"Aqua, there's a man here looking for you!" one of the nurses said.
She frowned and looked up from her files. Jack was standing in the lobby. He had a bag in on hand and was waving with the other. The desire to slink back to the employee break room (as if she hadn't seen him at all) was great. However, she had a feeling that if she did that, Jack would only follow her. Like some weird stalkerish puppy.
"Aqua! You didn't tell us you were seeing anyone!" Selphie said.
"Oh, um…"
She scrambled to come up with an excuse as to why he would be there. After all, it was no secret that she had been specially requested to be his nurse while he was recovering. A return visit, when he wasn't sick, was another thing entirely. The last thing she wanted was for any of her coworkers to find out about the deal she had made with him. It just seemed like it was a bad idea all around. Ven and Elsa already disapproved heartily.
"Why don't you go take lunch? We've got things covered here," Olette said.
"But I still haven't finished my reports!"
"We can take care of that! Don't leave a guy like that waiting!"
She was all but hauled to her feet and pushed to the lobby by Olette and Selphie. The girls meant well. They probably saw it was romantic that Jack had stopped by just to see her. This would give them enough gossip to stay satisfied for weeks. Aqua never spoke of her personal life. Just did her work and left. Seeing Jack there, asking for her, would let their imaginations run wild with speculation and daydreams. All too soon, she was left alone with Jack. She shifted uncomfortably.
"I should have called. Or… asked."
She blinked in surprise. That was the closest thing she had gotten as an apology from him. Minus the 'I'm sorry' bit. If it had been anyone but a gangster, she might have accepted that as an apology or at least seen it as steps in the right direction. With Jack, she only felt like it was a trap. That he was trying to trick her.
"Want to grab lunch?"
She debated saying no, but she was required, as per their deal after all. "You did come all this way."
His face lit up. Immediately, she felt bad. She was only using him so she didn't have to pay protection fees to his organization after all. If she agreed to this date, she could escape other dates for the rest of the week.
"Need to grab anything or let anyone know?"
She blinked in surprise. She half expected that he would just whisk her away whenever the fancy struck him. He was being unexpectedly kind about her job and her needs. She had to take a deep breath and recollect her wits. It seemed Jack was doing lots of things that were catching her off guard.
"I… just need to let my supervisor know."
She stepped into the hospital once more to do that. Her boss nodded and smiled, dismissing her to an early lunch. He was probably as surprised as her coworkers that she was spending any time with anyone at all. She mostly spent her time with Elsa and Ven. At least everyone knew that.
Jack was patiently waiting for her to join him. He even held out his arm like a true gentleman when she approached. She wanted to recoil from being forced to play along with his game, but that's what it was. A game. She had to play along so the gang would protect her. She gave an uncomfortable smile and placed her hand on his forearm. Together, they strolled down the street. As casual as any other couple.
He even opened the door for her on their way into the cafe. They were seated at another secluded table, as if he knew she would ask to be somewhere no one would get a good look at them. She didn't want to be seen with him. It was dangerous for her and her wellbeing. Jack had more enemies than there were stars in the sky. The last thing she wanted was to get caught up in some turf war with Jack and whomever he pissed off that day.
"I half expected you to have beef with me showin' up at your work, dollface."
"We made a deal," she said simply. "I have to honor my part."
He sat back in his seat with an infuriating smirk on his face. Like he was pleased that she hadn't 'misbehaved'. She wondered what would have happened if she had refused him. Would he have gotten upset with her? Dragged her out of the hospital? That was a rather frightening thought. She had just let him know that it was okay for him to show up at her place of work and whisk her away whenever he felt like it.
"Just because of the deal?" he asked.
The tone to his voice made her stiffen. Immediately, she knew she had said something wrong. He didn't like what she said. That was the worst part about being around him. She wasn't sure what would set him off. It was like walking on eggshells with every step and every conversation she made.
"Well, I hardly know you enough for it to be anything else," she said.
She held her breath, afraid she had finally said the wrong thing and pissed him off. She hated the anxiety that just talking to him left her with. Even when she wasn't around him, she was constantly afraid of what would get back to him. The stress was really starting to get to her. She would probably halve her life just stressing out over the situation.
"I suppose I haven't exactly helped with that, have I?" he asked. "Let's get to know each other then."
That seemed to be enough to help him relax. She barely managed to avoid taking a sigh of relief. She would have to watch her tongue a lot more carefully. He seemed a little bit more on edge than usual. If he had been anyone else, she would have asked him what was wrong but he was just a gang member.
"Um, what do you want to know?" she asked uncertainly.
She didn't want to reveal too much but at the same time, if she wasn't forthcoming… She was in between a rock and a hard place. She didn't want to think about it.
"What do you like to do in your free time?"
That should have been an easy question. But Aqua had to stop and think about it. She didn't have a lot of free time. Most of it was dedicated to assisting Ven. His health didn't leave them much time for leisure. He was going to have more hard times soon, especially with winter coming around the corner.
"I… um… Well, I suppose I…" she frowned, struggling for words. She wasn't trying to ignore his question. "I used to bake."
"Used to?"
"It's… difficult to find time to do that nowadays."
Not to mention the fact that baking supplies were expensive. Between rent and Ven's health expenses she simply couldn't afford it. Baking was a luxury she couldn't do anymore. Same for any of her other hobbies. She couldn't read the books she liked. Books were expensive but occasionally she would find one cheap or in the gutter. People threw out the craziest things. Once she had even found a pocket watch dumped in the trash. The pawn shop had paid well and that month, she and the others had eaten like kings while the money had lasted. If they had been smart, they would have saved it, but having that much had gone to their heads. She perhaps should have found the owner, but since it was in the trash, it would have been next to impossible to do the right thing. So they did what was easiest. What would help them survive.
"The hospital isn't overworking you, are they?"
She shook her head. "There are things I have to tend to at home."
"Things?"
That seemed to draw Jack's attention. She winced and looked down at the menu. The words seemed to blend together into a congealed mass and she couldn't make heads or tails of what she was reading. However, she could practically feel Jack's eyes burning into her and she did not want to face that just yet.
"I… have some roommates living with me. One of them is sick. He needs a lot of help."
Jack twitched. She dared a glance up and instantly regretted it. His knuckles turned white on the menu in his hand. Jack looked positively murderous at hearing that there was a man living with her. A knot formed in her throat as panic began to rise. But she looked up at him firmly. She had done nothing wrong. Ven and Elsa were like family, without the blood ties.
"He?"
She took a deep breath. She didn't want to talk about this but she had to assure him that Ven was not worth whatever comeuppance that was burning in his eyes like a smoldering fire. That look promised nothing but ill intent for Ven.
"He's like a little brother to me," she said quickly, We were neighbors, once upon a time. He and Elsa lost his family. And I lost mine. We moved in together so that the three of us stood a chance."
Her mother had passed away due to being sick. It's what drove her to be a nurse. Her father hadn't managed to raise enough protection money for both her and himself. So he paid for her. And when he was short for himself an 'accident' befell him at his workplace at the docks. A beam had fallen and crushed him.
As for Elsa and Ven… Their father had been a drunk. Hardly ever home. When he was, no one wanted to be around him. It was almost a blessing that a mine collapse had ended him. As for their mother, she had simply lost the will to live. She had passed peacefully in her sleep one day.
"I have a younger brother named Jamie," Jack said, "And two little sisters named Emma and Sophie."
Aqua stared at him. She was pretty sure she was slack jawed and bug-eyed. He did not strike her as a family man. The mere suggestion that he had siblings clashed with the big bad mafioso persona that he exuded. It seemed unfathomable. He grinned in response to her apparent shock, relishing the look on her face.
"I take care of them," he said.
"How does that work out? I mean… you do dangerous work."
That was putting things lightly. But she didn't think he'd like it if she accused him of his violent work, even if it were true. She had a hard time keeping work and home separate. She could only imagine how difficult that had to be with younger siblings like Jack's. His line of work had to have a negative impact on them.
"I keep them out of it," Jack said. "It's not easy. They're kids. They think they know everything."
Aqua actually found herself smiling at that. She used to think she had the answers to everything too when she was younger. Before she realized just how complicated things truly were. How the world wasn't as clear as black and white. Did that apply to Jack too? He was a mobster. He didn't have to offer her a deal about her protection fees. And he certainly didn't have to take her on dates, pay for her meals or any of the other things he had been doing lately.
The thought made her heart ache in dull confusion. Everything she knew was being questioned by his mere existence right in front of her. He could have forced her to be his girl. He could have had his way with her any number of ways. Yet… he was being patient with her. Even if he was clearly green with envy at the thought of her with someone else. Dangerously green.
"Kids will be kids," she managed to say.
Jack nodded. He went silent as the wait staff took their orders, but smiled brightly when they were gone. He genuinely seemed happy to talk about his siblings. If she had met him any other way, she would have thought he was a completely different person. The difference was like day and night. It also made her realize that his smiles before hadn't quite reached his eyes. Like he was playing at being happy, but now… he seemed sincere.
"What are your siblings like?" she asked.
"Well, Emma's the oldest," Jack said. "She's very shy. She loves being outdoors. There's a pond near where we live and I take her ice skating sometimes."
"Ice skating?"
"I'm actually quite good at it," Jack said proudly.
Aqua tried to imagine Jack gliding across a frozen pond. She could see it. He would take off his jacket only to be left in a button down, suspenders and slacks. He'd probably roll up his sleeves and smirk the entire time as he danced circles around his younger siblings. Years of experience they simply didn't have. But he would teach them. The way a parent would have.
"And your other siblings?"
"Jamie is my younger brother. He's lousy with book smarts. I don't know where he gets it. Clearly not from me," Jack shrugged. "And Sophie's our youngest. She's a real peach."
The pride in his siblings brimming off him made Aqua feel… odd. She knew she shouldn't sympathize with him, but just hearing about his siblings that way made her feel mushy inside. Jack was just doing the same as her. He was trying to get by for his family. Only his ways were more violent and destructive than the path she chose. Clearly it had done well for him considering he was well to do. Minus the fact he had made enemies who hated him enough to want him dead.
"You love them," she murmured.
"'Course I do."
Their food was brought out, so she didn't have to explain her shock or surprise. The food looked amazing, as it had at the last place. Aqua herself wasn't used to so many meals in a row. She had skipped a meal here or there on occasion simply because they couldn't afford it. Or her meals were meager like three day old bread and some water. If she was lucky she could have jam or butter with it, but those were on days she was lucky.
Jack even 'corrected' her order and got her more greens and more protein. She had tried to order the cheapest thing on the menu. He probably saw right through that because last time, she had eyed his food a little more than she should have. She was trying not to be a burden. Or to seem overly greedy.
Every bite was delicious. She almost wished she could take some home with her to Ven and Elsa. A part of her felt guilty for receiving good food when they were still eating more meager portions. Baked ham with potatoes and cheese. By the time she finished, she thought that she would pop like a balloon. Jack even shared small portions of his food with her. She was oblivious to the look he gave her when he pushed the plate forward insisting she try the lamb chops or his creamed cauliflower or the codfish on toast.
This was the best meal she had ever had in her entire life. Jack, on the other hand, was putting two and two together and realized just how scarce food was for his nurse and how tight money was. She ate like she had never had a meal before her and was completely oblivious to him watching her. She had completely let her guard down and was shocked to find he liked the smile on her face. That he wanted her to keep smiling. It was exhilarating to know that he was the reason she was smiling like this now.