Ch 15
Same disclaimer applies. And this one goes out to LJstagflower4e/JCTigerwolf4e!
"So man, how do you like your new crib?" Marco asked Jake
Marco had talked to Jake's parents and doctors, and he convinced them that Jake was well enough to live on his own. Although the doctors and his parents didn't want Jake to live alone, there was no legitimate objection that they could make. A home health nurse would stop by twice a week to check on him health wise, and Para transit would pick him up to take him the Physical and Occupational therapy everyday. SO there would always be someone around him. He and Tobias also decided to call Jake every couple days, just to make sure everything was okay. And he was sure that Cassie and Rae would visit…
"Is that a big screen TV?" Jake asked, interrupting Marco's thoughts.
"Yup, yup. I got you digital cable. 900 channels. Everything that you could possibly imagine and more, all in one little box. You gotta love Earth."
Jake eked out a smile.
After the ceremony was over, his discharge from the hospital had been tumultuous, to say the least. He changed into civilian clothes and signed his discharge papers. Then, he was released. Outside the hospital, there was media frenzy. TV and Radio trucks were parked near the entrance. Reporters and journalists were shoving cameras, tape recorders, and microphones in his face.
"Mr. Berenson, can I have a statement?"
"How are you taking this setback, Jake?"
"Can you morph out of this condition?"
"No comment," One of Marco's burly bodyguards cleared a path to a waiting limo, where he lifted Jake in and shut the door. Luckily, the vans didn't follow him back to his apartment complex.
"Jake, don't get too happy now. We gotta finish unpacking your stuff here."
Marco's assistants removed Jake's stuff from storage and put all of it in the apartment (except the Jaguar). Unfortunately, there wasn't much Jake could do. He wheeled himself into his bedroom and placed his pictures of Rae on his nightstand.
Oh, Rae…
Jake was still upset that Cassie skipped the ceremony.
Marco let him know that Cassie called earlier, but Jake was irate that she didn't call him directly.
Why wouldn't she call me? I thought we were friends. And if Rae is sick, I have a right to know. I'm her father.
He scanned the room with his good eye. Marco was nice enough to give him a king-sized bed, lowered close to the ground and equipped with handlebars so he could get in and out of bed easily. An unpacked suitcase was on top of the covers, and a couple boxes of his clothes and personal effects were on the floor. Tobias and Marco were nice enough to hang up his military uniforms in the small closet. And they put his medals in a footlocker.
In the back of the closet.
Marco popped himself through the door.
"Yo Jake, we're going to clear out now. I have a red-eye to L.A. to continue negotiations on the show, and then I hop to Miami to spend the weekend on South Beach with all the sexy sexy honeys."
Jake gave Marco a quizzical look.
Well, at least SOME things never change…
"Tobias has to split too. He has a meeting with some professors at the Biology department at USF."
"Really."
"They want him to teach Ornithology. Bird-boy would know it best, anyway."
"That's great."
Jake tried, but he really couldn't muster up much enthusiasm.
"Well, we stocked your fridge up pretty well with food, but just in case you get hungry, I left a $20 bill on the coffee table with some pizza menus. Do you want anything else?"
"Naw Marco, I'm cool."
I'm just lucky to have true friends like you guys.
"Sweet. I'll see you later then." Marco slapped hands with Jake.
"Later Marco,"
Marco waved, and then Jake could hear him and everyone else leave the apartment.
He was alone.
He wheeled himself out of his bedroom into the living room, trying his best to avoid boxes and other things. His hands and arms were getting tires from moving the wheelchair around. Finally, after working up a small sweat, he got to the TV and started flipping through the channels.
900 channels and not a thing on. God bless the FCC.
He finally settled on a basketball game. Philadelphia vs. Indiana. (A/N that's for you, Rasberry Girl!) Philly was up by 1 in the first quarter.
Jake watched the game for a little bit, dozing in and out of sleep. He noticed the sun was setting. At halftime, he decided to give Cassie and Rae a call, before it got too late and Rae went to bed.
He dialed their phone number. The phone rang forever.
This is really odd. There's no way she wouldn't be in on a weeknight.
Finally, her answering machine picked up.
"Uh, Hi Cass. It's me, Jake. I'm just calling to let you know that I'm out of the hospital and set up in my own place. It's actually near UC Berkeley, not too far from you guys, maybe 20, 25 minutes. So, um, give me a call when you get this message and send all my love to Rae. Bye." He hung up the phone and ran his hands through his hair.
Fuck it. She's not gonna call.
Jake looked at the money and the menus that Marco left for him. He picked up one and dialed the number for one of them.
Maybe I can rely on the comfort of an old friend…
"Hello, is this Al's Pizza? Yeah, this is delivery. Can I have one large cheese pizza and two six packs of beer…?
__________________________________________________________
"So, um, give me a call when you get this message and send all my love to Rae. Bye."
Cassie heard Jake's voice on the answering machine. She wanted to pick up and tell him she was here, but she didn't want to draw the wrath of Ronnie, who was getting ready for bed in the next room. She was worried that he would catch her on the phone and…
What had gotten into Ronnie today? He was never violent to her, EVER. He wouldn't even kill bugs that crawled on the floor. The Ronnie she knew was kind and loving. And Rachel's situation was very awkward, but Ronnie always treated her like his own child. She bowed her head to look at where he grabbed her. There was a bruise. She frowned and got ready for bed. As she sunk under the covers, she tried her best not too disturb the bed.
Her efforts were all in vain, because she woke Ronnie up.
"Cass, honey, is that you?"
"Yeah," she said quietly.
"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for what happened earlier today."
Silence.
"Baby, you know I love you. I NEVER meant to hurt you. But damn, Cassie, I get jealous. I get so jealous of other men."
And to think he's been with you…
"In 6 weeks, we'll be husband and wife. And that means EVERYTHING to me. EVERYTHING."
He kissed her bruised arm.
"I'm sorry, baby, I'm so sorry."
Cassie brushed a solitary tear from her eye and surrendered into a hug.