Dissociative Psyche ✦ J. Riley | ✓ [book 2]

25~ In the Mirror of Another

"It is an absolute human certainty that no one can know his own beauty or perceive a sense of his own worth until it has been reflected back to him in the mirror of another loving, caring human being." 

~ John Jospeh Powell, The Secret of Staying in Love

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Things quickly went back to normal. Quentin's grandparents dropped the suit, and he was allowed to live with Jake again. They moved back into their little house, and they fixed the window, of course. 

Jana and Lex had quickly become the best parents Jake and Jenna had ever met, as well as the most obsessive. They still had their baby shower as planned, just with Marcia being the centre of attention. Among the many gifts they had received, the one that touched Jana especially was the first edition vintage Barbie doll, restored with her messy blonde hair now piled and tamed atop her head, and her chipped makeup repainted. Jenna figured it would serve Marcia better.

As expected, Dennis Cannard was sentenced to death, though Jenna figured he wouldn't make it passed six months in his sentence. It didn't matter to Jake; he had gotten his life back together. Ken was released from jail and proclaimed innocent, and though he and Jenna continued to be friends, things were never quite the same between them. 

A candle-light vigil was held at the end, commemorating all the victims of Cannard's work. It was lead by Ken and his family, with a shrine built with every portrait of the officers and the kids in the middle of plaza square. Jake, Jenna, and Quentin attended, although it was made quite clear by Freddie's dad that he didn't want to see Jake or Jenna ever again. But for the sake of his kid, they made peace for the night. 

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Just because the crime was over, doesn't mean the turmoil was. That morning, after Jake left to drop Quentin off at school, she locked herself in the bathroom and pulled out the pregnancy test she bought. She peed on the stick and waited anxiously, but when the test beeped with the results, she wasn't sure if she was thrilled or disappointed with the result she was given...

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It was around 2:30 three days later when Jake came home, hoping to get a quick rest in before they went to Peter's house for dinner. He found Jenna in the kitchen, quiet as a mouse as she grabbed the pitcher of lemonade from the fridge.

"So, Quentin's at baseball practice right now, but Mrs. Tate is going to bring him home later -- thank God. And I just got word from the DA, Cannard will be eligible for parole in 75 years. I call that all in a day's work," he grinned happily. Jenna nodded, but she didn't say a word. Jake found that odd.

"Lex also checked in; he's having fun playing daddy, but Jana's going a little stir crazy. I figured we could go over there this week and cheer her up a bit --" Before he could finish, Jenna accidentally knocked her glass off the counter and it smashed across the floor. 

"God dammit!" she crouched down and started picking up the pieces with haste. Jake knew something was wrong; she wasn't usually so quiet.

"Hey, hey," he crouched next to her and helped clean it up, "It's okay. We got more," he set the pieces on the counter and pulled her up, "What's the matter?" he asked.

Jenna huffed and wiped a stray tear from her eye, "I went to see my doctor the other day. I was late, and I thought I was pregnant. He called me back this morning. I'm not pregnant, though. T-Turns out I have hypothyroidism," she said.