Becoming More Than Strangers

Chapter 14: The Night

Jess watched the father and daughter from afar. Sadie had tears running down her face but it seemed to be going well based on all the hugging the duo had been doing. Jacey slowed her swinging down as her mom approached. Jacey said, "Mom? What's going on with Sadie?" Lori said, "Dad's just finding out a new thing." She looked up at Jess and smiled, finishing with, "A good thing." Jess smiled with a trembling lip. It was so refreshing to see such support and warmed her heart to the point of tears. Lori began to push Jacey to get her swinging again. She cleared her throat and said, "So Jess...I think Jacey had a question for you. Jess still sat on the swing but she turned towards the girl and said, "What's up?" Jacey sheepishly looked down as she continued to swing. She said, "Um...I was wondering if I could sleep over tonight?" Jess smiled big and looked at Lori. She asked, "Are you okay with it? Even though Sadie's—even though I'm—we're—" Lori cut her off and said, "I trust Sadie and if she trusts you, I do too." She looked at the massive tree in front of them. Sadie motioned for Jacey to come over to which she obliged, joining the young woman and her father.

Lori continued, "She didn't have to tell me. I think I've always sensed something. I know parents say that all the time...but it's true." Jess smiled and said, "When'd you know?" Lori took a seat on the swing across from Jess—the one Jacey had previously been sitting on. They sat there letting the wind slightly move them. Lori said, "You just notice little things as they grow up. How they hold themselves, what they want to do. She was always such an actor, such a performer." Lori looked on with nostalgia. "But I could tell she still performed for us, holding on to something tightly. And when she first started sending us pictures and telling us how filming was going, she spoke about you in such a way...there was something there. She hardly talks about anyone that way..." She turned to Jess. "All that to say, Casey and I have really loved getting to know more of Sadie and you tonight." Jess tried to smile but it was hard when she felt so touched.

There were countless tears that night and a surplus of gratitude. Jess and Sadie were both so emotionally drained that all they wanted was to sleep but Jacey was sleeping over for the night and insisted they all watch a horror movie. By the time they were 45 minutes in, Sadie and Jess were sound asleep and the younger girl was slowly beginning to drift as well. Sadie laid there on top of Jess, the two intertwined feeling safer and more themselves than they had been in a while.