Justin sat on the bed, an amused smile on his face. “Well, looks like Terri got us now, Syms. You have no choice but to talk to me.”
Symone glared at him. “You were in on this, weren’t you? You planned that whole thing! You jerk!” Symone’s eyes were on fire as she continued to stare at him.
“I only wish I had, the look on your face is worth it.” Justin laughed. “But, no, Terri gets all the credit on this one. I mentioned to her that I was tired of fighting and I wished you would just be forced to listen to me, so I guess she took that to heart.” He grinned again.
Symone paced back and forth, trying to think. “There has got to be away out of here! I’m not staying in this room with you for an extended period of time, or I will hurt you. Not possible.” Symone stood and looked out the window at the rain. Slowly, a smile spread over her face. She reached up to unlock the window before prying it open.
“Symone! What are you doing? Killing yourself?” Justin asked from the bed, trying not to look to alarmed.
“Uh, Justin, it's like 5 feet to the ground." She rolled her eyes at his stupidity. "I’m not going to sit here like a caged bird.” Symone threw one leg over the sill. The rain was freezing against her bare leg.
“You’ll get wet!”
“I get wet every day in the shower.” Symone wiped her wet hand on her shorts to try and get a better hold of the window. “I’ll see ya on the outside!” She called as she dropped to the ground. Seconds later Justin heard an ear-piercing scream. He bolted to he window and stuck his head out.
Symone was sitting up, leaning back on her arms in a puddle of mud. She was also covered in the oozy substance from head to foot. Justin was lucky that his head was just out of reach as he burst out laughing, Symone was ready to claw his eyes out.
“Ohh shut up, I hurt myself!” She tried to stand up, but as soon as she put weight on her left ankle, she was back in the mud. “Dammit!” Symone closed her eyes, took a deep breath and put a smile on her face. “Oh, Justin, I, uh, I need some help.”
Justin was worried about the condition of Symone’s ankle, and sighed. “I don’t know. You haven’t been very nice to me, Syms. I’m not sure you deserve my help.” Tears of pain and embarrassment mixed with the rain on Symone’s face. “Justin, please, I’m sorry. Just, help me. Please.”
Justin felt his heart break in another place. Symone looked helpless in the mud, and he could tell she was in pain. Everything else aside, he still cared about her. He carefully slid to the ground. Having a height advantage, he would rest his feet on the ground before letting go of the sill. He bent over Symone, helping her stand.
“Don’t even touch that foot to the ground.” He said, his mouth close to her ear. He helped her hop to a slightly more stable ground, the, putting one arm around her shoulders, scooped her off the ground and carried her to the front door. Justin bent slightly, just enough for Symone to reach the handle of the door to push it open.
“Honey, we’re home!” Justin called as he carried Symone into the main room.
“What the...” Chris started as they group turned to see a mud-covered Justin carrying an equally mud-covered Symone in his arms. Symone appeared to be in quite a bit of pain. “Don’t ask, we’ll be back.” Justin said, walking through the room.
“You better be cleaning this up Kid!” Terri yelled. "Or else Anna is gonna have your ass on a platter!"
“Whatever!” Justin said as he slammed the bathroom door. Justin set Symone down on the edge of the counter and started pulling off his mud-covered clothing. “Symone, we need to get cleaned up before I start wrapping your ankle, so strip.” He said gruffly. He really didn’t know anyone other way to put it. “Just down to you underwear, so you can get the mud off you. I’ll get you clean clothes.”
“Oh, hell no. I’m an not stripping down to my underwear in front of you Justin!” Symone replied, looking indignant.
Justin best down so he and Symone were nose to nose. “If I remember correctly, I’ve seen you in a lost less than that, Symone.” He said, his voice low and sultry. Symone felt her face get hot. She and Justin had seen each other in a lot less then underwear when they were together.
“Fine. But ONLY because I need to get cleaned up. Symone reluctantly removed the shirt over her sports bra, and moved to pull off her shorts. Justin turned his back and turned the hot water on in the bathtub, filling the smallish bathroom up with steam as he filled the tub. When he looked back, Symone was holding her shorts and tee shirt out to him.
“Clean clothes?” She asked, trying to hide her body by leaning down to gingerly touch her ankle.
“In a moment. You’re still all covered with mud.” He lifted her up again, gently, and placed her in the bathtub. “If it’s too hot, let me know.” Justin’s voice was soothing, and Symone could find herself relaxing. She felt the water stir slightly as Justin dipped a towel in it. He took her arms, one at a time, a wiped the mud off.
“Why are you being so nice to me?” Symone asked as Justin wiped the mud off her legs, carefully avoiding the hurt ankle.
“Because being mean never got me anywhere. Look, you never gave me a chance to explain about Jo...”
Symone cut him off. “Don’t even mention is Justin. I forgave you a long time ago, I guess. It still hurts, but you know, not as much. You’re right...being mean never got me anywhere either. Although, you did look pretty funny with gravy all over you.” Symone giggled.
“So, do you think we could put the past behind us and at least make an attempt to be friends?” Justin asked, his voice hopeful.
“I’m not sure Justin. After all this, I want to be able to trust you, to call you a friend, but it’s going to be hard. How about we just make it that we’re not mortal enemies anymore?” Symone looked at him. “Maybe we can work our way back to friends?”
“I’d like that.” They settled into an uncomfortable silence, neither knowing what to say.
JC knocked on the door. “Hey guys? You okay?” He said, opening the door slowly. “I was sent to make sure you didn’t kil--Oh my.” JC’s eyes took in the whole scene of Symone in the bathtub, with Justin in boxers and a wife beater leaning over her. He quickly shut the door as Symone and Justin started laughing.
“Now, about that ankle...” Justin started.
Anna sat herself at her computer for the first time in about 3 weeks. There had be so many things going on at the house, between Symone, Krysti and Terri’s arrival and all the chaos that ensued, she had barely had enough time to think about going online, much less actually take the time out to do it. But, the rain had kept the group inside today, and after Emmi had run out with Lance and Krysti close behind, Anna decided that she would sneak away to her private basement. With a few quick keystrokes and a click of her mouse, she was hurtling into cyber-space. As she had expected, the distinct sound of the AOL man telling her she had mail greeted her next. She opened her mailbox, and was shocked to see, amongst the junk mail, about 20 or so letters from Jessica. Most of them were dated a couple of weeks back, so she decided that the information they contained was probably not very relevant anymore. Anna scrolled down to the most recent of the letters, double clicked it, and began to read.
Subj.: ANNA!
Date: 8/3/00 3:23:03 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: RedHotFlirt
To: PrimnProper
Where the hell have you been Annabella? I have been emailing you 3 times a day for weeks now, and you never write back, and you are never online? What gives? Are you OK? Things here are still pretty much the same as last time I wrote you. Adrienne is still in the hospital; Nicole still isn’t eating or sleeping, and I am still worried shitless. I don’t even have you around to tell me not to curse. Anna I am so scared, I don’t know what to do to help. I wish there were some way that I could do…I don’t know, something. The only thing that could help this is if Josh were here. He knows how to calm Nic down, and make things seem sane. Oh, dammit I don’t know…seems like I have been saying that a lot, huh? I think that what we all really need is a dose of normalcy, be it Josh or Symone… I guess I am just babbling again. I really do miss you Anna, and I hope that I hear from you soon.
The One and Only-
-Jess-
PS
You know I don’t really believe in all the God stuff, but…could you keep praying for us? Especially Adrienne, she needs it the most. Thanks.
Anna was shocked, as she went back and read more of the mail that Jessica had written. They were all pretty much the same, and one even detailed the doctor’s analysis of the little girl’s condition, the cause of which was baffling the hospital staff. The emails also told of the brave front Nicole had put up and the way that her best friend could see straight through it. Especially at night, when Jessica would hear the young woman cry herself to sleep, muttering the names of the two most beloved people in her life. Josh. Adrienne. Over and over again. They kept mentioning helplessness, on Jessica’s part, and Nicole’s. It broke Anna’s heart one hundred times over to hear her friends in so much turmoil. And that little girl… Anna continued to grieve and brainstorm, when finally, it clicked. She had the answer, and it was sitting right in front of her. Or rather half was locked in her sister’s room and the other half she left in the living room. JC and Symone would be able to make everything better; Jessica said so herself. And Anna had the power to let them into the little secret that Nicole was keeping from them. Without a second thought, Anna began to print off the emails one by one and stack the papers neatly in her lap. She ran a hand quickly through her hair and said a silent prayer that this was the right thing to do, before getting up quickly and heading upstairs.
Walking into the living area she saw JC sitting on the couch stretched out on his back, muttering to himself with a laughing tone in his voice. Anna was mildly aware of the streaks of mud that coated the floor, but this was too important to worry about that now.
JC looked up when he felt another presence in the room. “Hey Anna,” he smiled brightly. “You will never even begin to guess what I just saw in the bathroom. I think it is something about that room that makes you forget to knock but…”
“JC, there is something I need to tell you,” Anna cut him off. Startled by the seriousness of her voice JC just nodded. She drew a silent breath and began. “Well, there is a room in the house that you all don’t know about. It is sort of a basement type thing, and…” she realized she was rambling and scolded herself. Josh just continued to sit there, looking at her, his face and pale blue eyes locked in a quizzical expression. “I, well, I have a computer room underneath my bedroom, all hooked up to the ‘net.”
JC smiled and jumped up. “Really? Anna, why didn’t you tell me sooner! I could have checked my email and talked to Nicole and…”
“JC, Adrienne is in the hospital.”
JC’s facial cast went from surprise, to shock, to anger all in a matter of moments. “Anna, that is not something to joke about. She is my DAUGHTER for crying out loud! My God, how could you be so insensitive, so…” Once again, he was cut off, this time by her shoving the emails toward him. He looked down at them and then back up at Anna. Quickly he began to scan the page, and his heart dropped as he recognized Jessica’s screen name. And plummeted further still when the contents of the letters revealed the pain his family was wallowing in back in Florida. His knees gave out and he flopped onto the sofa. Tearstains began to streak the page until he could no longer read the words. He didn’t need to. He knew.
Anna watched as the man she had come to call a friend wept on the sofa, the letters still clutched tightly in his large hands. She sat gingerly next to him and stroked his arm comfortingly. “JC, it’s gonna be all right. She’s going to be fine, you’ll see.”
The pair both turned their attention toward the bathroom door opening, revealing a freshly bathed Symone wearing khaki shorts and a navy blue tank top, leaning her weight slightly on Justin. The two teens also noticed the scene on the sofa, not knowing what to make of it.
Finally, Justin had to break the silence the only way he knew how. “Anna, we tracked all the mud in here, not JC. You didn’t have to make the poor boy cry!” His joke deadpanned after a slight chuckle from Symone.
A longer, more awkward pause followed, until JC stood up. “Symone, pack a bag. We have to go to Orlando.”
“What? Why?” She noticed the tears that pooled in her soon to be brother-in-law’s eyes, and became terrified. The only people JC loved enough to cry over in Florida were also her closest family members. “Josh, what’s wrong?”
Choked with emotion, Josh handed Symone the papers that he had inadvertently crumpled.
Symone’s eyes could barely make out anything in the slight blur for a moment, but then the words came into focus.
Adrienne.
Hospital.
Rare disease.
A gasp escaped her lips as she fell into JC’s arms and they both cried, standing in the caked mud on the floor.
