The Jo's

The school called them the Jo’s. even the teachers did it. They were the sweethearts of Well comp. A real life Romeo and Juliet. They came from two estates that hated each other, except on a Friday bingo night. It wasn’t a real hatred really, just one side of the road thought they were better than the other. They had gone to separate primary schools but there was only one secondary school in the area. They met in year 7 and by year 13 they were still inseparable.

Josephine was a dainty blonde headed waif, John (You were thinking Joseph, weren’t you) was into sports. John’s friends had started calling him Jo to take the mick out of him for dating Josephine but over the years it had stuck. And, so had they. Some how over the years they had managed to get most of their classes together. Add in lunch hour and most of their school days were spent together. The families didn’t approve at first until it became apparent they were both in it for the long haul. Not that two teens can really fix a rivalry. It’s there for generations. Even husbands and wives fight on football derby days if they support opposite sides. The Jo’s had been raised to support the same team so that was never an issue.

The split happened in year 13. They were 18. They had made it through all 7 school years together. Then came the university letters. Jo girl got into the one she had wanted. Jo boy had applied to stay with her, but, he also had a university he wanted to go to. They both got into their dream uni’s. Once the school heard about this dilemma everything seemed to stop to see what they would do. They were both driven people with real goals and dreams. They were not star crossed lovers who only had each other. The whole school seemed to cry with them when they made the decision to part ways. They broke up cleanly, with little fuss. The exam season helped as they both needed to revise. Lunches where still spent together, they had the same friends, they sat apart now though.

The end of school party was emotional. The Jo’s realised this really was the end of them. They had discussed long distance. They both agreed that the parting at school had shown them both that they could survive as singular identities instead of one. They danced together for the last time that night. They had one last night of passion, then they were gone. Each off to their new lives.

“John, firstly your review of the baseball game last night was great.” John’s boss at the local Chicago paper said.

“Thanks, boss. Whats secondly?” John asked pushing his new glasses back up his nose. Years of being a sports journalist and staring at computer screens had taken its toll on his eyes.

“Your wife just called to tell me about your school reunion next week end, Why haven’t you booked leave yet?”

“She wants me to go, I don’t, plus the season has just started you need me here.”

“No, I don’t. I have other guys to write, go home, see the folks. When was the last time you went across the pond?”

John thought about it. It had been a few years, he skyped his family weekly. He preferred it here rather than there.

“Years” he sighed.

“Go. School reunions can be good. I’ve already sorted your leave and have you covered for the next week.”

“No, I can’t. I’ll take the vacation, the family can go to Maine.”

“The wife already bought the plane tickets. You are going home. If it’s a girl you are avoiding, it’s been what 15 years? You have a pretty wife and two handsome boys, she’s probably fat by now” His boss chuckled.

John searched his memories of Josephine, he couldn’t imagine that.

Josephine got off the train, almost glad to be back in her home town. It had been awhile. The wind rushed passed her as the train left the station. Momentarily blinding her with her long hair. A small hand found hers.

“Mum?” she looked down and saw her 5 year old daughter standing beside her. She smiled down at her.

“Come on darling, your grand parents will be waiting for us.”

They hurried through the station and into the waiting car to her parents.

“Hello love” Her mam greeted her once they were in. “I was surprised you decided to attend the reunion. Do you think John will be there?”

“Oh, mum. Last I heard he was some big shot reporter in the states, I doubt he would come back just for this.”

Her parents exchanged side long glances and said nothing. Jo shoved the american newspaper further into her handbag. He won’t be there she thought. She knew it was a lie, she could feel his approach in her bones.

Jo was wearing a mid length navy blue dress with a slit to her hip that showed off her slight figure, and her cleavage. She stood by in front of the bathroom mirror putting her face on before the reunion party.

“You look nice, dear.” Her mam said leaning on the door frame.

“My mam’s pretty” voiced her daughter leaning on the other, imitating her gran.

“Well I may as well look my best, It’s been years since I saw these people.”

“John’s back. I heard the gossip in the street.” Her mam said. Jo felt her heart skip. Silly heart. John was years ago he will have moved on by now she thought. She didn’t reply, she didn’t trust herself. She finished her make up and swept past them to go down stairs.

“All ready pet?” Her dad asked “I’ll take you but you will have to taxi home.”

“I know dad, thank you but, I could have booked a taxi both ways” she said kissing him on the cheek.

“Nonsense, lets go.”

Jo kissed her daughter Josie goodnight and left feeling nervous excitement about the night. When she arrived at the school she was transported back fifteen years, it looked exactly the same. She took a deep breath, stood up straighter, and headed into the hall. she saw him straight away. He was still that rugged beautiful boy she had loved so many years ago. He saw her to and smiled. Jo’s insides seemed to melt at that and a grin started forming on her face, it never fully formed however, a tall graceful woman slid her arm around him and handed him a drink. She looked where he was looking and studied Jo for a moment before smiling warmly and beckoning her over. Jo’s legs took her, even though her brain screamed at her to run. The heart wants what the heart wants.

“Hi, I’m Annabelle, You must be the famous Jo.” she said with an american twang. Jo just nodded at the goddess in front of her.

“Me and John have no secrets, You were the love of his school life weren’t you?” she nodded again

“I’ll go get you a drink, you look shell shocked” she laughed and left the Jo’s alone for the first time in what seemed like a life time.

“She’s not shy and she’s not jealous, she’s just american.” John explained. Jo looked into his still baby blues.

“She’s gorgeous.” she said stunned at John’s catch. John blushed

“I got lucky I suppose. What about you? Are you here alone?”

“Yes I, I met a man, we got married, had a daughter then he died in a car accident last year.” She said quickly while she blinked tears away, she felt guilty now for still having feelings for John after so long. Especially as it still hurt to talk about Greg, her husband.

“I’m sorry” He said, then Annabelle came back with two large glasses of white whine for the girls.

“sorry, no line at the bar I thought I’d have leave you two to gossip longer.”

“It’s fine, I should leave and find some others” Jo said looking around the room of now strangers.

“No, stay with us.” Annabelle said. Jo was torn between wanting to stay with John and feeling awkward around his wife. She was soon put at ease however by Annabelle’s friendly nature. She could see what John saw in her. She was a carefree spirit just like him.

After awhile the three of them were chatting about old times. Sharing school stories and talking about their families. They exchanged pictures of the children, all of whom were all pronounced adorable. John’s boys were two years older and one year younger than Jo’s little girl. The eldest Johnathon and the youngest Stephen. A few old friends came over and said hello, they were referred to as the Jo’s again. John’s wife loved it and deemed them cute. They got on so well numbers were exchanged at the end of the night that had seemed so short. Then they went their separate ways again.

Jo spent a week with her parents before she needed to get back to work in London. Her parents had bought her a plane ticket. It had been quicker and cheaper than the train.

Josie was exited to go on a plane, too excited for Jo. She flew into the airport like a whirlwind. Barely giving Jo a chance to say goodbye to her parents. Jo hurried behind her double checking in her bag for boarding passes. She looked up just in time to see a family of four step into Josie’s path. She ran into a little boy and they both fell down together. Jo hurried over to check on her as she got there the dad was laughing and picking up the boy as well. The children stared at each other in fascination. The boy looked familiar to Jo. She looked at the father and saw John. The children were still looking at each other. Josie with the pluck and spirit of a child held out her hand and proclaimed.

“I’m Josie!”

“Johnathon” The boy replied taking her hand, in a strangely grown up way for a child. Annabelle saw what was happening and went to Jo’s side. She whispered in her ear.

“The new Jo’s?”