The Descending of Jessica Ch. 16

"I didn't follow anything you just said. I just don't want you to think I'm trying to fuck... Well, you know how much you two mean to me. I wasn't suggesting... Oh, hell! Let's just forget about it." She smiled.

"That's easier for me and you than it will be for Brent. He'll probably have a boner for a week thinking about it, the perv!"

The room was typical for an art classroom, several rows

of high top tables with several stools around each. We found a table with four stools, all open, and put our things down to claim it. The room was beginning to fill up and if it was like most classes, where we were parked the first day would determine where we would be the rest of the semester.

"Who's a perv?" a bright smiling voice asked. We turned to see Trish across the aisle from us, sitting by herself and dressed like sin in heels.

"Hey, Sweetie!" I nearly yelled as we threw our arms around each other. Once we released, Carolyn hugged her, too. This brought stares from all the guys that were already there.

"Are you in here, too?" I asked.

"Yep, 'Intro to Design.'"

"That's great! Brent will be along in a minute, he's just parking now. Why don't you join us?"

"Or you could join me! Now, who's a pervert?" She giggled as we moved our things to the table she had staked out.

"My husband. Total perv, but I told you that already."

"Hey, I never did get a chance to thank you Saturday for helping me out with Steve." Carolyn said, helping me change topics as if on cue.

"Girl, what were you doing with him, anyway?" Trish replied.

"Uggggh, I don't know. I keep asking myself that!"

"Well, I had a great time with your brothers. Amber did too. When are they coming back?"

"Probably as soon as you two ask them to. But I may drive up there in a couple weeks. You should come!"

"Road trip!" Trish near shouted.

A couple of guys sat near us, but both looked like either baristas or employees of a used record store so neither Carolyn nor Trish showed any interest. Another fellow asked to join us, but Carolyn explained I was waiting on my husband and he shied away. Finally, Brent came and claimed his seat with us, to the envy of the male population of the class. To encourage his self esteem, I sat close so that we were touching and spent most of the class either holding his hand or resting mine on his thigh. This attention didn't stop one bitch from puffing her chest out and batting eyes at Brent throughout class, but he either didn't notice her or did a great job of pretending not to.

Both classes were a blur that morning. In the first, the instructor went over the syllabus and the materials list that we would need and, in the next, just the syllabus. Brent dutifully drove me to the deli and dropped Carolyn off at her next, making arrangements to meet later to drive to the deli after class was over for them. I got a glass of tea, answered my first text of the day from Sarah and took a table for what I thought would be just over an hour of reading time for just me. Then Andy arrived.

"Hey, can I join you? I texted Carolyn and she said we were meeting here."

"Uh, sure. She wasn't sure you would," I got out before he interrupted.

"Yeah, I was worried I had screwed that up. I sent her a text this morning and she just replied a few minutes ago. Carolyn's really sweet. I, well, I guess I thought it was going better than it was."

"No, I think it was going exactly as good as you thought it was, Andy. But, well, you need to understand she dated the same guy for a long time and she's just coming out of that. He was her first serious relationship, I don't think she had ever dated anyone before. Carolyn is new to relationships in that way. You're going to have to go slowly, but Carolyn's great. She's totally worth it. You just need to relax and get to know each other and just let it happen. She really likes you and thinks you're cute. It might work out."

"Thanks. So she's not pissed at me?"

"No, I didn't pick up anything like that. She's just, well, she is skittish about being involved and I think opening herself up to be hurt again, so you're going to have to take it easy. Ya know? She got totally burned by her boyfriend and it's going to take a while before she's ready to commit again, and she's not a one night stand kind of girl. She's probably worried that you're upset with her. "

"Oh, well, I wasn't looking for a hookup, I mean, I... uh. Well, you know."

"Yeah, I understand. You're going to have to back up and start again. Sounds like things went a little fast and she panicked. If you like her, I wouldn't worry too much. It will work out."

We discussed class and studied a bit but soon Brent and Carolyn arrived as their class had been just another take the roll and hand out the syllabus first day class.

"Well, hey there!" Carolyn smiled as she leaned over and kissed Andy's brow. With that, things became more comfortable at the table. Brent and I greeted with a quick peck on the lips and our table was covered by book bags, which were soon on the floor so as to give us room. An early lunch was ordered and eaten, then we decided to go to the house to study. We explained to Andy that sometime in the afternoon Allison, Brat and Alex would be by and, after that, we would wrap up for the day.

"So Alex is the new brother? Who is Brat?"

"That's what Jessie calls Sarah, our sister," Brent explained.

"You met Sarah. She's the little girl that was at lunch with us the other day," Carolyn reminded Andy.

"Oh, so she's, what, got behavior problems?" Andy asked.

"No, she's a total sweetheart. Precocious, inquisitive, sharp as a tack. Not really a brat at all. But the first day they met Jessie gave her that nickname and it just kinda stuck. She calls Jessie "Sissy". It's all good."

"There are worse nicknames," Carolyn said quietly. She was still nervous about talking to Andy, it appeared.

"Like 'Nag'?" I asked.

"Jessie!" Carolyn said, shocked I would bring it up, or even remember it. Brent giggled, and Andy just stared, his face full of confusion.

"That's what Carolyn's brothers call her, or so they tell. But she's not a nag," I said by way of explanation.

"Thank you, I would hate for Andrew to think that was true," Carolyn said.

"Yeah, she's more of a bitch than a nag." I giggled.

"Jessie!" Carolyn near shouted, but Brent and Andy were both laughing and from his laughter, Andy made it clear he knew I was joking.

"My brothers called me 'Nerd Girl' when we were growing up, and that got shortened to 'NG', then they just started pronouncing it 'nag,'" she explained sheepishly.

"Huh. I didn't think nerds were supposed to be that pretty," Andy flirted, which earned him a grin and a blush from Carolyn.

With that, we paid our tab and left for the house. On arrival, we let Damita out to run in the backyard while Brent and I watched her. We figured to give Andy and Carolyn a few minutes for anything they had to say privately, then Brent and Andy spread our materials out on the table while Carolyn and I made tea for everyone. It was soon apparent that we had all read the introductory material and the first chapters. No one had questions regarding it, and there was nothing to study.

Instead, we made small talk, mostly about Alex and Brat. We told Carolyn and Andy about how amazing Sarah had been the evening before and they listened as if they cared, but were clearly more interested in finding an excuse to be alone and sort things out. About two, I figured I had an hour or two before the family showed up, so I decided to take an active approach to breaking up our study group for the day.

"Guys, I didn't sleep much last night. Would you care if I called it quits and took a nap?" I asked.

Brent and Carolyn were immediately alarmed.

"Are you okay? You need to go to the doctor?" Brent asked.

"No, honey, nothing like that. I just want to stretch out. I didn't get to sleep until one or two," I smiled, "You must be tired, too." I added.

"Well, a little, but I'm fine," he said as I gave him a mild staring. "I mean, I could take a nap, but uh, I better let Damita in.You go on. Carolyn, Andy, would you excuse us?"

"Come on, Andy," Carolyn smiled as she loaded up her books "looks like the old married people are worn out."

With that, they went next door. Brent returned with Damita wagging her tail as she walked behind him.

"You sure you feel okay?" he again asked.

"Oh, I'm fine. I just want to spend some time with my husband" I smiled. "And Carolyn was hinting she would like to be alone to sort things out with Andy," I said as I stretched out on our bed.

"Was she? I didn't pick up on that," Brent replied as he lay next to me and I laid my head on his pecs and shoulder.

"Duh. So, someone was feeling frisky this morning." I smiled.

"I plead the fifth." He grinned.

"I was too. You just read my mind."

"I bet I can read it again. Right now you are remembering that we were going to move the desk out of the study room today."

"Ugggh. No, I forgot all about that! Shit! We have to get a bed for Alex this weekend, too! Oh, well. So much for a nap."

"Nah, let me see if Andy will help me. It won't take a second. Then we'll take a nap. Then when Allison and the kids leave we'll go to that Rooms To Go place. Fair enough?"

Andy was more than glad to help since it gave him a chance to act masculine in front of Carolyn, while she and I plotted decor for both Alex and Sarah's rooms. A nautical theme for Alex, and a Harry Potter for Sarah was quickly decided then, after that, we got out of the way so Andy and Brent got to be all macho with the desk. Andy wouldn't have been trying so hard if he knew Carolyn grew up around guys moving furniture but the only hint of this was when they had trouble getting it around a corner and she instructed them to back it up, stand it on end on top of a towel and while Andy stabilized it and leaned it through a door, Brent dragged it atop the towel. Under Carolyn's direction, it was moved and in our room in no time.

"You sure you're going to have enough room in here with everything?" Carolyn asked.

"Oh sure, it's just until Spring Break, anyway."

"Why? What happens then?" Carolyn asked.

"Oh! I guess we didn't tell you. Ron wants to finish the attic and basement. He's going have a contractor put stairs in the study room to the attic, and make it into a couple bedrooms, then make the basement into a family room den thingy. We'll use one of the bedrooms as a study or make Sarah's room into one and put both the kids upstairs." I replied.

"That will be nice. Think you can talk them into a deck and a

hot tub, too?" Carolyn laughed.

"Hmmmm, well we could do a deck now, I'm not sure about a spa though. Brent, do you know how to build a spa?" I giggled.

"No, but... Oh, you two are kidding, aren't you?" he asked sheepishly.

With that, we broke up again for the afternoon. Brent and I got back to snuggling, and making pillow talk for a few minutes, but soon enough I was asleep in his arms, and wouldn't be awakened until Allison returned with the kids. I slept through their arrival as Brent had already awoke, if he had ever gone to sleep, and let them in while I slumbered. Sarah took no pity on me, though, as she bounced onto the bed and threw her arms around me waking me up.

"Sissy! Brent said we could wake you up!" she gleamed.

I could only smile as I wiped the sleep from my eyes. Alex stood at the end of the bed grinning, too.

"What? You too old to give your big sis a hug, Alex?" I asked as a way of giving him permission to jump on the bed, too.

"We always hug Sissy. Cause we love her and..." Sarah caught herself during her instructions to Alex.

"Because she loves you, too, and because you almost lost me. It's okay to say it Sarah. That's all over with now. Let's just be glad it's over and remember to cherish every moment, okay?"

"Okay!" she said as she threw her arms around my neck again, this time with Alex gingerly joining her.

"So Alex, how was shopping so far?"

"It was okay. Mrs. Allison likes to buy a lot. I'm not really used to that." He smiled.

"I'm not, either. But don't worry. It's just one of the ways her and Ron tell us that they love us and it's not one of the important ways, either. It's just stuff. Allison will be the first to tell you that. The important part is the heart behind it. I learned just to accept it, say thanks and count my blessings. You know, the first time she took me shopping she bought me all this makeup and had to have the people at the stores teach me how to use it because I never had any before." I smiled.

"So you were... I mean, we, I never thought we were poor, but..." his words tapered off in confusion.

"Yes, I guess I was. My mother, my other mother, Donna, you'll meet her soon. She did the best she could, but there wasn't money for stuff like that. Anyway, don't worry about all that. Let Allison shop for you. She enjoys it, it makes her happy, and you won't want for anything. That lets you focus on what's important: school, family and trying to learn a new life in a forever home to be happy in. We all - Brent, Sarah, and me - we all went through that in different ways. You're one of us now, and we're glad to have you with us. We hate what brought you here, just like we hate what put us in foster care, too. I guess I'm babbling though, you probably know all that already." I hugged him tight and kissed his brow. Sarah continued to cling to us.

Finally Brent and Allison came in.

"So Alex, you want to let Damita run a bit?" Brent asked.

"Sure!" he smiled and jumped off the bed.

"Sarah, didn't we tell you to let Jessie rest?" Allison asked.

"But Brent said it was okay," Sarah whined.

"Sarah! You know not to disobey Allison! Brent could have woken me up for you."

"But Brent said it was okay!"

"I guess I did, truthfully, but I didn't mean... well, I said check on her Sarah, not wake her," Brent said. Since he was still there, Alex hadn't left and Damita wasn't getting to run.

Sarah was about to cry and I couldn't be the cause of that.

"Oh, its alright, darling. Just in the future make sure you hear what they say, not what you want them to say. I'm glad you woke me. That way I get to hang out with you!" I grinned as we hugged again.

"I can't be mad at her," I whispered to Allison as she rolled her eyes.

"Well, we got a good start on his wardrobe. If Alex and Sarah ever decide they are ready, we can probably get that done this evening. Care to join us, Jessie?"

"Oh! I'd love to, but I promised Brent I would go with him to get Alex's bedroom stuff. He got the desk moved out today."

"Awwwww," Sarah whined. "Can't you do that some other time?"

"No silly, we're picking you two up tomorrow after school. Alex will need somewhere to sleep."

"He can sleep in my room. I'll sleep with you!" Sarah suggested.

"No. That wouldn't do, Sarah." Allison stated bluntly, then grinned at me. "You should be glad we're letting you spend the weekend after waking Jessie up, twice, today!"

"But..." Sarah said, unable to come up with a reply.

"But they are, and we're thankful, right Brat?" I asked.

"Yeah! Plus Brent needs help taking care of you!"

"Brent does just fine, but I need someone to read and run with, if you're up for it."

"I can do that!"

"Okay, well hop up. I need to get ready and you need to help Alex and Mom with their shopping." I realized Alex and Brent had left with Damita already, then, and added, "Did you tell Momma Allison about Alex this morning like we talked about?"

"No, I haven't had the chance. We haven't been alone. He gets real sad when you and Dr. Ron aren't around," Sarah said to Allison.

"He gets real sad when you and Jessie and Brent aren't around, too. He's trying to act bravely, but he's having a tough time right now. You know what I've noticed, though? As long as his mind is busy on other things, he doesn't have time to focus on sad thoughts. We can all help him with that, can't we, Sarah?" Allison asked.

"Yeah, but sometimes he just stops and cries," Sarah reported.

"I know. It reminds me of another little girl when she first moved in," Allison said.

"I never did that. I mean, I did at the other homes, but not with you and Dr. Ron," Sarah argued.

"She wasn't talking about you," I said, remembering

the pain and anger I felt when I first lost my Mom to the system and how unwanted and unloved I felt; like I was trash that had been discarded, and how I acted at Ron and Allison's after several failed placements in other homes.

"Oh."

"You know what got me through it? Having a big brother and a Mom and Dad that cared and never stopped showing it."

"So... uh..."

"So, this morning, when you said sometimes you didn't know what to say? Well, sometimes you don't have to say anything, you just have to be there and care. And you're better at that than anyone I know." I smiled.

Allison and the kids soon departed with promises to see each other the next day, and a quiet promise from Brat that she would call if she had bad dreams again. Shortly after they left, just as we were about to hit Rooms to Go, Carolyn pulled in.

"Hey, you guys heading out?" She asked.

"Yep, gotta get a bedroom for Alex. Where did you go?"

"Oh, I took Andy back to his car. He's working tonight." She smiled. She had a certain glow about her of happiness and satisfaction. Her cheeks were a bit rosier, her step, though guarded, lighter than normal. All in all, she seemed maybe a bit tired, but more relaxed than anything.

"Oh my! Looks like I'm not the only one that took a nap this afternoon," I smirked as Carolyn blushed.

"So," she said, trying to change the subject, "Where were you thinking of going shopping for a bedroom suite? Need any help?"

"That's not a bad idea," Brent opined. "She does know more than either of us about furniture."

"True and she does have some recent experience with a bedroom," I suggested.

"Jessie! You're terrible!" Carolyn laughed.

"Huh? What are you two talking about?" Brent asked.

"Oh, nothing dear. Just something Carolyn is going to have to catch me up on later."

"What, you mean her and Andy getting nasty?" He laughed and I soon joined in.

"Brent! I'm self conscious enough without you piling on!"

"Sorry. So, you and Andy are back then?"

"Yeah, well we've reached an understanding." She smiled, "Come on, if we hurry maybe they can deliver tonight, if they have an after five delivery run."

We giggled and laughed all the way there, picked out a basic bedroom suite for Alex, and shopped some for decor items. Unfortunately, delivery was over for the night but it could be delivered after class the next day and set up, so it all worked out. We were able to hit the home improvement store we had purchased our paint from and get some borders to match our themes, but Carolyn suggested we hit some antique stores the next day for some dust catchers for Sarah's room, and maybe a model boat for Alex's. Here, Brent was able to contribute an idea, though. He suggested we go to a large outdoor shop and get some fishing gear to use both as decoration and for practical purposes for Alex, and while there, Carolyn hit on the idea of getting some river and lake charts to put in poster frames for his walls. Finally, we ran by a home store and got sheets, blankets and a comforter for the new bedroom.

After all this, we had dinner at a Greek place in the arts district before heading back home. While there, Carolyn opened up about her and Andy. She had forced herself to ignore her jitters and stop trying to decide if he was Mr. Right or not. Instead, she decided to just enjoy the moment, and as long as they wanted to see each other they would. He proclaimed he didn't really want to see anyone else and for the moment they were an exclusive couple, at least until they decided if they wanted to be. It sounded healthy emotionally to me and Brent concurred.