Chapter Four

Later that day Jessica sighed with relief when the last bell of the day rang through the school. She didn't wait around for Casey or Dean today though. Telling Dean about Dave had made her distracted all day and she just wanted to get home without Casey asking questions. Once she walked through her front door and closed it she started to cry. Her brother and sisters weren't home yet so she ran upstairs and instead of going to her room she went to David's and sat on his bed. Looking around the room, she saw everything was the exact same as she had always remembered it. Nothing had been moved or touched. It even smelt the same. She laid down and picked up a bear that had been left of the floor. Holding it close and closed her eyes.

Her mother was yelling at the children to behave. Jessica was seven again and still in her room. She didn't want to face her mother that morning because last night her brother had left with the promise to come back for her. But she was still too upset. She loved David more than anything. But after hearing her mom yell at Lucy for the tenth time Jessica decided now was the time to do what Dave had asked of her. So she pulled on her dressing gown and made her way downstairs. As she passed Clive was sleeping in her mom's room. She carried on quietly as to not wake him. She didn't want him to whoop her for it. When she got down to the kitchen her mother smiled at her. She remembered having orange juice and her mom telling her to try and keep the others quiet for the morning so Clive could sleep. She nodded and her mom kissed her head and left for work. Jessica stayed in her nightie all day, taking care of Lucy and Bradley and Karen. Katie entertained herself with make believe games and watching tv. They were all watching Cinderella when Clive finally got up, came down looked at them and left the house. Jessica didn't care. She tuned into the movie and wished so much that she was a Princess and that someone would come to take her away with them. She'd live in a big castle and have her mom and sisters and brother live with her. Clive wouldn't be allowed and Dave would come back to them. It wasn't until a year had passed that Jessica knew she had seen the last of David and that he wasn't coming back for her.

"Jess. Wake up." Katie said shaking her sister. Jessica opened her eyes and sat up quickly.

"I didn't realise I'd fallen asleep." She said standing up.

"Why were you in here?" Katie asked. As far as she knew, no one had been in this room forever.

"Just came in here to find something I'd lost is all. Must have lost track of time and fallen asleep." Jessica said. Katie nodded and followed her sister out into the hall. Jessica closed Dave's bedroom door and went to her own.

"Make sure Brad, Lucy and Karen do their homework." She said. Katie nodded and went downstairs to do as she was asked. Jessica sat on her bed and sighed again.

Maybe if she asked her mom about him, she'd tell her where to find him. Maybe Dave had left a contact number on the letter he had left for her mom Jessica wondered many things, but she never had the balls to ask her mom for any information. She just didn't want to upset her mom anymore by bringing up his name.

The phone rang startling her. She heard Katie picked it up and then she heard footsteps.

"IT'S CASEY!" Katie yelled up the stairs. Jessica thanked her sister and picked up her own phone and waited for Katie to hang up her end.

"What's up Case?" She asked trying to sound happy.

"Dean told me. We're coming over." She said.

"No Case, it's ok. I'm fine. You really don't..."

"No, we're coming over. See you soon." Casey said hanging up.

Jessica rolled her eyes. It looked like she would have to come clean with everything. At least she was working tonight so she'd have an excuse to get away from them. The bar needed her and she needed the money. It didn't take long for Casey and Dean to get there.

"So what do we do?" Casey asked.

"Nothing. Look like I told Dean, he's gone and he isn't coming back." Jessica said feeling like everything was hopeless. She was flipping through the channels when something caught her eye. She was trying to drown out her friends voice and her so called 'plan' when she stopped on wrestling. She stared at the screen and suddenly Casey's voice stopped.

"Jess, what is it?" Dean asked.

Jessica pointed at the screen. "That's him. That's my brother Dave." She said.