At Jessica's quick nod, Carrie led her over to her room and shut the door behind them.
"Is it okay for you to have guests this late?"
"Yeah. Curfew's not for another half hour."
"Curfew?"
"You get used to it," Carrie shrugged awkwardly, perching on her bed while Jessica sank into the nearby arm chair.
"I don't know if I'll ever be used to this. No disrespect, I just-"
"None taken. It's a lot to adjust to."
"I just never thought we'd be here. I mean, I never should've considered it out of the realm of possibility but I just never considered it. Especially with Chris."
"I...what prompted him needing to, unless you don't want to tell-"
"There was an incident at his karate match. Chris made an illegal move. Some kind of off limits side kick," Jessica sighed, shaking her head.
"There's a reason they're off limits. His opponent was taken away in an ambulance. And his parents said if we didn't take action they were going to press charges."
"Jesus Christ," Carrie breathed.
"Brody doesn't know yet. Not because I wanted to keep it from him. But it just happened this afternoon and everything since has just been a blur."
"I understand. I won't say a word. I promise," she said before painfully long quiet set in.
"You can say words now though," Jessica scoffed. "Please. This is already awkward enough without fucking awkward silence-"
"Okay. Okay," Carrie cut in. "Look, I know that seventy two hours feels like a lifetime but Chris will be back before you know it. He'll be home with you and Faber in less than three days."
"Will he?" Jessica asked softly.
"What do you mean?"
"All this, with Chris, it's been building for awhile, Carrie. It's not just him being moody, him just being angry. Dana told us as much and if anyone is an expert on moody and angry," she laughed bitterly, shaking her head.
"He's been so volatile, so not like himself for months now. I mean, you were here! You saw him after the car accident."
"I did," Carrie recalled. "I mean, it's not like I had a baseline. I never interacted with Chris but the way that Brody reacted to his behavior-"
"Brody caused the behavior," Jessica said sharply. "That's what I believed, that's what I told myself each time my sweet little boy lashed out or got angry or scared the shit out of me and Mike. But now? I don't know anymore! I don't know if there's something deeper going on, I just..."
When she trailed off, near tears again Carrie reached for a tissue box on the nightstand, handed it to her.
"You'll find out though, Jessica. Over the next three days, Chris can sit down with Abby, a psychiatrist, other therapists. They'll run tests, just talk to him. Sometimes that alone can be a huge fucking help," she said as the brunette wiped at her eyes, glanced at her.
"Really?"
"It can help you unburden yourself. Sort things out better. Honestly, if my parents made me sit down with a shrink when I was Chris' age-"
"You what? Would've figured out that you were, I'm sorry. That you have...?"
"Bipolar disorder. I have bipolar disorder," Carrie answered.
"You saying they could've diagnosed you sooner?"
"No, not just that. I mean, I knew having it was a possibility because of my dad, and later on it became abundantly clear it wasn't just a possibility."
"I'm sorry, I...I've never known anyone who-"
"Don't. It's fine. I just meant Chris is lucky you and Mike are so invested. Way more than my parents were when I was hell on fucking wheels."
"That makes two of us," Jessica said, managing a small smile as Carrie arched a brow.
"Really? You were-"
"You sound surprised."
"How old were you the first time you snuck out of the house?"
"Fifteen," Jessica answered as Carrie smiled triumphantly, then shrugged.
"Fourteen. But it was stupid. Some friends and I snuck into an R rated movie. What did you do?" she asked, getting a smirk.
"Grabbed a six pack of beer from my dad's garage fridge and met up with my friends in the woods. They brought a Ouija board."
"Wow. I think you win," Carrie laughed, genuinely impressed as Jessica smiled, then went serious.
"Anyway, I should go and find Mike and Chris. And I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to barge in on you like this."
"It's alright, actually," Carrie said. "I just came off a few days away from here. Being back, after being out..."
Shrugging she managed a sad smile.
"You've been a really good distraction."
"Well, you gave me one the last time we saw each other. Figured I owed you," Jessica said as Abby softly knocked on the door walked in.
"Hi ladies. Sorry to interrupt. Just wanted to return your friend, Carrie" she said, handing the toy tiger over.
"My daughter won him for me at a carnival today," Carrie explained as Jessica nodded, smiled as Carrie draped the large toy over her and cuddled it.
"Also, Mrs. Faber, Mike's taken care of all the paperwork in my office for Chris's stay. Here's a copy for your records," Abby said, handing it over as Jessica thanked her.
"Are they still in your office? Or-"
"Right now they're in the lounge watching the football game. They have it to themselves. I just wanted them to have a few minutes to talk, try and put Chris more at ease."
Blinking back tears, Jessica nodded, thanked Abby again before hugging her.
"It's alright, dear. He's in good hands."
Pulling back the brunette nodded, wiped her eyes.
"Anyway, I'll get out of your way, Carrie."
"No rush. You two finish your chat. I'll go check in on the guys," Abby chirped before stepping out.
Awkwardly, Jessica shruged, perched in the chair again.
"Don't feel obligated to stay," Carrie said.
"Abby says I'm not social enough but that doesn't mean she gets to make you my hostage. If you want to be out there with Chris-"
"Honestly, I...it's better if I'm not. I'd rather he focus on football and whatever Abby's telling him. Not on me in the chair across from him crying my damn eyes out," Jessica sighed as Carrie bit her lip, nodded in understanding before glancing at the framed photo on her nightstand. One Saul had taken of her and Farrah the day they ate lunch on the hospital grounds.
"I hate when Farrah sees me cry. Honestly, that's been the one good thing about being here while I'm pregnant. She wasn't forced to watch me turn into a fucking walking tear duct."
"Is that her, in the photo there?" Jessica asked, getting a nod and a soft smile.
"She's adorable. I know she made quite the impression on Dana. She couldn't stop talking about her."
"Yeah, Farrah felt the same way. I know she kept asking Brody when she could see her again to give her another Arabic lesson," Carrie said, only to feel a kick in the ribs.
"Hey! Ouch," she scolded, rubbing the side of her belly.
"They know when they're not the main topic of conversation. They can sense it," Jessica said with a smirk. "Third trimester, right?"
"Yeah. Perfect timing for my sister to make me the maid of honor in her wedding," Carrie groaned. Thrilled as she was for Maggie and Danny and to be able to get out of the hospital to attend the ceremony, she was becoming more self conscious by the day about having to dress for the part.
"I think it's all part of her long game to get back at me the shit I put her through when we were kids."
"Wouldn't rule it out," Jessica teased.
"When's the ceremony?"
"This weekend. Gonna have to hit up a maternity store for something semi formal the second that Brody signs me out of here."
"I'd say let him buy a dress for you ahead of time, if anyone besides Brody was involved," Jessica said as Carrie smirked.
"My sister has my maid of honor dress picked out, but I need something for the rehearsal dinner. The thought of getting out of here just to squeeze myself into something satin and sequinned is just..."
Grimacing, she shook her head.
"Add pink cap sleeves and ruffles and you have the bridesmaid dress I wore when I was pregnant with Dana."
"How far along were you?"
"Nearly eight months. It was my cousin's wedding. When I saw the dress I almost faked going into labor just to avoid putting it on."
"Jesus," Carrie laughed. "My sister's lucky she's a doctor. And that I'm a really shitty actress."
"Really?" Jessica asked. "I thought spying for a living meant you had to..." Trailing off she shook her head.
"Forget it. That must've sounded so stupid," she sighed as Carrie shook her head, smiled.
"That's nothing compared to what I'd hear on first dates when I was honest about what I did for a living."
"Oh yeah?"
"The first year I was in the company I slipped up. Told a guy I was running late from Langley. He spent the rest of the night calling me Jane Bond."
Rolling her eyes as Jessica laughed, Carrie sat up in bed, rubbed her lower back.
"Even thinking back on it has me in physical pain," she snorted.
"You want me to get Abby back in here or-"
"No, it's fine. I'm alright."
"Well, I should probably get over and see Chris now. I'm not crying anymore and Mike's probably wondering what the fuck happened to me."
"Where are you guys staying? You don't have to drive all the way back to Charleston, right?"
"No, no. Mike got us a hotel not too far from here. I sent Dana to the house, asked her to pack up some things for us," Jessica answered, getting to her feet.
"You know, come to think of it, I could ask her to pack up something else, too. If you aren't up to braving maternity stores this weekend..." she suggested, slipping on her coat as Carrie smiled, sat up.
"I don't think I'm brave enough for ruffles and cap sleeves but, I appreciate the thought. Really."
"I have the dress I wore to the rehearsal dinner in storage. It's plum colored, off the shoulder. It looked halfway decent, all things considered. I could bring it by tomorrow for you to take a look at."
"I...shit. Jessica, that's-"
Trailing off, Carrie tried to respond but had trouble finding words.
"That's a really generous offer. I just...I don't-"
"It's in my closet collecting dust, Carrie. I have to come by and see Chris tomorrow anyway. It's really no trouble."
"I mean, if you're sure."
"I can drop it off with Abby. Make sure she gets it to you. That just seems easiest, right?"
"I...right. Definitely."
"Okay then. Consider it done," Jessica said before opening the door to leave.
"And, not to be a broken record but thank you, Carrie. For everything."
"Anytime."
After the brunette told her goodnight, stepped out and shut the door Carrie laughed in awe. Running a hand over her face, she shook her head before she reached over, switched off the overhead light.