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“Was there something you wanted, Joe?”
He paled. “I was hoping you might have given any more thought about making a donation. I shouldn't really be saying this, but we really need help. We have a lot of clients, and to be perfectly honest, things are getting pretty desperate. I just had someone get threatened with eviction even though they're not supposed to do that.”
“What's an eviction?” Jess asked.
“When someone has to leave their house.”
“Oh.”
“We need money if we are going to keep running.”
“I would like to help. How much are you needing?”
“Five thousand would be a good start. There are a lot of people we are trying to help, and they have almost no money right now.”
“You'll have one hundred in your personal bank account by the end of the day on Monday.”
“One hundred thousand?”
“Yes.”
“Wow!” Jessica exclaimed at the big number.
“Thanks. Will you want a tax receipt?”
“No need, take care,” I said.
“You too, bud.”
No sooner had I ended the video call than another alert popped up. It was from my mom. It had been a while since I talked to her and even though she called me. I never called her. But Jessica had asked to speak to her grandma, so there we were.
“Oh my, you're getting big!”
“I'm the same size, grandma.”
“Are you?” Mom asked, giving me a hard stare as though I had been intentionally teaching Jess literalism.
“I think so,” Jess said, less sure and looking to me for confirmation.
“You're a bit bigger,” I said.
“Did you do her hair like that?”
I could tell by the tone of her voice she didn’t like the braids.
“Yes, where did I go wrong?” I teased.
“Oh, no, I didn't mean… I mean, I like it.”
“Thanks, I got the idea from Wednesday Addams.”
“Your kidding!”
“Nope, she was funny!” Jessica said before I could deny it.
I wasn't quite sure that The Addams Family was appropriate for a six-year-old, but she seemed to get the jokes, laughing in all the right places. She had actually asked me to do her hair like Wednesday Addams, and I had done my best approximation. The fact that her hair was already long and shiny helping with the overall effect.
I wouldn't have been surprised if Jess grew up to be a Goth. She had all the prerequisites, including childhood trauma, high emotional intelligence, and a sensitive soul.
“Yes, I suppose she is,” Mom agreed.
“We have a new online game if you want to play,” I said.
“Okay,” Mom agreed, a lot more keen than I might have thought.
We were in the game most of the afternoon, Jessica yawning but the end, insisting she could stay up longer.
“Time for bed, June bug,” Mom said.
“Not tired,” Jess protested.
“Looks to me like you are,” Mom countered.
Jessica didn't respond, her argument lost automatically by virtue of the fact she had fallen asleep on my lap.
“I really am proud of you, Dean,” Mom said.
“Even though I'm a screwup?”
“You were a screwup, dearest. Now you are a dad. Well, as near as anyway.”
“Thanks, mom.”
“Good night, dear.”
I ended the call and carried Jessica to bed, humming her favorite song as I went.Chapter Eighteen - BeckyI wasn't supposed to work that weekend, but that didn't mean I couldn't do some research. Jessica would be fine with Dean, and I might as well spend the time in my room looking into how to apply to nursing school.
I had some money put by, not a lot but a start, and I figured my mom would help. I could also get a job if it ever came down it. I knew how to work and find jobs when I needed them. I could probably go back to nannying if the hours worked with my studying. I had heard nursing school was really demanding, but I was also well versed in the art of the all-nighter.
I wouldn't see Jessica or Dean, but I really shouldn't have to anyway since he was stepping up, or so was my thinking at the time. They were trying to bond, and I didn't want to get into the way of that. He was her uncle and her guardian. I was just the nanny. I was happy to help when I could, but it was also vital for them to get comfortable with each other. They had a long road ahead of them. And so, did I.
I had to figure out what I was going to do when I left the mansion, and spending some time alone doing that would get me used to it for when I left. I hated being away from both of them. I really did love both of them in different ways. But I had to focus on my future and couldn't let my emotions steer me off course.
Emotions really can be quite tenacious sometimes. Though I had managed to spend all of Friday and most of Saturday away from Dean and Jess, getting some useful information on the nursing program at a nearby college, I missed them both like crazy. It had barely been two days, and yet, I was still almost hurting from the separation. I wanted to sing Jess to sleep and hear Dean play his guitar before cuddling in his bed and feeling completely safe, like I was home.
