Disclaimer: I do not own Prodigal Son, only the cute character Jack DeLuca.
Summary: Edrisa has the week off and visits her father
Author's Note: Sorry this chapter isn't best it's a filler. I had big writers block on this but thankfully I know where it's going. Hope to hear from you.
Also I'm sad this show isn't being renewed next season. I'm gonna miss seeing Edrisa and Bright's friendship grow. and all the other cast as well but that's what I will miss the most!
XOXOX
A part of her was disappointed when she saw on TV that Simon Hoxley, THE MindSlueth, was in New York working with the same Major Crimes Unit that she typically worked with. It would have been such a thrill to see such a famous man working in person. Fuck, to even help him on one of his investigations would have been amazing; the Killabustas would be ecstatic for her! However, the more she thought about it, the more she knew it was better that she was far, FAR away from that load of drama.
She can only imagine the power play between Special Agent Malcolm Bright and Simon Hoxley the New York Times Bestselling Author and MindSlueth. Not only have their paths indirectly crossed through The Surgeon, but their professions were so similar. Add in Bright's less than normal tactics and Gil's protective nature towards him, she doubts it would be a smooth sailing case.
Plus, being in a man like Hoxley's cross, she can only hope he would have spared her the mercy of not being profiled by him, but from what she's read about him, she highly doubts she would have been that lucky. Oh God, the things he probably would notice about her would humiliate her even further at work and she was just starting to get a backbone there. Before she left, she noticed less comments being made about her behind her back and the looks she received were more nasty than condescending.
No, she decided, it was a good idea that she was off for the week. She had plans to see her father for a couple days but mostly she needed some R&R. She hasn't been as active as she wanted to be on Killabustas Vulture case and she wanted to do her part to help bring this sicko down. They just informed the Arizona police, but her team wanted to get some more information on how he was collecting the birds he was torturing.
She also wanted to spend more time with Jack. Being the big boss did have some perks, because when she mentioned to him she was off this week and was hoping they could do something, he made himself available for the long weekend before she had to go back to work. It was super sweet and a part of her gushed when he told her, he was all hers those days.
Since he asked her to be his girl, they have been slowly but surely getting more heated. A part of her was a little worried because he was going slow with her but another part knows when they do have sex, it was going to be epic and explosive.
Now that she knows him, knows how he kissed, how he tasted; it was getting even harder for her to control herself around him. She has always been a woman that likes sex and not afraid to let that information be known. Her college boyfriends were always a little intimidated because she knew what she liked and what she wanted from her sexual partners.
Not long after college the one night stands lost their appeal and she wanted relationships. In a span of almost fifteen years a handful of boyfriends have come and gone; nothing as serious as love but the sex was good. She learned more of what she liked and what she was willing to give to a man but none that made her feel the way Jack makes her feel. By just a glance, a small touch, a kiss, she wants to give him her all. She feels like a teenager again in the best ways. She wants to just jump him like a tree and show him how wanted he makes her feel all the time and how much she wants him.
It's not just the sexual appeal though; Jack was so much more than that for her. He made her smile after a shitty day at work when all she wants to do is drink and rant to her buddies online who don't even know what she looks like. He listens to her and they have such great talks. About history, music, their different cultures, fuck they have even talked politics at one point and she hates talking politics with anyone!
She can see herself falling in love with this man and that should scare her...but it doesn't, if anything it liberates her.
XOXOX
Florida is not her favorite place, but she can see the appeal of the Sunshine State as a place to rest during retirement. The beaches were definitely nicer here than New York/ New Jersey. It's a helluva lot cheaper here as well and that was the biggest plus for her. Her dad has been here about five years now and while she worried that she was far from him, at least he had some of her cousins constantly around.
Her father was sixty two and while he was technically retired, he still wrote articles on forensic science, his field of study or he will do virtual lectures when he gets really bored. He was waiting for her at the airport with a newspaper in his hand, a small smile on his face when he sees her walking towards him.
He was not a man that expressed himself openly, especially after her mom passed away, but he always made sure she knew how proud of her he was and just how loved she was by him.
On the ride to his home, she tells him more about her cases in depth and she could see him hanging onto her every word as he drives. He was so supportive when she told him she wanted to go into medicine, but he was overjoyed when she told him her specialty. He thought it was perfect for her. She didn't take offense when he told her how competitive the medical world was, and how much human interaction she would have to do to be almost any kind of doctor. He told her the truth without malice and that is the only thing she wanted from people.
"So watashi no musume (my daughter in Japanese), what is different with you? Something has changed." He tells her softly and she can't help but smile back at him.
"It's true, something changed." She starts to tell him but stops herself before going further. Should she tell him? It was so soon and it wasn't like her to tell her father something she wasn't certain of. She used to talk to her mom about this kind of stuff; but after she passed away, she really didn't talk to anyone about how she was feeling especially about men.
"It's kind of a long story." She admits and he gives a little smirk.
"So it's about a man." He states simply and she can't help but blush a little. She's used to being embarrassed but not normally around her father.
"Yes, but like I said, there's a lot more to the story." She sees him nod to himself.
"Then tell me about it after your cousins leave tonight. I'd like to know more." He suggests and she can't help but grin at him.
"They weren't supposed to be there until tomorrow." She points out to him grinning because he ruined her cousins' surprise and he looks at her with a seriously straight poker face.
"You know nothing."
She laughs.
XOXOX
Spending the weekend with her father and cousins is always a time she treasures. She was always close with her parents growing up and even as an adult, she always made sure to speak to them a couple times a week so they always knew what was going on in each other's lives.
She told her father about Jack as they worked on a complicated puzzle in his dining room. She told him all about meeting him at a bar and shooting him down, she told him about their age difference, she didn't spare a detail. He already knew about what happened with Bright and realized he was using her feelings for him to his advantage, but she never had the courage to tell him what happened after she made a fool of herself in her morgue. She watched his face in the corner of her eye but he didn't give anything away.
"So what do you think?" She had to ask him once she was finished telling him everything, Of course not the sexual tension stuff, there are limits to talking to her father after all.
He is silent at first. He kept observing their unfinished puzzle as if it had the answer to her question. When he finally looked up at her, he had a small smile on his face.
"If he honestly treats you the way you say he does, then I am happy for you. If he treats you the way you were treated by Agent Bright, then I am not happy for you." He tells her simply and the smile falls from her face as she thinks of his words.
He was one of the many to point out to her that there was only one sided feelings between her and Bright but to hear him say he would not be happy if anything did happen between them...really stuck with her. Bright's words about him fixing their friendship echoed in her head and she couldn't help but hope he was right and one day they could be friends.
Maybe this was what moving on really felt like. Letting go of unrequited feelings that she clung to for over a year; it was an uncomfortable feeling if she was being honest with herself. Like she was missing something in herself. At the same time it was freeing because she knew without a doubt Jack did not treat her the way Bright did.
"He really doesn't OtÅsan (father in Japanese)." She replies and he just nods once in response.
"I hope you're happy. You don't need another person to make you happy, something your mother and I always told you, but it does help. Sharing your life with someone; companionship, compatibility, love is a truly remarkable thing." He tells her and she can tell he is thinking of her mother Sumiko, who he adores even in death. Their love was a truly beautiful thing and she wished she could find someone to love like her parents loved each other.
"I hope so too. It's hard being alone. I know I can be alone and be fine, I have you guys all here, and my killabustas online. It wasn't until recently that at the end of the day, I didn't have in person friends, no one to call up on the phone to talk about my day with or just to hang out with. It was starting to get very lonely." She tells him truthfully.
"Is what you feel for Jack genuine and not just your fear of being alone?" He asks and she's not offended by the question because after the first night when they didn't have sex but got to know each other, she knew this wasn't about a rebound or her not being alone; Jack was a lot more than that. It may have started out with her wanting to feel wanted by a handsome man, but no; after that first night it became so much more than that.
She nods and he seems satisfied with that.
XOX
When she gets back home the next night, she's so happy she made time to get all her errands done before her weekend with Jack. She was not a woman that liked to sit still; she was constantly moving or trying to get something done.
She got all her laundry done, food stocked, cleaned up, went to the salon, and even had time to hit one of her kickboxing classes. By the time she got home, she was bone tired.
She feels her phone go off in her pocket and can't help but grin when she sees Jack's name on her screen. They didn't talk much when she was at her father's because she wanted to give her full attention to her father, but now that she was home she could act like a girl with her first boyfriend; grinning like a dork when he texts her.
Can't wait to see you tomorrow beautiful -JD
Smiling to herself she writes her reply.
I can't wait either. Where are we going? Do I need to pack anything specific? -ET
Even though she didn't get his reply, she started getting her clothes ready. She had a couple very special pieces of clothing she wanted to wear this weekend for the newest man in her life.
Her phone buzzed again, but she started packing up things before she looked at it. Even though it was only one night and two days, she always wanted to pack enough incase she gets stuck an extra day or so.
The place we're staying has a pool so if you want to go swimming you should pack a suit. Also I'm taking you dinner. Not too fancy don't worry ;) -JD
She couldn't help but laugh in relief. Thank goodness she made an appointment at her salon to make sure she was situated with her body so she could go swimming. Not that she thinks Jack would be inspecting her, but it always makes her feel more comfortable and confident that she doesn't have to worry about razor burn or anything like that.
Plus, she's packing a lace bodysuit that she plans on wearing and she plans for the best reaction from him before she takes him to bed.
Thanks for letting me know. Can't wait either. I miss you -ET
She did miss him and she planned on moving their relationship to the next step. She was more than ready. Jack DeLuca wouldn't know what hit him.
TBC