Love & Lies

Chapter Twenty-five

Jackson nuzzled against Jessie who continued to sob.  "Be a good boy for Mummy, okay?" she cried as she continued to pet him.  

Jenny sighed understandingly crouching down on the kitchen floor where Jessie and Jackson were huddled.  "You'll see him soon," she whispered.  "He'll miss you, too, but you'll see him before you know it."

Although she processed what her friend was telling her, Jessie squeezed her eyes shut to let a few more tears escape.  "I'm okay," she said very quietly.  

Jake, who had been standing by the doorway with Jackson's crate, exchanged sympathetic glances with Jenny.  "Hey, Jess, please take all the time you need," he assured her.  "We still have plenty of time before we get to City Hall."

Sniffling, Jessie gave Jackson one last scruff of the neck before wiping her red-rimmed eyes.  "No, it's okay.  I'll be alright.  I never have been this much of a mess before with him," she explained as she began to stand up.

Following her stance, Jenny also stood on the tiled floor offering Jessie a tissue.  "There is no need to explain yourself or feel sorry about this.  Your whole time in New York has been one emotional trip," she reassured Jessie, who was now blowing her nose.

"Pets are part of the family so of course it's okay to be sad.  I had a dog once and was completely heart broken having to leave him home when I went to college," Jake brought up.  "Then when I was a senior, my mom had to call me one afternoon to break the news that..."

Jenny's eyes widened simultaneously as her wrists balled.  "Jake!" she nearly screamed.  "Now's not the time!"

Jake's mouth fell ajar in surprise.  "What?" he asked seriously.  "I'm just trying to show her that I understand how she feels right now."

"Oh, yes, telling us how your elderly diabetic dog had to be put down certainly fills the void," Jenny sand sarcastically.  "God help us when we go to a wake.  What are you going to tell the grieving people then?  Oh, I know, 'I had a grandfather once, but one day...'"

Rather than engage any further with Jenny, Jake couldn't help stare at Jessie's still expression.  "What are you - " Jenny began, but followed Jake's eyes to Jessie.  Immediately, Jenny recomposed herself prepared to comfort her friend.

All of a sudden, Jessie covered her face beginning to heave a little.  "This is all your fucking fault," Jenny spat at Jake as she began to reach for Jessie.

"No, no, no," Jessie stammered breathlessly.  When she finally removed her hands from her face, her cheeks were freshly wet but the corners of her lips turned upwards much to the shock of Jenny and Jake.  

"What's so funny?" Jenny asked with an upturned eyebrow.

Jessie continued to laugh until she finally hiccupped.  "You two," Jessie finally got out between laughs.  "And you're just hours away from getting married."

Simultaneously, a wave of relief swept over Jake and Jenny over the fact that their choices of words between each other actually entertained Jessie enough to laugh.  "And we're still standing after all these years," Jenny joked before giving Jessie a hug.  Turning to Jake, she gestured to her belly.  "Hey, Jake, you should prepare yourself for having to deal with two of me."  

Laughing, Jack replied, "You may have to prepare yourself to have to deal with two boneheads."

Wiping the last bit of moisture from her face, Jessie joined in the laughter.  "I cannot thank you both enough for your support this morning and for taking Jackson to my parents for me," Jessie told them.  "Of course I will miss him terribly, but I know this is for the best.  I'm prepared for you to take him now."