New Girl in Town Pt. 23

"Ready to have a house full of teenagers?" she grinned.

"That's our cue to leave I think," Jake's dad joked then nodded toward Jake. "You can keep that one here for as long as you can stand it."

"That would be forever!" Sarah chimed in as she ran into the room to join them. "Right, Sissy?"

"We could," Jessica smiled. "I'm not sure that Mr. Bear could stand it though but we'll see."

****

"I can't believe that he didn't get any jail time," Staci huffed as the group held court in Sarah's room. "I guess that I shouldn't be surprised since it's Patrick and all but still."

"Money talks and all that," Roxie said as she sat behind Sarah and braided her hair for her. "I'm glad that he got something and he's not at our school any more. He's finally out of our lives for good I hope."

"Speaking of money," Jessica dangled. "There's more."

"He's getting a designer anklet so he can stay fashionable while he's under house arrest," Shelly joked as she fussed with the tea cups under Sarah's watchful eye.

"All the well dressed ass... oops, I mean all the well dressed criminals must stay up with the fashions," Staci said.

"It's okay, Staci. He is an asshole," Sarah whispered with a giggle.

"Sarah!" Jessica exclaimed as the others did their best not to laugh aloud. "What did you just say?"

"I've heard it said before," Sarah answered. "My friend at school says that her mom calls her dad that every night."

"Oh my god," Roxie laughed.

"Sarah, let's not use that word again, okay? Especially not in front of mom and dad," Jessica told her. "It would not end well for any of us."

"What word?" Sarah asked with a grin.

"You know exactly what word, trouble maker," Jessica said. "You say that in front of mom or dad and it's my ass they're going to blame so don't do it."

"Or she could blame us too, Sar Bear," Roxie said. "That would mean no more tea parties."

"Fine, I won't say that again," she promised.

"Thank you," Jessica said.

"So what was this about money?" Ray asked to bring the conversation back. "Their insurance is paying for everything right?"

"We think so," Jake answered. "We met with the Greenes today. That's why we left at lunch."

"What did they want to meet with you two for?" Roxie asked.

"I hope it was to apologize for what Patrick did to you both," Shelly said.

"I guess they did in their own way," Jessica answered. "They offered us some money."

"A lot of money," Jake added. "On top of what their insurance is paying us for."

"They want us to sign a paper that says that we won't sue them over this," Jessica stated once she and Jake had related the details to the group.

"I'm glad that you guys are getting a lawyer involved then," Shelly said. "They can make sure this isn't some kind of set up or there's some loophole that Mr. Greene can use against you later on."

"That's our thinking," Jessica said.

"How much are they offering?" Staci asked.

"Staci!" Ray scolded her. "You aren't supposed to ask that! Are you?"

"It's fine, Ray," Jake chuckled. "That's one of the reasons we asked you guys to come over."

"Yeah," Jessica nodded. "We need help with deciding and we thought who better than our friends, right?"

"Take the money," Sarah announced. "We can go to Disney World!"

"Well there's your answer, Jess," Roxie laughed.

"Thanks for your vote, Sarah," Jessica smiled as she shook her head. "They offered us three hundred thousand dollars."

"Each," Jake added. "Three hundred thousand for both of us."

"That's a lot of trips to Disney World," Roxie commented after the silence that ensued.

"Cool!" Sarah exclaimed excitedly.

The group couldn't help but laugh at her enthusiastic response.

****

"I mean you take the money," Staci stated. "Unless you plan on suing for more, right?"

"They could drag that out in court for years though," Shelly pointed out. "Taking the money now could be the better option for you and Jess."

"I would see what the lawyer tells you first," Roxie said as she finished with Sarah's hair. "They know way more about this stuff than we do."

"We are but we wanted to get your opinion too, Rox," Jake told her.

"My heart says sue them into oblivion and name the marina after me because I'm awesome, but my brain says to take the guaranteed money and move on," she answered him. "The less that you have to be involved with those people, the better."

"Come on, Ray," Staci said. "Tell Jake and Jess what you think they should do."

"I agree with Roxie about wanting you to sue them into oblivion but that's a risk," he answered. "I know that's how we played on the field this year with you guiding us but this is your future so I'd take what's offered even though it's barely enough to cover what you guys went through."

"Plus with suing them could mean that you would have to relive the accident all over again," Shelly said. "I wouldn't want either of you to have to do that."

With a consensus from this group Jake and Jessica had plans to text the ones that couldn't attend that night but with everyone in agreement so far it seemed like it could be a moot point. As they walked their friends out Shelly held Jake back on front porch as the others descended.

"Jake, do you have a ride home since your folks left?" she asked him.

"Jess was going to take me," he answered.

"I'll take you," Shelly told him. "In fact, I insist because we need to talk."

"Uh, okay?" Jake nodded. "Let me grab my bag."

"Where's Jake headed?" Jessica asked as she returned to the porch.

"He's getting his bag," Shelly answered. "I'm taking him home tonight."

"You don't have to do that, Shelly," she told her. "I was going to do it in a little while."

"I go right by there on my way home," Shelly said. "It's no trouble and you can use some rest anyway. Neither Jake nor I like the idea of you driving home alone when it's dark like this."

"Are you sure?" Jessica asked.

"Positive," Shelly assured her. "Help Jake to my car, say your goodnight then go help our Sar-bear get ready for bed."

"I think that I would rather drive Jake home instead of arguing with Sarah about how washing her face isn't dunking her head underwater," Jessica laughed.

"Probably but think of this as the start of Jake's punishment," Shelly told her. "No asking you to stop by the drive in for a little oral action."

"Ooo, I can tease him about that," Jessica smiled. "Thanks, Shelly!"

Shelly shook her head as Jessica rushed back inside to retrieve Jake and tease him as well.

"Sorry, cuz," Shelly smiled as she waited for Jake to join her.

****

"Comfy?" Shelly asked Jake as she started her car.

"As much as I can be," Jake answered as he shifted in the passenger seat.

"Jess wasn't too hard on you was she," Shelly giggled as she reversed out of the driveway.

"Funny," Jake sighed. "Nothing like getting told exactly what your girlfriend would have done to you if she had been the one taking you home then getting sent out into the cold."

"Poor baby," Shelly shook her head. "You are on punishment anyway with her so you wouldn't have gotten anything tonight."

"I might have if you hadn't reminded her that I was on punishment," Jake grumbled. "That was mean, Shelly."

"Moi?" Shelly asked. "I would never..."

"Save it," Jake cut her off. "I've known you for too long to believe that you didn't remind Jessica while I was saying bye to Sarah."

"I did need to talk to you, Jake, so don't be too mad at me," she said as she slowed for a stop sign.

"I'm not that mad," Jake answered. "I owe Jess anyway and I can't really reciprocate in her car."

"TMI, Jake!" Shelly squealed. "I do not need that image in my head."

"Consider it payback," Jake smiled. "So what is is that you wanted to talk about?"

"Are you thinking of taking the money from the Greenes?" she asked him. "I know that you said that you were but I wanted to be sure before I say anything."

"Honestly, I wanted to turn them down when they offered it," Jake admitted. "Part of me still wants to but I know first hand how much money something like this could take if anything goes wrong."

"From Aunt Pam's wreck," Shelly nodded. "Even though the other driver was at fault in it I remember the insurance company fighting every thing from the start."

"Yeah, it wasn't pretty," Jake nodded. "Then we had to make a lot of renovations which ate into my college fund so I know that taking money, even theirs, is the smart move here."

"You can turn them down and sue them," she pointed out. "That option is still on the table for now."

"Yeah," Jake nodded. "Then they use that three hundred thousand they offered me, buy a big time lawyer while mom and dad try and find one that won't take whatever we manage to get out of them. It's smarter for Jess and I to take what's offered and move on."

"If you know then why ask all of us?" Shelly asked.

"I think we wanted to hear that we weren't being stupid," Jake smiled as they drove along. "A difficult task from that group for me but I managed."

"Near death didn't make you any funnier, Jake," Shelly told him. "I'm glad that you aren't going to sue them. I held back my main reason that I didn't want to in front of the others."

"Which was?" Jake asked. "It's just us now."

"Jake, I don't think that you know how bad things looked for you at first," she told him. "It was bad and we all wondered if you were ever going to make it back to us. It was especially hard on Jessica."

"No one's told me that," Jake admitted. "I mean Jessica has told me that she thought I was going to die and she blamed herself for some reason but that's all."

"She beat herself up pretty badly over what she had to do that night, Jake," Shelly told him. "She would call me in the middle of the night while you were in that coma asking me if she had done the right thing by pulling you out of your car that night. The longer you stayed unconscious the more she felt like she had done the wrong thing."

"She didn't though," Jake said. "Everyone's says that I would have burned or something if she hadn't."

"You haven't seen your car yet, have you?" Shelly asked.

"I'm kind of afraid to see her," Jake admitted. "I don't know how I'll react once I see how bad it looks. Have you seen her?"

"Dad and I went by Mr. Fishel's a few days after the accident," she told him. "You'll understand when you see her."

"I guess I will," he nodded. "Jess said that we would go together when I'm ready."

"Jake, Jessica isn't showing it now but she was really affected by that night. She thought you died that night," she told him. "I'm talking about dying in her arms, Jake. Not we're losing him in the hospital where there's a chance that you could be saved. I'm talking about out in those woods with Marybeth doing her best to keep you alive."

"Why has no one told me this?" he demanded.

"Because you're back now and you're all right," she told him as she glanced down at his leg. "More or less. My point is that Jess is as tough as they come but if there's a chance for her to not go through that night again at some trial or whatever then I wouldn't make her if it was in my power. I know that you'll do the right thing because that's what you do but you wanted to hear opinions and that's mine. Okay?"

"Okay," Jake nodded and smiled. "I'll take care of her, Shelly. I promise you that."

"I never doubted that, Jake," she smiled as she stopped in his driveway. "See you at school tomorrow?"

"You can count on it," he answered.

He paused as he reached for the door handle of her car.

"Shelly, do you know why Jess called you on those nights you mentioned instead of Staci?" he asked. "Did something happen that I don't know about?"

"No, nothing like that," she answered. "Staci had a tough time with the accident for a little while. It happening on the way to her house. Her not being out there to help you guys like Ray, Bobby and Marybeth were."

"She couldn't have known what was going to happen," Jake said.

"All us have helped her see that," Shelly answered him. "It seems that you waking up helped some but, if I were you, I'd have a one on one chat with her when you get a chance. It might do you both some good."

"I'll make a point to do that as soon as I can," he assured her. "This weekend might be a good time for that."

"With your punishment, you won't be doing much else," she reminded him with a grin.

"Thanks for reminding me," Jake sighed. "See you, tomorrow, Shell."

"You know it," she smiled at him.

She waited until he made his way up the stairs to his porch before she put her car into reverse. Jake gave her a wave from the door as she pulled off.

****

"Were your friends helpful?" Jessica's mom asked once everyone had gone. "I can see by Sarah's hair that Roxie had her hands full so I don't see how she was allowed to be much help."

"Mom, you know that girl can braid Sarah's hair, tease Jake and answer any questions that we throw at her. She was fine," Jessica laughed. "They all made some good points and kind of confirmed what Jake and I were already thinking."

"Which is?" she inquired.

"To take the money that's been offered and move on," Jessica answered. "Unless our lawyer comes up with some perfectly good reason for us not to take it. The thought of having to go through a trial and reliving the accident again is not something that I have any interest in doing. Besides, between Jake and I, we think that six hundred thousand dollars is more than enough for us."

"Jess," her mother said as she turned and sat next to her on the couch. "You know that your father and I love Jake right, baby?"

"Yes," Jessica nodded uncertainly. "It feels like there's a but coming though."

"Not a but per say," her father said as he glanced toward the staircase. "Sarah is in bed, right?"

"She is," Jessica answered worriedly.

"Good, I don't want her to get the wrong idea about this conversation," her dad said. "We don't want you to get the wrong idea here either, Jessica. You know that we love Jake but you and he both need to look at this as individuals and not as a couple."

"We both know that may be a difficult thing to ask you to do seeing as how the accident happened to you both," her mother said.

"The Greenes have offered you money and they have offered Jake money. If you choose to accept what they have offered you then that's your money. If Jake chooses to accept their offer then that will be his money. Now I'm not saying that I don't have faith in you and Jake beyond high school but this is a matter where your mom and I need you to think practically."

"Baby, none of us know what will happen down the line," her mom spoke up. "What we're asking is that, if you choose to take the money, we would like you to put it in your savings account."

"We didn't want to upset you with this, baby," her dad said. "Your mom and I are just trying to make sure that you are taken care of as Jake's parents are having a similar talk to him to do the same tonight."

"So both of you guys and Jake's parents think that we're going to break up?" Jessica asked.

"No, sweetheart, we don't think that but the possibility does exist," she told her daughter.

"I would call that possibility remote at best," Jessica argued.

"However remote it might be, the possibility is still there so it's best for both you and Jake to keep the money separate," her dad told her. "Then when you are both out of college and still together like you are convinced you will be, you can pool your money. If Jake doesn't need to use his for something before then that is."

"He shouldn't as long as the Greene's insurance pays for everything like they promised it would," Jessica stated. "Will our lawyer be able to make sure that happens?"

"We can ask her about that once we meet with her," her mom said as she patted her daughter's arm. "You aren't too mad at us are you?"

"No, not too mad," Jessica smiled. "You both are just looking out for me and I love you both for that."

"And we love you too, baby," her dad said. "Now give your old man a hug before you head up to bed."

Jessica hugged them each in turn then told them goodnight as she headed upstairs to her room to call Jake.

****

Wednesday

"Are you mad at us too?" Jake's mom greeted Jessica as she arrived to pick up Jake for school.

Jessica hugged her in response and gave her a big smile.

"Of course not," Jessica answered. "I was a little upset at first but I understand why we needed to be talked to about it. It is a lot of money and we do need to be responsible about it."

"So you have decided to take the offer then?" she asked.

"I'm leaning heavily that way," Jessica answered. "It depends on what the lawyer tells us but I would rather take it and move on. My mom said that she will call you when they hear from her to set up a meeting for all of us."

"Not during the school day I hope," Jake's dad said as they joined him at the breakfast table. "Jake here has missed enough school."

"I would say what's one more day but I'm afraid that Jess here would smack me," Jake joked.

"You are so right, Jake," Jessica smiled as she playfully patted his face. "No more missing school for you. Besides, mom and dad assured me that it could be done in the late afternoon to accommodate everyone's schedules. Oo, muffins! May I?"

"Jess, you know that you are more than welcome to help yourself," Jake's mom told her.

"Especially from Jake's plate," his dad joked.

"Now that you mention it, they are tastier from there," Jessica laughed as she snatched a double chocolate chocolate chip muffin from Jake's plate.

"I'm bagging some up for you both so you can snack on them later on Jake," his mom said. "Just in case Jessica takes all of yours."

"I can't help it," Jessica said with a mouthful of muffin. "It's chocolate."

"Chocolate overload is more like it," Jake chuckled as he reached over and wiped some crumbs from Jessica's mouth. "Ms. Simpson is going to have her hands full with sugar high Jess today."

"I'll be subdued," Jessica smiled as she accepted the bag of muffins from Jake's mom. "These will keep me from crashing in Mr. Creepsters class and I'll share with Shelly."

"She'll appreciate that," Jake's mom smiled.

"I just lost more muffins," Jake said with an exaggerated pout.

"Here," Jessica said as she turned and snagged an apple off the counter. "You can snack on this to keep your blood sugar up until lunch then we can get some brownies from Roxie."

"Try and take a brownie from Roxie?" Jake raised his eyebrows. "I am not brave enough to attempt that one."

"I didn't raise a fool, Jessica," Jake's dad joked.

"She may take pity on him," Jessica pointed out with a mouthful of muffin.

"That would be a first," Jake joked as he slid his glass of milk toward her. "You might need that."

"I do," she winked at him then drank the remainder of his glass. "Are you ready to go then?"

"Let me wash up and I will be," he answered as he got to his feet.

"Ooo, yeah, I should do that too," she said then gave Jake's cheek a kiss as she got to her feet. "I'll use the sink in the bathroom while you use the one in here. Don't forget to wash that cheek too, Jake. Can't have you going to school with milk smoochies on you."

"Well she's in a chipper mood today," Jake's dad pointed out. "Glad to see that she's not too upset with us."

"We texted last night and talked it out," Jake said. "We understand that you and mom and her parents are each looking out for our best interests."

"Which is what we, as responsible parents, do every once in awhile, son" Jake's mom said. "You'll see how that is someday."

"Someday when Jessica and I have kids you mean," Jake chuckled.

"Jake, I did not raise you to be such a smart ass," his mom said as she mussed his hair.