Anything For You

Part 23

The change in conversation was interrupted by James replacing the empty jug with a new one.

Jenna watches as Candice places a cigarette between her lips. Her hands are trembling which makes it difficult to light it.

"Are you okay Candice?" she asked as Candice took a long drag on her cigarette and then exhaling, filling the air with a cloud of smoke.

"Yes, I'm doing okay."

"Then why are your hands shaking?" Candice looked down and immediately shoved her hand in her lap under the table.

"I haven't been taking my medication. I want to be alert when he comes for me." She blurts out looking at Jenna.

"He won't come here Candice." Jenna replied pouring a glass of ice tea. Her voice soft.

"How do you know that?" Candice pressed, taking another drag of her cigarette.

Jenna's thoughts

"Candy listen to me okay. He is not coming here. You are surrounded by security and you have Uncle Steven." I answer her and I can see that she doesn't believe me. I don't know what else to say to her. She's so emotional and I can't deal with that.

"Look at me. You don't have to stress about this. I'm working on something." I say to her. I haven't really thought about it but for now these words will have to do.

"What is it? That you're working on"

Crap.

"The less you know the better okay." I knew she was going to ask. She was always the curious one.

"Do you trust me Candice?" I ask her. I feel like shit asking her this when I don't know what I'm going to do yet.

"Yes. You're the only one I trust." she says to me like she did when we were kids. The phrase holding much more. I always asked her this question before I took the blame for he mistakes. It was something only we shared.

Where the hell is Michael? I hope he is okay with Uncle Steven.

This can't be true when I see Michael appear in the doorway of the patio.

"I was just thinking about you!" I exclaim. My brain catches up to my mouth and I realize that my enthusiasm was a little too loud as soon as I saw him.

"You were?" he says surprised. I don't know why he is surprised, I think about him all the time. Damn he is fine.

"You ready to go?" I ask. I can't take anymore of Candice's depression. I love her but damn. I stare at her. I'm younger than her, so why do I have to be the strong one. She's the older sibling, she should be protecting me.

I look away from her and straight into solft glacier blue eyes. Michael has taken a seat next to Candice and easily started a conversation with her. She seems more relaxed with him than she does with me.

From what I've noticed about Michael, he is more socially acceptable than I am. I don't really like being around people I don't know.

"Excuse me." I say and get up. Candice grabs my arm and I instinctively jerk it away.

"I'm sorry. You know I don't like to be grabbed like that." I say to her harshly. I am genuinely sorry though but she knows better.

"It's okay Jen. I just wanted to know where you're going." She has this special tone in her voice when she tries to calm me down after I snap at her or whoever is in my line of fire. It works every time and I feel myself calm down.