Justin made his way to his house on cloud nine.
"Jessica, wow," he repeated out loud. His mother was asleep, his father was probably passed out drunk somewhere and his sisters were fast asleep.
"Well, guess I got to work on gettin' to know her," he mumbled and flipped on his internet. He added her as a friend to his networking sights and got something to eat. Looking through her profile, he saw how different they were and wondered how that was going to work. Shrugging, he decided that surely they could get to know each other and maybe even fall in love. God knows the girl he loved, the one he adored and had so much in common with didn't want to be anything more than friends.
**
"Look, old woman, I paid you to tell him I love him, that's all you need to worry about," Jessica spat out.
Madam Serena saw so much sadness and emptiness in this beautiful girl. Under all the darkness was a bright shining star but Jessica couldn't see that.
"Have you heard the saying, "you catch more flies with honey than vinegar?" I think you're in the area of vinegar, you can't make someone love you or trick them into it."
Jessica snorted and rolled her eyes. Crossing her arms, she took a defensive stance, "I don't need your love advice."
"You need to listen to someone, where are your parents?" but Madam Serena knew by the cards where her parents were, deceased.
"Why don't you tell me?" she teased.
"Sit, I will give you a free reading," Madam Serena told her. She stood unmoving at first then pulled the chair out and plopped down.
Madam Serena began to pull cards that made no sense to Jessica. The only cards she'd played were go fish or old maid and that was years ago. These cards were strange looking.
"What does the magic deck say?" Jessica said sarcastically.
"Well, your parents are on the other side," Madam Serena said matter-of-factly. Jessica covered her mouth with both hands.
"How do you know that?" she leaned over and hissed.
"It's in the cards my dear, they don't lie, I am the real deal," Madam Serena said.
"Alright then," Jessica cleared her throat, "what about me and Justin?"
Madam Serena stilled, her hand midair and her mouth set firm, "You want the truth?
"Well, duh," Jessica rolled her eyes again. Being a mother herself, Madam Serena's instinct was to pop her every time she rolled her eyes but she held back and stayed in control.
"Justin has the capability to love you but not like this," Madam Serena pointed at her.
"Like what?" Jessica blinked.
"Dark, hidden, sad," she said in hushed tones.
"This is who I am," Jessica said.
"No it is not, it's not you at all Jessica Ann."
"How did…never mind," Jessica shook her head and held her hands up.
"The real you is a very hurt little girl, a dark soul that needs to heal, one that seeks love but cannot find it. You have the ability to love and be loved and yet, you don't do it, you don't let go. Until you let go, you will not find your love and your love is with Justin, he is someone you are destined to be with, but," she paused.
"But what!?" Jessica was impatient and totally freaked out by now.
"If you don't change, nothing will happen that will be good, bad things will happen," she warned.
Jessica became angry not because of what she said but because she knew about her, too much about her it seemed and it was creeping her out.
She stood and pointed her finger, "If you put some kind of hex or spell or.." Jessica became very animated and disturbed, "whatever..I swear I'll…"
"You'll what?" Madam Serena laughed.
"Jessica, I am not an evil woman, I only speak the truth and I helped you tonight because you have a good heart, "and she needed the cash but that part was a need to know basis, Jessica did not need to know, "and I feel you can turn your life around. Love cannot be forced; it must grow and be nurtured."
Jessica made fists, ground her teeth and spun on her heels.
"I'll pray for you," Madam Serena called out after her.
"Don't bother," Jessica shot back. The figure in the shadows watched with interest and stepped out when Jessica was far enough out of sight.
"Hmm…we need some help it seems," the shadowed figured said with an evil laugh.
The brooding young girl walked into the night unaware those prayers might be more than necessary.
**
"Okaaaay," the doctor pulled up a stool in the exam room. Vicki sat on the edge of the table and Henry stood beside her.
"Vicki, I haven't seen you in.." the doctor pushed her glasses up and squinted, "damn, two years. Why haven't you been in for your yearly? And soon, we need to start mammograms," she admonished.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Vicki huffed.
"Vicki, breast cancer is not a whatever, sweetie, it's serious and it can hit hard and fast, little or no warning, I like my patients to live along and healthy life," she smiled.
"Okay, I will get it done, just not today," Vicki offered.
"Oh no, I couldn't if you wanted to honey," the doctor told her. Vicki waited for her to elaborate but she continued to write notes before she said anything.
"And that would be why?" Vicki finally said.
The doctor looked between the two of them and pointed her pen, "You mean, you don't know?"
Vicki laughed a little and gestured around the room, "Well, doc, that's kinda why I'm here I haven't been feeling well."
The doctor shook her head and grinned, "I never thought I'd see the day," she shook her head.
"What!? What the fuck is going on!?'
"Oh..hormones, that's an obvious sign huh?" the doctor winked at Henry. Henry looked bumfuzzled and Vicki was plain pissed.
"Vicki, honey, it will fine. Let me get something, be right back," the doctor winked at Vicki and went to retrieve God knew what.
Vicki threw her hands up, "I'm out, this is fucking ridiculous." She hopped down but Henry stopped her.
"Vicki, are you overly tired?" Vicki shrugged, "I guess."
"Have you been eating more?" he asked with furrowed brow.
"Well, Mike says I have but.."
"Mike? Why is he paying attention to your eating habits?" Henry frowned intensely and his jaw began to twitch.
"Uh..well, he brings me lunch sometimes Henry. I am up during the day, I tend to skip eating when I'm busy so he's been bringing COREEN and I lunch a couple of times a week, got a problem with that?" Vicki had her hands in her pockets and stood eye to eye with Henry.
Henry shook his head no and started to say something when the door opened. Henry moved to hold the door for the doctor as she was dragging equipment behind her.
"Had we known, we would have put you in the correct room," the doctor sounded winded.
"Known what?" Vicki asked through gritted teeth.
The doctor stopped and looked at both of them, "You serious? You don't know." She stated rather asked the question.
"I think I've figured it out," Henry said. Henry's emotions were hard to gage but happy and excited would not be included.
Henry held her arms and looked deeply into her eyes, "You're pregnant."
Vicki blinked once and had Henry not been holding her arms, she would have hit the floor…
