo at the moment, because he knew that would make Ash punch him. From the fading bruises on Ash's face, Pascal thought he'd been in enough fights already.

Jacob brought their orders, and seeing Ash's mood, he refrained from making any small talk as he retreated back into the kitchen.

Pascal bit into his beef burger with a sigh of utter pleasure. He looked at Ash and saw him staring at his burger like it were the enemy.

"Bro, come on. This is your favorite." Pascal said, trying to get him to eat.

"I don't have much of an appetite." Ash said, pushing his plate away.

Pascal hissed, "That's it, no more tip toeing around. What is wrong with you and Jo?"

Ash gave him a level look, "If you must know, she thinks I chose being a CEO in Gulden over her."

Pascal scoffed, "And why would she think that?"

Ash slapped his forehead with his palm, "Because I left for Gulden without telling her."

Pascal nodded, "I can understand why she's upset but have you tried explaining to her?"

Ash glared at him, "Of course! She didn't want to listen. She kept saying shit like there's no way we can be together because I'm a rich CEO and she's a gangster."

Pascal scowled, "Why would she think such nonsense?"

Ash shook his head, "I have no idea. I promised her I'd show her that I loved her more than any other thing in the world."

Pascal hit Ash's arm.

"What was that for?" Ash asked angrily.

"To get you to snap out of it. You promised her you'd show her, and here you are, doing nothing." Pascal said.

Ash blushed, "Well, . . . um, I'm clueless. I don't want to do anything that'll drive her further away."

Pascal gave him an exasperated look, "Sitting here, doing nothing will accomplish just that."

Ash gripped his head, "It's not that easy. I don't know how to go about it."

Pascal grinned, "Just trust your gut."

* * *

Andrea smiled as she and Sia walked into Jacob's. Since the news had gone round of how Lester, a cop, had helped saved Jo's life, Ganghaven residents had softened up a bit on their cop hating stance, enough that Andrea could visit a public place without a disguise, but not enough for her to do it wearing her uniform, hence her outfit of a baseball jersey and jeans.

Sia followed in a form-fitting blouse and slacks.

The smile was wiped off Andrea's face when she saw Ash; the idiot, and someone who looked a lot like her colleague at the precinct.

"Hey!" She exclaimed, nudging Sia, "Look who's here?"

"Who?" Sia asked, looking around.

Andrea pointed to where Ash was seated and said angrily, "While Jo's at home crying her eyes out, he's here grabbing a bite and probably telling his friend how he successfully played her."

Sia chided, "Must you always be so cynical? From my point of view, he doesn't look happy."

Andrea shrugged, "Doesn't get him off the hook."

Sia was surprised when Andrea left her and marched on to where the two men were.

Sia hurried after her, "What do you think you're doing?" She whispered so as not to garner the attention of the other patrons.

"I'm going to give that motherfucker a piece of my mind, and maybe a piece of my fists." Andrea said determinedly.

Sia was horrified because she knew Andrea was exactly capable of engaging in fisticuffs just to get payback for Jo. She was overprotective that way.

"You don't want to cause a scene. Remember you're a cop in Ganghaven. Attacking a well-known gangster in public would be foolhardy." Sia warned, just as they approached the table.

Pascal saw the two women and smiled, "Hello, Andrea. Hello, lady, care to join us?"

Andrea shook her head, "Eden. What are you doing with him?"

"You two know each other?" Sia asked, surprised.

Pascal winked at her and she scowled as he said, "Sure do, sugar. We work together."

Ash looked at the two of them, "How's Jo?"

"Are you really asking that question when you put her in that frame of mind?" Andrea asked, pissed off.

"Okay, chill Levi. It's not as simple as it sounds." Pascal said placatingly.

"You stay out of this, Eden!" Andrea warned, eyes blazing.

Ash stood up, "Look Andrea. You're angry at me, I get it. You feel like telling me what a piece of shit I am, I've already done that. You feeling pummeling me, Rex's already taken care of that." He said gesturing to his bruised face.

"He didn't do nearly a good job." Andrea muttered although most of her temper had been defused by Ash's statement.

"Believe me when I say that I was so focused on trying to protect Jo from getting hurt that I hurt her in the process." Ash said.

Sia laid a hand on his arm, "I knew you didn't desert her for some company in Gulden."

"Of course not," Ash clarified, "You two, I love Jo and I want to be with her forever. I would never do such a thing to her."

"See?" Sia told Andrea, gloating that she'd been right about Ash's intentions towards Jo.

"You'll have to make it up to Jo. If you don't, I'll kick your ass." Andrea threatened gruffly.

"I'll get Jo back if it's the last thing I do." Ash vowed.

* * *

The next day, Ruth heard the doorbell ding and went to open it. She didn't see anyone, just a package left on the doorstep.

It had a tag which said 'For Jo'.

She brought it into the kitchen and called Jo who was still in her room.

Jo hurried to the kitchen, "Mum, who delivered that package?"

Ruth shrugged, "I don't know. It only says it's for you."

Jo assessed the package critically.

"Should I open it?" Ruth asked as she moved to do so.

"No! Mum!" Jo said hastily.

Ruth gave her a curious look, "And why the hell not?"

Jo thought to what Ash had said about his father trying to get her, "Just let me handle this."

She opened the package and sitting innocuously in it was an apple pie with the words 'I love you' inscribed on it.

"Ash," She said under her breath. He was trying to use apple pie to win her back. Her heart beat furiously at that concept. How could he? Did he really think she was a child whom you could offer a cookie or some ice cream and she'd forget the wrong done to her?

"Oh dear, is this from Ash?" Ruth asked, reconsidering her hard stance on the man. Maybe, just maybe, Ash wasn't as bad as she'd thought. If he was, he wouldn't be trying to make amends.

"Yes, mum. It's from Ash." Jo said, gritting her teeth.

"Well, it looks delicious. It'll probably taste delicious. Why don't we get our spoons and share?" Ruth suggested, opening a drawer and bringing out two forks.

"Uh-uh, mum. This is the same Ash that broke my heart we're talking about here. We can't eat that pie." Jo said.

"But," Ruth protested, "It's homemade. He probably did this himself. It would be a shame not to eat it."

"I don't care," Jo said as she walked away, "Toss it in the trash or give it to the kids in the neighborhood."

To Jo's consternation, the packages continued to arrive daily with little notes that carried loving messages. Jo refused to eat the pies or read the notes.

Ruth tasted one pie, proclaimed it delicious and after that she began to stock up her refrigerator with the pies.

One day, Jo was feeling starved, but was too lazy to prepare something to eat. She opened the fridge and found it filled with loads of apple pie.

Cursing, she slammed the fridge and went to the sitting room to watch the television, thinking it would distract her from her hunger.

Some minutes later, her stomach began to growl uncontrollably. Jo clenched it with her hands, but it only growled louder.

Muttering to herself, she opened the fridge and randomly selected a pie. She thawed it and cautiously took a fork full.

When the delicious taste hit her taste buds, her eyes widened and she dug into the pie with gusto, relishing every bite.

Three pies later, Ruth returned from her gossip session with friends and saw Jo looking sated.

"What did you eat?" Ruth asked as she brought out a pie for herself.

"Nothing," Jo lied, looking away.

But Ruth wasn't fooled, she knew her daughter had indulged in some of Ash's decadently delicious pies.

The next morning, Jo was awakened by a racket going on across the house. She slipped out of bed and went to the kitchen, where she saw her mother holding a mug of coffee and staring outside with utmost curiosity.

"Good morning, mum." Jo said as she walked up to Ruth and collected the mug from her.

"Good morning." Ruth replied without looking away from the window.

The racket continued and Jo winced, "What's going on?"

Ruth replied, "Some men are out there trying to mount a huge billboard across our house."

Jo frowned as she brought the mug to her lips, "Is that even legal? Do they have a permit to do that?"

"I don't know. But I sure do want know what it's going to say." Ruth said.

Jo occupied a spot beside her mother and watched as the men mounted the billboard. Yes, her curiosity had gotten the better of her.

Half an hour later, the men finished their work and pulled off the old cloth they'd used to shield the contents of the billboard.

Jo was about to finish the last of her coffee when she saw the inscription on the billboard. She spat out the liquid in surprise, "That bastard!" She yelled as she slammed the mug down.

Ruth laughed until tears ran down her cheeks, "Oh! What a surprise!"

On the billboard was a huge heart with the words 'Ash loves Jo' inscribed on it.

"How gaudy and ostentatious! Does he think I'll fall for this?" Jo asked no one in particular.

Ruth replied, "I don't know, what did you expect him to do when you ignored his attempts at being subtle?"

Jo narrowed her eyes and left the room. She went back to her room and dialed Sia and Andrea. Her friends would see from her perspective.

Immediately they answered her call, Andrea asked, "Have you seen the billboard?"

"Yes," Jo hissed, "How could I miss it when it's right across my house?"

"Huh?" Andrea asked confusedly, "I was talking about the huge billboard in Gulden that says 'Ash loves Jo'."

Jo was dumbfounded. The weasel had the audacity to put another one in Gulden, "There's an identical one across my house."

At her statement, Sia who'd been silent whistled, "Ash's got some serious game."

"Tell me about it." Andrea agreed.

"Not you too?" Jo lamented, "Andrea, I thought you hated Ash."

"That was when I thought he was the bad guy." Andrea explained.

"Why the change of heart?" Jo queried.

"Well, we ran into him and his friend at Jacob's sometime ago, and he managed to prove to Andrea he had noble intentions where you're concerned." Sia replied.

Jo sighed, "So you two are taking his side?"

Andrea protested, "Jo. There are no sides here. The man loves you. He's crazy over you. We only want the best for you."

Jo tutted, "You don't get it. With him, I might be happy. Only at the beginning. Soon, the class divide will get the better of us and we'll drift apart. He'll see some Gulden socialite and decide she's more his taste. I'd be very unhappy."

"I get it," Sia said, "I really do. But this isn't the Victorian times, and you're already unhappy without him."

"I'd rather be unhappy now than be unhappy later." Jo said obstinately.

"How are we supposed to argue with such fucked up logic?" Andrea asked, bewildered.

"You aren't. Sorry girls, I gotta go." Jo said.

"Where to?" Sia asked.

"I'm going to see Ash and tell him in no uncertain terms to quit what he's doing." Jo said firmly as she cut the connection.