“I’m always reminded of the shooting, “ Scott said pressing his hand on his shirt just over the scar on his chest. “I don’t need Angus to remind me … though I think it means more to him than it does to me. I don’t hold anything against Jessica. War is war, right?”
Scott watched Jessica step from the threshold of the basement and smile at Jim. There it was, the reason he couldn’t hold it against Jessica. There was something about
that smile, the one she saved just for Jim, that caused Scott to strive for something more. He wanted that smile, and everything that came with it, too.
“That’s pretty big of you,” Josh said glancing around to make sure that neither Riley nor Angus were within hearing range. They had moved off to the kitchen, “I’m not so sure that I could do the same.”
“I’m sure,” Scott said, his eyes tracking Jessica as she moved to the sofa with Jim. “Those two, “ he said indicating Riley and Angus, “not a chance. You and Jim, yes. You already have a half dozen times. Let’s just hope for her sake that she doesn’t try something like that again.”
“She’s gotta know that she’d never survive … she barely did after she shot you.”
Scott nodded his head. He looked at his watch. Nine o’clock. One more hour and he could have Jessica to himself. Maybe this’d be the night that he’d get that smile for himself. Jim was pulling out the cards. Scott and Josh each took a kitchen table chair and set them around the coffee table. Jim passed Scott the cards, and Scott shuffled, watching Jessica curl her legs under her on the sofa.
“Ready to play Jess?” Scott asked once he’d dealt the cards. Riley glanced up to see Jessica uncurl herself and reach for the pile of cards, nearest her on the coffee table.
Well, it seemed that Jim, Scott and Josh had finally convinced her to play cards. He guessed that was a good thing. He wondered what it would take to get her to play chess with him. There was a pipe dream. He brought his attention back to the map on the table. They were getting closer to the day that they could bring Kevin home. Angus was busy circling all the roadways that led away from the prison in red. Who knew when the opportunity would present itself … but when it did, they would be ready.
Jim switched seats with Josh, so he could be Jessica’s partner. They always played as a team. He watched Jessica study her cards. It’d been a long process, getting Jessica to participate in games with them. Most of the time, Jessica had to contend with Riley and/or Angus glowering at her all night as the men played. Even when neither Riley nor Angus were actually playing the game, but were in the vicinity, she refused to play. Preferring instead to curl up into a little ball on the sofa, and pretend to not exist. Finally, a month or two ago, there was a night much like this one, where Angus and Riley were otherwise preoccupied. Jimmy, Josh and Scott and managed to lure Jessica into a game by telling her to teach them a game of cards that she liked. She’d taught them a
game called Euchre, and so now, if they wanted her to play cards with them, they’d simply deal out a hand of Euchre. Now her attention seemed only partially on the cards. Her eyes kept shifting to where Angus and Riley sat. Despite the afternoon’s events, she was nervous again. Things had gone too easily so far. Jessica knew that it would be any little thing now that would set Riley or more likely Angus off.
Jim wished he could get Riley and Angus to go in the basement, or something. Every time they were around, Jessica withdrew. No wonder Scott and Josh, let alone Angus and Riley, had such a hard time trusting her. They never got to see the girl she was when she was alone with him. All they saw was a nervous, miserable, withdrawn girl.
It was enough to make him do downright stupid things to try and get the men to see the real Jessica. He thought of a good way to take her mind off of things, and maybe bring a little of the happier Jessica out. Recently, he, Josh and Scott had tried to persuade Jessica to get in on some of their bets. She’d resisted up until then, but he thought he knew how to get her to bet.
“Why don’t you wager something Jess, it’s a hell of a lot more fun. You can get whatever you want,’
“Hang on,” Scott interrupted, “anything you want within reason … it has to be something we have the ability to actually give you.”
Jessica’s eyes darted to where Angus and Riley sat. They hadn’t heard the conversation. She hesitated, and then shook her head.
“Come on Jess,” Jimmy continued, “anything at all …As long as it’s in our control …” Jimmy added before Scott could speak. “For example … if we win, I want my laundry done … washed, folded, put away. That’s my bet with Scott, and Josh … takes my next turn to cook,”
“Right,” Josh said as he picked up his cards. “And if we win this round of Euchre, Jim has to clean out the horse stalls for me tomorrow.”
“Jim does toilet duty for me tomorrow …” Scott added.
“Geez Jess,” Jimmy said, “here’s your chance to ask for anything, anything!”
Scott gave Jimmy a sideways glance. What the hell was with him and promising Jessica the moon. Jim caught his look and held his hand up. He’d seen a flicker of something cross over Jessica’s face, he was close, he could feel it!
“Come on Jess, unless they physically can’t, the guys will honor whatever you ask. Right guys?”
“It can’t have anything to do with Angus or Riley,” Josh said leaning in, and speaking in a hushed voice. He remembered what Jim went through a few months before when Jessica had persuaded him to talk Riley into letting her read books. It was a long, ongoing battle. If Jim hadn’t finally suggested to Riley that Jessica might stop being so difficult if she were distracted, he would’ve lost the fight and been at odds with Riley forever. As it is, Riley, and Angus, view Jim as a push-over. That wasn’t a can of worms he wanted to deal with. He snuck a look over his shoulder to ensure that Riley and Angus weren’t eavesdropping. They sat huddled over the kitchen table focused on their work.
Jessica leaned forward. She’d decided on something, and Jimmy couldn’t tell if the expression on her face was one of defiance or victory. She leaned in even further and held Jimmy’s eyes with hers.
“Okay. I want to shower alone.”
Jimmy blinked. What did she mean? She always showered alone. Jessica’s eyes moved to Josh and then Scott. Jimmy’s did too. By the expressions on their faces, he supposed that it wasn’t the case when she was with them. Jimmy groaned. He hadn’t seen that coming.
Scott cleared his throat. “Jess, you know we can’t leave you alone in the bathroom …”
“No, not in the bathroom,” Jessica said shaking her head, “in the shower. On the nights that I’m … “ Jessica hesitated, “with you, I want to take my own showers … alone … from now on.”
Scott and Josh looked at each other in disbelief. Neither could think of a reason that she couldn’t shower alone. Riley and Angus didn’t need to know. Out of pure selfishness, it wasn’t something they really wanted to give up.