Working with Ghosts
Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious
A/N:Here I will introduce you to someone important that has also been involved in everyone's lives up to this point. Also a nice breather from the case, which is important to have.
Chapter 10 (The Other Mother)
Seated in the Tyler's living room, Jade could smell the spicy taco soup in the kitchen. Her tongue ran across her lips and her eyes moved away from the television that was playing Murder Book on the Investigation Discovery network. Sixteen years and she was amazed this show still existed.
"Smells good in there." She curled her fingers around the arm rest and looked back to the show. The Investigation Discovery network was one of the most real and raw networks around, chronicling real investigations, and Murder Book was all about how cold cases were solved after being handed down from investigator to investigator.
Jason sat in the recliner and clutched the television remote in his hand. "Lindsay does make the best taco soup," he said with a vague smile. "A recipe she and Trina concocted back in their college days." Jade could almost taste the soup, laughing as she pictured the sweat running down her face.
Lindsay Peters was the other surrogate mother in this family. She was Trina's best friend in childhood before she moved, and then in college when she returned to California. That said, she was also close friends with Jason back then.
The woman ended up getting married and had two young children as well. She lost her husband in a car accident six years ago, so she found solace with her family, Jade, and the Tyler's. When Jade wasn't there, Lindsay was, and together they had a hand in playing "the mom" to Rachel as she grew up.
Sitting on the living room floor were Lindsay's two young children. Nine year old Johnny, and six year old Debbie. Johnny was busy playing a game on his handheld game console, and Debbie was watching him.
Jade glanced over to Jason and smiled when she saw him watching over the two young children. Just as Lindsay and Jade helped provide a mother-like figure for Rachel, Jason was the one to provide a father-like figure for the two children. "Jason?" He looked at her with a curious glance. "I know what you think about Lindsay and her kids, but what do you think about them?"
"I'm not sure what you mean." It was clear the two were close, closer than he was with her. With the principal's words on her mind, she wanted to make the suggestion to the two that they consider that next step, because she'd been able to see that connection between them for the last year.
Even during the recent Thanksgiving meal, Lindsay had been there. She washed the family's laundry and was busy cleaning up the house and setting things up for dinner.
"You two can't be alone for the rest of your lives. There's something there. I think you should explore it. For both of your sakes, and for your kids." She lifted her glass of water and turned her head as the woman came walking around the corner.
Lindsay was almost as tall as Trina, but an inch shorter. She had a narrower face and velvet-soft red hair that feathered out an inch above her shoulders. Her crystal blue eyes peered out at Jade and her lips rose up into a smirk. "Did I hear my name?"
"Maybe." She stood up and met the woman's curious gaze. "How's the soup?"
"It's ready to eat. Either we all can eat at the table, or grab and go. I recommend eating at the table like a family." Jade grinned as the kids started to close down their game and Jason paused the television. This was a good environment and a good value to instill. "Is Rachel still upstairs?"
"Yes," Jason replied, "I'll go wake her." Rachel was sleeping off a headache, so unfortunately she had missed out on a lot of quality family time. Lindsay sat down as Jason hurried upstairs.
"Rachel said you spoke with Principal Bannister a while back." She frowned at Lindsay and raised her shoulders. "Something he said bothered you, I think she said. Is everything okay?"
"Yes, everything's fine." Lindsay brought her hand up to her chin and hummed. She was skeptical, and Jade wasn't too shocked. She turned towards her friend and crossed her arms. "The principal meant well, but I don't think he understands the gravity of the situation."
"What did he say?"
"Rachel needs a full time mother, and I can't be that person that she needs." Lindsay's smile dropped in an instant and her eyebrows drew close, pushing up a small bit of skin.
"I agree she could do with a 'full time mom', but that is a little harsh."
She leaned her upper body back and slid her arm over the top of the couch. "He may be right. I mean, you and your kids see Rachel and Jason more than I do."
"Don't be hard on yourself, Jade. We're all doing the best we can for her. Right now you're exactly what she needs."
Her heart pulsed and her lip turned up into a subtle smile. "So are you, Lindsay." She stood from the couch and stretched her arms above her head, groaning once. She lowered her arms and glanced to the woman. Lindsay's hands were folded in her lap, her legs were crossed, and her body was relaxed. There was a pleasant aura about her that was always comforting to be around. "You may be just what Jason needs, too."
Lindsay's eyebrow rose and her nose scrunched. "Me and Jason? I did hear what you said to him, but…he was Trina's fiancé, I don't know if-"
"Who better than her best friend?" Lindsay chuckled once and stood from the couch. She could see it; Trina would approve of the match.
"I…suppose. I've thought about it." Jade watched her pick up the empty diet soda can on the end table. "He's a good guy, he could use someone stable in his life, I'll admit." Lindsay grabbed a cloth from her apron and wiped down the surface of the table. Jade smirked at her and raised an eyebrow as the woman studied it. "So could Rachel. I haven't given it much thought since Travis passed."
"Johnny and Deborah seem to like them."
"I'm just not sure if that's something he wants, or Rachel either."
Lindsay started for the kitchen, and Jade followed. The woman threw the can into the recycle bin and looked into the dining area. She'd set the table already. "From what I understand, you're always here, taking care of the place. When you're not working that is."
The woman was a prosecuting attorney, so she did have a steady income as well.
"Jason takes pretty good care to clean up the house, I just like to go over things and make sure he and Rachel don't miss anything."
Jade looked up at the stairs when she heard Rachel groan about the headache. It had been long enough that she could use another dose of Advil. She started to reach for the Advil, but Lindsay was a step ahead of her.
She crossed her arms and stared at the woman with a subtle smile. It never occurred to her before just how much Lindsay did for the family.
By the time Rachel made it to the kitchen, Lindsay was ready with two Advil and a glass of water. "Thanks," Rachel said. The girl took the glass and Advil from Lindsay and downed them quickly. "I thought it would go down after the nap…"
"Let's see." Lindsay placed a hand onto the teen's forehead and furrowed her brow. "You're not running a fever. Is it only a headache?" Rachel nodded and moved her hands to her stomach. Jason moved behind his daughter and placed a hand on the girl's shoulder.
"Maybe some food will help with it," he suggested. His eyes darted to the pot on the stove and his tongue swept quickly over his lips. "Smells delicious, Linds." Lindsay nodded with a smile, then removed her apron and motioned to the dining room.
"Go ahead and have a seat, I'll serve." The family moved quickly to the table, then Johnny and Deborah came running around the corner to get to the dining room. Jade brought her hands down to her hips and called out for them not to run. "Help me out, Jade? The bowls are in the third cabinet on the left."
"Of course." She grabbed some bowls from the cabinet and set them carefully on the table. "Lindsay, how often are you over here? It seems like you know where everything is already."
"Johnny and Debbie like to come over often, so I'm here several times a week." Jade whistled softly and grabbed a ladle from the drawer. The women poured the soup into the bowls and carried them out to the dining room. Lindsay took a seat beside Jason. "Oh, I almost forgot. Jade, can you bring the pot in here?"
"Sure." She grabbed the pot and returned holding the side handles and carrying it carefully. Lindsay set a placemat and a square wooden block, used as a coaster for pots and pans, down on the center of the table. "Alright, here we are." She smiled as she set the pot down, then sat between Lindsay and Rachel.
"It's too bad Vanessa and Ryan couldn't be here," Debbie said excitedly, "I wanted to play with Ryan."
Jade pushed a spoon into her soup and smiled at the tiny sized child. "Maybe next time." The kids were with their father at the hardware store, he wanted their help on a project around the house.
"Where is Beck?" Jason asked. "He and the kids usually swing by with you."
"We've had a recent issue with the fence around the house, so Beck's repairing it. He wants to show the kids how to work on the fence." It wasn't long ago that Beck had the kids working to build a work shed out back, it held the lawn mower and other yard tools.
"Oh. Does he need any help?"
"No, I think he and the kids got it."
"Well, let him know I'll help out if needed."
"I will." She pushed the spoonful of soup into her lips and bit down on the meatball. The spicy favors doused her tongue and left a trail of fire down her throat when she swallowed it down. Her lips curved up and a tiny bit of sweat formed at her brow. "Good as always, Lind." Lindsay thanked her.
She grabbed the glass of water beside the bowl and brought it to her lips, guzzling it down quickly. As much as she loved spicy food, Lindsay's soup was a difficult challenge for her.
She cooked with habanero and Chili peppers, doused the soup with ground black pepper and some garlic. It had meatballs, veggies, and some beef. Yet somehow, the small kids were able to down their soup with greater tolerance than she could.
"Thank god I don't suffer from heartburn like Beck does." The others laughed and she shook her head. Beck had horrible heartburn and acid reflux, so whenever Lindsay made the soup, he had to eat something else.
Just as Lindsay brought up her bite, she stopped suddenly and looked about the table in surprise. "I forgot the bread. Excuse me." She pushed herself from the table and hurried into the kitchen.
Rachel reached over and nudged her father, grinning widely as the man took another bite of his soup. "Dad, I've been thinking. Lindsay's always over here, so are Johnny and Debbie." He raised an eyebrow at her and sighed. His spoon hovered an inch from his lips and his eyes closed.
"You too, Rachel?"
"Come on Dad, you know you need to move on too. Mom doesn't want you to be alone for the rest of your life, so aren't you ready yet?" He sat upright and looked over his shoulder with a subtle smile.
"Well…" His eyelids fell halfway as he watched Lindsay prepare the finishing touches of the garlic bread. Jade watched him closely, grinning at the enamored look on his face. "It isn't that I haven't given it thought."
Johnny and Debbie leaned over their bowls, both children were watching Jason as well. When he turned around, they instantly focused once more on their soup. His eyebrows rose and the corner of his mouth pulled into his cheek.
"It took a great deal before I was ready to even consider a relationship with somebody when I met your mother." His shoulders rose and his chest expanded slowly. "I don't know if I'm ready to put myself out there for somebody just yet, but I'll think on it. Just stop pushing the subject, please?"
"Alright Dad."
Lindsay entered the dining area with the tray of garlic bread and a nervous smile. "Alright, who wants a slice?" Jade grabbed one and bit into it as quickly as she could, then sighed as the flavor and garlic butter helped subdue the raging fire in her mouth. Lindsay and the others laughed, then the woman extended the tray. "Anybody else?"
As the others took the bread, Jade focused her eyes on Lindsay. She hoped the two would consider meeting someone new, or at least, looking towards one another. If Jason started to date, she knew that as difficult as it would be for her to take a step back with a new woman around, it would be even harder for Lindsay and her family.
Then again, Lindsay was a fighter just as Trina had been. It was she that got Trina involved in martial arts, after all. Trina would tell stories of the adventures they had as children, and the trouble they'd get into with their own mothers.
There was probably no woman on earth that could intimidate the woman enough to make her step away, but for both of their sakes, Jade hoped Jason and Lindsay would consider taking some steps towards a relationship. The feelings were mutual in the two, and she was certain they'd be a good match for one another. Even the children were a good fit.
Time would tell.
What are your thoughts as you read the chapter? Do tell.