A Collection of Odds & Ends

Scratch the Surface (Jai Courtney)

"Honey?" Jai wandered up the hall from the bathroom, his voice was gruff.

"Yes, Booms?" She turned to see him leaning against the counter with something in his hands.

"Want to tell me what this is about?" Jai asked shaking a rectangular box at her.

Casting a quick glance into the living room to see Denzi snuggled on the couch, sound to sleep, she turned her attention back to Jai.

Shit!

Damn her, she should have done a better job at hiding that. Except she hadn't even bothered to hide it, she hadn't even bothered to put it away. When she'd got home, she hadn't expected Jai and Denzi to walk in almost the second she had began to put groceries and other things away.

"I know your son is adopted, but you're a big boy, what's it look like?"

"Fuck, sweetheart." Jai grunted at her. "Don't be like that."

"Oh, so you're allowed to go out and adopt a child, but god forbid if I were to actually give birth to one?" her voice was cold and her eyes locked on his.

Jai's jaw clenched as he squared his shoulders, taking a defensive stance. He didn't have to say anything, his body language did all the talking. With Denzi asleep less than 20 feet away, he wouldn't pick a full out argument and she would use that to her advantage. Tilting her chin and straightening up, she tried to stretch herself as far as she could, in order to make her own imposing stance.

"Well?" She challenged him. Daring Jai to choose his words wisely.

What did it matter to him anyway?

"I don't care if you have 30 fucking kids, what I care about is...I don't want to see you on your own, love." Jai sighed, setting the pregnancy test down on the counter and rubbing his hand over his beard. "Why didn't you tell me you were seeing someone?"

If she expected Jai to tell her everything, then it was only fair she tell him the important things. Was it too much to ask, for her to tell him she was seeing someone? Was it serious? How long? Was this some one night fluke? If he began the questions, she'd panic and shut him down. Clearing his throat, Jai poked his head around the corner to see his son napping away on the soft sofa.

Following Jai's attention, she smiled seeing the little boy flopped out on the couch, his hair stuck up all over and his chubby cheeks smushed into a pillow.

"Cute kid." she smiled, hoping to launch Jai into some story or another about how wonderful his child was.

Not taking the bait, Jai repeated his question.

"It's not like we're serious." She snorted. Picking up the box, she held it as close to her body as possible, as if someone was going to snatch it away.

Jai nodded, leaning back onto the counter top. "How long?"

"Not that long." She shook her head.

Four years of on and off. Jai didn't need to know all of the details. If she had her way, they wouldn't be having this conversation. He was her best friend and she told him everything, there were some things that he didn't need to know. Knowing that she was seeing someone, sort of, would be enough to set him off. Jai didn't need more details. If he pressed for them, she would have to find a way to deflect them.

"Booms, I love you, but there are some things that I need to keep to myself." She forced a tiny smile. "Can we just let this go, now?"

"Are you serious, right now?" Jai's voice raised slightly. "You want me to just let this go? You're the one who hounds me for details on every girl I look at."