Kylie & Jack 1: Humble Beginnings

26. Janelle

Tuesday Mar 26th, 5:24 AM

Despite telling Jack that she would be getting to work an hour earlier than usual and to not bother carpooling, Kylie couldn't help but smirk ruefully at Jack's reply to her message, that he would be at hers an hour earlier because, as Jack put it, "the last thing you want is to be sitting up there at work on your own for an hour with only your worry and anxiety for company".

So, Jack arrived at Kylie's as promised and spent the first fifteen minutes of their drive checking that Kylie was ok.

"I have told you, Jack –"

"– no offence, mate but you haven't. There's no shame admitting you're worried."

Kylie huffed, feigning annoyance and then sighed, turning to face Jack.

"Alright ... has anyone told you how unbelievably annoying you can be?" Kylie teased softly, seeing Jack chuckle quietly in response, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Maybe." He replied quickly.

"Ok ... so, no I'm not alright. There's something – aw damn, this is gonna sound insane ... I can't really explain it, but ... it's like – like – everything sort of, has – like, melted all together and I'm just trying to get through the day. Though some days I feel like I'm just trying to make it through the hour ..." she paused, sighing and then continuing, all the while thinking, damn you, Jack ...

"So ... you know, New Year's was a real hoot, then moving into the house and unpacking – Jesus, I don't wish that pain on anyone ... everything going on at work, Canberra ... Mum ..."

There was something else that had robbed her of a large amount of her energy but she couldn't bring herself to say it aloud. Jack sensed her withholding something more and asked her if there was something else on her mind. But Kylie's stubbornness took hold again and she refused to discuss it any further.

Jack rolled to a stop in John and Janelle's driveway and watched Kylie climb out of his ute and jog across the yard to the back veranda.

Kylie stopped at the door, having felt something brush against her leg. She looked down to see a large, fluffy ginger cat curling itself around her legs and purring loudly.

"Hello, Basil ..." Kylie cooed, kneeling down to scratch the cat's ears before wandering inside to see her parents before they headed into Wangarra for the hospital.

John was hunched over his desk, his dark red dressing gown and slippers, slurping loudly on his coffee in a mug Lachy got him for Father's Day that said 'it ain't broke till Pop can't fix it'. Janelle was listening to the radio while making herself some toast in the kitchen.

"Morning," Kylie announced, striding past John and into the kitchen looking for Janelle.

"Is that what you reckon?" John mumbled, not lifting his eyes from the paper. Kylie rolled her eyes and grinned at him.

"You're a smartarse." Kylie stated playfully, stopping before Janelle.

"Oh hello, you're out early,"

"I told you I'd drop in before getting to work, Ma." Kylie laughed at her.

"Aw nice. What's on for your day?"

"Usual. Try to make people a bit smarter."

"You need to go easier on those kids," Janelle teased.

"I was talking about the staff!" Kylie teased in return and laughed.

"You'll chase that poor man away doing that – and you'll have to try harder if you wanna scare Kate Nixon, she still remembers when you – ahem – didn't get shitfaced for the first time –" Janelle quipped brightly.