Curveball

Chapter 27

A couple of days later, coming in a few minutes late to meet Alice, Jenna brushes off the snow and taking off her coat and sitting across from her friend.

"Sorry the Christmas concert ran long," Jenna smiles, it being Christmas Eve.

"Hey, no worries, that happened last year too," Alice laughs. "How's it going this year?"

"Fine," Jenna smiles. "It's good. How have you been? I feel like we haven't talked in ages."

"I've been good. Any more hookups with the community guy?" Alice asks.

"Not tonight and no," she smiles. "What about you and that guy from the business hall?"

"Eh, that wasn't going to work."

"Oh no?"

"No," Alice laughs. "I'm good. Have you heard anything from him lately?"

"I talked to him a few days ago when Cora called me from her mom's phone," Jenna looks over at her, taking a sip of her water. "Janelle, her mom, OD'd, and Cora called me because she was scared. I have no idea how she knew my number."

"Wow, wait, she called you from her mom's phone?"

Jenna nods. "I could hear Shawn talking to 911 on his," she sighs. "I feel bad. He went back to be with her and figure things out and she OD'd in front of her seven-year-old. He went back for her, and she did this to him," Jenna says, not knowing everything about why he went back.

"She sounds crazy," Alice shakes her head. "Maybe she got it off Shawn's phone?"

Jenna shrugs. "Probably but I never really called him when he was with her. He always came to my place and buzzed in. I don't know. I hope she's okay though. They need to work through this."

"Do you really want them to work through it though?" Alice smirks, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course I do. If they get together, fine. If not, fine. I want him and Cora happy and good. We were done a long time ago," Jenna smiles sadly. "You were there. Maybe it's for the best that he and I aren't together."

"I don't think that's entirely true."

"Don't start Alice."

"Because you know I'm right Jenna."

"Shut up," she mumbles

"Mom?" Shawn calls out.

"Gramma?" Cora follows.

"What are you doing here?" his mom smiles, picking up his granddaughter.

"Hey, Cora go play okay?" Shawn smiles at her. The little girl hugs her grandmother and runs off. "Janelle overdosed."

"Oh no," his mom sighs. "I was catching a flight later today to see you guys for Christmas Eve. If I had known you were coming I would have made something for dinner tonight," his mom hugs him.

"It's okay. We can order pizza for all I care but um, Cora saw it."

"Oh my. Is she alright?"

"She's a bitch," Shawn shrugs. "She said she doesn't want Cora, doesn't want me. We were mistakes, and Cora was. She regrets having Cora because she ruined her modeling career and claims we ruined her life. Cora heard everything."

"Oh sweetheart," his mom hugs him tightly.

"She's gonna sign my papers though."

"Silver lining," his mom smiles kissing his cheek. "Well let's find something open for dinner shall we? I bet your princess is starving."

"Oh she is, she's been telling me she's starving for the past thirty minutes," Shawn laughs.

"Does your queen want pizza as well?" his mom smirks and walks into the kitchen.

"That was smooth mom!" Shawn shouts to her.

"Daddy...food."

"I think we're gonna order pizza. Is that okay?"

"Yes," she nods. "Can we put cookies out for Santa?"

"We sure can," he winks at her, kissing her forehead.

"Will he still find me here?"

"Duh," he winks. "Go play."

"You always want me to go play," she gets up and wanders off.

"Well, what do you want to do?"

She shrugs and grabs her coloring book and begins to head upstairs.

"Cora Michelle Rhosen," Shawn says watching her. The little girl stops on the stairs and looks at him. "I love you."

Cora rolls her eyes. "I love you too," before heading upstairs.

"How many people am I ordering for?" his mom comes out asking.

"Me, your granddaughter and you, you smart ass," Shawn smirks. "She doesn't even know I'm back."

"What a shame...alone on Christmas," his mom says walking back into the kitchen.

"I didn't say I wasn't going to go see her," he laughs.

"Christmas miracle!" he hears his mom yell from the kitchen. She comes out a few minutes later. "Don't the McNight's celebrate Christmas today?" his mom asks.

"Mom, good lord," Shawn laughs. "Yes, they do."

"Hmm...what an early surprise from Santa that would be..." she kisses his head and heads upstairs to see her granddaughter.