Final Fantasy VII: Lifestream - Book 2: Aftermath

FORTY-SIX

We all laughed, and then Lydia sat up in bed and looked hopefully at her parents. "So, can I still go to the tournament tonight? I'm feeling a lot better, and I really wanna see Firebrand kick ass! Er, I mean, clean house, if you know what I mean. Please?"

"Well..." Gant scratched his chin. "I don't see why not, long as you take it easy 'till then. You'll probably have to wear that sling for a day or two, but if you make sure not to strain your arm too much, I think you can take it off while we're there tonight."

"Thanks, Dad!" she grinned. "This is gonna be great!"

I'd anticipated that and made a few arrangements before coming in here this morning. "Speaking of that, I talked to Madam M earlier, and she's willing to help you with your arm, Lydia. No charge. Did wonders for me, and she'll take good care of you, too."

Her jaw fell open. "Really? Thank you, Jessie."

"Just what friends do!" I smiled. "Oh, and you're not gonna have to worry about finding a good spot to watch the tournament, either. Took care of that, too. You and your parents'll be sitting up there in the main booth with the Trio. Best seats in the house!"

"Awesome!" Lydia exclaimed.

"We really appreciate what you've done for us, Jessie," Sarah added. "Thank you so much. It's really made her happy."

Gant nodded. "Gonna be a night to remember, for sure."

"Oh, it definitely will be," I winked.

"You've got something else planned, too, don't you?" Lydia said. "I can tell, Firebrand! Something really special."

I smirked. "I might. So, anyway, do you like LOVELESS?"

"I love it!" Lydia answered, just like I'd hoped. "Dad took me to see it when I was thirteen. The show and the music were amazing! I've got the book and CD, too, and I know all the songs by heart. I can sing well enough, but I also love listening to... to..."

She trailed off, her eyes going wide again as she looked at me and it began to sink in. Her parents hadn't figured it out yet, but I knew once Lydia made the connection, they'd catch on. A lot of girls her age liked the tragic romance that was LOVELESS, and I'd met and chatted with a bunch of them during my time in the play.

"Listening to who, Lydia?" I asked innocently.

"Jessie... Jessie Jae..." she gasped. "That... that's you! It is, isn't it? I thought you sounded familiar! And that I'd seen you before. Oh, wow! This is so cool! All this time, I never knew it was you! I mean, you look so different now than you used to, you know?"

Gant raised an eyebrow. "Well, whaddya know..."

"Yep, that's me," I laughed, taking Lydia's hand. "I've had to make a few changes over the years, but I'm still Jessie Jae."

She gazed wonderingly at me. "I remember I was so sad when you disappeared. Felt like I'd lost a friend, you know? Even though I'd never met you before. And here you are. Wow..."

I chuckled. "Thanks. It was hard, but I'm still kickin'."

"You sure are," Lydia agreed. "I've heard the tournament's gonna be broadcast all over Midgar. The whole city'll be watching! And... you're gonna reveal yourself, aren't you? Who you really are. That's the special surprise you were telling me about!"

"Can you keep it secret for me?" I winked.

She gave me a thumbs up. "You bet! It'll be great!"

"Knew I could count on ya," I grinned.