"Aaron, we need to talk."She had been sitting at the kitchen table, wine in hand, since she put Jack to bed. Countless ways to start this conversation had played in her dead. This wasn't the way she wanted it to go. She meant to be gentle but the harsh tone just came flowing out as he sauntered in two hours late.
"Ok, I'm going to check on Jack first." He made to move for the hall.
"No. Now. We need to talk and if you have to talk to see Jack you're more likely to tell me what I need to know." Her face was calm but her insides were buzzing.
Aaron was perplexed. His brow furrowed and his lips pulled tight. For the first time, he couldn't read her. This couldn't be good. "Ok, what do want to talk about?"
"Sex. Well you, sleeping with women." Her calm demeanor melted away and was replaced by awkwardness. She had never been one for confrontation. And this wasn't a topic she thought she would ever discuss with her brother in law. In the year since she realized he was seeing someone Jessica had experienced a range of emotions: jealously, anger, want, disbelief. Now her anger wasn't a byproduct of him moving on from Haley but from what appeared to be disregard for his son.
"Jess. I can't tell my son goodnight because you want to talk about my sex life? I know we are family, but that's not really any of your business."
"I want to talk about how you are sneaking around your son and spending less time with him." Her anger came back.
"And what made you connect that to the possibility of women in my life?"
"I'm not a profiler but I run your house. I do your laundry, the cleaning, I run your errands. Like I'd miss the lipstick and perfume on your shirts. Or this tucked into the couch. You are lucky Jack didn't find them." Jessica tossed a red thong in a plastic bag on the table.
"I can explain," he said calmly.
"I don't want details. I'm not even mad there is a woman in your life. What I am mad about is you obviously aren't as discreet as you think you are. That Jack tells me he is going on more all weekend sleepovers all of a sudden. If you have been pawning your son off on me or other people so you can sleep around…so help me Aaron."
"The weekends away are Jack's idea. He's making more friends at school and with soccer. They have nothing to do with the person I'm seeing. And it is just one person by the way," he quirked an eyebrow at her. "It's not like I'm leaving my son at home alone at night and trolling the bars. You know me better than that. When jack is gone my heart aches for him. I fill some of that loneliness with my friend."
Jessica snorts. "I bet you fill something."
"It's not like that," he glares. "Look, I don't know where exactly this relationship I have is going. So until I can be sure she's sticking around, she's not going to be in Jack's life. I don't want him to lose another person. "
"Then you need to be more discreet or keep it in your pants." She looked down at the wine swirling in her glass to avoid the glare she knew he was giving her.
He sighed. "Look, I've never prolonged picking him up to be with her and nothing has ever happened with him home. Jack has no idea I'm seeing anyone."
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Why not?" He gave a tired smile. "You already know more than anyone else."
"This 'friend' of yours…is she the same one from before Pakistan?" Jessica didn't break eye contact as he started back at her. His brows were furrowed and his lips tight but he didn't speak. Eventually he swallowed hard and shook his head as he looked away. "Ok, so that's a yes," she chuckled. "I understand then why you didn't say anything. But can you make sure she's collects her under garments when she leaves?"
He still couldn't speak. He just grunted and nodded his head.
"And maybe hire a housekeeper. Ok, go kiss your son. I'm going to head home." Jessica rinsed her glass out and wiped the counters before she grabbed her coat. Aaron came back to lock up behind her. After exchanging good nights Jess turned in the door way. "For what it's worth I think you should give Agent Prentiss a real shot." She left him standing there with a dopey look on her face.