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Jessica sat slumped on the couch. She was mad. How did Chris think that just saying ‘I’m sorry’ was going to fix things? He was an only child! How could he understand this? How could he understand…she hadn’t been able to say this out loud…losing a brother? It wasn’t really losing a brother though. He lived down the street from her. But no one else knew.
“Jessie?”
“What?”
“Um, nothing. You just kinda looked a little spaced out there, that’s all.” Avery shied away a little.
“Sorry Avery,” Jessica said apologetically. “I’m just a little upset, that’s all.”
“About what?” Avery asked, softening up to her sister.
“Oh…I don’t know. A lot of stuff…. Chris…”
“Zac?” Avery filled in quietly for her sister.
“Yeah…and…”
“Mackenzie?” Jessica turned to her sister.
“You are too good at this.”
“I know.” Jessica smirked at Avery. She returned the gesture.
“You should apologize to Chris,” Avery said suddenly.
“I don’t know. I just…what he said…the look on his face…”
“What did he say?” Jessica shook her head.
“I don’t remember really. You don’t need to know anyhow.”
“If you insist.”
“I do.” Jessica broke her eyes from the point they had been staring at and looked at Avery. Slowly but surely, she smiled. Avery smiled back.
“I love you, Avie,” Jessica said.
“Ditto.” Jessica reached over and enfolded her sister in a hug.
« « «
“Chris!” He looked up from the book in his hand. Zac was there.
“Hey,” he said forlornly, waving solemnly. Zac frowned, tugging a strand of hair out of his face. He sat down next to Chris.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“Nothing.”
“It’s Jess, isn’t it?”
“How did you know?”
“I told she had one hell of a temper.”
“Yeah, you did. But you didn’t hear what I said to her. She was PISSED OFF.”
“What’d ya say to her? It must have been really bad.”
“You don’t wanna know.”
“It was THAT bad?”
A nod.
“She’s not gonna talk to you for a month.”
“I know.”
« « «
September 16th, 2001
Dear Journal,
Things aren’t going much better. Today Mom
didn’t wake me up for school. She said, and I quote, “You need a break.” Right!
I simply toured with my brothers for years, sleeping on a bus, and I “need a
break.” Whatever. Then Chris called. Avie answered. I wouldn’t talk to him. Do
you think that was the right decision? Should I make up with him? I don’t know.
But anyhow, then ZAC called. Once again, Avery answered the phone. It’s her
latest passion. And the whole time Zac and I were talking, she was standing
there, trying to figure out who it was, because she recognized the voice. I
hung up and she’s like, “It was Zac, wasn’t it?” I tried to lie, but she could
see right through me. Damn smart kid. I told her. About Mack and all. She
promised not to tell. Then I was outside, reading the best book in the WORLD, She’s
Come Undone, and Chris comes up right after I finish it and spoils my mood.
He tries to apologize. He just doesn’t get it! He’s an only child, he could
never understand. Oh well. I can see him talking to Zac outside. Ha. What a
joke. Chris can be an idiot sometimes. Then again, my brother can be too. At
least he’s a good-natured idiot. * Laughs* And I was inside all depressed and
stuff, and here comes Avery. She knows exactly what’s on my mind and she’s
like, “You should apologize to Chris.” She wanted to know what he said to me
that night and what happened. I assume everyone does. But you know what you do
when you assume! You make an ass out of you and me. So I’ll suppose everyone
else does too. I wouldn’t tell her. But she was just so funny and so persistent
and so caring, I had to smile. I told her I loved her and hugged her. She felt
better, I could tell. Once again, damn smart kid. She should be a psychiatrist
when she grows up. Lol. I gotta jet, Avie says dinner is ready. Toodles.
Love always,
Jessica
« « «
At the dinner table, Avery and Jessica sat across from each other and kept exchanging glances and smiles. Isaac and Taylor were obviously trying to decipher this and not succeeding. Mack picked at the meal, which he had proclaimed as “disgusting.” Zoë was simply giggling at the strange behavior of her normally boring family. Mr. And Mrs. Hanson seemed oblivious to all of this. But the most bewildering thing of all was that Jessica seemed to be happy. For the first time in a while, she did not make her entrance accompanied by slamming doors, yelling and shouting, or tears. A bright smile remained painted on her face the entire time. Avery seemed to be the root of this. This was what Mr. And Mrs. Hanson noticed. Not the strange looks or behavior, but the happiness.
« « «
After dinner, Jessica helped load the dirty dishes in the dishwasher and clean the rest of the kitchen. A gesture that surprised Mrs. Hanson greatly. But she appreciatingly accepted the much-needed help. After the chores had been done, and the kitchen clean, Jessica headed out the door. She wandered over to the Andrews’ house and knocked on the door. Mrs. Andrews answered after a minute.
“Hello,” Jessica said pleasantly.
“Hello,” Mrs. Andrews said, a little surprised because Jessica hadn’t been this pleasant according to her mother or Chris’s descriptions.
“Is Chris here?”
“Yes, I’ll get him. Would you like to come in and wait?”
“No thank you, I’ll wait out here.” Mrs. Andrews left, leaving Jessica in the doorway.