Chapter Twenty-Seven

December 29, 1998

Jess - "I shouldn't go."

Loren - "Your dad told you to go. Which granted is out of character for him but I'd take advantage of it."

Jess - "The only reason he said I should go is because Nick called him."

Loren - "Yeah I don't get your dad. He doesn't like you hanging out with musicians but then he tells you to go to Florida for a concert."

Jess - "Maybe he's just getting soft in his old age."

Loren - "It happens to the best of them. Look at my dad, I've been dating Kevin for a few months now and he hasn't flipped once. And I thought for sure I'd get a lecture when I asked them to watch Tristan over the holidays"

Jess - "Maybe they're waiting for our guard to be down and then they'll sock it to us."

Loren - "Probably. Come on it'll be fun."

Me - "Alright."

Loren - "Yeah. Okay our flight is at 9:20 tomorrow morning. Don't be late."

Jess - "Okay."

After they hang up, Jess sits and starts thinking about the up coming trip. The only good thing about this New Years thing is that she's going to be in Florida and that means no snow! She hasn't talked to Brian since he walked out of her apartment. Nick had sent a plane ticket and passes to the New Year's Eve show and said she was under no circumstances to miss it. He had tried to talk to Jess about what happened with Brian but she just didn't want to talk
about it. She didn't want to say that she was starting to get a strong feeling that she had made a mistake. She should have never let him leave.

When Loren and Jess got off the plane there was a driver there waiting for them. They only had one bag each; it was only going to be a three-day trip. Jess gave the driver the name of the hotel she was staying at; Loren
of course was staying with Kevin. He says that he has directions to take them some where else first. Since they have a pretty good idea where he's taking them, they sit back and enjoy the ride. Pulling up in front of the house AJ and Jess look at when she was here last time, they see an older lady is waiting for them on the front steps.

Denise - "Hi I'm Denise AJ's mother."

Loren - "Hi I'm Loren and this is Jessica."

Jess - "Nice to meet you."

Denise - "I feel like I know the two of you so well already. Well come on in. Jess, AJ has your room ready so you can throw your bag in there if you want. You too Loren, that is at least until Kevin gets here."

Jess - "Oh no I have a room already I don't want him to go to any trouble."

Denise - "He told me to not let you go anywhere. Please he's so proud of his house and he just wants some company." She's leads them into the foyer, which AJ had decorated for Christmas.

Jess - "Wow it already looks like he's been here for years."

Denise - "Well not exactly it's all Christmas stuff when we take it down it'll look really empty again." She takes them up to Jess's room. "Now I'm going to go downstairs. Freshen up if you want. Oh and I'm suppose to tell you that there's going to be a party here tonight."

Loren - "I figure some one would be having a party somewhere."

Denise - "Sometimes I think that's all they do, party party party. Well I leave you two to yourselves now. I'll be in the kitchen."

Jess - "okay thanks."

Loren - "God I love this house."

Jess - "Me too. Come on let's put on some cooler clothes."

They change and then go downstairs to find Denise. She's in the kitchen watching soaps.

Loren - "Whatcha watching?"

Denise - "General hospital. They think Lucky's dead."

Jess - "I think I'm going to go for a walk."

Denise - "Okay just be careful. The beach is that way."

Jess - "You coming?"

Loren - "Nah I think I'm going to hang here."

Jess - "Alright I won't go far." Jess leaves through the back door.

Loren - "Do you think AJ would mine if I used the phone?"

Denise - "No sweetie go ahead. It's upstairs in his office."

Loren finds his office and tries to call her folks over in Scotland. There wasn't any answer so she just left a message. She was coming down the stairs when Kevin, Nick and AJ walked through the door.

Loren - "Hey Sexy."

AJ - "Please Ducky. Not in front of Kevin."

Kevin ignores him and comes up the stairs three at time until he meets Loren on the landing between the first and second floors. AJ has really high ceilings. He holds her and kisses her. AJ and Nick head in to the kitchen.

Kevin - "I missed you."

Loren - "You just saw me a few days ago."

Kevin - "Yeah but it was too long ago. You should move down here."

Loren - "What!"

Kevin - "Well maybe not in with me but I would like to have you closer."

Loren - "Where did all of this come from?"

Kevin - "I've been thinking about it for a while. But because of the rules I couldn't say anything. You don't have to answer me now I just want you to think about it. Okay?"

Loren - "Okay but don't get your hopes up."

Jessica just walked along the shore letting the waves crash against her feet. She thought of Brian. If he was there now they'd be holding hands. That is until he pulled her into the water. They would probably end up swimming fully clothed, and then afterwards they would freeze the whole the back to the house. After a hot shower they would lie on the couch and watch movies and drink cocoa. She was fully enjoying her fantasy when she heard some one calling her name. She turns around and there is Nick running down the beach. He reaches her and picks her up in a spinning hug.

Jess - "Nick put me down."

Nick - "I missed you!"

Jess - "I missed you too. Are you done for the day?"

Nick - "Yeah I caught a ride over with Kevin so I could see you."

Jess - "What you're not coming to this party tonight."

Nick - "Yeah but I couldn't wait that long. Come on I want to show you something." He takes her hand and half drags her the whole way back to AJ's. When they got up to the house, there is a petite blonde sipping a coke in AJ's kitchen. She gets up when they come in. She must have gotten there after Jess left.

Nick - "Jessica this is Tina. Tina this is Jessica."

Tina - "Hi, it's nice to meet you. Sometimes you're all Nick can talk about."

Jess - "really." It is a rare moment that Jess has have no idea what to say. "So are you from around here?"

Tina - "Yeah, but I grew up in Maine we moved cause my mom couldn't stand the winter's anymore."

Nick - "We met last week. She helped me escape a mob at the mall."

Jess - "You know better then to go to the mall."

Nick - "I needed to get a new game." Jess shakes her head. "I know everyone else has already given me a ration of shit about it you don't have to."

Jess - "Well okay as long as you no better. I can't have anything happen to my adopted brother."

AJ - "what don't I get adopted too."

Jess - "No I already have an eccentric brother I don't need another one."

AJ - "Speaking of Stephen his movie was great. I was actually routing for the bad guy."

Jess - "He'll appreciate that. Where did Loren disappear to?"

AJ - "Her and Kevin are saying hello in the living room."

Jess - "Oh so when's this party getting started?"

AJ - "Um let's see the DJ's getting here at 8 so anytime after that. Is your room alright? That's the one you wanted right."

Jess - "No I wanted the master bedroom."

AJ - "There is only one way you get in the master bedroom." He winks at me.

Jess - "I don't think it worth it then. I'm thirsty what ya got to drink."

Loren and Kevin come in the kitchen.

Kevin - "Well we're going to take off. We'll see you guys tonight."

Jess - "Okay."

AJ - "Remember eight."

Kevin - "You know we're not going to be on time."

AJ - "I know."

After Loren and Kevin left, Jess spend some time with everyone else and then excuse herself. She wandered around the house looking at what AJ was done to it. He's making a room on the back in to like a mini studio. He has a whole wall full of pictures. All of the guys are there along with some other people AJ knows. He finds Jess in there looking at a picture of Brian.

AJ - "He'll be here later." She pretends not to know what he's talking about.

Jess - "Who?"

AJ - "Brian, he's bringing Christine."

Jess - "I wouldn't expect him to bring anyone else."

AJ - "I wish he would."

Jess - "AJ he loves her you should really try to get along with her."

AJ - "She's a brat."

Jess - "Well she's Brian brat." She sees a picture of the two of them together. "How is he these days?"

AJ - "He's still good old B-rok, except he never wants to talk about you. Can I ask what happened?"

Jess - "You can ask but if he hasn't told you he probably doesn't want you to know."

AJ - "Are you guys never going to talk to each other again?"

Jess - "no, we just needed to some time to think."

AJ - "And."

Jess - "And I'm still confused about what I want. But I miss him. Can we change the subject please?"

AJ - "Yeah. Come on let me show you what I've done to the pool." He shows her all the landscaping that is going to be done and they just catch up with each other until it's time to get ready for the party.