After the Sun Sets (18+)

CHAPTER 25 - Rapture

"Is that what you did to Dad?" the boy asked, blue eyes wide and mouth hanging open.

"Something like that. But your dad was super, super brave. He needed a super discectomy and that is what he got."

"Wow!"

Only he could soothe a grumpy Siena, assuring her, in the same way that he assured his patients, that little Zac was only pulling on her pigtails because he liked her.

"That's stupid! Why would he do that?" she complained with angry eyes and quivering lips.

"Because boys are stupid. We don't know how to talk to girls very well so we do stupid things. Still, if you don't like it, you tell him, and if he doesn't listen, well then you don't need to cry over someone like that."

This wasn't enough to soften Jess, who sat morosely on the couch pretending to be oblivious to the whole conversation. And yet, Jess didn't ask questions either. She was the one who didn't have to guess what happened. But she was also the least accepting. She wasn't mean or unkind but she wasn't friendly either, and Lora noticed how she carefully looked away every time Owen got a breath too close.

Lora had made up her mind to talk to her when one night, as they were watching cartoons in the living room, much to the annoyance of Lora and Jess, the doorbell rang and Owen answered the door. The whole room sat on edge as they recognised James's voice. Siena stood up and almost ran to him, but Karl caught her just in time. They all turned to Jess as they heard him ask for her. 

Cool as a cucumber, Owen strolled back to the living room and fixed his gaze on Jess.

"Is Jess here or is she still out?" he asked meaningfully.

Jess hesitated for a moment as she deliberated on what she wanted to do but then she screwed her eyes shut and shook her head frantically. Owen nodded once and turned without a word. Everyone held their breath as they listened to his smooth, low tone saying, "Sorry, man. She's not here. I'll tell her you stopped by."

"Can you tell her to call me?" James implored sounding genuinely disappointed. "She hasn't answered any of my calls."

Without missing a beat, Owen responded, "If Jess wants to talk to you, she'll call you back," and then he simply shut the door. He had barely re-entered the living room when Jess ran to him and gave him a rib-crushing hug.

"Thank you. I've been trying to shake him off and I just couldn't. I... I always go back to him and... I don't know why I can't say no to him."

"You're welcome?" Owen answered patting her back awkwardly as the girl refused to let go.

"He just won't listen. Every time, I think we're making progress but then he starts going on about how he wants to move in together and get married and have children. I'm not ready for that! I don't even know if I want that!"

Owen was horror-struck. He grabbed Jess by the shoulders and pushed her back gently so that he could see her face. "Of course, you're not ready! You're nineteen!" 

"It's because he doesn't want me to be a lawyer. He says the legal field is no place for a good girl like me. He was always on about it before too."

Hearing this, Lora stood up and went to her niece. She had never witnessed her opening up like this before, but now, as she sniffed into Owen's shirt, it seemed that she couldn't stop. "Jess, why didn't you say anything before?"

"Because I didn't want to disappoint you. It's what you did for Dad, and I didn't want to hurt you. I'm sorry, Aunt Lora, I know you must think I'm selfish but it's just not what I want. I don't want to be trapped in a marriage."

"Oh, honey," Lora crooned taking her niece into her arms. "It's okay. Whatever you decide to do, I will support you."

And so, a whole month had gone by in the blink of an eye and nobody dared question her. Nobody acted differently around her. Nobody except the neighbours, who made it a point to say hello to Lora as she waved, waved, not kissed, Owen goodbye before he left for work in the early hours of the morning. Nobody except Marion, who congratulated her every Sunday at church on being so lucky to have such wonderfully handsome doctors in her circle who can help her 'get back on track.' Nobody but Nessy, who called to tell her how excited she was for her to be getting back into nursing and that she was so lucky since the nursing council usually asked returning staff to do a six-month rotation before being recruited for a specialized ward, but she heard Mike telling Dr Shaw she probably wouldn't have to and that was just fantastic.

But none of that mattered. Not when Owen gave her his lopsided, dimpled grin, fixed her with his cheeky, green stare, or held her tightly and kissed her senseless until she couldn't remember her name let alone Marion's astonishment at how quickly she managed to sell Jona's business.

But tonight, tonight was different. Tonight, the air was electric and the walls were alive.