This is it... This is my favorite chapter I have been waiting to post this. something wonderful happens here. I'll just leave it at that. a bright spot among the shit.
Eleven
Tori got back to her office and sat down, staring at her desk for a long time without moving. "I can't believe she did that." She finally sighed. "I can't believe she did it without even talking to me about it... like I was some kind of kid that needed protection or something." She stood and began pacing back and forth.
"I can't let her do that."
Pace pace pace.
"I know she thinks she's doing it for the right reasons." Tori sighed. "I know she wants to protect me from all that legal crap, but what she doesn't realize is that I'm a lot more politically savvy than she thinks I am. She forgets who my mother is."
Brown eyes regarded the window. "Right… So what the hell am I going to do about it?" She drummed her fingers on her desk. "The first thing I need is an ally." She regarded the phone, then dialed a number. It rang several times, then went into voice mail. "Damn it, Sinjin.. where are you?"
She was answered in a very unexpected way when her door opened and VanCleef slipped in, an angry look on his face. "Oh… you heard."
"What the hell is going on?" Sinjin asked, putting his hands on his hips. "Did she just quit?"
Tori sat on her desk. "It's complicated, but essentially, yes… she did." She crossed her arms. "The question is, what are we going to do about it?"
"Hold on, can we start with why?" Sinjin held up a hand. "Not that I'm not with you in doing something, but I'd kinda like to know what book I'm reading, much less what page we're on."
Tori pursed her lips. "Bottom line? She did it because Steve Fabricini was going to make big trouble for me, and she traded that for her job."
Sinjin looked at her curiously.
"I know… but I'm not going to let her get away with it." Tori acknowledged. "So… first off, how much trouble can you cause him?"
Sinjin sat down and put his hands between his knees. "Trouble? Well... I can boot him off the network, or reroute his mapping so he can't find his files."
Tori leaned forward and caught his gaze. "No, Sinjin… not that kind of trouble. The real kind." Her brown eyes glinted. "The kind I know you… and Jade are really good at."
He cleared his throat, blinking at her in surprise. "I didn't think you- Well, okay, I can cause him a lot of trouble, why?"
Tori smiled. "I would like you to cause him as much trouble as you humanly can, okay?" She ticked off points on her fingers. "I'm talking credit cards, taxes, driver's license, legal, utilities... everything."
Sinjin's jaw dropped. "You're serious."
She nodded. "As a heart attack."
"Wow." He rubbed his nose. "You're nasty." He glanced up with a rakish grin. "I like that." He got up. "What are you going to do?"
Tori's face hardened, and her eyes went cool and calculating. "I'm going to make them understand What WesTrek, without the West, is really about." The brunette told him, as she circled her desk and looked something up on her screen. "Let's see, where was...oh, okay... yeah, there it is." She dialed a number on the phone, which was answered on two rings. "Yes, this is Tori Vega in Palo Alto Ops...I need to speak with Alastair Roesenthal, please." She paused. "It's urgent." She put the call on mute. "Start with turning off his electricity, Sinjin…I like the idea of him walking into sentient mildew."
Sinjin grinned. "Yes, ma'am." He trotted out the door, closing it behind him.
Tori nodded at the door grimly. "Mess with me, will you? You pitiful little excuse for a half-baked dog shit."
"Excuse me?" A male voice asked, from the phone. "Didn't quite catch that… is this Ms. Vega?"
"Sorry… I was talking to someone else." Tori bit off an embarrassed grin. "Yes, it is, Mr. Roesenthal. I think we need to talk."
"Sure, what can I do for you?" Alastair sounded somewhat uncertain. "This wouldn't be about the email I just got would it?"
"Probably." Tori leaned her elbow on her desk, fighting to get her head into a political space she never really liked being in. "Listen, Mr. Rosenthal."
"Alastair, please." the voice on the other end interrupted. "Anyone Jade thinks is worth quitting for deserves that… at least."
Tori was caught by surprise at that.
Thanks," a murmured. "Are you really going to let that happen?" she asked. "I know Jade has a lot of respect for you, and that sure must be based on something."
Alastair cleared his throat. "Nice riposte," he said. "Tell me why… no tell me what happened, Ms. Vega. All I have is some rather rambling telephone messages, and Jade's note. I'm a bit adrift… so to speak."
"No one told you about this horrible weekend?"
"Not in so many words, no," Alastair responded a touch apologetically. "I understood it went badly. I heard there were some problems, but I thought…"
"Where do I start?" Tori sighed. "And please call me Tori," she added. "Let me tell you what it's been like here."
"Since this morning?"
"Since I started." Tori corrected.
"Ah…" Alastair sighed. "Hold on let me sit down then, I've got a feeling we'll be a while."
A lone seagull circled over the beach, riding the warm air drafts. The soft hush and whisper of the waves was the only sound that came to Jade's ears, as she sat quietly on the porch with her knee elevated on the nearby chair. Her head was resting against the glass, as she gazed, eyes half lidded at the gull.
On the table, a half-finished bottle of sweet wine rested a glass next to it. Jade lifted an arm and filled the glass again, then took a sip, rolling it around in her mouth before she swallowed it. Chino was sleeping on the tile near her feet, the puppy exhausted from her delighted antics at Jade's unexpected arrival.
The landline had rung several times inside, but Jade had decided to ignore it, preferring instead to gaze across the horizon and evaluate her options.
It felt strange not to be working. It felt even stranger not to be sure that the decision she'd made had been a good one, and not just based on a knee-jerk reaction to a perceived attack on Tori. She knew she owed Cat an apology as well, but figured she could always call the Personnel VP at home later, off company time. She took another sip of wine and swallowed it, then glanced up as her cell phone rang. "Ah… I wonder who that is, Chino." She picked up finding Tori's smiling face looking back at her. "Yes?"
"Hi."
Jade felt a gentle wave of relief pass over her. Tori's voice was quiet, and lacking the angry snap it had earlier. " "Hi, Sorry I took off without talking to you."
"Mm.. yeah, that was kinda disappointing," Tori told her gently.
Jade didn't know what to say to that, so she kept silent.
"Are you at home?" Tori asked.
"Yeah."
"You're not answering the phone there."
"I know... I'm outside on the porch with Chino." The dark-haired woman replied. "So…they give you my office yet?"
A soft laugh answered her. "Well, since I just got out of a meeting where I told two senior VP's to kiss my ass, probably that's not in my cards today."
"Mm." Obscurely, that pleased Jade. "Which two?"
"Jose and Elle… Cat went home." Tori replied. "And I'm out of here too.. since the entire division's on strike.. there's no real need for me to be here."
"Mm… that's nice… wait." Jade sat up. "What?"
"Must have been something in the cafeteria… fifty-two people in operations, coincidentally, all got sick and had to go home," Tori told her, blithely.
Jade sighed. "Tori.. it's a nice gesture, but that's just going to… get everyone in trouble." She informed her lover.
"Jade, I didn't ask them to do that." Tori's voice came back. "I don't think you quite realize just how much these people respect you… Mariela tendered her resignation, there are ten more of those pending including Sinjin's, and Personnel's been bombarded with official letters of censure against Fabricini alluding to everything from pickpocketing to attempted rape."
"Oh," Jade murmured.
"And his car got keyed."
"Oh." A different emphasis.
"And his tires got slashed."
"Ah... Tori… "
"And his electricity, phones, gas, and water got turned off."
"Tori!" Alarm now.
"And his credit cards got canceled."
"Hey-"
"His auto deposit got rerouted into the Women's and Children's fund."
"Tori!"
"Just kidding about that one." Tori chuckled.
"Come on now.. you'll get yourself in a lot of trouble," Jade told her, in an aggravated tone.
"Yes.. and I'm perfectly capable of getting myself in and out of that, Jade… I don't need you throwing yourself in front of situations for me." Tori responded, just as seriously. "I'm really pissed off that you quit because of me, you know that?"
She had no answer for that.
"Jade?"
"Yeah," Jade replied quietly. "I'm sorry... I guess I managed to screw this up pretty badly." She regarded the gull glumly. "Maybe I should have just stayed home today."
"Jade?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
A faint smile twitched at Jade's lips. "I love you too." She paused. "Sorry if I overreacted."
"Apology accepted if you forgive me in advance for trying to get you to change your mind."
Jade smiled a little sadly. "I don't think it's my choice now, love."
Tori chuckled.
"What was that for?" Jade inquired, curiously.
"I'll see you in a few minutes." Her lover replied. "Bye."
Jade regarded the phone. "Now, what's she up to?" She asked a sleepy Chino, who wagged her tail.
Tori slid her laptop into her bag and closed her desk drawer, locking it and the laptop inside it away securely. She paused to shake a few Excedrin from a bottle on her desk and washed them down with a swig of cold tea as the sounds of the day wound down around her.
"Crappy day." she set the cup down and shouldered her bag then she headed for the elevator hoping she'd have a lonely ride down.
She didn't want to make small talk or suffer the fourteen-story ride in uncomfortable silence, everyone's eyes watching her and knowing all the gossip that had traveled through the building all day long. They all knew Jade had quit. She punched the down button and was surprised when the doors slid open almost immediately. They all knew why Jade had quit. Not because Jade had told everyone, but because Fabracini had, boasting of his victory to anyone who would listen.
She stepped inside and paused. "Well, screw it." She removed her badge and held it to the reader inside, then keyed the emergency service. The device bleeped obediently at her, and she punched the ground floor. "Had to use at least one, didn't I?"
In solitary splendor, the car descended without pause to the ground and opened as she swallowed to clear her ears. She emerged and was happy to find herself almost alone in the lobby, the rays of sunset coming in through the glass panes as the cleaning staff was moving toward the elevators, getting ready to start to work for the night.
Tori walked quietly across the floor and approached the doors giving the guard a small wave. He waved back, and their eyes met, then he edged closer to her as she was about to exit. "Ms. Tori?"
Tori paused and waited for him to come over. "Yes, Jay."
"Is it true, Ms. West is leaving?" The man asked. "I'd hate to see that. She's good people."
Tori felt a smile tugging at her tired face. "Not if I can help it, Jay," She said. "Thanks for the thought." she patted his arm and walked through the doors into the cool dusk air, seeing a few people around in her peripheral vision.
Not unusual. There was a bus stop nearby after all. She passed a small group of men and headed toward her car, tucked on one side of the lot near the street.
The streetlights were just starting to come on as she unlocked her doors, she moved her seat forward to toss her laptop bag into the back seat and turned back around to get in only to find a dark menacing figure on the other side of the door. Her heart nearly came out of her chest as she inhaled sharply, her eyes flickering to the front doors of the building as she got ready to yell for help.
The dark figure held both hands up, palms out. "Easy there…"
Tori was close to panic. The man was much taller than she was and even the words didn't really reassure her. "What do you want?" she asked after a second.
"I ain't gonna hurt ya," The man said. "Just want to ask y'all a question is all."
There was something about his voice. A dialectic effect that she found so familiar. Tori relaxed the grip she had on her keys, the edge of them biting into her palm. He had that sexy drawl Jade sometimes got. "Okay, Go ahead."
He lowered his hands and stayed where he was, the setting sun to his back. He had a hoodie on and the hood was up casting his features in the shadows. "Got a friend you know, just want to make sure all's right with them." He said. "Name's Jade Giana West."
Tori felt a jolt of surprise. "What about her?" She asked, wondering who this was, who knew her partner's middle name and called her friend. "Who are you?"
The man hesitated. "Just someone that knows her," He answered. "Is she okay?"
Fear eased and Tori leaned forward resting her arms on the frame of her car door as she struggled to make out his features. "Why are you asking me?" she countered. "A lot of people work in that building over there."
Was it just my imagination, or did I see a motion that might have been a smile?
"Ah Know you know her best…" the man said. "You ain't gotta tell me, but ah heard them people talking 'bout her and I'd like to know." He tilted his head just slightly, waiting for her answer.
And that Tilt…
Tori nodded and looked around trying to make sense of the thoughts swirling in her mind about this man. "Some bad things happened today," she answered.
"To her?"
Tori was being driven half crazy with curiosity. Who is this? "Yes, but she's okay. She's just at home," She said. "Who are you? Why do you care about her? Do I know you?" she eased the door closed and approached him.
He backed up a step. "Easy now."
"No," Tori continued coming closer. "I won't be easy. I've had a really bad day, my head hurts, I had a lousy weekend and I want to know who you are, and why you think you've got a right to ask me about my partner."
He stopped moving and let her approach, lowering his hands again. "Feisty thing… ain't you?" he drawled. "Careful there, I ain't something you want to mess with." He half turned to the street light and she got a glimpse of his face. Scars, lots of them/ Tori inhaled a gasp. Scars upon scars, in a lean, rugged outline but immediately her startled gaze was drawn past that to the pale blue eyes that stood out like marbles in all that ruin.
"Now you can just answer or I'll go on my way, just asking a question," The man said. "Don't want no trouble with you little girl."
"Who are you?" She insisted.
"Nobody you know," He answered.
"Who are you to her?" Tori clarified her question. "And if you tell me you are no one again, you're lying." Her heart started to hammer in her chest as suspicions peppered her mind. She knew Jade had no one close to her.
She had distant family she never spoke to. She'd mentioned her mother only once, and the tone of voice she'd indicated it would likely be the last time. Tori knew of only one of Jade's relatives she'd ever mention with any kind of affection and that one person was supposed to be dead.
So who was this? He looked around, but the lot was now pretty much empty, only an isolated car or two left from the cleaners and security guards. The other men in the lot had also left, having taken their bus or otherwise moved on and they were alone together.
"I think I should just move on, let you be."
"I don't," Tori screwed up her courage and moved quickly, reaching out and clasping his arm before he could leave. "You got this close… don't run now."
Even in the shadows, she could see his eyebrows hike. A flash of yellow lamp light lit up his eyes again and she got a good look at his expression with most of the scars obscured by the flat lamp. "Run? I ain't much for that."
Tori put her hand in his and squeezed it. "My name is Tori," she said. "And if you are a friend of Jade's, today's a good day for her to find that out because she gave up on something today that was very important to her and she could use all the friends she has right now."
He studied her, then tilted his head and peered at their collapsed hands. "Well, then, Tori." He said.
"My name is James."
Tori felt like she'd stuck her finger in an electric socket. "Oh my god," she whispered, staring up at him. "You're her dad! Aren't you?"
"Yes," he answered softly.
The entire world was spinning. Tori wasn't sure if she should yell or cry. "But… I thought…"
"Everybody did. Even me." James said, "Anyhow, that's why I want to know about her. Jade's my kid," He added, In an awkward tone. "Ah been through some hell, just getting caught back up with it and all…"
Tori was at a complete loss for words. She gazed up at him while a thousand different thoughts whirled through her mind, and the day's events suddenly became painfully irrelevant. "My god," she finally whispered. "My god..."
Jade heard the sound of Tori's car pulling up outside and she closed the sliding glass door, limping over to the entrance and getting to the latch just as it worked and started inward. "Hey."
Tori came in and shut the door and Jade's heart jumped as she saw her face. "What's wrong?"
Tori took her hand. "Come over here and sit down. I need to tell you something." She led Jade over to the couch. "Oh, honey."
Jade felt lightheaded. Her heart was beating so fast she couldn't count the thumps and she had to sit down or risk passing out. "W… What?" she asked, this new fear coming out of a blind corner and closing her throat.
Was Tori pissed off after all? Had something else happened?
Tori knelt in front of her, terrifyingly, and took both hands in her own. "Right as I was leaving, something happened. In the parking lot."
"Did you get in an accident?" Are you okay?" Jade started speaking
"Yes, no, I…"Tori paused. "Jade before you freak out and freak me out, this is a good thing." she watched the panic fade a little, in the pale blue eyes. "I just don't know how to tell you this."
Jade waited in silence for a few beats. "You ran over Fabracini?" she hazarded a guess. "I'll smuggle you out of the country, Baby girl. We can go live on some island off the Bahamas."
"No, I…" Tori paused. Baby girl? She liked it. "Jade, a man came up to me in the lot and started asking me about you."
It wasn't what she'd expected. Jade's brows creased. "What?"
Tori gave up. "Just come with me." she decided. "Outside." She stood, keeping hold of Jade's hands as she awkwardly straightened, keeping her weight on her good leg. Tori got her arm around her partner and supported her as they made their way to the door, Chino snuffling curiously at their heels.
I don't know what's going on here, Tor…" Jade said as she got the door open. "But I don't know if I'm up to surprises tonight."
Tori squeezed out the door next to her and quickly searched the front yard relieved when she saw the dark figure leaning against her car in the driveway. "It's okay Love… Trust me." She murmured as they started out to the driveway. "It's going to make today not matter."
"What?" Jade half turned. "What's that supposed to mean? Tor, what's going on here?" she had to swing around as Tori urged her down the garage stairs and turned her in the direction of her car. "I don't know what…"
Her eyes fastened on the tall, silent figure that now straightened up and faced her, she stopped moving. The height, the shape, and the movement struck sudden chords of memory in her she'd thought long dead and her vision blurred as she watched him.
She almost stopped breathing. Her hands clenched around Tori's suddenly. "Tor… who's that?" she asked in a whisper. "Standing by your car?"
Tori found herself in the oddest position of her life and it was hard to think straight. "Come on.'' She helped Jade the rest of the way to the car, then released her as they came even with their visitor and Jade could at last see his features.
Jade stiffened, then half extended a hand, her eyes fastened on the tall man who carefully took a step forward toward her. "Ohh"
"Hey there Gigi," The man rasped, very gently. "Damn good to see ya."
It had been the worst of days. Now in the light from the porch lamp over her shoulder, Tori found herself watching it become the best of days before her eyes.
To hell with the company. "Go on," she murmured, putting her hand on Jade's hip. "It's real." she watched Jade's face light up with wonder like a child's as she moved toward her father. Tori followed a step behind but held up when she reached the edge of the garage and stayed back as they met.
Jade felt the world become utterly unreal. She faced the hooded figure on legs shaking so badly she wasn't sure she could remain upright. "Daddy?" she managed to get out. "Is that really you?"
He took a step forward. "What's left," he said. "Been to hell and back, though." He stood there awkwardly until Jade finally just half walked, half fell toward him and then they were hugging each other. "Hell and back."
Jade couldn't believe it. It was impossible and yet she could feel the long arms around her and hear her father's familiar irregular heartbeat under her ear and she had to believe.
Had to believe. "Oh, Daddy," She whispered.
She could smell salt air on his clothes, and wool, and he seemed thinner than she remembered, but there was no doubt when she heard that voice echoing from her earliest memories.
"Gigi," James hugged her, rocking back and forth a little. "Damn it all." he patted her back. "What'd ya do to your leg?" he released her and they looked at each other again.
For a moment, Jade had no idea what he was talking about. Then she shifted her weight and remembered, gritting her teeth as she grabbed for the edge of the car. "Loooong story," She said. "Um, would you please come inside?"
James paused, then he nodded and joined Jade at the Garage entrance. The two walked into the house in silence, broken when they reached the inner door and were met by Chino, who barked in surprise at seeing a stranger.
Tori gathered the puppy in her arms as she followed Jade and her father inside.
Jade sighed. "What a damned day."
She perched on the back of the couch looking around a little self-consciously. "So this is our place." Her eyes were fixed on her father, who was quietly looking around.
It was strange and surreal. She felt like she was in a waking dream that would surely end any second with the buzz of her alarm, or a gentle hug from Tori… It couldn't be real. That couldn't really be her father standing there.
Maybe the whole day was just a hallucination, Jade sighed and rubbed the back of her neck, caught between the extremes of the moment.
Tori let the puppy go and she swarmed up Jade's leg, whining and squeaking until Jade picked her up. "Alright, all right."
James gazed at her, the hood shifting as he moved his head. "Finally got you a dog huh?"
Jade was vainly trying to keep Chino from licking the inside of her mouth. "She's Tori's." She explained sheepishly. "Beck Oliver's Christmas present to her. You remember Alabaster?"
"Gerry Oliver's big old dog?" Her father's brows hiked. "I surely do. I know you always wanted one.' He watched Chino's antics. "You sure that dog ain't yours?"
Tori chuckled.
"Chino really was my present, but I keep telling Jade she's her dog."
"Not my dog. Your dog… augh." Jade extracted a needle-like tooth from her earlobe.
"Our dog," Tori concluded, going over to rescue her partner from their pet. "Come here, Cheebles. Stop chewing on mommy Jade." She hugged the puppy, then put her down on the tile and watched her scramble around.
James chuckled softly. He finished his examination of the living room and turned to face his daughter.
"This is damn nice, Jade. I'm glad you got a good place to hang your hat."
Jade leaned against the back of the loveseat, her insides in turmoil. "Yeah," she said, "It's bigger than I need, but ..." She paused. "It's quiet out here."
Tori slipped past Jade, giving her a pat on the back. "I'm going to get some dinner ordered," she said. "Mr. West, can I order you something?"
His head turned her way and blue eyes framed in the forest green hood focused on her. "Who the hell are you talking to?"
Tori blinked at him.
"Um, You?"
"There ain't no such person as Mr. West," he told her. "There's Commander West, or Jim, or shithead." he paused, "take your pick."
Jade smiled a little at Tori's expression. But the Latina rallied. "How about Dad?" She countered quietly, meeting his eyes with gentle acceptance.
Now it was James's turn to blink. He turned to his daughter. "Gutsy little thing ain't she?" He marveled. "All right, that'll do," He exhaled. "And if they got something normal as a hamburger in this crazy place, I'll have one of those."
Tori smiled at him. "Okay, Dad." her brown eyes twinkled. "One hamburger, coming up."
"Hm," He grunted, then he looked up. "They got any ice cream?" bewildered he stared as Tori burst into laughter, and had to hold on to the chair for support. "What in hell's wrong with her?" He asked plaintively.
Jade just shook her head. She waited for Tori to disappear into the kitchen before she peeked back at the miracle in her Foyer. "Want to sit down?" She asked tentatively.
"I think maybe you should." Her father walked slowly over to the entertainment center, studying the pictures in silence for a long moment.
Jade stayed where she was, her arms braced on the back of the couch. He picked up the big picture, the one of her and Tori, and half turned. "She live here too?"
Jade nodded.
James put the picture down and went around the edge of the couch, sitting down on the larger sofa as Jade swiveled to face him. "What'd you do to your leg?"
Jade glanced at it. "I don't really care about my leg right now," she said. "I'm trying to get my head around you being here."
Her father looked up at her with a somber expression. "Yeap, I know," He said, "Sorry 'bout that, Jade. I wasn't thinking about showing up here, but…" He glanced at the kitchen entrance. "Just worked out that way."
Jade looked at him in silence, then she came around the side of the couch and sat down, afraid her shaking legs were going to give out on her and drop her to the floor.
Tori leaned against the counter gazing out of the window as she thought about the situation of the day. Outside, she could just barely hear the roar of the ocean breakers and the churn of the water matched pretty closely the churn of her guts as she tried to let go of the day.
She couldn't even imagine what Jade was feeling. For one thing, she'd never lost anyone close in her family. For another, she wasn't entirely sure she'd be as devastated as Jade had been if she had.
It hurt thinking that Tori gazed down at the countertop. Its glossy surface was cold against her skin. She wanted to love her parents and maybe part of her still did, but the memory of what her Mother had done to her was very fresh.
Is Jade's father like her parents?
She doubted it. The few times her lover had spoken of her father, she'd heard nothing but love in her voice and she could barely remember feeling like that about her parents.
Tori dropped her head into her hands and rubbed the back of her neck, hoping to ease the throbbing brought on by the stress of the day, when something occurred to her and she lifted her head again.
What would Jade's father think about them? Her eyes widened and she realized she'd never even considered what his reaction would be on finding out.
He knew Jade was gay, didn't he? Her brow creased and she tried to remember their conversations about that, relaxing when she recalled that Jade had said her parents both knew.
"Phew." She rubbed her eyes. "I don't need to deal with that tonight and I know she doesn't either."
To one side the monitor mounted on the cabinet beeped softly. Tori looked up at it, resisting the urge to simply punch the device, instead, she keyed it, glancing at the screen as it flickered to life.
She studied the emails, then she just shut it off and turned sliding down and sitting on the kitchen floor, resting her elbows on her knees and closing her eyes.
"So we were out in Wine Country," Jade said, doing this damn fool thing and a landslide opened up a sinkhole under us."
James straightened. "My god."
"Yeah," Jade agreed. "Anyway, things got worse from there and," she paused. "Just went downhill, I guess." She looked across the living room for the nth time, unable to believe what she was seeing. "Daddy I can't believe you're here."
Her father got up and crossed over to her, sitting down on the loveseat next to Jade and putting a gentle hand on her knee. "S' alright… I can't either, " He said. "Had me a real rough time and it's hard being here and seeing everything."
Jade studied his face, so seamed with scars, and anyone who knew him less well than she did might even have passed him by in the street. She could see pain there and a haunting she could only guess at but the eyes she saw in the mirror every morning hadn't changed at all.
Her Daddy.
Jade found a smile somewhere and exhaled. "Have you called Mom?"
Her father's eyes shifted and went past her. "No."
The doorbell chimed softly and Jade hesitated, then relaxed as Tori appeared from the kitchen and headed toward the door to answer. "Thanks."
Tori ruffled her hair as she went past but didn't answer.
James got up and resumed his seat on the other couch clasping his hands as Tori returned from the door with a tray, and set it on the table between them. She knelt beside the table and started sorting things out, one hand lifting briefly to tuck a bit of hair behind her ear.
"Tori had a tough day." Jade broke the silence "I walked out, she had to clean up the mess I left behind."
"That's not really true." Tori offered James a burger and fries on a plate and handed Jae one just like it. "I left too." She put a hand on her own plate. "Why don't I, um…" She started to get up and move toward the kitchen.
"Sit down," Jade grabbed the back of her waistband and yanked her backward. On to the loveseat without ceremony. "I thought you got lost in there. I was going to send Chino after you."
"Um, okay. I guess I will." Tori pulled her plate over and settled onto her knees, keeping a little distance between herself and Jade and taking her fork to her broiled salmon. "I thought maybe you two would want to talk," she said. "Alone, I mean."
James looked up from his plate. "Ah look like the kind of man who'd chase a girl from her own place and make her chow by herself?"
Tori blinked at him. Um," she cleared her throat gently. "I just met you." she glanced at Jade for support, but her partner had her eyes firmly fixed on her fries. "But if you're half as chivalrous as your daughter is… then no."
Jade blushed visibly. James smiled, as much as his scars would allow.
As silence fell, and they concentrated on eating, and keeping their plates out of Chino's range.
Tori emptied the remains of their dinner into the trash, setting the plates into the sink for later washing. She turned as she heard a sound behind her to find Jade entering on her crutches, a tired but happy look on her face. "Hey."
"Hey," Jade moved forward and stopped next to her. "What a night."
Tori leaned over and kissed Jade on the arm. "Incredible."
Jade fiddled with her crutch grips. "It's late," she said. "I'm going to see if he wants to stay over." Her eyes lifted to Tori's. "If that's okay with you."
"Jade…" Tori looked at her. "You've got to be kidding me if you're seriously asking me that."
Her partner shrugged. "I'm too tired to think straight," she admitted. "I need to take a few Excedrin and sack out." She leaned against the counter. "Brain overload."
"Yeah," Bed sounded almost impossibly good. Tori hesitated though. "Listen…" She glanced past Jade, then up at her face. "Want me to sleep in my room tonight?"
Jade's brows creased."Huh?"
"I know you said your folks were okay with you being gay, Jade, but… you know." Tori hesitated. "Saying something and being hit in the face with it are two different things."
Jade started chuckling. "Uh, no… It's okay," she said. "He knows you live here with me."
"Well, sure but…" She glanced at the floor. "We could be roommates."
"My father's…" Jade paused, shaking her head a little. "Talking about him in the present again. Damn."A gentle smile appeared. "This is so incredible."
Tori leaned against her and grinned. "I am so happy for you," she whispered.
"Anyway." Jade cleared her throat. "My father's definitely a man of the world." She kissed her partner on the head. "I mean he's just shy of being a millennial." Then she shrugged. "He saw the picture on the TV stand, Honest Tor… it doesn't matter to him. Never did."
Tori felt a little foolish. "Oh, right." She rubbed her temple. "I think I am a little over tired too," she murmured, "And after everything that happened today, I'm on a spin cycle. I don't know what to feel or think right now."
Jade kissed the top of her head. "C'mon," she said, "I think this just put tomorrow into perspective."
True, Tori had to admit, finding herself almost at the point where she'd stopped caring. "If I quit tomorrow, can we go somewhere?" She asked."Camping or something?"
"Camping?" Jade asked with a smirk.
"Or something…" Tori said laughing a little remembering what they had just been through.
"Hell yeah," Jade followed her out into the living room. "Anywhere you want."
Jade sat down on the edge of the sleep number bed, studying the bruised flesh under her brace. She rested both hands on the rail and exhaled, listening to Tori putter around in the bathroom getting ready for bed.
The bedroom was dim, and she slowly swung her legs over and laid down flat resting her head on the pillow and letting her body relax at last. With a tiny groan, her muscles unlocked and she could close her eyes.
]It felt unspeakably good to be lying still with her weight off her leg and mind able to step back from all that had happened and just think for a while. A swirl of emotion went through her and she rested her arm over her eyes as she felt the bed move a little, and then the space next to her warmed by Tori's presence. "Ugh."
"Ugh," Tori repeated. "How are you doing?' She rubbed Jade's belly lightly.
Jade let her arm drop and she turned her head, studying Tori's dimly lit profile.
"Damned if I know.," she sighed.
"Oh my god, same," Her partner admitted. "But at least we had a great night."
"Yeah," Jade whispered, after a pause. "It's so damn hard to believe."
Tori propped her head up on one hand and reached out to run her fingers through Jade's dark hair. "I like your father." she watched Jade's lips twitch into a smile. "He reminds me a lot of you."
Jade nodded slowly. "That's what everyone says." She murmured. "It was hard when he…" she fell silent. "I felt like I lost the only person who ever really understood me."
Tori laid her hand along Jade's cheek.
"Just figures, the day he showed up, I walked out on my company huh?" Jade reached up and rubbed her eyes impatiently. "Nice."
Tori could hear the pain in her voice. "Hey, sweetie. I'm sure he doesn't give a damn. It's still your company, You are still a major stakeholder."
"I give a damn," Jade admitted softly. "I feel like such a bad parent. A quitter. He didn't raise a quitter."
Tori squirmed a little closer and put her arm around her lover, hugging her.
"Babe, you're not a horrible person. There were a lot of other people in that whole thing that were jerks, but you were not one of them. Me maybe…"
Jade buried her face against Tori's neck, turning onto her side and returning the hug.
Tori could feel her shaking, a little. She put further words aside and just gave what comfort she could, rubbing Jade's back with light fingers.
With a faint sniffle, Jade shifted and wrapped herself around Tori. "You're not a jerk babe." She whispered to her lover. Tori sighed in relief. "Just an impulsive hothead."
Tori's brows twitched. She was momentarily silent, then she cleared her throat. "I'm pretty sure no one's ever said that about me before," she admitted. "Is that good or bad?"
Jade leaned back and smiled at the Latina. "I like impulsive hotheads." she seemed to have regained a bit of her humor. "In fact, I love them."
Tori Nuzzled her ear, then blew slightly in it. "I love you too." she said as they both smiled and exhaled, at the same time. The darkness of the room settled over them and the fractious day finally came to it's end.