Sunday, December 19
Quest Compound
"Jonny!" Benton Quest stood at the foot of the staircase in the main house and looked up, calling again. "Jonny!"
A disembodied voice answered him from somewhere above. "Yeah, Dad?"
"I have to drive to Bangor to meet Dr. Liu's plane. Do you and Jessie want to ride along and keep me company?"
Jonny's tousled blonde head appeared over the railing. He contemplated the offer, then shook his head regretfully. "I'd love to, Dad, but I probably shouldn't. I've got a History term paper due the end of the week, and I'm still doing the research for it. I'd better stick around here and try to finish up, so I can start writing the thing. But, hang on, and I'll ask Jess if she wants to go."
Benton could hear his son relaying the offer to Jessie. After a brief wait, Jessie's head joined Jonny's at the railing. Benton could see her hesitate as she considered the trip. Finally, she shook her head. "I think I'll pass, as well, Dr. Quest. To be honest, Dr. Liu isn't one of my favorite people. His attitude toward women irritates me, and he's really good at getting under my skin. You'll probably be better off if I'm not around."
Benton nodded in understanding. "I'm afraid he is a bit biased when it comes to what he considers the 'proper role' of women in this world."
Jessie snorted derisively. "If '"biased'" means thinking all women should be barefoot, pregnant and never allowed out of the house, then you're right. One of these days, that man is going to get a very rude awakening."
Benton laughed. "Now, Jessie. He's not quite that bad. He's just very traditional. And subservient women are very much a part of the classic Japanese culture."
"Yeah, well, this isn't Japan and that man needs to evolve past the dark ages." She shook her head again. "I'll just stay here and let you deal with him. It will make life easier."
"All right. I won't be back until late. Hadji's plane isn't scheduled to get in until almost eight tonight. Also, Dr. Liu is only here for the day. He deliberately scheduled a layover in Bangor so we can review the most recent research data on the project we're collaborating on. If you should need me for anything, I'll be at The Phenix Inn. If the Dawsons can't track me down, then try the cell phone."
Jonny nodded. "Okay, not a problem."
"Call before you leave Bangor so we'll know when to expect you back," Jessie added. "The roads have been slippery, and if something happens . . ."
Benton laughed. "Yes, Mother. You two stay out of trouble today and I'll see you later."
Shrugging on his coat, Benton grabbed his hat and briefcase, and let himself out of the front door. The two young people turned and retreated to Jonny's room. Jessie moved directly to the window and stood watching, as Benton got into his car, started the engine, and drove off down the road toward the main gate.
Behind her, Jonny said quietly, "IRIS, set security systems to monitor and notify us of any approach to the outer perimeter."
"ACKNOWLEDGED," was the sedate response.
"Are we going to go back to studying now?" Jessie asked without turning. There was a hint of amusement in her voice.
"Eventually," Jonny said, coming up behind his girlfriend and putting his arms around her. "Now, where were we?" He gathered her hair, moved it to one side, and began kissing her neck.
Jessie stood with her eyes closed and head tilted, concentrating on the feeling of his hands and lips on her body. She turned in his arms and said, "Well, we were a little more involved than that . . ."
Jonny laughed low in his throat as his lips fastened onto hers. Her arms twined around his neck and she leaned into him willingly, returning his kiss with abandon. He felt only the slightest twinge in his left shoulder as he picked her up and carried her back to the bed. He laid her down gently and then slid down beside her, never allowing their lips to separate.
They hadn't lied to Dr. Quest . . . they HAD been studying. At least, up until 20 minutes ago. Jessie had been working through some complex calculus equations and Jonny had been using the internet to gather information for his term paper. Both of them had reached a temporary stopping place at about the same time. Jonny had leaned back in his chair and flexed his still-healing shoulder gingerly. Seeing him wince, Jessie had then risen to stand behind him, and gently massaged the aching muscles. He had closed his eyes, enjoying the nuances of caring and love that seemed to flow from her touch. Somewhere along the way, simple pleasure had changed to desire. Jonny had risen, pushed the door to his room closed so only a crack remained, and had drawn her over to his bed. They had lain there, kissing and caressing each other, allowing the passion and desire to build. The knowledge that Benton Quest was right downstairs had served to curb their activities . . . at least a little.
But now they were alone and the curbing presence was gone. Jonny slid his tongue into Jessie's mouth, probing and exploring gently. She responded without hesitation, mirroring his actions. She reached up and ran feather-light fingertips along the arch of his ear, caressing his earlobe gently, before moving down his neck and tracing a light pattern around the collar of his t-shirt. Gasping, he broke free of her lips. She took advantage of the opportunity and kissed the pulse point under his jaw. Then, nuzzling and licking softly, she covered his throat and neck with kisses.
Jonny caught her hands, tucked them against his chest and propped himself up on an elbow. He knew from experience that if he allowed her to continue he would become so aroused that he wouldn't be able to control his reactions. He leaned over and kissed her forehead, eyes, temples, cheeks, nose, and chin before returning again to her lips. Slowly and deliberately, he began to use his right hand to caress her body.
"Jonny!" Jessie moaned loudly. Her breathing altered, coming more quickly. Fleetingly, Jonny grinned. Oh, yes, Jessica Bannon was very much her mother's daughter . . . she could be just as noisy when aroused as Estella ever dared to be. Jonny remembered clearly how he and Jessie would sit and giggle, slightly embarrassed, over the sounds that came from Race's room when he and Estella really got going. But last week they decided that maybe it wasn't quite so funny . . . when they discovered the hard way that Jessie was too much like her mother in this respect.
Race had flown back from Colombia to assist Benton with planning a big meeting about the superconductor project. With their fathers safely involved out in the lighthouse, Jessie and Jonny had started an idle necking session on the living room sofa. But somehow, recently, any physical activity between them seemed prone to almost immediate escalation into passion. It didn't even take physical contact any longer. Sometimes, simply looking at each other was enough. That night, a simple kiss had swiftly led to full-blown, rationality-numbing desire. Their fathers totally forgotten, things rapidly got out of hand. Jessie had whispered and moaned to Jonny frantically, her hands tangled in his hair, as he ran his lips and tongue over her. Jonny had never heard her that way before and his body's reaction to the aural stimulation was electrifying. They had been on the brink of going way too far when a caress from him had caused her to arch her back and cry out sharply . . . a loud, incoherent cry of pleasure that had sent echoes of desire cascading through his entire body.
But, to their horror, that cry was answered almost immediately by the sound of her father's alarmed call. They both heard the back door slam sharply and Race and Benton's voices calling their names in fear. It had only been instinct, luck, and quick reflexes that had saved them from their fathers' wrath. Jessie had catapulted to her feet, straightening her clothes frantically. Jonny had launched himself back onto the sofa, grabbing his Lit book and dumping it into his lap to help cover the 'evidence'. As Jessie had cleared the sofa she cracked her shin soundly on the coffee table. When their fathers had entered the room an moment later, Jonny had been staring at her in concern as she rubbed the injured leg, swearing. When questioned sharply by her father, Jessie explained that she had been sitting on the sofa studying -- thank God her books were lying on the table at the other end of the sofa -- and had decided to get up and add another log to the fire -- thank God it had been burning low. She hadn't seen Bandit laying on the floor near her feet -- thank God the little dog was still in the room -- had stumbled over him -- thank God he couldn't talk -- and struck her shin on the coffee table. Race had inspected her injured leg closely and announced that he thought she would live. He then offered them a stern look that said he didn't believe a word of their story, but chose not to call them on it.
But now their fathers weren't here . . . and wouldn't be for a long time. And that realization caused Jonny to pause. His head was just clear enough for some words of warning his father had expressed to him not so very long ago to surface. Reluctantly, he leaned over and kissed Jessie again before pulling back and becoming still. He gazed down at her, waiting, until finally she opened her eyes and looked at him quizzically. He smiled and stroked her cheek gently with the back of his fingers. "You are so beautiful," he said softly.
She smiled back and kissed his fingers. "If you say so."
He sighed and looked away for a moment. When he looked down at her again, a small frown of concern had formed between her eyes. "Jonny?" she questioned softly.
"We're playing with dynamite here, Jess. Every time I touch you it makes me want you so badly it hurts. Sooner or later, one of our parents is going to catch us at this, and the shit's really going to hit the fan.
"Our parents aren't here," she pointed out practically.
"Yeah. I know. That's the point. My dad told me not too long ago that I needed to be careful, because feelings as strong as the ones I have for you can sneak up on me when I least expect it and get both of us into trouble. That incident last week proved to me that he was right."
"There's nothing wrong with what we're feeling for each other," she said defensively. He could see the hurt in her eyes, and behind it, a growing fear.
Hastily, he reassured her. "Of course there isn't! We love each other and we're ready to take the next step. But our parents aren't. And to be honest, I don't like to think about what might happen if your dad should find us doing something like what we were doing last week. You say he's pleased we're a couple. I say that if he caught us, that attitude could change rapidly . . . and I might not live through the transition."
Jessie laughed as Jonny sat up, swung his legs over the edge of the bed, and tried to breathe evenly. "I think I need a shower . . . a really, really COLD shower."
Jessie propped herself up on her elbows and looked at him for awhile. Finally, she sighed and sat up as well. Sitting beside him she said, "Why don't we get our stuff and go downstairs? I think it will be a lot easier to concentrate if we're not lying here on your bed."
Gathering up their books, they carried them downstairs and settled into the family room to continue studying. Jessie stacked her books on the end table at the far end of the sofa while Jonny stacked his on the worktable next to the computer. Then he set about lighting a fire in the big fireplace . . . for some reason, he felt cold. Jessie went and got sodas for both of them. For awhile, they worked in silence. But soon, Jonny began to find it hard to stay focused on what he was doing. His thoughts kept drifting to Jessie and their relationship. Finally, he sighed, and turning from the computer, he said, "Jess, are you at a good stopping place?"
She looked up. "Yeah, I can be. What's up?"
"Can we talk?"
She stuck a piece of paper into her math book and set it aside. "Sure."
He came over and sat down on the opposite end of the sofa, facing her. "I think we need to talk . . . about us."
"That sounds ominous . . . what about us?"
He thought for a minute, then asked her, "Where are we headed? With our relationship, I mean."
Slowly, she responded, "I'm not sure what you mean. I thought we had worked all of this out. You know that I want us to be together . . . permanently."
"No," he said, looking at her steadily. "I mean physically. We're kinda pushing the boundaries, aren't we?" He suddenly paused, as though hearing what he had just said. Hastily, he added, "It's not that I don't want to make love with you . . ."
Jessie sighed in frustration. "Jonny, we're not gonna get this worked out if we're touchy about it. If we really are as mature as we believe we are, we can talk about this like adults."
"All right," he sighed. "Jess, I WANT you. And I don't mean just having you as my girlfriend. I mean I want to hold you and kiss you and make love to you over and over and over. And . . . these feelings just get stronger the more we're together."
She cocked her head at him. "Do you think I feel any differently? Jonny, I can't begin to describe the way you make me feel. And, to be honest, I have to say that I don't want to wait any more. I'm tired of going to bed at night and lying there so wound up that I . . ." She trailed off.
"That you what?" he prompted. She gazed down at her lap, looking uncomfortable. "You said 'discuss this like adults'," he reminded her. "Come on, what were you going to say?"
She sighed deeply. "It's just that sometimes I want you so much . . . and then I go to bed, and I lie there . . . and I can't sleep. All I can think about is how badly I want to . . . I mean . . . I don't know what to do . . . and sometimes I have to . . . to . . . relieve . . . the tension . . . "
He looked at her, confused. "Relieve . . . ? What do you . . ." He stopped as comprehension dawned. She simply sat there, gazing at him intently. "Oh," he said weakly. "I never thought . . ."
"You thought I couldn't have feelings like that?" she asked quietly.
He opened his mouth to reply, but stopped, not sure what to say. Finally, he said, "I'm sorry. I never thought about it, I guess."
She took a deep breath, looked him straight in the eyes and said, "Jonny, I want you to make love to me. I feel like it's the next logical step in our relationship. And I'm ready for that step. I think I have been for awhile."
"I want you, too, Jess."
"What's bothering you, then? We're both virgins, so it's not like we have to worry about sexually transmitted diseases or anything. And you don't need to worry about getting me pregnant . . . I've already taken care of that."
That startled him. "What do you mean, you've 'taken care of that'?"
Jessie sat for a minute with her head bowed, staring at the fabric of the sofa. Finally, she looked up at him. "Jonny, my parents are two very different people, you know that."
"Yeah. So?"
She sighed, "So, my mom is a lot of things, but, most of all, she is a realist. She knows where our relationship is headed . . . she could see it coming. And before she left for Colombia, the two of us had a really long talk." Jonny stirred uneasily, but Jessie smiled at him reassuringly. "Don't worry. She's not mad or anything. She understands." Jessie hesitated for a long moment and then seemed to make a decision. "Do you remember when I told you that something seemed to be up between my dad and mom while we were all in Colombia . . . something they weren't talking about?"
Jonny nodded. "Yeah, I remember."
"Well, I guess they thought she was pregnant again. They'd kinda lost their heads and had been . . ." she stumbled a little, searching for the right words ". . . having sex . . . making love . . . ohhhh . . . whatever . . . without any protection."
Jonny struggled to assimilate that information. "You mean he got her . . . you mean, they . . . you mean, she's . . . AFTER ALL THE LECTURES THEY'VE GIVEN US???" They stared at each other wordlessly. Suddenly, the corner of Jessie's mouth began to twitch and she giggled. Watching her, the ludicrousness of the entire situation struck him, and Jonny began to chuckle. Jessie quickly joined him and before long, they were both laughing hysterically.
"So, is she?" he gasped finally, through spasms of laughter, "Pregnant, I mean."
Jessie shook her head, wiping tears from her eyes. "No. They jumped to conclusions. When they got back here, she checked with Dr. Mason and she said that her system was just screwed up due to stress." Jessie snickered. "I told her it sounded more like a guilty conscience."
Jonny chuckled. "What did she say to that?"
"She swatted me with a pillow."
Jonny chuckled again, but sobered suddenly as he thought of something else. "Was this before or after . . ." he paused. "I mean, did they announce . . . uh . . ."
"You mean, did they decide to get remarried and announce it because they thought she was pregnant?" He nodded. "No, they knew before they made that decision. But you know, something tells me I may end up with a brother or sister out of the deal, anyway. I think they want another kid."
Jonny thought about that. "That would actually be pretty cool, you know?"
"Yeah. I think so, too. At any rate, because of that, Mom and I had a really long talk before she left. I was pretty candid about our relationship and what I wanted."
"What did she say?"
"That she wasn't surprised. She also said that even though she really can't encourage or condone it, she understands that there is nothing she can do to prevent us from doing anything we make up our minds to do. And, finally, she said that if we were really serious about it, she expected us to be sensible and mature . . . and that means being really, really careful. She assured me that waiting to confirm whether or not I was pregnant would be no fun."
"For either one of us," Jonny affirmed. "So what did you do?"
"Mom took me to Dr. Mason. She did an exam and they made sure that when the time came, I would be prepared. I've been on them now since before Mom and Dad left for Colombia." Jessie watched him assess that information. After a moment, she said softly, "But that's not all you're worried about, either, is it?"
He reached out and gently cupped her cheek in one hand. "No. Not really. I knew that when the time came, we would take care of that issue. Do you know what my biggest fear is?" he asked her. She looked at him and shook her head wordlessly. "I'm so afraid that our parents will find out and decide that we shouldn't be living under the same roof . . . that they will send one of us away and we won't be able to see each other again. I've just been through that and I don't think I could stand it again."
Jessie slid over and put her arms around him. Laying her head on his shoulder she replied, "Jonny, your father would never send you away. And I wouldn't leave. Not as long as you're here. I won't be separated from you like that. I'd go live in your play cave first."
He held her tightly, his cheek against the top of her head. "But, don't you see, Jess, it would be so easy for them to do. We're both applying to college now. It would be simple enough for them to say that you have to attend one school . . . like Stanford or Berkeley, and I have to go to Columbia or somewhere else out here on the east coast. They could put an entire continent between us again. They have the leverage to do it!"
Jessie pulled back and gazed at up at him for a long time. Finally, she said gently, "No, they don't. Because you see, I've learned a lot about myself in the last several months . . . about what I want and need . . . and can accept. My mother had a lesson for me not long ago, and I learned it very, very well. I can do anything if I decide it's what I really want. Somehow, I will always find a way. If they tried to separate us like that . . . well," she shrugged. "I meant what I said about your play cave . . . or it's equivalent. I don't need their support or their money to go to school. It would be easier, yes. But if they were to tell me that I had to go to school where they chose just to separate us, then I would tell them to shove it. I would follow you to wherever you chose to go and I would work my own way through. It might take longer, but I would still get there." She paused for a long moment, gazing up at him with a very serious expression on her face. Then, with quiet conviction, she finished, "Because, in the long run, Jonny Quest, you are my future. And if they can't understand that . . . well . . ." She shrugged in a way that caused a chill to run down Jonny's back. She really would do it, he realized. She felt that strongly about it. She gazed at him a bit longer, then kissed him softly on the lips, and sighed. Suddenly, she chuckled.
"What?" he asked her.
"I was just thinking how much of a role reversal this is."
"Why? What do you mean?"
"Well, you're usually the impulsive one and I'm the one that's trying to be calm and sensible."
"Well, it's something we should be calm and sensible about."
"You're probably right," she said noncommittally. She smiled at him and asked, "How about some lunch? It's after 1:00."
"Lunch sounds good," he agreed hastily. The idea of a routine task appealed to him right now. He wanted a little time to think.
The two of them went to the kitchen, and as Jonny pulled things from the refrigerator to make sandwiches, Jessie began heating up some leftover soup. As they worked together in companionable silence, Jonny thought about their earlier discussion. Unknown to their parents, he and Jessie had made a permanent commitment to each other after the family had returned from Denver. It had been kind of funny . . . the night of the Christmas Festival, he and Jessie had told Hadji that they had decided they were going to get married. It was a subject they hadn't even discussed yet. But when he had first mentioned it to his brother, he knew it was true. Their commitment to each other was that permanent. Later, he had talked with Jessie about it . . . tried to apologize for jumping the gun and making assumptions about their relationship. But Jessie wouldn't accept the apology . . . said there was no reason to apologize for something that was simple fact.
He also remembered telling Hadji that they were keeping it from their parents because Race and their father weren't ready for that news. Benton Quest was having a very difficult time dealing with all the evidence that his kids were growing up. Jonny supposed that every parent went through that stage at one time or another. But their father was really struggling right now. The discussion that the two of them had while Jessie was in Colombia had really rocked him. Jonny supposed it had simply brought home to him that his sons were growing up. And then Hadji had come back from Bangalore and announced he had a fiancée. Time and life had just stood up and smacked his father in the face all at once.
That wasn't to say that he disapproved of Jonny's relationship with Jessie. Jonny knew that his father loved Jessie dearly. But it was going to take him some time to become accustomed to the idea that Jonny and Hadji weren't his "little boys" any longer. And Jonny saw no reason to rub his nose in it. Hadji's relationship was going to be public enough . . . his status as Sultan of Bangalore ensured that. Jonny couldn't see adding to his father's stress by telling him about the advancement of his relationship with Jessie.
"Penny for your thoughts," Jessie said, setting a bowl of soup down on the table in front of him.
"Hmmm?" Jonny replied, distractedly. "What?"
She looked at him with amusement. "You were a thousand miles away."
Jonny chuckled. "Yeah, I guess I was. I was thinking about Dad."
"What about him?" she asked, as she settled into the chair next to him.
"How life is moving just a little quicker than he's ready for."
She looked at him. "You mean about you and me?"
"That . . . and Hadji and Kefira. I don't think he was quite ready for all of this."
She thought about that for a while. Finally, in a neutral voice, she asked, "Does he have a problem with our relationship?"
Jonny shook his head. "No. It's not you or the relationship he's having a problem with. It's the idea that I'm actually old enough to understand how I feel and to know what I want. His favorite litany these days is that I'm 'so young' and have 'so much of my life ahead of me' . . . that my outlook will change as I get older and that I shouldn't rush into anything." He sighed. "I think he's scared."
Jessie sat quietly for a long time. Finally, she sighed softly. "Is this what our talk today has been about?
He thought about it. "Yeah, I guess it is."
She looked at him soberly. "Jonny, I don't have a problem with waiting if you feel you aren't ready. Sex is not something we should have simply because we can. But I do have a problem with deciding how and when our relationship advances based on the feelings and readiness of others . . . even if it is our parents. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
He looked away from her. "Yes, I understand . . ."
Evenly, she continued, "Jonny, what we're talking about is something very personal. God knows I'm no expert, but this is probably the single most personal thing we will ever do in our entire lives. This decision needs to be based on the way WE feel about our relationship and what WE are ready for."
Jonny looked at her, thinking about what she was saying. Eventually, he nodded. "You're right. This has to be our decision. But, Jess, I mean it. My dad is not ready for this. And I don't think your dad is, either. And when they find out about it, there will be hell to pay."
"Then we see to it that they don't." She grinned at him suddenly. "After all, what they don't know won't hurt any of us!"
Jonny gazed at her in astonishment. "Are you saying we should lie to our parents?!"
"Of course not!" she exclaimed. "I would never suggest that. What I am saying is that we should be very discreet and not volunteer the information. If my dad asks me pointblank if we are sleeping together, then I'll answer him honestly. But I'm not going to go up to him and say, 'Hey, Dad, I think you should know that I'm boinking Jonny.' That would be dumb."
Jonny cringed in mock fear. "I wouldn't live to see the dawn!"
Jessie laughed. Reaching out, she caught his hand in hers. "Jonny, I'm not pushing you. We will make love when it's right for both of us. I don't want there to be any doubts. I can wait." She leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips. "Thank you."
He let the kiss linger, before sitting back and asking, "For what?"
"For being willing to talk about this."
He smiled and kissed her again. When they finally separated, he replied, "You're welcome."
In comfortable silence, they finished their lunch, then cleaned up, and returned to their homework. Both of them became totally engrossed in their respective projects until the phone interrupted them several hours later.
Absently, Jonny reached over and picked it up on the first ring. "Hello?" A blast of static caused him to jump and jerk the phone away. Then, cautiously, he returned the phone to his ear. "Hello?" he repeated, tentatively.
"Jonny?" Through the static, he could just barely hear his father's voice.
"Dad? Is that you?"
"Jonny, can you hear me?" Hastily, Jonny rose and strode to the windows, hoping to clear the reception on the phone line. With a jolt, he stared out onto an alien landscape. A wall of blowing white was all he could see in every direction. And for the first time, he noticed the muted sound of the wind, howling wildly. A blizzard had descended on Maine.
"Dad, I can barely hear you. Are you on the cell phone?"
There was a long pause, and then the static decreased slightly. "Jonny, can you hear me now?"
"Yeah, that's better, Dad. Where are you?" he asked anxiously. "You aren't out in this, are you?"
"I'm still in Bangor. It's . . . badly here, as well . . . coating . . . slick and extremely . . . highway . . . shut the roads down. There's no way I . . . out of . . . going to have . . . you?"
Jonny sighed in frustration. "Dad, you're breaking up very badly. Can you go to another phone?" A prolonged bout of static caused him to move the phone away from his ear again. He waited for a minute and then tried again. "Dad?"
For an instant, the connection cleared and he heard. " . . . ice has taken down phone and power lines. The weather forecasts say this isn't going to clear the coast much before tomorrow morning. Then, they'll have to start clearing roads. I don't know when I'll be able to get through, again."
Hastily, Jonny replied, "Well, don't even try! Are you safe? Where are you?"
"I'm fine, Son. I'm still at the Phenix Inn. The Dawsons have emergency generators and all of us are safely holed up, waiting for the storm to pass. But I'm more concerned . . . isolated during this . . . I don't . . . alone . . ." The static suddenly obliterated everything. As Jonny waited, hoping that the connection would clear again, he looked over at Jessie. "Well, it looks like he's stuck in Bangor. How long has it been snowing like this?"
Jessie walked over to the windows and stared out in amazement. "I have no idea! I wasn't paying any attention. When we finished lunch it was overcast, but it wasn't snowing."
"Well, it sounds like it's doing more than snowing north of here. Dad said something about ice, too." Suddenly, the sound of the static decreased and Jonny said into the phone, "Dad, are you still there?"
Distantly, Jonny heard his father's voice, "Take care of yourself and don't . . . foolish. I'll get . . . as soon . . . can."
"We'll be fine," Jonny assured him, hoping his father could hear him. "And don't you try anything stupid, either. Don't risk trying to come home through this until it's safe! Dad? Dad! Are you still there?" He was greeted with nothing but static. Finally, he hung up in frustration. Before he could even set the phone down, it began to ring again. Hitting the "talk" button quickly, he said, "Dad? Is that you?"
"No. Were you expecting a call from Father?" Hadji's voice greeted him.
"Oh, hi, Hadji. No, I had just been talking to Dad, and we got cut off. I thought he might have found a way to call back."
"Is there a problem?" Hadji asked anxiously. "I have been trying to reach him, too, and have been unable to get through."
Jonny laughed, "Well, if you call a major blizzard a '"problem'". Bangor's been hit with snow and ice and he's stuck."
"Ah, that explains it then. I was trying to reach him to let him know that our flight to Bangor has been cancelled. They did not tell me it was because of snow. Should we try to drive back, then?"
"No, I don't think so. We're getting it very badly here, too. It's probably not a good idea for you to start driving and run the risk of getting stuck somewhere."
"Tell him, 'definitely not'," Jessie said hastily from the other side of the room. Jonny looked over to see her standing at the computer. On the screen he could see the characteristic reds, yellows, blues and greens of a Doppler radar weather map. Even from across the room, the pattern it showed looked violent.
"We just pulled up the regional radar map, Hadj, and it looks like a really bad idea to try driving anywhere right now. The storm is pretty extensive. Dad said it should clear this area by tomorrow, so maybe the best thing is to stay where you are and then try to reach Dad again tomorrow. Did Kefira and her father arrive safely?"
"Yes. They are here and everything is fine. Is Father safe?"
"Yeah. He's safe and sound at The Phenix Inn. The Dawsons are looking after him."
"Then we will stay here until tomorrow and see what Father says once the weather clears." Hadji chuckled suddenly. "This is quite an introduction to the United States for Kefira and her father."
Jonny laughed. "At least she knows what snow is. Be grateful she doesn't come from the lowland jungles of India!"
"A good point. You and Jessie are safe, I take it."
"Yeah, we're fine."
"Alright. I will call again tomorrow, then, after I talk with Father, and we can rearrange logistics."
"Okay. Talk to you then. And tell Kefira for us that we are really looking forward to meeting her."
Hadji laughed. "I will tell her."
Jonny hit the disconnect button and set the phone back on the table. "Well, that's that. There's no way either of them are going to make it home through this any time soon."
"I think we better check to make sure we're set before this gets any worse," Jessie said practically.
"Yeah, you're probably right. You want to check the power and backup systems? I'm gonna go check the firewood stock. I don't imagine the power will go out, but just in case it does, we can close off the family room and heat it with the fireplace."
Jessie nodded, but also cautioned him. "If we need to pull firewood out of the stock in the storage shed, you call me. It's a total whiteout, and you could easily get lost in the snow between here and the shed."
"Deal," he agreed promptly. For the next half an hour, the two of them worked to ensure that the Compound was secured and ready to withstand the storm. Eventually, they met back in the family room. "That's about the best we can do, I think," Jonny commented to Jessie after they finished. "If we have to, we can easily hold out here for several weeks before our supplies run low. And we shouldn't need firewood until sometime late tomorrow, even if we let the fireplace burn continuously."
Jessie nodded. "Good. Let's hope the initial brunt of the storm passes by that time. So, what now?"
Jonny stared at the computer for a minute, then grimaced. "Somehow, I just can't work on my paper any more. Wanna watch TV or a movie or something?"
"Sure. I've finished my calculus, anyway. Why don't you find a movie to watch while I make some popcorn and get drinks."
"Cool. How about some action/adventure? We haven't watched "The Terminator" or "T2" in a while."
She thought about it briefly and then shook her head. "No, I don't think I'm in the mood for Arnie. How about Indiana Jones? Or a good murder mystery."
"Hey, I think Race said he bought "Devil in a Blue Dress" a couple of weeks ago. I haven't seen that one."
"Neither have I. Let's watch that."
Jonny busied himself setting up the tape machine and tending the fire, while Jessie got the stuff from the kitchen. Then, they snuggled together on the sofa to watch the movie. After a while, Jonny's mind began to wander again. As usual, Jessie's proximity was causing him to be unable to concentrate. He thought about their earlier discussions. She had been right -- he was allowing his father to dictate his decisions about their relationship. To be fair, Jonny knew that his father was right about both of them being very young. God alone knew, they had seen the results of young couples getting in over their heads.
But did it have to be that way? He didn't think so. He really believed that the relationship between he and Jessie was different. For one thing, both of them had more life experience than others their own age. They'd also been a lot closer to death. And then there was the responsibility factor. Benton Quest had given his sons room to be children . . . there was no question of that. But he had also nurtured a sense of responsibility in them and reinforced it by giving them jobs that tested their limits and expanded that sense of responsibility. Sometimes he had failed those tests . . . he knew that. But not often, and not when it really counted.
There was another factor at work that most young couples didn't have to deal with, either. He and Jessie did live in the same house. He saw her all the time. As his love for her had grown, so had his desire. Having her right there so much of the time only inflamed it. And his father had been right . . . the feelings he had for her could be overwhelming at times. He had tried to find methods of relieving the growing sexual tension between them. For a while necking had helped . . . but not for long. He hadn't told her, but Jessie wasn't the only one doing things in an effort to find a release. But it wasn't working, and he knew why. All the masturbation in the world wouldn't resolve the emotional desire he had for her . . . the need to deepen the bond between them. And separating them wouldn't work either. They had just found that out the hard way. A fully committed, physical relationship would deal with both of these issues and was the next logical step for them.
So, was he honestly ready to commit to a physical relationship with Jessie? Yes, he was. He knew that there was no other woman for him. It was that simple.
"Jess?" he said quietly.
Something in his tone of voice caused her to look up. "Yeah?"
"Did you mean what you said earlier? About being ready to have sex?"
She looked at him solemnly, sensing the seriousness of his question. "Yes."
"No reservations?"
"None at all," she replied promptly, in the same serious tone.
He took a deep breath. "Then would you spend the night with me tonight? We are alone, and we know we won't be disturbed."
She gazed at him for a long time. Finally, she said, "Are you sure about this, Jonny? I meant what I said . . . I don't want to push you into something you're not ready for."
"I'm sure," he said with quiet assurance.
"Then, yes. I would very much like to spend the night with you tonight."
Jonny and Jessie spent the rest of the evening quietly. They finished watching the movie, made dinner, watched the news and weather, and just spent the time companionably. They had cuddled together much of the time, kissing and caressing one another often, but there had been no barely controllable desires or frantic urges to push any limits. Jonny thought about that, as he turned off the lights and prepared to go up to bed. It was as though once the decision had been made, neither of them seemed to have the violent urge to jump right in and actually do it. They were content to take their time. But now the evening was over and the time had actually come.
He climbed the stairs, hesitating as he reached the upstairs hallway. Where was Jessie? When she had left to get ready for bed, he hadn't thought to ask her which room they were going to use. After a moment, he decided to go in and clean up . . . wash his face and brush his teeth . . . before going in search of her. He'd ask her which room she preferred and they'd go from there. He was just finishing, when a small sound caused him to turn. Jessie stood there, smiling hesitantly. She was still fully dressed, but her hair had been brushed to a high shine and the front of her shirt showed faint traces of water, as though she had splashed herself while cleaning up.
"I . . . I didn't know . . . I wasn't sure . . . which room do you . . ." She stumbled to a halt, color suddenly staining her cheeks.
Jonny dried his hands and stepped out of the bathroom. He reached out and drew her tightly to his side. "Whichever room you prefer, Jess. I don't care."
She considered that, then replied, "Let's use yours. I like being there."
As the two of them turned as one and moved down the hall toward his room, Jonny gave a final thought to the significance of what they were about to do. He recognized that he was about to cross a threshold and he suspected that things in his life would never be the same again. Are you sure you're ready for this? a small voice in his mind asked him. He looked down at the girl tucked against his side and was suddenly shaken by the intensity of his feelings for her. He remembered trying to explain these feelings to his father and recognized that what he felt for her a scant month ago was nothing compared to the way he felt now. Was he ready? No, he thought suddenly, that's the wrong question. The right one is am I committed to her . . . now and for the rest of my life. And with that, any remaining doubts he might have had fled. Yes, he was committed. He wanted no one else and he was ready for what they were preparing to do. As he released her and turned to close the door of his room behind them, he smiled. No, life would never be the same . . . it would be better.
Much later, as the two of them lay nestled together in warm, sleepy contentment, Jessie thought about what they had done. And now, Bannon? she asked herself. Now that it's over? Any regrets? Her inner voice responded rapidly and with conviction. No, she would never regret this decision. It was right.
Jonny was asking himself much the same thing and coming to the same conclusion. He still felt stunned by the entire experience. And the depth of feeling he had for her was awesome. Everything he felt had been magnified in a way he had never thought possible and he seemed attuned to her in some new way that was hard to define.. It's true what they say, he mused to himself drowsily. Everything really does change. He couldn't explain it . . . he just knew that it was right.
Thinking her asleep, Jonny tightened his arm and whispered, "I love you, Jessica Bannon." He kissed the top of her head softly, and as his mind began to cloud with sleep, the last thing he heard was her soft, sleepy reply,
"Now and forever."