20 Questions

Chapter 84

"Jenna Bear!" my dad yells, walking over to greet us at the door.

"Hi, Dad. It smells incredible in here. What is Mom making?"

"Mom? I've been the one slaving away in the kitchen all day. I summoned my inner Martha Stewart and prepared the most delectable meal that will truly stimulate your palates," he replies, kissing his fingertips.

"You're a lying sack of shit," my mom yells from the kitchen.

I roll my eyes at him and he laughs. "She's right, I've been on the couch watching football all day. Your mom made lasagna and garlic bread. I put ice in the ice bucket though. Your mom never gives me credit for anything."

Helen and the guys arrive a few minutes later, just in time for dinner. The food was delicious and we are all miserably full as we make our way into the living room. My dad throws another log on the fire and we sit on the couch preparing to give Helen her gifts.

"Helen, we each have a little something that we want to give you. Don't even try to object because we all wanted to do it," I tell her, handing her the relaxation basket. She smiles as she unties the ribbon on the basket. She pulls each item out, gushing about how much she loves everything. I knew she would. She and I are remarkably similar and I know how much I would love something like that. She tells me she has never used a bath bomb and I tell her that it is the only way to take a bath. She puts everything back in the basket as Hunter hands her our other gift. She opens the laptop and almost starts crying again. She tells us that the gift is too expensive to accept, but Hunter tells her that she will need it to search for jobs and type up her resume. She sets it to the side and hugs us both. Patrick sits next to her the whole time and tells her that he will help her get the computer set up. She thanks him and he smiles the biggest smile. Kevin hands her a small box and inside is a gift card to a local department store so she can buy some new clothes for her interview.

For his gift, Justin sets her up with an Uber subscription so she can have transportation to wherever she needs to go. Bryson gets her a gift certificate to a local spa to get a massage, facial, her hair and her nails done in preparation for her upcoming interviews. A few tears fall down her cheeks when she tries to remember the last time she had her hair done. Patrick looks to my parents and asks them if they would like to go next. My dad jumps up and retrieves their gift from the other room. When he returns, he hands her the small box wrapped in red and silver paper. She carefully unwraps it and her hands cover her mouth when discovers what is inside.

"You got me a cell phone?" she gasps.

"We did, sweetheart," my mom tells her. "We figured you would need a new phone for this new life of yours. Patrick can help you set it up because Rich is technologically challenged." My dad shrugs and can't even argue with the accuracy of the statement.

"Oh my gosh! These gifts are absolutely incredible. You all spent way too much money on me. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all of this," Helens exclaims.

"There's one more gift," Patrick tells her, handing over a large rectangular present. "Even though Jenna has a beautiful house, I figured I would get you something to hang to make it feel a little more like home." Patrick looks over at me with misty eyes. He hasn't given Hunter or myself any indication as to what he bought for her, but I have a feeling that it is going to be her favorite. As she tears open the paper, I see the side of the gift and it appears to be a picture frame. She has all the paper off, but the frame is upside down. As she turns it over, her face pales and her eyes fill up with tears.

"How did...I don't...it's my...oh my God," she stutters, tears pouring down her cheeks. She lays the frame down and throws her arms around Patrick. The room is silent and the rest of us look to each other, wondering what is in the frame that caused Helen's powerful reaction. She sobs into his shoulder. Hunter wraps his arms around me. Her body shakes and her words are incomprehensible through muffled sobs. Eventually she lifts her head, wipes her face and holds the picture to her chest. She looks over to me and I mouth to her, what is it?