I'm Jealous
Seth glanced at the clock. 3 a.m. What a surprise. The only question was whether to get up or keep tossing and turning. Not much of a question. He sighed, kicked off the covers, and sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He rubbed his face and sighed more deeply still, then switched on the lamp. He felt his shoulders slump at the thought of another long day. He couldn't go on like this. Something had to change.
Jessica lay on her back, staring at the ceiling. She didn't want to look at the clock, but what possible difference could it make now? She'd been lying awake for what felt like an hour at least. She glanced at the clock on her bedside table. 3 a.m. Of course. She turned on her side and gave her pillow an angry thump. Why should she be awake? Why was she stewing? Of all the foolish things.
She tried the deep breathing exercises that Olga had taught her a few years ago. Jessica had been preoccupied then, unable to meet deadlines with her usual alacrity. When Vaughn had asked, Jessica had been evasive and he'd had to resort to his secret weapon. Few could resist his lovely, persuasive wife, and Jessica was no different. Though she never would confide the details, she had relented enough to admit that something was troubling her, even disturbing her sleep, and Olga had taught her several very useful breathing techniques that never failed to soothe her. Until now.
She sighed and sat up. Another long, frustrating day lay ahead. I can't go on like this, she thought as she reached for her robe. Something had to change.
Beverly had been keeping a close eye on Seth since he'd come back. She was relieved he'd come back. Margie had had a scare, and Seth dropped everything to oversee her care. Beverly was the only one who knew that, for a brief, terrible time, Margie's doctors suspected she had the same cancer that killed Ruth. Beverly's blood froze when Seth told her. She ushered him out the door, gray-faced and ashen, promising him as she did that she would take care of everything in the Cove. And she had.
He was gone six weeks, and he clearly hadn't confided in Jessica. She'd asked Beverly in the beginning, just short of harassing her, but Jessica stopped when she realized Beverly couldn't tell her anything.
Beverly knew Jessica cared for the doctor; that much was obvious. What wasn't clear was exactly how much. They'd been "friends" for donkey's years and the gossip down to the beauty shop had them pegged as a secret couple. Beverly knew better. Seth was an honorable man. He would never sneak around, especially not with Jessica. It was part of why he had never confessed his feelings to her. Of that she was sure.
And she'd watched as that snake Ben Devlin came sniffing around Jessica. Beverly could see why Eve got so put out with Jess. She was like catnip to men, married or not. She couldn't help it. She wasn't even aware of it; Beverly was certain of that. Fairly certain.
And now Doc had noticed as well. Beverly happened in the diner when all three of them were there, and her heart went out to Seth. He got even more prickly and irascible when he was hurt, and she could see that this new friendship with the editor had stung him. Maybe this would spur him to act. Maybe.
Jessica tapped Seth on the shoulder and he startled, knocking over his coffee cup.
"Damn!" He turned to see who had snuck up behind him, mouth open and ready to give the jerk a piece of his mind, when his mouth went slack. "Jessica," he breathed.
Mara bustled over to the counter, a wet cloth in her hand. "Good grief, Doc! Since when did you get so jumpy? It's only Jessica." She smiled at the two as she mopped up the mess. "Coffee?"
Jessica looked at Seth.
"No," barked Seth. "Nothing for either of us." He reached for his wallet. "I was just leaving." He pulled out a few crumpled bills and tossed them on the counter. Mara glanced down quickly; he'd left more than enough to cover his breakfast, a sure sign he was out of sorts. She fought the urge to smile. Long accused of having the rosiest rose-colored glasses, she'd kept her suspicions about Jessica and Seth to herself. But, as she watched Seth scurry out of the diner with Jess determinedly following, it looked like her time to crow would be coming soon.
"Seth. Seth! I know you can hear me." Seth continued walking. "I'll have this conversation right here. You know I will." If anything, she thought Seth sped up. "Dr. Hazlitt."
Jessica's voice rang out along Main Street. "You are gruff, irascible, pound wise and penny foolish. You're also generous and caring." She was gratified to see Seth stop and turn around. "You give so much of yourself to your patients, to this town, to me." Her voice faltered a bit, but she lifted her chin. She wouldn't stop now. "You're a stubborn jackass, and I love you."
"You what?"
"You heard me," said Jessica coolly.
"So did half the town."
"They could hardly help noticing that you've been avoiding me."
"Avoiding you? I've just been letting you do just exactly what you want. Just like always."
Jessica walked toward him, slowly. "How can you be so sure you know what I want?"
""I…I," began Seth.
"You heard what I said a few moments ago." She closed the gap between them and rested a hand on his arm. "You haven't said…"
"Jessica, I…"
"Yes?" she prompted gently.
"You know how I feel," he said in a strangled voice.
"Maybe I do, but I'd like to hear it all the same."
Seth looked into her eyes, those blue, blue eyes that he'd looked into so many times over these last few years. Searched, if he was honest, for evidence that she felt for him even a fraction of what he felt for her. He hadn't seen it. Until now.
Jessica rocked back on her heels. "Satisfied?"
Seth pulled her into his arms roughly. "Not by half, woman," he growled, and then he kissed her, pouring all the love and passion he'd kept hidden for so long. Finally, after a long moment, he released her, letting his hands trace her arms until he found her hands. He brought them to his lips. "I love you, Jessica Fletcher. I have almost from the moment I met you, and I'll love you for as long as I draw breath on this earth."
"Oh, Seth," whispered Jessica. "I've been so worried."
"I know, my dear. And I'm sorry." He set her beside him and drew her arm through his, giving it a gentle pat. "I'll explain everything once we're home."
She looked at him and smiled. "I like the sound of that."
"So do I, woman. So do I."
A/N: This arose from a prompt shared with me by Suzie2000. I hope I've done it justice. The title is from a song from the 90s by The Divinyls. The lyrics don't precisely suit Seth, but he certainly feels jealous in this piece. Thanks for reading and reviewing!
