Dollars and Sunflowers

Jack couldn't hide his emotions as he moved next to the stage. The closer the got the more he couldn't deny his heart ached for her. She smiled when he approached the stage. The last thing he thought he would ever get to see again.

Her smile. He felt the blood rush to his cheeks and he was completely vulnerable to her charms. He threw the wad of cash on the stage before she could take notice. Quickly he moved back to his seat and watched in awe as she collected her earnings adding them to her basket. He knew she wouldn't be happy to see him but at least he could go home knowing he got to see her beautiful face once again after all.

Jack picked up his phone and began scrolling through old pictures. No one else here was worth his attention.

Vanilla? If he closed his eyes he could swear he was in a bakery not a gentlemen's club.

Smack! Bailey was behind him, he didn't even see her walk up. So immersed in her scent he drowned everything out. Looking up she had slammed the dollar bill he had wrote on and gave to her on stage. Her thin arm and sunflower tattoo straight in his line of sight. And the force she slammed the money on the table coupled by the tense muscles in her arm told Jack she was pissed.

"If you won't me to leave I understand." said Jack. "I don't want to cause you any more trouble" As he went to stand Bailey grabbed his shoulders firmly digging her manicured nails into his collar bone. 

"You will sit until I finish what I have to say to you!" Bailey snipped.

She flopped down in the chair next to him. She sat straight and poised with her legs crossed. Her forhead scrunched together angerly and her eyes peered straight through him. 

"Who are you and how do you know these details?" she said. "I mean not that I am complaining about the generous tip but these things on this bill is a very touchy subject for me!"

"Do you really not know who I am Bailey?" Jack said.

Wait.....Did he just...How can...No...No way. His eyes were sincere with a troublesome look about them. Could this really be?

"Jack?"

He hung his head not daring to look her in the eye. He knew he had changed and it had been years. Plus this was for sure not the place he wanted to make amends. She grabbed his chin and lifted it back to her gaze.

"I'm.....I'm sory B" he said.

"I really didn't want to meet like this after all this time. I had no idea you would be here. I actually started to leave when I noticied you but I couldn't bring myself to do that again....to just walk off and leave and never see you again."

Bailey looked like a bomb had just been dropped on her. She no longer head the sounds of the music, smelt the smoke in the air. All her senses were stunned.... frozen. How do I react to this she thought. He just shows up after eight years without notice. And what she is just suppose to forget everything that has happened. How he just left without saying a word. They were supposed to make a life together to be happy....get married...have babies. Then BAM everything changes. She was alone. For eight years he left her alone. Knowing she did not have any family left. He was all she ever had. Her dad had disowned her, her mom moved away and so did her sister. He left her just like they all did. How did he expect her to react? He shows up at a strip club not thinking he would find her. So who was he looking for?

She started to open her mouth and scold him. But his eyes...they looked geniune, they were the deep shade of blue she feel in love with from the start. Towards the end they turned lighter, icy, cold even and then he was gone. His face looked more worn the years had not been as kind to him as they were to her. He had more facial hair than before but it was nice. She felt herself being mesmorized by the sight of him. Before she realized she had flung her arms around his neck. He was the love she never thought she would have. Convinced that she would spend her life alone unworthy of receiving the love she gave others. 

Jack laid his head into her shoulder burying his face in her hair. He inhaled as deep as he could filling his lungs with her scent.