Chapter 11: Visit to Jersey
Jess yawned, she was exhausted after pulling a double, she got her keys out of her purse and opened the door to her place…well their place. Jess smiled at the idea that this was hers and Don's place now. She entered the apartment and sighed as she looked around the living room, Jess had forgotten that there were still boxes everywhere. Don had moved in on Saturday but nothing had gotten unpacked. Time everything got moved in, everyone was in no mood to unpack and then somehow an impromptu house warming party had broken out, then yesterday (Sunday), they had Lucy's christening, when that got over, Jess had to work and she had been there ever since. Jess dropped her things on the counter, "I'm not dealing with this tonight," she said out loud.
"Not dealing with what?" Don said walking out from the bathroom with just a towel wrapped around his waist. He too had just worked a double and had gotten home fifteen minutes before her. "Jess, earth to Jess," He said walking over towards her, she had gotten distracted by his muscular chest shining from the beads of water still there.
"What?" Jess said coming back to reality
Don laughed at her "See something you like?" he asked wrapping his arms around her and pressing his body against hers; he leaned down and placed a light but passionate kiss on her lips.
Jess shrugged her shoulders and blushed "What did you say to me?" Jess said, "I didn't hear you"
"That's because you were on another planet," Don said teasing her, "I asked you, what are you not dealing with?"
"These boxes, I'm too beat," Jess said
"You just came off a 16 hour shift…go take that shower I know you want, I'll deal with all this," Don instructed
"You are a sweet, sweet man, Donald Flack Jr., you know that?" Jess said sweetly
"I've been told," Don said smiling and let her go, Jess smiled too as she headed to the bathroom for a shower.
Jess stepped out of the bathroom to the phone ringing, Don was around so she made no attempt to go get it, she walked into the bedroom, Don was sat on the bed taking shirts and pants out of one of the boxes and completely ignoring the phone sitting next to him.
She went for it but by then whoever was on the other end had hung up, "that ringing isn't in your head you know," Jess said, "Why didn't you pick up?"
"Because I know who it is," Don said, "Guess"
Jess sighed "My mother," she said
"Four times since you've been in the shower," Don said passing her the phone, "Call her"
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Jess stretched in her seat and stared out the window of the car, it was just getting duskish and the sky was just radiating pinks and purples, she was just letting her mind wander as she watched the scenery go past. "So do your parents know we're living together?" Don asked bringing her back to reality.
"My parents do, my brothers don't….why?" She asked
"Because you're catholic," Don replied
"So are you Irish boy," Jess said laughing
"I know that goofball," Don said looking slightly nervous, "You're close with your family…I don't want them to disapprove."
Jess smiled and shook her head, "Its not my parents you have to worry about disapproving…its my grandfather"
"Thanks Jess, that was helpful," he said
"Why are you so nervous about going to my parents' house? You've met them before," She asked
"It was different last time," Don said
"Yeah, I was unconscious," Jess said sarcastically
"Don't make jokes like that, Jessica," he said
"I'm sorry…look my parents like you…nothing to worry about," Jess said
"I know, but your grandfather will be there tonight," Don said
"My grandfather will love you," Jess said
"Yeah, how do you know?" Don asked
"Because I love you," Jess said smiling, "Make a left here on Trenton. We're the last house on the street"
Don pulled the car into the driveway of Jess' childhood home. "So this is where you grew up…huh?" Don asked. He looked up at the house and could easily imagine raising five kids here, the house was an older style and had the typical box shape for the city, it was at least two and half stories high, the outside had red brick with white trim.
"Yep this is it," Jess said as they got out of the car and headed up the walkway, "Are you still nervous?' she asked as she knocked on the door.
"No, I'm good now," Don said
"And people say I'm a bad lair," Jess said smiling, the front door opened; on the other side was a young girl about fourteen, she had all the classic signs to tell Don she was an Angell. "Bella, I love the purple in your hair," Jess said as the young girl moved aside to let them in the house.
"I know it rocks right, please tell dad, pops, and gramps that," Isabella said
"I'll do my best," Jess said "Bells, this is my friend Don, Don this is my brother Christopher's daughter, Isabella"
"Bella or Bells," she corrected shaking Don's hand, "And he's you're boy-friend," Bella said in a childish voice as she skipped on to the living room. "Auntie Jess and her boyfriend are here," Jess could hear her calling from down the hall
"Cute kid," Don said sarcastically
Jess smiled as she placed their coats in the porch closet "I wouldn't joke, its her opinion that counts, if Bells don't like you, you're gone," she said laughing
"You are enjoying me squirm a little too much," Don said
"Yes I am," Jess replied walking ahead into the main part of the house with Don following her.
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"So how exactly did you convince mom to travel around the country in that thing?" Jess asked, they were standing in the back yard where her father was showing her the RV he had bought a few months back.
"Your mother is more outdoorsy then you give her credit for," Cliff said; Jess eyed him. "Okay, I promised her she could take in the many spas on route"
Jess laughed "I just have to convince her that it is ok to leave for the summer," Cliff stated
"She doesn't want to go because of me," Jess said, "Dad, I'm fine""I know Sprite," Cliff replied using her childhood nickname
"I'll go convince her I'm fine," Jess stated
"Jess," Cliff said
"Yea?" Jess asked
"Convince me too," he said
Jess walked over and gave her dad a reassuring hug "Daddy, look at me…I swear to you
I'm fine. The doctor has given me a clean bill of health, I'm back to work, and I've done my first double and everything," Jess said "You and mom deserve to go on this trip, this is your time. Though five weeks in that thing doesn't sound like a vacation to me"
"I love you baby girl," Cliff said, "Promise me you'll be careful"
"Promise…love you too dad," Jess said smiling
"Come on lets go back inside," Cliff said, "See if your brothers and gramps has Don scared yet."
"Not funny," Jess replied.
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Jess walked into the living room to find her grandfather and two brothers, Christopher and Ryan, her two nephews Lukas and Jordan, and Don watching a hockey game. But what made her smiled was that her nieces, Addison and Alexa had settled themselves on the couch next to Don and they had snuggled right up to him. Alexa's eyes were drooping and she was using Don as a pillow.
"They're in love," Jillian said walking in behind Jess
"I can see," Jess said, "I guess I have competition"
"Sprite, come here and talk to your grandfather," Charles Angell said
Jess blushed; Don looked over at her "Sprite??" He asked
"It is her childhood nickname," Ryan explained
"Like the drink?" he asked
"No like the fairy," Jess replied walking over to her grandfather, "What's up gramps" she said ignoring Don's confused look.
"I hear you're living with this young man," Charles said
"Yes gramps," Jess said, "Have you been nice?"
"So missy, want to explain why there is no ring on your finger?" Charles said ignoring her question
"GRAMPS," Jess said Don looked like he was going to have a stroke.
"Relax Sprite," Charles stated, "I'm just teasing"
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Jess pulled her hair into a pony tail and changed out of her clothes and into her blue silky nightie. She crawled into bed and waited for Don to join her. He finished brushing his teeth and walked back into the bedroom; he got into bed and wrapped his arms around her.
"So it wasn't too bad," Jess said
"Nah, it was fun," Don said smiling at her
"You want to know the meaning behind the nickname, don't you?" Jess asked
"I'm dying to know," Don said
**Flashback**
A four year old Jess sat in the backyard watching closely a stump of a tree. It was the gateway to the fairy world she was sure. It looked just like the picture from the book. So no matter how many times her dad told her that fairies didn't live in the city, she just knew that the sprite fairies would appear from that stump any after three days of watching the stump, her father took her outside the city camping. That night the field had lit up with fire flies.
"See Jessie, this is where the fairies live," Her father told her
**End of flashback**
"Since then my dad called me sprite and it stuck," Jess said
Don smiled "so sweet," he replied
"Yeah I guess," Jess said, "tell anyone and I'll hurt you"
"Ok, I promise," Don said, "Alright, now I've met your family, I think its time you meet mine"