Jess was up early again the next morning after only sleep a very little after that nightmare. She once again saw a wide awake at six in the morning she decided she would go to the kitchen where a fully dress ben would sit reading a book or talk to Ellie via video chat. As she walked in the kitchen wearing a pair of sweat shorts and a sweat vest and bunny slipper she saw ben in his grey jogger sweat bottoms and no top.
"Hello" said Jess worried at the fact Ben was not dressed yet since he is usually awake at five.
"Hi morning Jess" said Ben rubbing his head and it all clicked into place.
"Ha your hung over" laughed Jess throwing a shirt out the washing machine at him.
"Shh not so loud" said Ben.
"Aw tickle Ben" whispered Jess going into the cup board and pulling out a glass and two mugs.
"You're lucky i know how to cure a hangover" said Jess pulling paracetamol out the cupboard a pint of orange juice some milk and bottled the kettle. When the kettle boiled she added the orange juice to it and two tea spoons of milk then a spoon of sugar.
"Drink this when taking the tablet then drink the rest of it, it helps trust me" said jess pouring herself a cup of tea
By half past six Ben no longer had a hangover. Jess put some toast in the toaster.
"You were out late last night" said Jess.
"Who are you mam, and when I got back you were sobbing in your sleep." said Ben
"Ben can I ask you something?" asked jess a little bit nervous.
"Sure" said Ben.
"Ever since I have seen him I can't sleep well could you sleep in the spare bed in my room till the nightmares stop?" asked Jess feeling stupid.
"Yeah of course and I will say there is a draft in my room dim and dimmer wont tease you about it" said Ben half hugging his little sister.
"Thanks" said Jess. It was then James and Emilee came bouncing down the stairs.
"Morning" said James to Jess but she could sense some guilt in his voice but she decided not to ask upon it.
"Morning" said Ben.
"Our new 3rd uncle and his wife are coming for tea today and so is your boyfriend" said James laughing at the joke aimed at ben.
"Ha ha very funny" said Ben.
As Jess left to get a shower and changed James shot her a veer guilty look.
"What have you done?" asked Ben teasingly
"Her case has been reopened since there has been another victim saying she won't testify till jess does and tell everyone what he did" said James.
"And when do you plan on telling her this" said Ben a little angry.
"I will wait till people are round so she won't kick off to much" said James.
At three o'clock when people were due round Jess came bouncing down the stairs in a pair of denim mini shorts and a pale green long top and flat slipper shoes her hair was pulled back into a lazy pony tail and she decided she would go and see what Ben was doing. Ben was sat on the floor with his phone in hand.
"Ben give it back now" said Jess. Holding her hand out nicely.
Ben started to get up as the front door opened and closed and voices came flooding from the kitchen to the living room.
"Give me or i will hurt you" said Jess a smile playing on her lips.
"You could not hurt me" said Ben but Jess jumped on to his back as the new extended family entered the room.
"Told you now give me it back" said Jess reaching over his shoulder for her phone.
"Why won't you paint his nails" said Adam.
"Hey i am perfectly capable of looking after myself i can fight you all" said Jess.
"Yeah the scars across your face and arm clearly show how you can defend yourself" said Ben.
"Hey that is a cat scratch" said Jess but it was really a future predator wound. And Jess grabbed her phone and jumped down.
"Jess you a kid that makes you defenceless" said Jordan.
"Yeah you only have to be stung by a bee and your down" said James.
"Jess is perfectly capable of defending herself i trust my life in her hands" said a male voice. Jess spun round to see a dressed down Lester.
"Thanks sir" said Jess gob smacked.
"Sir Jess your 3rd over niece not a strange in the street" said Jess' mam.
"Kim is right we are your family no need to be polite" said a woman who was hold Lester's hand.
"Um yeah how do we explain this to Connor" said Jess.
"Wait you know each other?" asked Ben
"Yeah he is sort of my boss" said Jess being a little bit sarcastic.
"Well we have leave way on the captain we both know his first name so" said Lester, Jess' phone started to ring. Ring, Ring, Ring
"Hello, oh hi Abby... everything is fine" said Jess then let out a sigh. "okay Abby bye" said Jess.
"Ben was that message necessary, I can't believe you did that" said Jess.
"What did he do?" asked Emilee
"Text my roommate i am being chased by a big green dinosaur and she panicked" said Jess. Everyone but Jess and Lester could see why Abby was panicked
"Well as much as i would love to stay and talk i have to go pick up my friend back soon" said Ben.
"Yes go fetch your boyfriend" said Adam.
"He is not my boyfriend so stop saying that poor Ellie will panic" said Ben.
"Jess can i have a word in the kitchen please" said James
"Yeah" said Jess whom had been talking to Alison
Becker and Ben came into the house the house just as Jess and James headed into the kitchen Jess was facing the other way as they walked past so Becker was not seem by Jess.
As they walked into the room.
"Sir what are you doing here?" asked Becker at the sight of Lester.
"Meeting the new in-laws and you?" said Lester
"Meeting up with old friends" said Becker.
Jess then walked into the room.
"I dont want to talk about what happen it was two years ago" said jess not looking up. James stood in the door way closed his eyes at let out the secret he had been holding.
"Jess we re-opened your case" said James from behind her. Jess stood dead and spun round to see James.
"What, why, no i am not… no" said Jess really angry. Tears coming down her cheek
"Jess a woman's truth was attacked and she says she won't testify until you do he says he is looking for you Jess" said James. Hating himself for having to be the one to tell her this
"I have nothing to testify" said Jess almost in fully blown tears. James pulled a brown folder from his bag.
"Really Jess nothing to testify" said James angry now that Jess would deine what he did to her. He pulled a load of photos out of the file.
"Jess look at the photos that was you. YOU and he did that to you" yelled James not caring he was making a scene, Becker and Lester sat there full on gobsmacked.
"I dont want to testify" yelled Jess.
"Look at the photos Jessica LOOK AT THEM" yelled James with so much anger inside of him.
"NO" yelled jess in frustration. As James pulled out more pictures of a battered and bruised Jess her eyes black and blue her lips blue some of her blue torso her entire body injured, some parts broken.
"LOOK JESS LOOK WHAT HE DID TO YOU" yelled James.
"NO I LOOKED EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR THREE YEARS AT WHAT HE DID TO ME EVERY DAY A NEW BRUISE A NEW CUT!" screamed Jess.
"I dont want to testify because every time I ran or hide he would return the favour with a scar and if was not for Ben's surprise trip i would be dead and he seems to be the only one who seems to understand me not wanting to testify" cried Jess before running out of the house.
"Three years she told us, but it was a few months" whispered Jess mam.
"Well done James job well done" said Ben grabbing his and Jess' coat from the rake.
"You done a swell job this time fantastic" said Ben slamming the door shut.