I head down into the kitchen and find mom sat at the table with a coffee.
“Jade, finally!” she greets me amusedly. “I was beginning to think I’d have to throw cold water over you to get you outta bed!”
“It’s only…” I start defensively and then realise the clock reads 12pm. “Oops,” I finish with a giggle and sit opposite her. She pours me a coffee. “It was just so good bein’ back in my old bed.”
“It’s good havin’ you home,” she smiles.
“Is Brian around?”
“Yeah, he went fishing with Jay at about 9.”
“Wow, bonding stuff,” I giggle and she laughs.
“Yeah. It’s a shame Tony had to work. He would’ve loved to join them.”
“Yeah and grill Brian about his intentions,” I joke.
“And what are his intentions?”
“Mom!” I blush slightly.
“Hey, I’m your mom. I wanna know these things!” she laughs. “Do you love him?”
“Yeah, of course I do.”
“How much?”
“How much?” I ask. “That’s a hard question. I don’t think there are enough words.”
“That’s enough,” she smiles. “And you made the right decision?”
“Huh?”
“That other guy, his name was JC right?”
“How’d you know?!” I stare at her.
“Your brother told me. He was worried about you.”
“Oh,” I say.
“So?”
“Yeah, it was definitely the right choice.”
“And you never think about JC?” she asks.
“Sure I do,” I shrug. “But only in that I hope he’s happy. I never wish I was with him. Y’know mom, I’m gonna tell you something nobody else knows…”
“So tell me, I’m listening.”
“Ok. When I was still torn between Brian and JC, they both told me they were leaving the next day. JC had a car leaving at 10, and Brian’s was going at 12. So I spent the whole night not knowing who I was going with and when the morning came I…”
“You went to meet JC,” mom finishes slowly. “But he had already gone?”
“Yeah, how did you know?”
“It happened to me,” she confesses. “Not that long after I met Tony, an ex of mine came back into my life. His name was Patrick and we split up because he went into the airforce. He came back and I’d met Tony, and he said he hadn’t been able to forget me. He wanted me to marry him and everything. He had to leave the next day at sunrise to get back to the base and he asked me to meet him. I decided to go but I overslept and missed him. You have no idea how glad I am that I did. I have never loved anybody the way I love your papa. And of course, I have you and Jay. Patrick, he just turned my head…”
“Offered you excitement,” I say and she nods.
“It was for the best – you missing JC. Brian is perfect for you.”
“I think I know that now,” I smile. “Y’know, some days I just want to be on my own and other days, I look at him and I feel so good that it hurts. Most days,” I laugh.
“That’s life,” mom grins. “It’ll be all the time when you finish touring with him. I mean, right now you’re kinda living outta each other’s pockets. Which can’t be good.”
“I know. I can’t wait to be back home again,” I admit.
“And you have to come stay with us for at least a week,” she orders and I laugh.
“Yes mom.”
“Ok. You hungry?” she stands up.
“Starving.”
“I’ll make lunch. Sandwiches and soup?”
“Sounds great,” I stand up to help out just as Brian and Jay walk in. “Hey,” I greet them and they smile. “Any miracles happen?” I tease Jay who rolls his eyes.
“If I ever catch a fish out there I will die of shock,” he grumps and we laugh.
“It was real good though,” Brian says. “I liked bein’ able to just sit and not do anything.”
“A novelty I bet!” mom laughs and he pulls a face.
“Unfortunately.”
“Aw,” I wrap my arms around his waist and kiss his lips. “The tour will be over soon and then you’ll have all the time in the world to do nothing.”
“Yay!” he laughs.
“I’m making soup and sandwiches for lunch. You guys want?” mom asks and they both nod eagerly.
“That would be perfect mom,” Jay grins.
“Yeah, thanks Mary,” Brian says and she smiles.
“You’re both welcome. Brian, you guys go sit down with Jade. I’m sure Jay will help me here.”
“Oh sure mom,” Jay laughs. “Y’know I’m your personal kitchen slave.”
“Hey,” she cuffs him lightly and laughs. “Now go you two, before I decide I need two more kitchen slaves.”
“Yup,” I laugh and lead Brian through into the lounge.
“I really like your family,” he says, sitting on the couch.
“Me too,” I laugh and walk over to the stereo. I turn it on low and press play on the CD player. A jazz compilation CD starts playing and I walk over to sit by Brian. I rest my head on his chest and curl my legs up under me. He wraps his arms around me and I feel him kiss my head. “So, enjoy fishing?”
“Yeah, it was cool. I enjoyed talking to Jay.”
“You guys bonded?” I giggle and he laughs.
“I guess you could say that. We talked about all kinds, about him working homicide…”
“I hate him doin’ that,” I mutter. “It scares me. The type of stuff he sees, the people he has to deal with…”
“He’s copin’ ok,” Brian says gently. “He doesn’t like it much either but he said it gives him job satisfaction.”
“I know he does. But I still hate it.”
“He knows how to handle it Jade,” he tells me and I move around in his arms so that I’m facing him.
“Mom loves you already.”
“That’s good,” he laughs.
“Honey,” I reach up and play with his tousled curls. “I really do love you and I want you to know that you never have to worry about JC or any other guy ever again.”
“Whoa, where’d that come from?”
“I was just thinking. I hope you know that.”
“Well I do now.”
“Cos I love you SO much Mr Littrell,” I murmur and kiss him. I touch his lips with my tongue and he parts them slightly for me to enter his mouth. His hands move onto my lower back and his tongue slowly teases mine. I gently rub the nape of his neck with my fingers as he deepens the kiss even more.
“FIRE!” Jay yells and we stop kissing quickly. “Just testing,” he chuckles.
“Jay!” I moan.
“Mom says lunch will be ready in two.”
“Okies,” I say and he disappears. I look back at Brian and he chuckles slightly. I rest my head against his and carry on stroking the nape of his neck. I know he loves that.
“Jady, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about JC and worry about you wanting to be with him again. But I trust you and I think about him a lot less now than I used to.”
“Good.”
“And I love you more than anything else in this entire universe,” he says quietly and I kiss him again.