The Replacement Girlfriend

Chapter 55

55. Maybe  

 

            “Krislynn, listen.” Jace’s voice came in soothing tones and his hand gently stroked her hair to get her attention. She peeked up, her heart hammering, her palms sweaty and shaking as they uncovered her ears just a little. “It’s okay. It’s gone. The thunder stopped.”

            Krislynn stared at Jace as if she didn’t quite believe him and listened carefully for any sounds that might proved to be dangerous to her. The rain had slowed to a barely audible pitter-patter and she swallowed hard after a minute when she couldn’t make out anything thunder-like. “See?” Jace continued. “It’s gone. You’re okay now.”

            She nodded and smiled weakly at him when he wiped the moisture off her forehead. Krislynn felt exhausted from all the shaking her body did so even though the thunder ended, she continued to stay still until she was as relaxed as possible and her head came about. It took several minutes, but when she finally felt like herself again, the embarrassment of having sat on Jace’s lap and being hugged by him for the last hour and a bit came rushing to her cheeks. Immediately she got off of him and apologized and apologized and apologized until her throat felt hoarse.  

            He blushed himself, but shook his head while reassuring her that he didn’t mind and was glad he could be of use to her. “Did you want me to get you something to drink?” He asked after. “Something hot maybe? Like tea? It’ll calm you down a bit more I think.”

            Krislynn nibbled on her lip as she surveyed her surroundings. The house seemed so quiet ever since Isla and Isaac gathered the kids upstairs to soothe them from the same thing. It was mostly Glen, who cried at once when the thunder hit, and then Katie, who only started to cry because Glen was crying so hard. “Do you think they have hot coco?” She murmured with a smile. “Do you think it’d be too much to ask?”

            Jace smirked at her, which was the first time Krislynn had ever seen him, and then proceeded to push his glasses up his nose smartly. “We shall see,” he said mischievously. “I’ll raid their kitchen.”

            The two of them chuckled a little, but as soon as Jace left the room, the smile faded from Krislynn’s face. Mindlessly, she wandered to one of the bay windows in the living room that overlooked the front yard and settled herself down with a comforter in her arms. Rain trailed down the window and Krislynn pressed a finger to the glass, following the rain droplet as it collided with a bunch of other ones. Heaving a sigh, she stared out the window and was again disappointed to see that there was yet to be a sign of Ben’s blue truck.

            Jace came and found her after a moment and handed to her a warm mug of hot chocolate with floating marshmallow bits floating on top. She thanked him gratefully before noticing the other mug in his hand. At first, she thought he was going to sit down and join her, but then he motioned upstairs to where his mother had been sleeping in. “Are you going to be okay?” He asked her tenderly. “I really shouldn’t leave you, but I have to go check on my mom.”

            “She drank a lot last night, didn’t she?” Krislynn remarked. “Isla said she was in the bathroom all morning and I didn’t see her at breakfast. Is she okay?”