It was emotional and very far from what we're used to from them but the reason this happened was due to everything they are going through.
Jess and Jack have always been one of the most affectionate couples in the story - Jack is a romantic and has always expressed this in every way with Jess. HOWEVER, since she has been ill, it has obviously been tough on both of them.
That is why this scene was SO IMPORTANT.
It showed that something like this illness can really damage couples in all different ways.
Jack was scared of hurting Jess or making her condition worse. He was worried that if she overworked herself in any way that she may never get better. Yes, that was to the extreme but if the person you loved more than anything was in Jess' position, you can understand why Jack would jump to those conclusions.
On the other end, Jess hated the fact she was seen as incapable or fragile. Obviously her past as a gang member plays a huge part in this. She has never been seen as weak and is fully capable of holding her own. However, while ill there are limits to what she can do.
Jack wants to look after her but Jess doesn't want this. She is scared that Jack will end up being her carer and not husband which would eventually ruin the relationship they have.
Jack's distance made Jess very self-conscious which is something we rarely see from Jess. She began to question Jack's feelings for her, thinking that things had changed.
Jess thought that Jack no longer saw her in a sexual light and that the romantic relationship they had was turning into that more 'caring role' one.
Lucie aimed this chapter at the insecurities girls can feel (something that is going to be a theme in an upcoming chapter with the Juliet situation). She said that we all know the insecurities a girl can feel. They can be awful especially when you no longer feel attractive to someone you love or are romantically involved with. This was exactly what Jess was feeling.
Even though this was not the case, the signs he was giving off were making it seem this way to her. She already felt unattractive and not herself due to the illness so she was craving some affection and to put it openly - sexual attention from Jack! She wanted to feel like herself again and her relationship with Jack is a big part of this.
Obviously Jack very quickly made it clear to her that he did still feel the same way about her. He made it very clear that he wanted to prove that to her but obviously her recovery is getting in the way.
I know for sure that he will be able to give her all the reassurance she needs and things will get better between them however, I don't think Jess' insecurities will completely go away.
Jack can't constantly reassure Jess, that would be exhausting so it will take a lot of work on her part too. It will mean her battling with her own inner demons that have arisen with this illness and I think that will take some time.
Either way, I loved that chapter because it was so raw and honest. I think many girls (and guys) can relate to it - even if the exact situation isn't matched. We all have insecurities and a lot of us rely on other people to take these away. Even though it's incredibly unhealthy, we seek conformation from others and this can very quickly lead to a downward spiral of us believing things that may be very far from the truth.
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