Twisted

CHAPTER NINETEEN

The sun had barely begun to streak through the curtains when the sound of enthusiastic barking and the feeling of a wet nose nudging at their faces abruptly woke Jessica and Izzie. It was Doc, the golden retriever that Meredith had recently adopted, apparently deciding that it was time for everyone to be awake.

"Mmph, Doc, it's too early," mumbled Izzie, trying to shield her face with a pillow. The dog, however, was persistent, his tail wagging furiously as he jumped onto the bed, causing both Jessica and Izzie to groan under his weight.

Jessica laughed despite her desire to keep sleeping, her hands reaching out to pet Doc. "Okay, okay, we're up, you monster," she said affectionately, pushing back her hair which was tousled from sleep. The dog's enthusiasm was infectious, and despite their initial reluctance, both women began to wake more fully, their hands automatically going to rub his ears and belly.

"Who needs an alarm when you have a dog, right?" Jessica chuckled, sitting up and stretching, her eyes still heavy with sleep.

"I swear, he's got a built-in clock for breakfast time," Izzie replied, finally sitting up as well. She glanced at Jessica, a smile playing on her lips. "Coffee? I feel like we're going to need lots of it."

"Definitely coffee," agreed Jessica, as they both climbed out of bed, Doc bouncing excitedly around them. They made their way to the kitchen, the dog herding them along as if ensuring his humans would indeed follow through with breakfast.

In the kitchen, while Izzie started the coffee maker, Jessica went about filling Doc's bowl with dog food, which he attacked with gusto. The simple domesticity of the morning, coupled with the canine-induced wake-up, lent a cozy, comforting vibe to the start of their day.

As they waited for the coffee to brew, Jessica leaned against the counter, watching Izzie search for mugs. "Thanks for last night, Izzie. I needed that girl talk more than I realized."

Izzie found two mugs and placed them on the counter, smiling warmly at Jessica. "Me too, Jess. It's nice to just hang out and unload everything that's been going on. Feels like a reset button for the soul or something."

The coffee maker beeped, and Izzie poured them each a cup, the rich aroma filling the kitchen. They took their mugs and moved to sit at the small kitchen table, enjoying the quiet morning moment before the day's responsibilities demanded their attention.

"So, what's on your agenda today?" asked Jessica, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Just the usual rounds and then some paperwork that I've been avoiding," Izzie replied with a groan. "What about you?"

"Pretty much the same. Though I might try to sneak in some time to go over a case with Alex later," Jessica said, her tone casual, but Izzie caught the slight change in her demeanor—the soft smile that appeared when she mentioned his name.

"Sounds like a plan. Just make sure to keep some time for yourself too," Izzie advised, always looking out for her friend.

"I will," Jessica promised, feeling centered and ready to take on whatever the day might hold.

On an unusually sunny morning in Seattle, Mark had agreed to pick up Jessica and Izzie for work, knowing that Meredith had taken the car for a service appointment. As usual, Mark was punctual, pulling up in front of the house right as Jessica and Izzie stepped outside.

Jessica, who had already told Mark about Izzie's not-so-subtle crush, grinned as she saw Mark's car approach. "Prepare yourself, Izzie. Try not to drool too much," she teased, elbowing her friend lightly.