Jade

Chapter 24

“Is everything okay in there?”  I heard a woman call from the bedroom.  I turned and looked at Yaris, who just rolled his eyes.

“Everything is just fine,” Aris called out.

“It is?  I thought I heard a scream,” Reagan appeared at the bathroom door.

“I am fine Reagan.  The jets just freaked me out.  I have never been in a Jacuzzi before,” I explained, “have you?  It's okay.  We are dressed.”

She walked in, “I have never been in one before either.”

“Would you like to try it?  We could get out so that you can try.”

“I do not know,” she was looking at Aris.  I turned and looked at him.  He didn't look very inviting.

“Ignore Aris and go put your bathing suit on,” I urged, “we also have some really good wine for you to try.”  I indicated the bottle of wine that he had set up in the bucket of ice.  He must have been going to drink alone because he cut me off.

“Is it okay Yaris?” she asked, unsure.  He didn't answer right away, so I elbowed him.  “Please do,” he choked out.  She smiled and ran out of the room.

“What are you doing?” he groaned.  “Winning her over with kindness.”  “Jade, you do not have to win her over.”  “I know I don't have to.  I want to.”  “Why?”  “Because she looks like she needs a friend.”  “Okay, fine.  But just for a little while.”  He stood up and helped me get out, then got out himself.  We decided to wear matching robes.  I wore my favorite bunny slippers and he wore some generic white ones.

“At least you won't have to drink alone now.”  He looked confused.  “You cut me off earlier.”

“You are no longer cut off.  We are both going to need that wine to get through this.  I will go get another glass.”  He left the bathroom.  He came back with a glass a few minutes later.

“Aris, did you forget to lock the door?  Is that how she got in?”  “She must have a key.  I know that I locked the door.”  “That's creepy.”  “I am pushing her to sleep.  I do not want her to come back.”  “Okay,” I agreed.  He poured us both a glass of wine.  We waited a few minutes to make sure she didn't come back then decided to go out for a smoke.  We changed back into our snow suits and quietly went out back again.

Max and Lia were already outside.  “You would not believe what just happened,” I started.  “She just came in our room,” Aris finished, “she must have a key.”  “She does,” Lia narrowed her eyes, “but that is not how she is supposed to use it.  What was her excuse for coming in?”  “Jade was in the Jacuzzi for the first time and she squealed.  Reagan said she thought she heard a scream.”  “She was really fast because she asked if we were okay right after I squealed.  Like she was waiting for an excuse.”  “What did you do?” Max asked.  “Soft hearted Jade invited her to join the party.” Aris answered, “When she left I pushed her to go to sleep.”  “Jade, you can not be her friend.  She is too jealous of you.  It will never work out,” Max told me earnestly.  “I know.  I'm just hoping to not get stared down during dinners anymore,” I explained, “maybe if I'm nice to her, she won't hate me so much.”  “Being nice to her is not going to solve the problem,” Lia commented.  “Then what should I do?”  “Let me handle it,” Aris answered.  “Okay,” I agreed.

“Reagan goes home in the morning,” he stated, “If you need help, Lia, I will send for someone else.”  “Or I could just help,” Max offered.  Lia smiled at him.  I smiled too, relieved that it won't be Reagan.  We finished our cigarettes and all decided that it was really time to go to bed, this time.  We followed Lia and Max and quietly said our goodnights then went to our room.

We went in and Aris shut and locked the door.  We changed into pajamas on our way to the bed.  Just before we got in bed there was a clattering noise coming from the direction of the bathroom.

“Stay behind me,” Aris whispered.  I followed him to the bathroom.  A very tipsy Reagan sat, in a red and white striped swimsuit , leaning up against the shower door, with a full glass of wine in her hand, “I hope you do not mind.  I helped myself to some wine while I waited.”  “You have had enough,” Aris took the drink from her.  “Are you ready for bed, now?” I asked.  She nodded her head, “Yes, but first I have to tell you something.”  She paused and I felt the hairs stand up on the back of my neck.  This was not going to be good.  “I am the reason why they keep finding you,” she continued, “I was supposed to give them your location tonight, but I could not.  You are so nice to me, even though, I am not nice to you at all.”  I crouched down next to her.  “I do not know what to do now.  They know something is up because they did not hear from me.”

“Who is it?” Aris asked.  “Ethan and his gang,” she answered.  “What did they offer you?”  “Just to take Jade.  I thought that if she were gone, you and I could be together.  But, now I see that that will not matter.  You two really do belong together.”  “Could you contact them now and give them a wrong location?” I asked her.  “I could try it,” she answered.

“Do not do anything yet.  I will be right back,” Aris left the bathroom changing into a gray sweat suit on the way.  I changed into a white one and my bunny slippers.  “You do that too, huh?” she asked.  I nodded my head yes.  “Why could I not just be you?” she asked.  “There were times when I wished I could be someone else too,” I told her, “usually when I was being bullied.”  “You were bullied?” she asked, as if that were unbelievable.  “Yes,” I told her, “a lot as a child.”  “Why?” she asked.  “Usually my white hair.”  “But your hair is beautiful.”  “Thank you.  It means a lot for you to say that.”

I took her hand and gave it a quick squeeze.  She smiled at me, “What did you do?”  “Made you feel better.  That's what friends do.”  “I do not deserve it.”

Aris came in followed by the others.  “Can someone get her some coffee?  She needs to sober up.”  “I will,” Lia left the room.  “Do you feel like you are going to be sick?” I asked Reagan.  “Yes,” she answered, “can we move over by the toilet?”  We got up and I helped her walk over to the stalls.  She went inside a stall and got down on her knees, “I do not think I can drink any coffee.”  “That's okay.  Don't worry about it.”  I pulled her hair back with a hair tie that she had on her wrist.  Not even a minute later she started vomiting.  Ripley handed me a wet washcloth.  I waited for her to finish, then flushed the toilet and wiped her face off.  She started to get up, “I need to go lay down.”  I put my hand on her shoulder, “No.  Stay there.  You may not be done yet.”

“We need to get her in the shower,” Ripley told me.  “Reagan, do you want to take a shower?  It might make you feel better.”  “Sure,” she started to get up, “will you stay with me?”  “I will,” I helped her up and to the shower.  She screeched when she got in.  The water was pretty cold.  Aris shut the door and made her stay in, “sorry Reagan, we need you to sober up.”  Ripley came in with a blanket and Lia was waiting with her coffee.  “Reagan, do you feel your head clearing up?” Max asked.  “Yes,” she cried.  Aris opened the door.  She came out and Ripley wrapped her shivering body in the blanket.  She slid down to sit on the floor.  Lia handed her the coffee, “drink this.  It will help warm you up.” Reagan took a sip, then guzzled it, “can I have some more?”  Lia took the cup and left the room.  I sat down next to Reagan and held her hand, “is your head feeling clearer?”  “Yes.”  “They want to talk to you, I just want to hold your hand, okay?”  “Okay.”

“What did you tell Ethan the last time you were in contact?” Max asked.  “That you were expected to arrive today.  I was supposed to let him know tonight that you made it.”  “And you never contacted him?”  “No.”  “Okay.  We want you to contact him and tell him that we changed our travel plans and we will not be coming here.”  “Where do I say you are going?”  “Just say that we are not sharing that information because we are becoming suspicious.”  “Okay.  I will tell him now.”  She got this faraway look in her eyes.  She looked at Aris, “he is wanting to meet with me, in person.  I never told him this location, so he does not know where we are.  He is wanting me to tell him.”  “Tell him you can't,” I told her, “You and Lia are leaving tonight.”  She got that faraway look again.  “Okay.  I think that has satisfied him for now.”

“How long did you look into his eyes?” Aris asked her.  “Not long.  He cornered me and I could not get away.”  “How long ago,” Max asked.  “Maybe two weeks.”  “Is that all he has asked you for? Jade's locations?”  “Yes.  That's all he wants.”  “Would you like for me to undo that?” Aris asked.  “Please do,” she pleaded, a tear spilling over and trailing down her cheek.

“Look into my eyes.  You can blink, but do not look away,” Aris told her, “watch the colors and the pictures.  Do not pay attention to anyone else.  Only my eyes.”  She was already looking into his eyes.  She did a lot better than me.  I had a hard time staying focused.  After a couple of minutes, “Okay.  We are done.  Try to contact him and make sure the connection is severed.”  She looked past me, at the wall.  “It is gone,” she smiled.  “ Look into my eyes again,” he told her.  She did and her eye lids started to get heavy, until they closed.

“Take her to a room that locks on the outside.  I want her detained until I have decided her fate.  Lia, could you change her into dry clothes?”  Lia nodded her agreement.  Max picked Reagan up and followed Lia out of the bathroom.  That left just Aris, Ripley and I.  I took a swig of wine out of the bottle.  Aris smiled at me.  I offered it to him.  He shook his head no, “That is all yours.”  I offered it to Ripley.  He shook his head no.

“Suit yourself,” I took another big gulp.

“Would you like a smoke?” Ripley asked.  “Oh yeah!” I answered.  We dressed warm and went out back.  Aris lit me a cigarette, then one for himself and handed the pack to Ripley.

“So do we trust Reagan?” Ripley asked.  Max and Lia joined us.  “I severed the connection.  Actually, I severed every connection except for the one she has with me,” Aris answered, “I read her mind.  Whomever she is in contact with really only wanted Jade's location.”  “What does Reagan want?” Max snickered.  “I had to quit watching.  It was a bunch of fantasies about me and her.  I never want to read her mind again.”  I took a swig of wine.  I offered it to Lia.  She took it and took a drink.  “Tastes like water,” she complained.  I took another drink, “it's wine.”  “I told you that it's all yours,” Aris told me.  I shrugged and took another drink.  I finished the bottle, feeling a little bit tipsy.  “How is she buzzed off of water?” Lia asked.  “It is not water.  It is wine,” Aris answered, “it just tastes like water to you.”

“I don't know about you all but I am kind of giving up on going to bed,” I announced.  “Same here,” Max agreed, “I am kind of hungry again.”  “We could heat up leftovers,” Lia suggested.  “Sounds good to me,” Ripley agreed.  We all went inside.  “Can we have some more of the good wine?” I asked Aris.  “Anything for you,” he answered.  We all filed into the dining room, then the kitchen.