“Let’s not lose sight of reality here guys,” Riley began, “the fact is that Jessica would love nothing more than to turn us against one another. Divide and conquer would work great for her. So let’s not forget the basics … there’s us, and there’s her. It’s true that some of us are at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to how we deal with Jessica, but our vision, our goal, has to be the same.”
“Right, “ Jim said glad that his months of dropped hints and indirect suggestions finally paid off. Riley finally understood the need to be nicer to Jessica … but Jim still couldn’t seem to get it through Riley or Angus’ head that there was more to be had from Jessica then obedience. “Then maybe we should re-define what our goal is. I thought we wanted a relationship with Jessica. We can’t do that if we keep treating her like property.”
Angus snorted as he slid his eyes from Josh to Jim. “Who the hell are you kidding?” he demanded. “Jessica is one hundred percent, without a doubt, our property. To have a relationship with someone, that someone has to have some measure of free will, independence. Now, you tell me Jim, when’s the last time you asked Jessica where she’d rather be, here, or at her own home? When have you ever given Jessica a choice about anything? She’s as much our property as that couch. “ he pointed at the sofa that sat to the left of him, “If you want to delude yourself into believing differently, don’t expect me to play along!”
“Angus,” Scott jumped in, “you don’t go out of your way to beat the crap out of the sofa every chance you get. Just cause she’s your property doesn’t mean you have to be so damn hard on her!”
“You’d be right, except for one thing,” Angus replied, “that sofa don’t go out of its way to try and kill me. For that, I gladly leave it alone.”
Silence hung in the air. Riley let it hang for a full five minutes while contemplating his next move. At all costs, the men had to remain united.
“Let’s not forget where our loyalties lie,” Riley said. “We’ve known each other since the day we were born. Our families joined into one huge family, and our families suffered at the hands of Jessica’s parents. Our first consideration should always be one another. Jessica should not in any way, take that away from us.”
“She’s not taking anything away from us,“ Scott said, “of course we’re loyal to each other first and foremost. But Jessica’s fear of you, affects all of us. We’re each working on building some sort of relationship with her … she’s a human being, not a piece of furniture Angus!” Scott added when he saw Angus ready to interrupt. “Once you’re dealing with human beings, you’re dealing with relationships. And her fear of you two is impeding any progress we could make. We’ve gotta all try and save any punitive actions against Jessica for the truly deserving situations.”
“Well, excuse us if we’re impeding your attainment of true happiness with Jessica. We wouldn’t want to be too good at controlling any of her attempts to kill you … I mean, I guess it doesn’t matter that had she aimed just a little off you’d be at best a vegetable, and at worst, dead? I guess you’ve forgotten all of that?!” Angus ranted.
Scott lowered his head. Unfortunately, Angus had a point. The fear he’d felt when that gun had gone off came back to Scott as if it were just happening. Jim had been prepared to make another point, but Angus’ words had silenced him. Josh looked at Scott for a moment and shifted uncomfortably. That had been the darkest time of their history with Jessica. In Josh’s mind they probably should have killed Jessica the moment that bullet had hit Scott. But they hadn’t, and Josh sometimes wondered what Scott made of that. True he had never seemed upset by it, he had refused to allow them to punish her in retribution. Though it had taken him a long time to be alone with Jessica again after she had healed from Angus’ initial beating.
“I thought so,” Angus grumbled when it became clear that nothing more was going to come from Scott, Jim or Josh. And then the old anger and frustration resurfaced. “And I can’t fucking believe that you didn’t punish her for that!” Angus spat. “I kind of thought you were just too tired out at first, figured you’d do it when you got your strength back. But you didn’t. And forbidding us to punish her for it … that was just … just …” Angus was so mad he couldn’t find the right words to sufficiently demonstrate his distaste with Scott’s decision.
“I don’t believe you’re bringing that up again.” Jim said when Scott went pale. “That’s ancient history …”
“It’s okay Jim.” Scott said. “Angus, I stand by the decision I made then and you being pissed about it won’t change anything. But I appreciate what you’re saying. I get it.”
Angus grumbled but in truth he didn’t really care that Scott had done something so stupid. True to form Jessica had given them so many other reasons to beat her … and when she did, Angus always put a little extra effort in it on Scott’s behalf. Whether he wanted it or not.
“Are we in agreement then?” Riley asked, privately relieved that Angus had found such an effective way to bring the men to their senses. “Angus and I will attempt to be less frightening for Jessica, but we must never allow her to come between us. No matter what our advancements are with her, each one of us must take precedence over her in our hearts as well as our minds.”
Scott, Jim and Josh nodded their heads. Almost reluctantly, Riley thought.
“I didn’t hear you!” Riley said.
“Yes, of course,” Scott answered.
“Right,” Jim said.
“Mhmm,” Josh agreed.
Hardly a resounding endorsement, but Riley knew that they understood. Although none of the men, other than himself or Angus, had demonstrated it lately, he knew that what Josh had said to Angus was true. They could be equally brutal when properly motivated, and knowing Jessica, it wouldn’t be long before that motivation appeared again.
“Good. Well, that’s it I guess. May as well call her up again,” he said to Jim. Jim nodded and walked to the basement door. He paused before it. He didn’t know why, but somehow the reminder of what Jessica had done to Scott had been a major blow. He felt numb, as if he’d witnessed a horrible tragedy. Maybe Angus and Riley were right after all. Jessica certainly was, and would probably always be, an outsider to them. As he reached for the doorknob Jim shook his head. He refused to believe that. If he believed that, really believed that, what was the point in even trying with Jessica? Taking a deep breath, he opened the basement door. At least Riley and Angus were actually trying to make Jessica feel more comfortable with them. Maybe there was some hope for the change, after all.
“I bet you could’ve lived without being reminded of the shooting,” Josh said to Scott as they waited for Jessica to emerge from the basement.
Scott shrugged. The initial recollection of terror had subsided, and he had felt again, just as he had at the time of the shooting, that not much else could have been expected from Jessica. Had he been her in the same situation, he would have done the same thing. It didn’t make the whole ordeal any easier, but he certainly felt no ill will toward Jessica because of it. Caution, now that was a different matter. Since that day, he has felt a new level of caution with Jessica. He could not afford to under estimate her again … and he would not.