Thanks to everyone for their feedback on the previous chapters, with a special thank-you to my real-life editor. Remaining errors, if any, are mine. Reading the chapters of this story in order is highly recommended. All geek culture references are properties of their original copyright holders.
*****
Jenny woke up at six o'clock in the morning, and could not get back to sleep.
When she ran into Cassie the previous night, they both freaked and ran to their rooms. Neither of them were ready to talk about what suddenly had come between them. Still, the questions would not leave Jenny alone.
What had Cassie meant to ask? Jenny didn't let her finish. But how could Jenny hear the words that Cassie might say?
And what did Cassie think Jenny meant? What was going through her best friend's mind right now? Was she awake, too, trying to wrestle with just as many questions?
Jenny couldn't stand it any longer. She got out of bed, and opened her bedroom door. After strengthening her resolve she made it to Cassie's door. Her resolve faded into streams of doubt which matched her renewed tears. She wasn't even sure exactly why she was crying. The person who usually helped her sort it out was just a light knock, a soft name call away.
But Jenny's voice said nothing, and her hand stayed at her side.
Cursing herself, Jenny went back to her room and shut the door behind her. Willing herself to stay in bed, she stared at the ceiling until her usual wake-up time.
*****
When breakfast time rolled around, Mike came bounding down the stairs with far too much energy for anyone over the age of six on a day other than Christmas.
"Good morning, all!" he cheerfully supplied. The women greeted him back.
"You're bright-eyed and bushy-tailed today," Veronica said.
"My head's a bit clearer, is all," Mike replied, grabbing a bowl for the breakfast soup Cassie had made. Jenny dropped her spoon.
"Sorry," she mumbled, "I didn't sleep well last night."
"Too cold? There's extra blankets," Mike jumped in, concerned. "Anything you need, all you have to do is ask."
Jenny looked up at him, outwardly showing no sign of her distress. Mike's face was for once an open book; he meant every word. That only made things worse for Jenny.
"I think I just need to lie down for a while," said Jenny, getting up. "See if I can't catch up a little on my sleep." Without another word, she sped upstairs to her room, leaving her breakfast hardly touched.
"Was it something I said?" Mike wondered aloud.
"No," said Cassie, "She gets like this sometimes. God, I'm so sorry. It's easy to forget you haven't known us that long. But yeah, she'll be okay. I got it."
"You sure?" Veronica asked, "Should I be there too?"
"Umm... not this time," Cassie said carefully. Mike looked from Cassie to Veronica, and sensed that much was not being verbalized but was being communicated clearly nonetheless.
Seeing Mike being a little too interested in their
amiga-a-amiga
moment, Veronica turned and asked, "So what are your plans today, Mike?"
He shrugged. "The usual. Work, lunch, have sex with somebody." Veronica smacked him on the arm, but the three of them got a laugh out of it.
"You are so bad!" Veronica said.
"I think that might be part of it!" Mike was on a roll now. There was no stopping it. As concerned as Cassie was for Jenny, even she had to admit it was funny and keep laughing.
"Can't you pull your head out of it for one second?" Veronica fumed.
"THAT'S WHAT
SHE
SAID!!"
*****
Once breakfast had been finished and cleaned up, Cassie took Jenny's bowl up to her.
"More reading today?" Mike asked Veronica.
"Yup. That library of yours is awesome. How'd the self-help section get so big?"
"What do you think most people really want consultations for? Business? No. They want validation. I slip some friendly advice in while we're meeting about other stuff, and now not only do they like me and want to use my services, but they are, at least hopefully, better human beings who live better lives. Gratis."
"You sly dog."
"I help where I can."
Veronica made a melodramatic pout. "Like pulling three helpless ladies in from the cold, cold snow?"
Mike just stuck out his tongue at her. After finishing the last of his coffee, he put the dish in the sink and went to his office to work for the day.
*****
Cassie knocked on Jenny's bedroom door with her free hand.
"Jenny?" she asked softly. "Can we talk?"
"I'm in here," Jenny said from the library next door.
Once she went in, Cassie saw Jenny sitting in the reading chair, an aged recliner that Mike had scoured dozens of yard sales to find, just so the library would have exactly such a chair. Jenny looked a little pale, but that may have been the lighting of the room. Mike had installed special bulbs to help keep the books from yellowing prematurely.
"I brought a peace offering," Cassie said, "It's still warm."
"Thanks," Jenny said, accepting the bowl. "Sorry for running out on breakfast like that."
"It's okay. Vee and I covered for you."
"Thanks." Cassie sat cross-legged on the floor, while Jenny ate. Emotions can only block so much appetite, and even so, Cassie stress-cooked, and the smell was too damn good. Now, she waited patiently.
"I, uh," Jenny started. "I mean, you, um. You should ask me again. And this time I won't interrupt."
It took a second for it to click in Cassie's mind, but when it did, she asked, she took a slow breath and then asked, "Did you... overhear Mike and I last night? In the office?"
Jenny looked away as she said, "Yes. I wanted to come in here for another book, and... through the doorway, I heard..." Tears welled up again.
"I'm sorry, Jenny," Cassie said. "If I knew, I would never have. Please, you have to know that."
"I know," said Jenny, looking her way again. "That's not it."
"What is it? You can tell me."
"That's just the thing, Cass, I can't."
