Chapter 12

"I'm hoping my film will be finished in time for the festival in April, but we'll see," Vanessa concluded, taking another bite of spaghetti.

"Wow. That sounds … ambitious," Dan said with an easy grin, reaching for another breadstick.

"It seems like you're really coming along as filmmaker," Rufus praised.

"Well, it's what I want to do with my life." Vanessa shrugged. "I need this piece to make it to the festival so I can put my name out there. Hopefully it will springboard me into getting a scholarship at a film school next year."

"Still planning to go for NYU?" Dan asked.

She nodded. "That's the plan."

"Jenny's going to start applying to design schools for the spring," Rufus remarked.

All heads turned to Jenny, who until that point had been sitting silently at the end of the table next to Dan pushing around the food on her plate. She dropped her fork with a clatter.

"You are?" Nate asked, surprised.

"Jenny, that's great!" Vanessa enthused, genuinely happy. "I'm sure you'll get in. They'd be crazy not to take you."

Dan looked between his father and sister. "When did this happen?"

"Few days ago." Rufus shrugged casually. He gave Jenny an odd look. "You didn't tell them?"

"No. I mean, the odds of me even getting in—"

"Are pretty incredible," Vanessa finished for her. She nodded her approval at Jenny. "I'm sure you'll have your pick of schools."

"Yeah. Right," Jenny mumbled, ducking her head.

"Vanessa's right," Nate joined in, smiling reassuringly at Jenny. "I'm sure you'll do great."

Jenny lifted her eyes to meet his and read the silent question he was sending her. She shook her head shrewdly, trying not to draw attention. Nate frowned and focused his attention back on his dinner.

It was like chewing sawdust for all her could taste.

Something was bothering her, and he suspected it had something to do with their dinner guest. He mentally cursed Vanessa's presence for the fifth time in as many minutes.

Dan pushed back from his seat. "That was great, Dad."

"Thanks again, Mr. Humphrey," Vanessa added.

"Yes, thank you," Nate chimed in with a smile. He knew how to be polite even under the most awkward of situations. He had his mother to thank for that.

"Thank you all," Rufus said, standing. "Now I have some things to do for the gallery … I'm assuming between the four of you the table will be cleared and dishes will be washed?"

There was a round of half-hearted groans as Rufus headed for his room, shutting the door behind him.

Dan reached across the table for his father's plate; stacking it on his while Nate gathered the glasses and Vanessa took the breadbasket. Jenny stayed seated, still staring at her half-eaten dinner.

It was all too surreal.

Part of her was still waiting for the room to implode with all the tension she felt. Had they really made it through dinner without incident?

Vanessa touched her shoulder and she jumped. Vaness pulled her hand away, her expression worried again. "You still feeling sick?"

Nate and Dan paused, their eyes zeroing in on the girl in question. Jenny wanted to crawl under the table.

"You're sick?" Nate asked softly, his eyes sweeping over her quickly, assessing her. She wasn't looking him in the eye again.

"Just tired," she assured him quietly, looking away.

"Maybe you should get some rest," he suggested, not sure what else to say.

"Maybe." She shrugged, balling up her napkin.

"We can handle the dishes," Vanessa offered. "It's not a big deal." She carried an armful of dishes towards the kitchen.

"Wait—we can?" Dan frowned.

"Yes, Dan," Vanessa sighed loudly, "we can."

Dan watched his sister intently as Nate hedged away, turning for the kitchen. Jenny's eyes came up, ignoring Dan and centering on Nate's retreating back. Dan frowned, watching as Jenny pushed away from the table with a small sigh and headed for her room.

Something was definitely going on with his sister.

***

"I need your help," Dan said quietly into the phone.

"Why are you whispering?" Serena teased from the other end.

"Because I share a wall with my sister and I don't want her to know I'm talking to you." Dan replied back, his tone just as hushed as before. He was fairly certain Jenny was asleep like everyone else in the apartment, having locked herself in her room after dinner. He hadn't heard her sewing machine running for the last four hours.

"Why can't Jenny know you're calling me?"

"Because the problem I need help with is her," Dan answered with a groaned, leaning back against the headboard in his bed.

"Uh oh. What did she do now?"

"I think my sister has a crush on Nate," he admitted reluctantly.

Silence.

"Are you still there?" He frowned deeply, sitting up.

"I'm here," Serena confirmed. "I'm just not seeing the problem."

"The problem is my fifteen-year-old sister is into our seventeen-year-old houseguest, and I don't know how to handle this," Dan rambled. "I mean, do I confront Jenny and—"

"No!' Serena shouted into the phone. "Oh, God, no! The worst thing you could do is that!"

"Then what do I do?" Dan demanded. "Because I am … completely at a loss here."

"Why is it so bad she likes Nate?" Serena argued. "I mean, Nate's a great guy, you know that."

"True, but I don't think he's interested in my baby sister. Nate thinks of her like his sister, too. I don't want Jenny to get hurt."

"I guess I can understand that," Serena allowed. "You know, you could always find someone else for Jenny to be interested in."

Dan blinked. "Please don't tell me you're suggesting I set my sister up on a blind date."

"It might not be a bad thing!"

"Or it might be a terrible thing. Need I remind you of the disaster that was her last boyfriend? He was also your brother's boyfriend," Dan reminded her cynically.

"You have a point. But what if … what if I picked the guy?" Serena offered.

"You … you would pick out a guy for my little sister?" Dan asked, amazed.

"Sure! I know some really great guys who Jenny would love—"

"OK, I don't need her to love them." Dan winced.

Serena giggled. "OK. That she would like."

"That … might actually work," Dan mused softly.