Sunflower: A Duskwood Postlude

Part 9 - Clarity

        Per Phil's request, you and Jessy make your way to the loft. Jessy moved about the apartment as if it were her own. She went into the little kitchenette and put some water on to boil before kicking off her shoes and flopping onto the bed. You set your bags on the floor near the coffee table and sit on the bed beside her.

"Jess? Are we going to talk about this?" She folds an arm over her face, covering her eyes. Her lips pull into a strained line.

"Do you know why someone would have it out for you?" She shakes her head. You sit silently for a moment. 'Am I the target?' Your brain spirals down the past events that lead to you sitting on a bed in Phil's private loft in Duskwood. 'Why?' Jessy shifts beside you.

"Phil doesn't want me going out for the next few days. He all but forbade me from leaving."

"And you're just going to listen to him?" She shifted uncomfortably.

"He usually has a pretty good sense about these kinds of things." 'It would figure he would...in some way...know about laying low, I suppose.' You let out a sigh.

          The electric kettle clicks off. Jessy crawls out of the bed and fills 2 mugs, dropping a teabag in each. She takes them to the coffee table and pats the cushion beside her. You cross the room, grabbing a blanket from the back of the couch. You wrap it around you both as Jessy snuggles into you.

"The lights are really pretty to watch. We can turn on our own music and be completely unbothered up here." You look up at the shifting soft light.

"Sounds like you've spent some time up here." She nodded slowly.

          "After our grandma passed away, I really struggled. She was more of a parent to me than...well, you know the story. Phil was working really hard here and I couldn't sit at our grandmother's home. It felt like the walls were breathing. Everything that was once so warm and comforting felt hollow. Like all the life was sucked out of her house when she passed. It was like I couldn't breathe there and the shadows wanted to devour me. I drove Phil crazy. So, he set up the loft so I could be close to family while he was working. At the time it was just a mattress on the floor, rickety stairs in the back, no bathroom, a worn-out sofa, and a lamp. He redid everything once the bar was legitimately his and I was able to take care of myself. "

"That was very nice of him." She nods.

"He really tried. We didn't have a lot. He made sure the bills were always paid, our stomachs were never empty and we always had a roof over our heads. He picked up odd jobs then would come here to work behind the bar. Our sister was already gone by then and I wasn't able to be on my own yet."

"Is that why you always stand up for him and take all his..."

"Stop. Phil is my brother. Even if he won't hear it, I love him and he has done so much for me." You nod. 'He doesn't have to be so harsh with her though.'

          You become aware of Jessy's slowed breathing. Her head is deadweight on your chest. In her lap her teacup rests precariously, her hand loosely wrapped around it. You look at your phone but the battery has finally died completely. Carefully, you try to get up. Jessy stirs, nearly dropping her mug. You catch it. She looks up at you sleepily, rubbing her eyes.

"Why don't you head to bed? I'll take the couch." She groans but stands, dragging part of the blanket still draped around her shoulder. You pull back the covers so she can slide in before dropping a kiss on her forehead. She catches at your sleeve as you begin to walk away.