I appreciate everyone's patience and words of encouragement during this hiatus. They mean a lot to me. Huge thanks to Devir for all the editing help and to Jessica for really being there when I needed a friend through all this. On with the show.
****
Monday
Jessica started up the steps to Jake's house when his front door opened. Jake's mom greeted her with a smile and a hug.
"Good morning, sweetie," she said. "How are you feeling?"
"Pretty great today," Jessica answered with a radiant smile as she entered. "How are you?"
"I'm well, dear," she answered as she lead her to the dining room where Jake and his father were seated. "Jake, Jess is here."
"Hey, Jess, ready to hit the road?" Jake said and started to push up from the table but Jessica stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.
"You can finish eating, Jake," she told him. "In fact, I insist on it. You're going to need your strength."
Jake's lips drew up into a wicked smile that Jessica caught and rolled her eyes at him.
"I gave us plenty of time to get to school," She said hurriedly while she hoped his parents didn't see his knowing smile. "I figured that you might be moving a bit slow this morning."
"I've been moving fine, Jess," he told her and nodded toward his crutches. "Two weeks on those things and I'm practically a pro."
"It's been more like one week, Jake," Jake's mom chimed in.
"I used them in the hospital. That counts as a week," Jake tried to counter. "It could have been longer if someone had let me out of my room those first few days I was home from the hospital. You don't know who that might be do you, mom?"
"You are still my baby boy, Jake," she told him as she tousled his hair.
Jake sighed while Jessica giggled then did her best to fix his mussed hair while he gave her a look of frustration. He sighed and looked at his dad.
"Do you think they will ever allow me to do anything on my own again, dad?" he asked.
"Enjoy the pampering while you can, son," his father told him.
"Listen to your father, Jake. And listen to me too. We are going to take things slow despite what you say or think that you can do. Got me, Jake," she asked and emphasized that with a finger wag at him.
"Jake, unless you want to get fitted for another cast I think that you had better listen to Jess," Jake's dad grinned at him. "Jessica, have a seat and grab a bite to eat before you go. I think that it's you that might need your strength with my son today."
"I believe that you're right, Mr. Gibson," she said as she sat down in the empty chair. "Thank you."
"Toast?" Jake offered as he nodded toward his plate.
"Thanks, sweetie," she said and blew him an air kiss. "Jelly?"
Jake passed the jar of grape jelly to her along with a knife. She accepted both and spread the purple sweetness onto her toast.
"Can I get you something to drink too?" he smiled at her as he started to get up.
"Jake, so help me, if you start to hop toward the refrigerator without your crutches we are going to have problems," she stated with a glare over the top of her toast.
"I was going to use at least one of the crutches," Jake grumbled.
"And risk splashing milk all over my kitchen floor?" Jake's mom chimed in. "I think not. You stay put while I get Jessica something to drink. Coffee, dear?"
"Just milk please," Jessica answered as she used the knife Jake gave her to slice the toast in half. "I had coffee before I left my place and if I have anymore I won't be able to sit still in class."
She placed one piece back on Jake's plate then gestured toward it with the knife.
"Eat up, Crutch Master," she told him with a smile. "I think that we are both going to need our strength today."
****
Jessica took her time as she drove toward the school. Despite the breakfast at Jake's they still had plenty of time before the first bell would ring.
"You know," Jake said as he reached over and placed his hand on Jessica's thigh, "we have a bit of time and the drive in is practically right there."
"Jake, you can't possibly go up all of those stairs with your leg like it is," she told him with a grin. "Besides, we don't have your bag with us and we couldn't possibly go up there without that."
"That's not exactly what I was suggesting, Jess," he told her.
She reached down and rubbed his hand with hers and smiled at him.
"Oh, I know exactly what you were suggesting and let me warn you that you are playing with fire right now, mister," she warned. "There is nothing I want to do more than to pull over somewhere secluded and take care of a few things. Maybe more than a few things in fact but that just proves that if I do stop then we'll never make it to school."
"Part of me would be very okay with that, Jess," Jake chuckled as he rubbed her thigh. "I get it though. Staci would send out the troops to find us if we are so much as a minute late."
"We were very lucky that she did that on New Years Eve, Jake," Jessica reminded him. "I have nightmares about what might have happened if she hadn't and our friends hadn't found us."
"You too huh?" he asked as he patted her leg.
"Yeah," she nodded. "We're out in those woods all alone and you're..."
"Jess, it's okay," Jake reassured her. "We made it. We're both okay."
He rubbed his cast and shrugged.
"Well relatively okay," he tried to laugh to lighten the mood.
"Is it bothering you?" she asked as she nodded toward his leg.
"Not anymore than having to wear workout pants instead of jeans to school," he commented. "I mean I look goofy as hell like this, right?"
"It's better that you wear those instead of trying to fit a pair of jeans over your cast," she pointed out. "Besides you look comfy and no one is going to care what kind of pants you're wearing. They're all going to be glad to see you."
"So you'll keep Bobby and Roxie from picking on me too much," Jake chuckled then shook his head. "What am I saying? You'll be right in the middle throwing your own jabs at me."
"True," she laughed then stroked his thigh. "At least with me, you know that I will make it all up to you, Jake."
"Are you positive that we can't make a quick stop at the drive in?" Jake grinned.
Jessica allowed her eyes to drift to Jake's crotch before she averted them back to the road in front of her.
"You are so bad, Jake," she said then smiled. "I must be just as bad because I am seriously considering it right now!"
"Get us to school, gorgeous," Jake told her. "Let's get this day over with and then we can see how homework goes. Ever play strip homework?"
