uninvited

chapter twenty

unrest

"You know I love you, don't you?"

"I love you too."

Jess tucked her sister's blanket around her. "Want to talk about your dreams?"

She shook her head, her big eyes sad.

"Then we won't. Just know that I'm here, kiddo, if you do want to talk."

Meline held her bear close, her other hand on Cupcake.

"I'm glad you like the bear. I want you to have a nice room again. Like you did at home."

Today she finally went shopping. She got a kick out of shopping and not needing cash. She'd picked them all up some clothes. Things they needed around the house. The hard part had been finding the extra things she'd been looking for.

A nightlight. A comforter set for her sister. Paints and a drawing board. A basketball for Julian. Aunt Sarah loved cooking, so Jess spent over an hour hunting for things for her.

Her aunt was downstairs right now making cupcakes for the orphans she oversaw.

Jess had even picked herself up a new notebook.

They all needed a new start.

The trip had cost her though. The store that was opened for them only held clothes. For the rest, she'd had to ask Dezrick for Kell.

She would rather chew her fingers off then ask him for help, but you'd be amazed what she'd do for her family.

Simple things they'd always been able to run to the store and get, and never think twice about, were things that one day would be impossible to find.

No one was out there making these things anymore and she couldn't see the aliens bothering to.

They didn't understand that kids needed toys and color in their life. Music and games. Laughter.

Maybe spending time with Kellum wasn't such a bad thing. Maybe there was a way to bring the best of both their worlds together.

She just had to make him see they had things to offer, as well. And to be fair, she could stop being so close minded against their ways.

Within seconds of asking Dezrick for a way to talk to Kellum, he'd been standing in front of her.

Tall, impossible, but there just because she asked to speak to him.

It had meant something to her. She knew he was busy. They weren't a lazy race. No put off today what you can do tomorrow.

He didn't complain. He didn't act like he had somewhere else to be. Never once, did he question what she wanted.

She owed him.

"Is this our home now?"

Making her sister feel safe was important to her, but honesty was what she needed more than anything right now. "I don't know, baby. It's not so bad, is it? You have some new friends."

"Uh, huh. I like Jetidi. When I get sad, he holds my hand. Some of the things he says is silly. And I like Macie. She gets sad so I hold her hand."

"We've all been through some hard times but it's nice to know we aren't alone, isn't it?"

"Will you stay until I fall asleep?"

"I'll be here. There's nowhere else I'd rather be."

She could see her sister wanted to say something. "Talk to me, baby." She pleaded as she tucked her baby sister's hair behind her ear.

"I don't have a mommy anymore."

Jess blink back tears. "That's not true. You have a mommy. The best mommy. She's an angel now but trust me she's checking on us from time to time."

"Like mommy said grandma did?"

"Just like that. And mom wouldn't lie, would she?"

"No, Mommy never lied. Mommy kissed all my booboos and mommy said that maybe daddies had to leave but she would never leave me."

"And she hasn't, sweetie. She's here with us. Making sure we're okay." She put her hand over her sister's heart. "She's here. And in your laugh. Your smile. She's a part of you, sweet baby."

Meline smiled. "And you too."

"Yes. Always. We have to make her proud of us."

"I will." She said solemnly.

"I know you will, Booger. Mom was proud of everything you ever did. I remember when you first started walking. Your legs all bow legged and funny looking and mom acted like no one's ever walked before. It was sad."

She smiled, her eyes heavy.

Jess sat back ready to watch over her sister all night if she needed to.

Just before three her sister's moans woke her. She hated what they were about to go through but she was also proud of her sister. This was the longest she's been able to sleep since the world went to hell.

She was leaving her chair when two giants appeared in front of her. She just barely caught herself before she could scream the house down. As was becoming a habit, she knew it was him before she could actually see it was him.

And never once was she afraid he was there to do them harm.

Her look threaten that he better have a good reason.

He came towards her. Savion went towards Mel.

It was obvious that he'd been asleep. His hair was a messed up and he had a red mark on one of his cheeks. He still wore a candora but this one lighter in color and thinner. Sleepwear.

As soon as he was close enough, he spoke in a low voice. "Savion is here to comfort your sister. Nothing more. It is not permanent. He takes nothing away. It is his gift. He brings peace to any around him. Especially if he can place his hands on her."

She could see they were waiting for her permission.

It wasn't easy for her to give. It went against her very nature to trust people but already she could see that Mel was calming. Her thrashing had stopped. Her moans had settled.

She nodded.

As soon as he was finished, they all stepped out of the room.

"She should be good for the rest of the night. The effect usually lasts for hours."
"If I had thought about it sooner, I would have given you some warning, but it only occurred to me once I had turned in for the night."

"Thank you, Savion. It was very kind of you to leave your bed to care for strangers. I won't forget your kindness."

She turned to Kellum. "Now, we're even." Knowing they would find their own way out, she headed for her own room. They still had a few hours left before school started and she didn't plan on wasting any of it.