Chapter 34.

Jess had decided it was finally time to bite the bullet and call her father, rather than send him a letter.

"He'll probably be more upset about losing his financial right hand than anything else," I predicted, following her from Christopher's room to the hallway outside.

"I expect he'll disinherit me," she said, but didn't sound too upset by the prospect.

"I doubt it will help if any of us talk to him for you."

"Oh, you're so right!" she said. "Well, it won't get any easier." She sat down on one of the benches in the hall, took out her cell and speed-dialed.

I motioned to ask whether she wanted me to stick around. She smiled at me and mouthed, 'stay', so I joined her on the bench.

She waited patiently, and I could tell from her intake of breath when he answered. "Hello, Dad."

He started in immediately, yelling at her in a loud enough voice that I could hear him, although the words weren't distinguishable.

Jess waited until he'd gotten most of it out of his system, then said, "I'm not coming back. You should be able to find another accountant easily enough."

That got him started on a new rant. I couldn't get over how calm she was, but I suppose she was used to it.

"Are you finished?" she finally asked. "You're not going to change my mind. I've been thinking about doing this for a long time, and the last week away from Dorsey has confirmed my decision."

More loud sounds came from the phone, so loud that Jess had to hold it away from her ear. I wondered if he thought that the louder he was, the more convincing. He should have know her mind was made up.

"I'll be back sometime later in the week to pack up my clothing and books," she said. "Maybe I'll stop by. Then again, maybe not."

The shouting at the other end hadn't stopped.

"It's been great talking to you," Jess finally was able to say. "Good-bye." Once she closed the connection, the calm she'd been displaying suddenly vanished, and she burst into tears. I think it was the first time I ever saw her cry.

I suppose I should have done something to comfort her, but it's not in my nature. Instead I asked, "Did he really think he could change your mind?"

Her smirk said 'yes' louder than words would. "He thinks everyone will always do what he wants, and the fact that they usually do only reinforces his belief." She sighed. "Do you happen to know if the hospital has an opening for an accountant?"

I shook my head, but to clarify, I said, "I don't know. It's possible." I'd been thinking about what she'd do here in Princeton. "On the other hand, I'll need someone to coordinate our little project."

"You mean the research into the genetics of the other people with hyperacusis?" she asked and quickly shook her head. "I've never done anything like that before, you know. I don't know anything about medicine or genetics."

"I know," I told her. "But you have the kind of organizational skills and the mind set we'll need."

"Oh!" She took the time to consider what I was saying. "I hadn't really thought about doing anything like that."

"Well, think about it. We're just getting started. Thirteen can tell you who she's working with on setting it up."

She finally smiled. "You have that much faith in my ability? You still hardly know me."

"I know enough." Looking past her, I saw Ellie getting off the elevator with her sister and walking our way. "We can talk about this more later."

She nodded, then realized my eyes weren't on her any more. She turned and I could see her frown. I was sure it wasn't in response to Ellie. Curious. I'd have to find out what had caused the animosity between Jess and Jackie, but it wasn't my highest priority.

"Dr. House, I think the treatment is really helping Chris," Ellie said. She'd been smiling a lot more.

I nodded once. "We'll have to monitor him for another day, but I think you're right." I turned to her sister. "How long will you be staying?" I tried to keep my voice neutral, but I'm afraid some of Jess' dislike of Jackie was rubbing off on me.

"I have to go back again in a couple of days, but I wanted Ellie to know I was here for her. I also thought you might still need my DNA, but I guess not."

"Nope," I said.

"I'm going back in to the baby," Ellie said.

"I'll be right there," Jackie told her. I wondered what she still had to say to me, but she turned to Jess instead. "I really think your family's done enough harm to my sister and my nephew," she said.

"He's my nephew, too," Jess replied. "And I'm not 'my family'."

"Whatever," Jackie said. "He's getting better, and neither he nor Ellie need you."

"I wonder if you have a clue what your sister needs," Jess said.

Jackie glared at her instead of answering, then followed Ellie into Christopher's room.

"OK, what's the deal?" I asked Jess. "You and Jackie have been sniping at each other since she arrived.

"No deal. I just don't like her," Jess replied.

"Ahuh. Who's the man?" There always seemed to be a man involved when women disliked each other as much as Jess and Jackie clearly did.

"No man," she replied, shaking her head. "Not in the way you mean, at least."

I waited, leaving a silence that human nature urged her to fill.

Finally she sighed. "I don't think Ellie ever noticed. The Clearys never had much, but whatever Ellie had, her younger sister wanted, too."

I already sensed where this was going. "Petey?"

Jess nodded. "It was obvious to anyone that Jackie flirted relentlessly with him. I guess to her he was the big prize: good-looking guy from the richest family in town. And my brother was...flattered by the attention. But she was just a kid." She paused, thinking back quite a few years I guessed. "We argued with him about her that day, Mom and I. I'm not sure Nina cared one way or another, but we both knew Ellie would be the better sister for him. She's got a backbone, you know, and usually she's very level-headed."

"Wait. You're talking about the day of the accident?" Some things were coming together for me.

"Yes." She swallowed loudly and I saw her eyes glisten with tears. "Maybe if we hadn't been arguing he would have been able to react quicker when that drunk driver came toward us." She shook her head vigorously, but couldn't go on.

"So you don't just hate her for coming on to your brother and trying to take him away from Ellie, do you? You connect it in you brain with the accident."

"Thank you, Dr. Freud!" she shouted, but she wasn't really angry at me for pointing it out. She shrugged. "I don't like her. Period. End of story."

I nodded. "And somehow she senses it, and doesn't much care for you either."

"No, I don't suppose she does." She smiled wryly. "Well, now you know."

I nodded. "Now I know. And it explains a lot."