Chapter sixteen

"Have you noticed Jessie has been acting strangely lately?"

Eli looks through the mail as he takes a bite of an apple. "Nope, she seems fine to me."

Karen puts down the paper, rubs her forehead and sighs. "You'd tell me if anything was going on with her, right?"

"Maybe you should talk to her, Mum." Eli finishes off the apple and starts to walk out of the kitchen.

"Maybe I will," she murmurs as she takes a sip of coffee and goes back to reading the paper.
- - -

Jessie drops her school bag down on the floor and walks into the kitchen. Karen is standing at the counter, cutting up vegetables for dinner.

"Mum, you're home early," Jessie remarks as she grabs a juice out of the fridge and sits down at the table.

"I thought you and I might spend some time together before dinner."

"Is something wrong?"

"I don't know is there?" Karen replies and raises an eyebrow.

"Mum, if you want to know something, just ask already," Jessie rolls her eyes and takes a sip of the juice.

"Well, sweetie...I've noticed you've been acting weirdly lately. When ever I ask you about Tad you go quiet and when Katie is over it's like you two have this big secret."

"And...?"

"Jessie, are you dating Tad?"

Jessie spits out the juice and starts to laugh.

"That is so over, Mum, you have no idea."

"So then, what's the big secret you share with Katie?" Karen looks at Jessie and searches her face.

"Mum...it's not important."

"Of course it is, sweetie," she reassures her.

"This is too weird," murmurs Jessie.

"Sweetie, you can tell me anything," Karen reassures her.

Jessie takes in a deep breath. "Ok, here it goes...Katie and I we're not friends..."

"You had a fight?"

"No! No, of course not. We're...more than friends," Jessie whispers.

"You're what?"

Karen takes this in and takes a deep breath.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

Karen tries to come up with the right thing to say.

B/W Karen: I always pictured her marrying a doctor and having children...grandchildren. (small smile)

"Honey, whatever you want, I will be here for you, you know that, right?"

"Are you upset? You are...you're biting your lip," pouts Jessie.

"I'm not sad exactly, just shocked."

Jessie feels a tear fall down her cheek and Karen opens her arms up for her.

"Honey, before you take this...this too far, have you really thought about it? Are you really attracted to Katie or..." Karen pauses for a moment. "Or are you just reacting this way because you have a friend. I know how hard it's been for you this year, meeting people."

Jessie takes this all in.

B/W Jessie: I never really thought about it like that.

"I do have feelings for her..." Jessie whispers.

"Well, why don't you think about it for a while, just promise me that. If you do have real feelings for her, I will invite Katie over for dinner one night. And you will have to tell your father."

"It's going to kill him..."

"He's a lot more understanding than you think," Karen finds herself reassuring her again.

Karen gets up and pours herself a coffee. Jessie stays seated and looks down at her juice.

B/W Jessie: This is way too much for me to deal with. (sighs)

Karen looks over at Jessie and watches her quietly crying.

B/W Karen: Why does my little girl have to deal with these things?

"Honey, everything will be ok, I promise you. We'll deal with this together. You're not alone"

- - -

While Jessie and Karen are in the kitchen talking, Eli is upstairs in his bedroom with Cooper and Dave, flicking through music magazines and listening to music.

"She's always busy, man," Eli mutters.

"Get over it, already. She's obsessed with you, she'd never cheat on you," Cooper replies as he takes a handful of chips.

"You're just in a good mood cause you're getting some from Julie," laughs Dave.

"So, a man's not allowed to be happy for getting some action?"

Dave throws a pillow at Cooper and rolls his eyes.

"What about you and Sarah?" Eli inquires.

Dave shrugs and gives a smirk.

"Dude!" laughs Eli and he throws a pillow at Dave.

"Hey, I never said anything. You're just jumping to conclusions."

"As if you're not getting anywhere with her. We know she's easy!" Cooper snarls.

Dave whacks Cooper in the arm.

"This must be love, if you're defending the girl already," states Eli in surprise.

"Er, I dunno, dude. Just taking it one day at a time," shrugs Dave.

"Man, I miss the early days when we were inseparable," mourns Eli.

"Dude, then surprise her. Buy her flowers, quote poetry, girls cry at stuff like that," remarks Cooper as he looks down at a magazine, losing interest in the conversation.

Dave goes back to plucking at his guitar. "We should practice, guys. We have a gig soon."

Eli groans and turns off the music. "Fine, but then I have to go pick up Grace from play practice."

"She has you whipped good," laughs Cooper and Eli throws a pillow at his head.