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“Drunk,” Jonathan interrupted. “You mean you were drunk.”
Jess nodded. “Yes, well, that too.”
“What does drunk mean, Mommy?” Catherine asked her tone upbeat.
“It means I drank too much, sweetie. You know how when your dad and I tell you not to eat too much candy or it’ll make you sick? Well, it’s sort of like that.” She eyed her son. “Only worse. Anyway, Grammy is going to come and stay with the two of you while I go and get better…”
Her daughter’s face dropped. “But I don’t want you to leave again.”
Jess wrapped her daughter in her arms and met her son’s gaze. “I don’t want to leave again either, but this is something I have to do. Otherwise, I will just get sicker. And you guys—” she squeezed and then continued, “deserve so much better.”
Jonathan shifted. “When is Dad coming home?”
She sighed and considered his question. “I don’t know, sweetie. I wish I had a better answer for you, but he has business to attend to there.”
He shook his head and stared toward the window. “Sure he does,” Jonathan finally said before standing and walking to her. He handed her the notebook he’d been holding. “I wrote some stories… you know, the way we always used to do together… and I wanted you to read through them. I think they’ll help you get better. ”
Jess swallowed hard and took the notebook from her son’s hands. “Of course they will.”
Catherine lifted her head and glared at her brother. “Jonathan wrote about you, Mommy. He spends all his time now on his stories and never plays with me anymore. He says he wants to be a writer someday, that’s why.”
Jess looked over at her son. “I think he already is.”
She shifted and cradled Catherine’s head. “I am going to miss you two so much, but I hear that you can come and visit me in a few weeks and I can’t wait until then.” Jess bit her lip, grasping for words, afraid she might lose it and give herself away at any time. “Kit Cat, will you draw me some pictures and have Dean mail them? Jonathan, I’d really love it if you’d send a story or two to keep me company after I get through these.”
Catherine reared up, her eyes all lit up. “I have the perfect idea! You need sparkles, Mommy!”
Jess kissed her daughter and watched as she darted out of the room with Jonathan following close behind. She turned over, knowing that she’d have to get up and dress. She and Myles were scheduled to leave in a few hours. But, for now, she just wanted to
snuggle up, cry, and read the stories her son had created for her.
Chapter Sixteen
Jessica opened the notebook her son had given her and closed it again. Could she really do this? She buckled her seatbelt and watched in the passenger side mirror as Myles loaded her things into the back of her SUV. Still feeling terrible, she hadn’t thought to ask where they were going. And a part of her wasn’t even sure she cared. Mostly, she just wanted to get this over with.
Myles opened the driver side door and climbed in pausing to look at her before starting the car. He seemed to read her mind. “I’m guessing you want to know where we’re headed.”
Jess shrugged. Not only did she still feel terrible, but she’d cried herself to sleep and then woke up from the nap only further drained and unsure of what year she was in. Out of it and disappointed she was in this situation to begin with, she was numb.
He studied her face. “Addison said to take you to the beach house. She thought it would be a good place to get away for a while, she said that you love it there.”
She inhaled. The beach house… She and Addison had spent most of their summers there together in college. And she was right. It was a place filled to the brim with good memories. “Let’s hope I still love it there when this is all said and done.”
Myles smirked. “Ah… there’s that happy go lucky, positive girl I know so well. I knew she was in there somewhere. Well, for what it’s worth, I think the ocean will do you some good…”
Jess stared out the window and watched as her house and everything that mattered to her faded from view. “If you say so.” She finally replied before opening the notebook once again and began to read, deciding that she was in no mood for conversation.
Hello,
My name is Jonathan Sawyer Clemens and I am eleven years, nine months, twenty-three days and seven hours old at the time of this writing. This is the story of my life. I hope you will enjoy it.
JSC
She paused and smiled to herself and continued on. That boy of hers, he was something.
Today is the last day of sixth grade. I guess I should be happy about this because, you know, it’s summer and all, but I’m not. You see, I’m growing up and this means I’m not a kid anymore. I’m moving into the future and I can’t honestly tell you I like where this is headed. I think I saw a movie about this once. Also, my parents are getting divorced.
But only one of them knows it.
