AUTHOR'S NOTE:The idea about Mr. Roy and the stole bread was something I borrowed from the author of 'Soulmates', another JK fanfic, again, for consistency reasons. Thanks for reading guys… 8 more chapters to go…
PART 8 MENDING FRIENDSHIP
"So, you and Grace planned it all?" Jessie asked in disbelief as she help Zoe load her luggage to Rick's car. Zoe was flying back to Ithaca that morning after Thanksgiving.
"Yeah. I'm good, huh?" Zoe grinned victoriously. Jessie laughed. "Actually, the plan was about bringing the two of you together on Thanksgiving, but with Tad mentioning Katie's plan to spend time on a beach somewhere to write, everything just fell into place. Sometimes, destiny is cool." Zoe opened the car compartment, and they put her biggest luggage inside.
"Letting her spend time with me at the beach house wasn't part of the plan?" Jessie said in astonishment.
"No." Zoe narrowed her eyes on Jessie. "Spend time in the beach house with you? I thought she's going there to write." Zoe chuckled upon seeing her stepsister blush furiously. Jessie was obviously embarrassed for being too obvious. "Excited?"
"Yeah." Jessie replied dreamily. "But at the same time, I'm scared."
"Jess, don't be. Remember, if she doesn't want to listen, don't force her to. Just let her how you feel about her, okay? Win her back." Zoe hugged Jessie.
"I'll try."
"So, what time is your flight?" Zoe released Jessie from the tight hug and glanced at her watch.
"3pm. I'm flying with Katie. We're supposed to pick her up from the hotel."
"Chivalry is not dead, I guess."
"When I'm trying to make things right with Katie, never." Jessie turned to look at the door. "Where's dad? I better go get him. You're going to miss your plane." Jessie went to find Rick in the house.
"Hey." Zoe called after Jessie. Jessie was already holding the doorknob, and turned to look at Zoe.
"Yeah?"
"Do the right thing this time, Jess. Don't let her go." Zoe's hands were in her pockets, as she looked sincerely at Jessie. Jessie just smiled at her.
Meanwhile, in Katie's room at the Hilton. She was packing her things while talking to Tad on the phone.
"I'm surprised you didn't even protest after being forced into exile with Jessie. I bet you've been fantasizing about it." Tad joked on the other line.
"Tad, can't you be serious for at least one moment?" Katie sighed.
"You don't want to go with Jessie?" Tad said anxiously. "Katie, you don't have to go if you don't feel like it. I know it seemed like we force you into this yesterday, but we only made suggestions."
"Yeah, right. Suggestions where there's no way that I could say no." Katie said sarcastically.
"Look, I could tell Karen, and---"
"Tad, I want to go with Jessie." Katie said in exasperation. Tad paused. He was astounded to hear Katie say that and could actually feel the longing in her voice, but there was also the feeling of dread.
"You do?"
"You don't know how excited I am right now. It's just that... Jessie is a lost cause. And as much as I love her, I can't go on like this. This is going to be the last time." Katie sat on the bed, staring at her clothes which were sprawled on in as she stopped folding them.
"Last time?" Tad echoed Katie's words. He didn't know what Katie meant by that.
"After this, I'm letting go of her... Really letting go." Katie sighed.
Rick volunteered to drive his daughter and Katie to the airport. Jessie was sitting beside him in the front seat, while Katie remained at the back. The two seem to have their heads flying somewhere, they barely talked. The silence was killing Rick. He knew exactly how much Katie means to Jessie, and how awkward the situation is. They were the ones who put these two young and lovely ladies in it, afterall. Rick kept glancing on his side, stealing looks from his daydreaming daughter. Then he peeks at the rearview mirror every now and then to steal looks from the brunette sitting silently at the back. So, the girls have taken an unplanned trip to la-la land without taking him, and he decided to bring them back, and ease the tension building once and for all.
"I saw Mr. Roy the other day." Rick started. He threw a short glance on both of the girls. Both looked up and focus their attention to him. Jessie had no idea why her dad was telling them about Mr. Roy, the old baker who lives in their neighborhood. It didn't escape Jessie when Rick plastered that satisfied smile on his face. At last, he got their attention. Feeling the girls' curious looks on him, he continued. "He was asking if the two of you are stealing pastries again." Rick let out a short chuckle. Then, the girls finally realized what Rick was talking about.
Back in highschool, Jessie and Katie were like attached to the hip. They were always together and did things together. It was like one cannot live without the other. And one day, feeling the loud growl in their stomachs, the two decided to stop by for some bread at Mr. Roy's. Not being able to be served as soon as they wanted, the two decided to just pick some and leave the money without waiting for the help. They weren't really stealing anything. But Mr. Roy went so mad at them for not waiting that he kept telling everyone that they stole his bread.
Rick heard both of the girls snickered at the thought. When her threw another short glance at the two, he saw the smiles on their faces.
At O'Hare, Katie and Jessie gave Rick a hug, with Jessie also giving her father a kiss on the cheek. They they said their goodbyes. And he silently wished that everything between the two turns out all right.
The two still didn't talk much while they headed to their plane. Jessie took the window seat and Katie was beside her. Truth is, Katie is feeling a bit awkward about the situation they were in. Hell, she's in love with this girl, and forever will be. But still, she's thrilled having Jessie sitting beside her. As the thoughts of them rambled through her head, she couldn't stop the smile that was showing in her face. They had a lot of good times. Moments that will be forever etched in her broken heart. Upon feeling something on her shoulder, she turned to look at Jessie, and found her head resting on her right shoulder. Jessie had fallen asleep. A strand of Jessie's golden hair accidentally brushed with her cheek, and it sent bolts of that familiar feeling of longing through Katie's body. She loved the way Jessie's hair smell, like sweet strawberries. Katie closed her eyes, leaned her head against Jessie's, and fell into sleep herself.
Katie felt when the plane finally prepared for landing. She opened her eyes and carefully moved her head away from Jessie's. She decided not to wake her up. When it finally halted into a stop, she shook Jessie from sleep, and Jessie opened her eyes groggily. They boarded off the plane.
After claiming their luggage and proceeded to leave the airport, Katie plastered that playful grin on her face and looked at Jessie.
"You do know that you were drooling back there, did you?" Katie joked. Jessie opened her mouth to say something, horrified. And Katie laughed so hard upon seeing the reaction on Jessie's face. And Jessie blushed deep red. But she laughed with Katie anyway.
"No I did not." Jessie retorted, trying to sound annoyed but failed miserably. Katie was still laughing.
"You practically drooled on my shoulders." Katie stopped laughing and was now only smiling at Jessie. Somehow, Jessie blushed even more. Thinking wow, even in her sleep, she could still find a way to get close to Katie.
"Well, if it's any consolation, I'll wash your shirt for you." Jessie said seriously, acting hurt. She wasn't hurt, of course, just teasing Katie. Then she walked ahead, leaving Katie behind. Katie seriously thought that Jessie was offended and was already trying to think of the right thing to say to make her forgive her. Typical Katie, scared to hurt Jessie's feelings. Unbeknownst to her, since Jessie had her back on her, there was that charming grin displayed on Jessie's face. Katie tried to walk faster to catch up with her.
"I'm sorry." So, Katie thought she crossed the lines. Maybe she shouldn't be acting so close to her since they still haven't discussed the state of their friendship at the moment. She's not even sure if Jessie still wants them to be friends. She spoke so seriously, full of sincerity and sadness that didn't escape Jessie's ears. She stopped walking, and turned around to look at Katie. First, she tried to hide the smile from her face, and looked at her seriously. After seeing the gravity of Katie's solemnity, Jessie grinned again.
"Gotcha." Then, without waiting for Katie, she started walking again, and Katie looked at her agape. She was staring at Jessie walking figure, and she was already far before Katie realized that she should start walking and catch up with her, shaking her head in disbelief.
They had to call a cab to get to Jessie's house in Laguna Beach. Her BMW was left in the hosue and no one was there to drive them. When they occupied the backseat of the taxi, the atmosphere between them was lighter. It was more friendly. They were joking around and teasing, like they used to. Katie was liking it. Actually, she was LOVING it. And she decided to make the most of these moments with Jessie, before she goes back to her life in London, where Jessie wasn't a part of any of it.
Katie's jaw literally dropped when the cab drove them and made a stop at one gorgeous beach house in the famous Laguna Beach. She stood on the sand gaping at the house as Jessie paid the cab driver and took their luggage out of the vehicle without any help from her. Not that Jessie would mind. She just found Katie amusing. She had to nudge her to get her attention, and finally invited her to the house.
Jessie's house isn't a mansion. But it isn't a typical bachelorette pad either. As Katie searched for the right words to describe it, it was simply indescribable in a good way. Not too big, not too small, not too cozy, and not too cold. Jessie watched Katie as she toured the house. She could see the expression on Katie's face every time she sees something amazing. And it was just so funny, because Katie looked like some kid who just saw Mickey Mouse in Disneyland for the first time.
"Wow..." It was the only word that came out of Katie's mouth upon reaching the veranda that overlooked the beach. It was the place that Jessie suggested she do her writing. It was afternoon, so the sunset was absolutely perfect. She reached for one of the two wooden chairs on either side of the table and touched it, feeling the carvings on the wood, thinking how great the craftsman was who made it. Then she saw the particles of soft white sand that were trapped on the wooden floor that was probably blown in by the wind.
It was perfect.
From a distance where Jessie stood, she just watched her. She could just stand there and watch Katie forever, if only she will be allowed to. When Katie turned around, she found Jessie smiling, staring in space.
Who wouldn't love her? She thought, as she watched her adorable friend, whom she wished could be more than that. In a few seconds, Jessie met her gaze, and Jessie was the first to look away shyly without taking the smile off her face.
"What would you like to eat? We could order pizza. I would have cooked for you but I have to bet at the hospital in two hours." Jessie tried to be cheery, but she doesn't really want to leave Katie. Not now. But she has some duties to perform, and being her responsible self, she wouldn't run away from it even if it's the end of the world.
"You have to go?" Katie was too late to realize that she didn't even try to hide her disappointment.
"I've been gone for a week, so now I have to face the consequences. Besides, I thought you need some time alone anyway. You're here to write." Jessie didn't realize the way she sounded on Katie's part until she saw the distressed look on her face. She suddenly backpedaled. "Hey, I'll cook dinner tomorrow, I promise. I'll try to come back early."
Katie merely nodded. Still scared that Katie might be hurt by the way she sounded earlier, she tried to think of something witty to say, though Jessie doesn't have much luck on the sense of humor department.
"You don't even have to answer the phone if you don't want to. Though I'd sure be calling every fifteen minutes to check on you and I'd surely scream on the answering machine if you didn't pick up, you still don't have to." Jessie babbled, and Katie was amused. Finally, Jessie saw that charming smile on Katie's face again, and she smiled back.
So, Jessie would be in the hospital from tonight until tomorrow, and Katie would be alone in the house. Not that she mind. She loves being alone, she's a writer after all. But on some occasions, she would love to have someone around, especially when that someone is Jessie.