Chapter XII
A LATE NIGHT CONVERSATION
"WELL, since I finally have a chance to talk to you, what have you and Daniel been up to these past couple years?" Harry asked as he slipped some of the cocoa that Jessie handed to him.
Jessie stirred her hot cocoa for a few minutes, forming the words in her mind. "Well, things at home haven't changed much."
Vincent nodded.
"Daniel has taken over the family business for Dad. In fact he should be here soon, he has been planning on coming up for the wedding."
"How did you meet Fred? I mean, that last time I saw you, you weren't looking for anyone."
Jessie smiled. "Well, it's kinna a funny story. He arrived in town with this girl named Tracy Trinh." Vincent suddenly straightened, but not enough for Jessie to vocally acknowledge it. "She was always on him. One day he walked into the store and I was working the counter alone and he asked if I would like to go out for ice cream."
Harry's eyes widen. "And you went?!"
"No. Not then. Tracy was just outside. He visited the store quite frequently after that and I guess," she shrugged, "I felt sorry for him. I finally agreed to go out with him once, just before he left." Jessie paused for a moment. "And Tracy has been mad at us ever since."
"Have you tried to get in touch with her, maybe try to clear things up?"
"Yeah, I tried, just before he left the store. I tried to convince her that we were just friends and nothing would come out of it. Guess I was wrong." She scooted back into her chair. "She can have him back. If he wasn't dead, that is."
Harry leaned forward a bit. "I don't mean to pry, but was Fred always like that?"
She looked up, almost caught off guard by his question. "Like what?"
"Beating you." He stated too bluntly.
Jessie sighed. "No. At first he was a really nice gentleman, almost like you." She added. "It wasn't until after we were engaged that he started to become…forceful."
"Didn't you tell anyone?"
"Yeah. I told Daniel, but he didn't offer much help."
Vincent eyes glanced over at the clock on the far wall with read 10 minutes before 11. "My goodness, is it really that late?"
Jessie glanced over her shoulder at the clock. "Oh dear." She looked over at Harry. "Would you like to stay here? Your wrists still look a bit swollen."
Harry looked down at his hands. He had totally forgotten about his early escapade with Tracy. "No, that's alright. I need to head into New York early tomorrow."
"You're heading back already? Daniel should be here in a couple days at the most. I'm sure he'd love to see you again."
"I just need to check on a few things at home. I should be back in a few days, in time to meet up with your brother."
Jessie smiled. "Okay. Well, take care of yourself."
"You to, Jes." He grinned and headed for his coupe and the Hillsboro Inn.
A LATE NIGHT CONVERSATION
"WELL, since I finally have a chance to talk to you, what have you and Daniel been up to these past couple years?" Harry asked as he slipped some of the cocoa that Jessie handed to him.
Jessie stirred her hot cocoa for a few minutes, forming the words in her mind. "Well, things at home haven't changed much."
Vincent nodded.
"Daniel has taken over the family business for Dad. In fact he should be here soon, he has been planning on coming up for the wedding."
"How did you meet Fred? I mean, that last time I saw you, you weren't looking for anyone."
Jessie smiled. "Well, it's kinna a funny story. He arrived in town with this girl named Tracy Trinh." Vincent suddenly straightened, but not enough for Jessie to vocally acknowledge it. "She was always on him. One day he walked into the store and I was working the counter alone and he asked if I would like to go out for ice cream."
Harry's eyes widen. "And you went?!"
"No. Not then. Tracy was just outside. He visited the store quite frequently after that and I guess," she shrugged, "I felt sorry for him. I finally agreed to go out with him once, just before he left." Jessie paused for a moment. "And Tracy has been mad at us ever since."
"Have you tried to get in touch with her, maybe try to clear things up?"
"Yeah, I tried, just before he left the store. I tried to convince her that we were just friends and nothing would come out of it. Guess I was wrong." She scooted back into her chair. "She can have him back. If he wasn't dead, that is."
Harry leaned forward a bit. "I don't mean to pry, but was Fred always like that?"
She looked up, almost caught off guard by his question. "Like what?"
"Beating you." He stated too bluntly.
Jessie sighed. "No. At first he was a really nice gentleman, almost like you." She added. "It wasn't until after we were engaged that he started to become…forceful."
"Didn't you tell anyone?"
"Yeah. I told Daniel, but he didn't offer much help."
Vincent eyes glanced over at the clock on the far wall with read 10 minutes before 11. "My goodness, is it really that late?"
Jessie glanced over her shoulder at the clock. "Oh dear." She looked over at Harry. "Would you like to stay here? Your wrists still look a bit swollen."
Harry looked down at his hands. He had totally forgotten about his early escapade with Tracy. "No, that's alright. I need to head into New York early tomorrow."
"You're heading back already? Daniel should be here in a couple days at the most. I'm sure he'd love to see you again."
"I just need to check on a few things at home. I should be back in a few days, in time to meet up with your brother."
Jessie smiled. "Okay. Well, take care of yourself."
"You to, Jes." He grinned and headed for his coupe and the Hillsboro Inn.