New Girl in Town Pt. 19

"Yes, ma'am, it really has," He agreed. "We'll make sure to stop by so we can catch up."

Mrs. Gibson gave them directions on how to find Jake's room and the pair departed after another set of hugs. Somer wondered and worried about who would be in Jake's room with him. She didn't have to wait long to find out because when they opened the door she was greeted with a face that immediately scowled.

"What in the hell are you doing back here?" Roxie asked as she glared at Somer.

"I... Rick..." Somer stammered as she started to back out the door but Rick had blocked her exit.

"Hi, I'm Rick," He said and smiled at Roxie. "Jake and I go way back so when Somer and I heard about what happened we had to come see how he's doing."

"I'll bet," Roxie glared at Somer.

C.C., who was there with her, placed her hand on Roxie's arm and patted it.

"Now is not the time for this, Rox," C.C. said quietly. "Let's give them a few minutes with Jake."

"I'm not leaving her alone with..." Roxie started to argue but Somer stopped her.

"It's okay, C.C.," She said. "I'll let Rick have some time and I'll walk back with you two if you want."

"No, you'll stay with me," Rick said then looked at Roxie. "I'm not sure what's going on here but Somer came with me so she's staying with me. If that's going to be a problem then you can both stay and keep watch or whatever you feel that you need to do but we're staying."

Roxie huffed her annoyance but went over to the window sill and leaned against it. C.C. gave Somer a half smile and shrug before she joined Roxie. She took Roxie's hand in hers and Somer noticed but didn't react to it. She was too worried that same hand that C.C. held would be cocked back and flying at her face if she got any closer to Jake.

"Any sign that he's coming out of this coma thing?" Rick asked them.

"They... They're keeping him under while he heals," Roxie answered him. "It could be just a few days to a few weeks depending on how well he responds."

"He'll respond well," Rick said. "Jake was never one to let anyone down and with all the kids we saw just coming in here he has a lot of people that depend on him. He sure inspires some fierce loyalty."

Roxie actually blushed at the compliment and smiled slightly at the handsome college boy. Somer took a moment to look Jake over and she was horrified by just how bad he looked. She couldn't believe that the handsome boy that she had flirted with was now in such a fragile state.

"Jessica must be beside herself," She said then looked at C.C. "How is she doing?"

"She's okay," C.C. answered. "She's really worried about Jake but we're trying to keep her optimistic so she can heal too."

"We're going up to see her after this," Rick told them.

"That's probably isn't a great idea," Roxie said then continued before Rick could argue with her again. "She had a test done a little while ago that she reacted... negatively to. They had to sedate her so she's sleeping that off. That's why I say it's not a good time."

"What kind of test? Is she going to be okay?" Somer asked.

C.C. explained the test and the aftermath to them. Somer nodded and told them how sorry she was that had happened. Rick asked them to pass along their well wishes to Jessica when they saw her then spent a couple more minutes with Jake before he nodded to Somer that he was ready. Somer nodded, took a moment to say goodbye to Jake then joined him in the hallway.

"What was with the attitude on that Roxie, I think you called her?" Rick asked as they walked along.

"She's a good friend of Jake and Jessica and... and I tried to get with Jake this year," Somer confessed. "A few times if I'm being completely honest. It wasn't well received by his friends."

"I can see that," Rick said. "So you and Jake huh? I never would have pictured you two as a couple."

"We weren't," She said quickly. "Not that I didn't try but Jake was well... he and Jessica became The couple this year. No one was going to come between those two."

"Tell me more about this Jessica girl," Rick said.

Somer did just that and she didn't skew it in her favor. Instead she told Rick everything about the whole year leading up to just before he came home for Christmas. When she finished they had reached the door to the waiting area. Rick hesitated at the door for a moment.

"Wow," He said once she had finished. "Sounds like it was a really eventful year."

"That's one way of putting it," Somer said. "Rick, I should have told you about..."

"Somer, it's okay," He said then smiled to reassure her. "Let's go talk to Jake's folks for a few minutes then check on that Jessica girl. Even if you aren't friends I'm sure that she'll appreciate you stopping in to check on her."

"She'll probably think I'm checking to see if I have a shot with Jake now," Somer commented.

"With a guy like me on your arm?" Rick chuckled. "That's highly unlikely, babe."

She smiled and gave him a subtle elbow as he opened the door for her.

****

Shelly saw them as they exited and walked over to the pair.

"Hey, Shelly, how are you doing?" Rick asked.

"I've been better, Rick," She said as she hugged him.

"You know that he's going to be fine, right?" Rick asked her as he hugged her back. "Even for a scuffy looking nerf herder."

Shelly laughed at the Star Wars reference as the trio of her, Jake and Rick had played that when they were younger.

"Thanks, Rick," She said. "I needed that."

"I could tell, Shelly," He said.

"I'm getting together a group text so everyone can stay updated on Jake and Jessica," She told them. "Would you like in?"

"Of course," He answered as he pulled out his cell phone and gave his number to Shelly.

"Somer?" Shelly turned to her.

"Really?" Somer asked in wide eyed surprise.

"In case you haven't noticed, we're kind of big on second chances around here," Shelly told her and nodded toward where Jamie and Marie sat. "Plus we need to get some kind of schedule set up because Jake and Jess both need their rest. I'll post some kind of visitation schedule for everyone so they aren't overwhelmed during visiting hours."

Somer nodded and gave Somer her number.

"Has everyone from school been by?" Somer asked once Shelly had put her phone away.

"It seems like they have," Shelly told them. "We were asked to stem the flow of visitors by the staff so this is what we came up with."

"Is there anything we can do for Jake and Jessica's families?" Rick asked.

"If you have some magic words that will get them to go home for a few hours and sleep we'll take them," Shelly said.

"I doubt that will happen anytime soon, Shelly," Rick said. "I will try though before we go see Jessica's family."

"Roxie told us about what happened during the test," Somer added. "Have you heard anything more about how she's doing now?"

"I was up there a few minutes ago and she's still sleeping off whatever it was they gave her," Shelly told her. "Her parents are in the waiting area. You can check with them when you head up there. I see a few more people that I need to get numbers from. Thanks for stopping by. I'll keep everyone as updated as I can."

"I know that you will, Shelly," Rick said.

"Thank you, Shelly. Seriously," Somer said.

Shelly nodded and headed toward another pack of students that had just arrived while Rick and Somer went over to talk to Jake's parents again.

****

Several hours later, as everyone waited for Jessica to wake up, Deputy Mason entered the waiting area. He found both sets of parents seated together and surrounded by several teenagers.

"I don't mean to disturb you folks," He said as he walked up to all of them. "How are the kids doing?"

"Jake is about the same," Mr. Golden answered. "Jessica had what they're calling a panic attack during a test. She had to be given a sedative that we're waiting for her to come out of. They did a CT scan on her but that came back clean thank goodness."

"Shouldn't you folks be back there with her?" He asked.

"My mom is back there with her along with her friend's Roxie, Shelly, C.C. and Staci," Dr. Golden told him.

"And who is with Jake?" He asked the Gibsons.

"My and Pam's parents are down with him at the moment along with a couple of his friends," Jake's dad answered. "They'll text us if something changes and we wanted to wait with Val and Tim until Jess wakes up."

Deputy Mason nodded and took a seat that was offered to him by Jake's dad. He looked around then asked where Sarah was.

"She's back with Jess too," Dr. Golden answered. "She fell asleep cuddled up to Jessica and we didn't want to move her. It's been a lot for her to process."

"Understandable," He nodded. "You mentioned that Jessica had a panic attack. Is she prone to those? Could she have had one that precipitated the wreck?"

"She hasn't in the past," Dr. Golden answered. "We think that it had something to do with the test that was being conducted."

"I see," Deputy Mason nodded and handed the paper bag in his hands to Dr. Golden.

"Thought you folks would like these back," He said. "We found them in the car when we looked it over."

As Dr. Golden opened the bag to see what was inside, Mr. Gibson asked if they had found anything to indicate why the wreck happened.

"We're waiting on the blood test to come back but as of right now we don't think that Jake is at fault for the wreck," He answered.

"You found something, Vance?" Mr. Gibson asked.

"Wes, this is still an open investigation," He answered. "All I can tell you is that speed wasn't a factor, neither his phone nor Jessica's was a factor either. We got logs from their cell phone providers and they show that neither phone was in use prior to the accident. They are in that bag I gave to Dr. Golden."

She pulled the phones from the bag and looked them over. Jessica's had a large crack on her screen but Jake's was shattered.

"I should have said what's left of Jake's phone," he corrected. "It, like Jake, seemed to have taken the brunt of the crash."

"We got him this for Christmas," Mrs. Gibson said absently as she accepted it from Dr. Golden.

Dr. Golden embraced Mrs. Gibson and patted her back as she fought back tears. Mr. Gibson moved to his wife's side and hugged her as well.

"We'll get him a new one, honey," he whispered to her then looked at Deputy Mason. "So it was just an accident?"

"We are looking into that possibility while we wait for Jake's blood test to come back from the lab," He told them then added. "We are also looking into the possibility that it wasn't an accident but that's all I can tell you. I'm sorry. I wish I could tell you more."

"When do you get the test back?" Jake's dad asked.

"The sheriff asked the lab to put a rush on it but it could be a while because they are always backed up," He admitted then turned to Dr. Golden. "Doctor, since I'm aware that Jake received blood when he was operated on is it possible that the sample I received from you was somehow tainted?"

"You were given the type and cross sample that was taken when Jake was first wheeled into the operating room," Dr. Golden assured him. "The blood that I gave you was all Jake's."

"Thank you," He nodded. "I wasn't making an accusation or anything like that, please understand. I just wanted it noted for the investigation. Especially with the evidence that we found when we looked over Jake's car."

"Which you can't tell us about," Jake's dad said.

"Not until we got some information back on some tests that we're running, Wes," He said. "I am sorry but you've got enough on your plate to worry about right now. Let me and the boys in the department handle this part and you just concentrate on helping the kids get better."

They all thanked Deputy Mason and he promised to keep them apprised of the investigation as much as he could. He told them that he would keep the kids in his prayers as he made his way to the elevator.

****

Southern California

Jessica Langston glanced at her cell phone for what felt to her like the tenth time in the past fifteen minutes. She hadn't heard from Jessica yet. She hadn't heard back from Ken either. She felt a strange sense of dread deep in her belly that she had trouble putting out of her mind even. As she picked up her remote and scrolled through Netflix to try to find something to take her mind off things she heard a knock at her door.

"That had better not be Nicholas," She muttered as she got to her feet. "I am in no mood for his crap again."

She checked her peephole and her lips curled into a half smile when she saw that Ken stood on her doorstep.

"Delivering bad news in person, Ken?" She asked as she opened her door and allowed him in.

"I brought you lunch," He said. "I thought you could use it with the morning that you've had."

"With Nicholas you mean," She sighed. "I don't think that lunch is going to help with that."

"Not even fish tacos from your favorite place?" He asked. "Guess I'll just have to eat them all for myself then."

Jessica's eyes lit up as he held up the bag to show her. She snatched it from his hand with a huge smile on her face then she practically skipped to her kitchen with Ken behind her.

"You're almost the perfect boyfriend, Ken," She told him as she placed the bag of food on her table.

"Only almost huh?" He asked as he took a seat across from her.

She divided out the tacos between them and nodded her head.

"Yep," She said. "The perfect boyfriend wouldn't have made me wait so long to find out what I asked him hours ago."

"Come on, Jess," Ken said as he bit into his taco.

"Hours," She repeated with fake pout on her lips.

"I had to go into the office to see what we had on file," He told her.

"And here I am still waiting," She pointed out.

"With a mouthful of your favorite fish taco," He said.

"Don't try to distract me with fish tacos, Ken," She wagged a finger at him. "Do we have another number or not?"

"We have her mother's cell phone number," He answered her and pulled a scrap of paper from his pocket.

He slid it over to her and she picked it up along with her cell phone.

"Before you ask; no, I haven't tried it yet," He said. "I figured that it would be better if you tried it since you have a relationship with them and I'm just a lowly assistant."

"Oh poor lowly , Ken," She teased him. "Having to endure having lunch with his boss."

"Don't you mean his brilliant, creative, gorgeous boss, boss?" He smiled at her.

She flushed slightly and shook her head.

"I'm going to report you to HR if you keep this up, mister," She playfully threatened him. "You can't flirt with your boss on company time."

"It's New Year's Day, Jess," he said.

"Oh, then I guess that means that you're in the green then, Mister Ken," She smiled at him. "Flirt away... right after I try and call Jessica's mom. I feel like something is up but I don't know why and don't argue that she's out partying or nursing some kind of hangover because..."

"Whoa up there, Jess," He told her. "I read her file and, unlike a certain someone who shall not be named, I listen when you talk so I know that's not who your North Carolina Jessica is."

She narrowed her eyes at the brown haired, green eyed man in front of her and shook her head as she picked up her phone.

"I'm making a phone call before I do something very unprofessional with you," She told him with a wicked smile on her face.

"I should be worse at my job," Ken muttered as he bit into another taco.

Jessica laughed as she dialed the number for Dr. Golden. It rang a few times then went to voicemail where Jessica left her a message.

"Hello, Dr. Golden, this is Jessica Langston from UCLA. Just wanted to wish your family a Happy New Year. Hope to hear back from you soon," She said then hung up.

"Didn't want to ask her about her daughter?" Ken asked.

"I don't want to get her in trouble if somehow Nick was right about her being out partying or whatever," Jessica answered.

"You know how unlikely that is," He stated. "The family may have taken a vacation out of the country for the New Year. Somewhere nice and tropical with lots of sun and little cell coverage."

"Maybe," She sighed and picked up her second taco. "I suppose we'll find out one way or another soon enough right?"

"Yep," Ken answered. "I brought my swimsuit so I plan to hang out all day by your pool while we wait for word."

"Who invited you to my pool?" She asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"My boss did when she called me on New Year's and made me go into the office to find a phone number for her," He answered. "Then had me get her lunch from her favorite place and..."

"Now it's your turn to whoa up, Ken. You are the one that went to my favorite place all on your own," She told him. "You are solely responsible for that one. Not me."

"Okay, I'll take responsibility for that one but they are really good tacos and I would be remiss if I didn't point out that you are the one that introduced me to that place so if you look at it from that point of view..." he said but Jessica cut him off.

"Eat your tacos, Ken," She interrupted him. "Then we'll go lounge by the pool for a while as a reward for your tireless service to the UCLA Women's Volleyball team."

"Go team," Ken chuckled.

Jessica shook her head and found that her darker thoughts from earlier had retreated to the back of her mind but she still hoped to hear from the other Jessica soon. Perhaps while she lounged by the pool in a bikini just to mess with Ken a bit.

****

In her bed, Jessica started to stir as she slowly came off the sedatives. Grammy asked Staci to run out and get the family as she moved her chair closer to Jessica's bedside.

"Are you waking up my little Jessica?" She asked in a quiet voice as Staci hurried out the door.

"Grammy?" Jessica asked groggily. "What... what happened?"

She tried to sit up but Grammy reached out and stopped her with a gentle but firm hand on her shoulder.

"Don't try to move too fast, baby," She told her granddaughter. "I came as soon as your mother called me and let me know what happened."

Jessica nodded slowly and started to sink back into her pillows but something felt off so she tried to sit back up.

"Jessica, you need to lie down," Grammy said.

"Can't," Jessica answered. "The pillows feel all weird."

Jessica started to turn to move them but Roxie, C.C. and Shelly all moved to the head of her bed and started to fluff and rearrange the pillows.

"We've got you, Jess," Roxie said.

"For whatever you need," Shelly added then stroked Sarah's hair as she napped on Jessica's bed. "You and our little Sar-bear here."

"Jess, take a sip of water," C.C. said as she poured some water into a cup and added a straw.

"Thanks," Jessica said. "All of you."

"All you girls are the best," Grammy said as the three teens had Jessica sorted out in just a few moments.

Jessica still looked a bit uncomfortable and asked if she could be raised up some so Shelly worked the bed control until Jessica's upper body was tilted up until she told Shelly that was better. Sarah stirred slightly at the movement but went right back to sleep.

Staci returned with both sets of parents in tow. It made the smallish room a little crowded but everyone moved aside so Jess's mom and dad could get to her bedside.

"Mom, what happened to me?" Jessica asked quietly so as not to disturb Sarah.

"What do you remember, baby?" Dr. Golden asked.

"I was taking some kind of test where I followed a light then it got really bright and I felt like I couldn't breath," Jessica answered.

Her voice sounded thick so C.C. prompted her to take another sip of water. Jessica did and thanked her again then looked at her mom.

"What happened to me, mom?" she repeated.

"You had a panic attack, baby," Dr. Golden said as she caressed her hand. "We think the light somehow triggered it but we aren't completely sure. Do you remember anything?"