“What’s going on?” Josh asked from the doorway.
Jessica turned and jumped when she found Scott standing right behind her.
“You scared me!” she stated, as Scott turned back to her, relieved that it was Josh who had spoken and not Riley, or God help them, Angus. “Don’t do that again!” she said giving him a small shove on his chest.
“That goes both ways lady,” Scott said, “I think my heart stopped when I saw her in here …” he said to Jim, “are you nuts? Do you know how Angus and Riley would react?”
“Jesus Jim, she just got her privileges back, what are you trying to pull?” Josh said.
“It was my idea,” Jessica interjected.
All three stood staring at her.
“I wanted to help. I love to cook.” Silence ensued. “I do know how to cook, you know.” More silence. “Is it really that hard to believe?” She asked.
“No, what’s hard to believe is that after what you’ve been through with Angus, you’d be dumb enough to get him mad again!” Scott practically shouted.
Jessica shrank and Scott couldn’t believe that she was actually pouting.
“You don’t have to be so mean! I just wanted to help that’s all. Why should Riley or Angus get mad about that?”
“Why? Why? Oh you’re funny Jess. Why don’t you ask them that?” Scott demanded.
“Fine!” Jessica said a flicker of fear passing over her expression at the suggestion. “Let me know when you’re in a better mood!” and throwing the cheese onto the counter, Jessica pushed past Scott, stomped past Jim and Josh, into the living room and flung herself onto the sofa, Baby following her.
She scooped her up, turned her back on the kitchen and the men, and hid her face in the puppy’s fur.
“What the hell was that?” Scott asked Jim and Josh, disbelieving what he just saw.
“Guys … “Jim said quietly, “she was bored. She wanted to help me cook. She has never, ever, suggested something like that before.”
“A trick?” Josh asked.
Jim shook his head. “I don’t think so. You saw what she just did … have you ever seen her like that before?”
“Doesn’t mean it’s not a trick,” Scott said.
“About a month ago, she went the whole night without a single nightmare. For the past two weeks she hasn’t had a single one while she was with me.” Jim said.
“Not one?” Scott asked.
“What does that mean?” Josh whispered.
“I think she’s accepting the fact that she’s here, with us.” Jim said.
“Well, if Riley or Angus catch her in the kitchen she’ll be reconsidering that!” Josh said.
“If she talks to them, like she just did to me, “ Scott added watching her sulk on the sofa, “she may not be alive to reconsider anything.”
“First off, it’s that time of the month, you know she gets crankier then,” Jim said.
“Shit …” Scott hissed through gritted teeth. He’d forgotten about that, and tonight was his night with her.
“And,” Jim continued, “she’s scared shitless of both Riley and Angus … even when she has her period she’s extra careful around them. I doubt she’ll misbehave around them.”
“Either one of them could have come through that door while she was grating away,” Josh said pointing at the front door.
“Okay … why don’t we see if we can get them to let her help with the cooking?” Jim asked.
Josh and Scott looked at him as if he’d lost his mind.
“We’d have to be subtle about it …” Jim added.
“Let me get this straight … “ Scott said, “you want to play mind games with Riley and Angus?”
“I guess you could call it that …I don’t know about you guys, but I want her to help me cook. If she’s bored, she’s going to have time to think. Think about her family, think about how to get out of here …”
“If Riley or Angus figure out what we’re doing they’re going to kill us.” Scott said.
“All the more reason to make sure they don’t figure it out. Look, if we each, gradually, over-time, let it slip that Jessica loves to cook, and then that she’s bored, Riley will come to his own conclusions. I mean, you don’t honestly think Riley came up with the ‘be nicer to Jessica’ idea alone did you?”
“You?” Josh asked. “You did that?”
“Over a very long time, and very gradually, yes. We just have to be smart, smarter than I have been. Riley and Angus pretty much mistrust anything I say right now because they think I’m Jessica’s patsy, but if we let them think that we’re on their side. Agree with whatever they say, but ‘suggest’ alternatives, without knowing it, they’ll change their minds.”
“Okay, I’m in.” Josh said, still completely impressed with Jim’s success already with Riley.
“Scott?” Jim asked.
“I’m in, but what am I going to do about Lizzy Borden over there?” Scott asked, jerking his thumb in Jessica’s direction. “I can’t let her get away with that.”
“Set her straight,” Josh said, “just remember that it’s your night with her tonight … you may want it to be a pleasant one.”
“Jim?” Scott asked. “She hardly ever gets mad at you … “
“Hey,” Jim said, “she and I were happily cooking away in the kitchen. But, if you really want me to take care of it, I will.”
“Never mind,” Scott said and strode into the living room. “Jessica …”
“Yes?” she answered turning to face him. She looked more relaxed than she had five minutes before.
“Since when have you been allowed to speak to me, much less take off on me, like that?”
“I’m sorry Scott Scott. I was angry, that’s all.” She got up, and moved to him. Scott instinctively moved back. What used to be her head butt move somehow changed into a peck on the lips. “Do you forgive me?”
Scott didn’t know what to say. He looked over at Josh and Jim … they looked surprised too “Yyeeees, :” he finally managed to say, “but don’t do it again.”
“Dinner almost ready?” Riley asked as he came in the house. “Is there a problem?”
“Not exactly a problem,” Scott replied.
“Well, something has you standing around looking like guppies without any water … what the hell is it?”
“Jessica got a little out of line with Scott, “ Josh said.
“But she has since apologized,” Jim said, struck by the change that came over Jessica when Riley had entered the room.
She’d been relaxed, easily looking any one of the three of them in eyes, but as soon as Riley arrived, she seemed to have shrunk. Her head was lowered, and she was cowering.
Josh and Scott noticed it too. Scott pulled her to him, she was shaking.
“That’s right,” he said, “I’ve forgiven her.”
Riley hadn’t seemed to notice a change in her demeanor. Josh hoped that Riley wasn’t going to mount an inquisition into her behavior. Jessica’s fear would probably grow ten-fold.
“Out of line about what?” he asked as he made his way to the kitchen, grabbed a beer from the fridge.
The three men looked at one another. Dare they go so far as to lie? Jim had done that once already, that wasn’t a road Scott cared to go down. He didn’t know if Josh knew about Jim’s lie, but he seemed to be hesitant about what to say next, also.
“About cooking,” Scott finally said.
“Cooking?” Riley asked in surprise.
“I let her grate the cheese,” Jim admitted. Hell, if she was going to get into trouble, they may as well do it together.
“Why did you suddenly have this overwhelming need to have Jessica grate cheese?”
“She’d asked if she could help … she was bored.”
There was silence as Riley stood staring at Jessica.
“I put the knives away, “ Jim added, “I don’t think there’s much left that she could do.”
“Maybe the problem is that you just don’t think,” Riley answered. “We’re talking about substances that we ingest Jim … no sharp objects are required …”.
“If one of us is with her … all she can do is cook. She’d feel like she was doing something useful, Riley, she could feel a little more connected … “
Riley watched Jessica. Her head was buried in Scott’s chest, but he could tell she was listening to every word.
“What do you say?” Josh asked. Jim had made some valid points. Maybe if she felt more connected, she’d be happier.
“No. Not right now. Until she proves to me that we can trust her when we’re in a position of vulnerability, she can’t earn that right. I don’t see how she’s going to manage that … ”
He watched for some reaction from Jessica, but she remained very still. He wasn’t sure yet what to make of the fact that she’d requested to cook. She always made her requests to Jim, Josh or Scott, so he could not be sure of her demeanor when she made them, but he certainly hoped the men were alert and would be able to pick-up on her intentions.
Okay, maybe not Scott. While Jimmy was by far Jessica’s patsy, Scott had a knack for getting himself into near death experiences. And while Jessica’s behavior for the previous weeks had been practically impeccable her obedience heightened his concerns rather than ease them. However, he was willing to ignore them for the time being. As Jim was so eager to point out, if he wanted her to be obedient, he couldn’t punish her for it.
“What’s going on?” Angus demanded as he slammed the front door behind himself. He stood staring at Jessica cowering in Scott’s arms.
“Jessica is getting domestic on us,” Riley answered.
“Say what?”
“I told her that when she proved to us that we could trust her, we’d let her cook.”
“Do we have to wait till then to eat?” Angus retorted while heading for the bathroom, his oil covered hands held away from him. “I’m pretty sure we’ll all starve.”
“Good point. Is dinner ready then?” Riley asked really more interested in eating then debating an issue he couldn’t take seriously. “Then let’s eat,” Riley said when Jim nodded. Everyone served themselves in the kitchen, Jim getting a plate for Jessica, and seated themselves around the table. Jessica paused between Scott and Josh.
“Baby, sit,” she commanded pressing down on Baby’s bum and snapping her fingers above Baby’s head. Riley choked on his beer, it came out of his nose and sprayed from his mouth. She’d repeated the exact same words and actions he’d done earlier in the day while he’d been training a much older pup.
“Jesus Christ Riley!” Angus yelled as he stared at the beer that was spewed on his plate. Riley coughed as he switched plates with Angus. By the time he’d cleared his lungs and looked back at Jessica, she was sitting in her seat and staring at her plate.
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