by Sophie Kaye
“Yeah, my mom keeps wanting me to meet all these women. Especially since Sam and Hailey got together.”
He made another attempt at getting the ball over the net.
“I'm still learning.” He grimaced when the ball hit the net.
“That's ok.” Jessica shrugged and relaxed her stance. “At least my mom only tried it this once. But I will have to have a stern talking to her when I get back.”
Michael smiled. “If only that would work on my mother.”
He served and ducked as the ball came straight back down on him.
“Here let me show you.” Jessica walked around the net and stood next to him. “Don't hold the racket so tightly.” She put her hand over his and could feel the warmth as he did what she said. “Now angle your left foot a bit more that way. Good. Try again.”
She stepped back and watched him try.
“Hey, I got it over the net.” He turned towards her with a big smile on his face. “Thank you.”
“No problem. But now you kind of need to do it again.”
“Right.”
His forehead wrinkled as he squinted at the ball. Jessica stood back and let him figure out how to do it.
“Pretty good,” she said.
“It went out of bounds though.”
Jessica smiled. “You just need some practice.”
“So how long are you going to be hiding out here?”
“Not sure.” Jessica watched him botch another serve. “Aim this foot towards the pole over there and keep this one parallel to this line.” She moved in closer to nudge his foot with hers.
“Careful.” He flailed and put his hand on her back to steady himself.
“Sorry.” Jessica put a hand on his waist. His muscles tightened under her fingers. With a quick inhalation, she stepped back. “Right, that's better. Now make sure you bring the racket all the way back. I'll go to the other side and we can volley a bit.”
“Sounds good.” He nodded. “What does volley mean?”
Jessica smiled. “Hitting the ball back and forth.”
“Ok.” He grinned at her.
Jessica took her position across the net. There was something endearing about his way of asking what he didn't know.
“So, I'll start?”
“Go ahead.” Jessica took up position, ready to hit the ball back so he could reach it.
After a few attempts he got the ball over the net and she returned it gently.
“Oh, right,” he said as the ball passed him by.
“You might want to keep your eyes on the ball.”
“Good tip.” Michael ran after it.
“Jessica.” Honor stood by the fence. “Have you taken up teaching?”
“Just trying to kill some time.” Jessica walked up to her.
“I'm off now, but just leave the racket with the staff. I'll get it next time.” Jessica watched Honor's partner leave the dome.
“Sure. Will you be at the cancer gala?”
“We have a table. I'll see you there?” Honor was already walking towards the exit.
“See you there.”
Jessica returned to the court and watched Micheal serve. He was improving, and after a few attempts, they were able to keep the ball live for a few rounds.
“Ok, here we go,” Michael said. “Are you ready?”
“Ready.” Jessica tried to look serious.
Michael pulled back his racket and swung at the ball. Already from his stance, Jessica could tell it would be a close call. She darted to her right, determined to get it.
Her heel caught in her slacks just as she twisted to strike.
Pain shot up her leg as it crumbled beneath her. She let out a muffled scream as she landed on her leg and rolled off it.
Chapter Five
Panting, she lay on the tennis court watching the air pockets in the dome above.
“Jessica?”
She heard Michael scramble around the net and took a deep breath.
“Jessica?” He kneeled next to her. “What happened? Are you OK?”
“I think I sprained my ankle.” She took a moment to lie still and gather her thoughts. “I'm sure it's not too bad.”
“It looked like a nasty fall. Did you hurt anything else?”
Jessica shook her head. “No, I'm fine.”
She tried to sit up, and he reached out to support her back.
“Are you sure?”
“I think so.” She grabbed his hand and tried to stand up.
Pain shot through her right leg.
“Ah.” She grimaced and sat back down. “No, I'm not all right.”
“Is it your ankle?”
“No, it's my leg.” She carefully put her hand on it. “It's warm. And I think it might be a bit swollen.”
“Maybe you broke it?”
“It might just be a bruise.”
“We should get you to the hospital.” Michael shifted.
“No. Don't go.” Jessica reached out and held on to his shirt. The adrenaline was starting to give way to fear.
“I have to get some help.” Michael tried to undo her grip.
“I don't want to be alone.” Jessica looked up at his face, begging him not to leave her.
“I won't leave you.” He brought up his phone and held down the power button. “It's not turning on. I guess the drop damaged it.” He looked around. There was no one else in the dome.
“OK,” he said. “I'm going to have to carry you. Do you think that will be all right?”
Jessica nodded. As long as she wasn't alone. He hurried over to the door in the fence that surrounded the court and flung it wide open before he came back and kneeled by her side again.
“Hold on tightly,” he said as he gently placed his arm under her knees.
Jessica put her arms around his neck and tried not to strangle him as she held on. He stood up and Jessica wondered if she was that light or if he had amazing leg muscles.
“Are you OK?” he asked with a worried look at her.
“Fine. It starting to hurt a bit though.”
He nodded and carried her off the court, making sure not to bump her leg as he took her through the door he had opened.
“You're like, really strong,” Jessica said when they were out of the dome and he was taking her up the path to the main house.
He raised one corner of his mouth. “Maybe I'm just a good actor?”
She laughed.
“I'll go around to the front,” he said. “It's easier than trying to navigate the dining room.”
“Mmm.” Jessica leaned her head against his chest, inhaling his scent.
He walked carefully on the path towards the front door.
Turning the corner, Jessica lifted her head in time to see her mother and Cory.
“Shoot.”
“What?” Michael slowed down. “Is it painful?”
“That's my mother.” Jessica nodded towards Priscilla. “And Cory.”
"Mr. Bad Date?" Michael asked.
Jessica nodded.
“I see.” Michael continued towards them.
Jessica saw her mother turn and spot them. Her face paled as she recognized her daughter.
“Jessica?” She came towards them.
Jessica raised her voice. “I'm fine, Mom. Just a sprained ankle.”
Michael raised an eyebrow at her.
“Well, it could be a sprained ankle. No need to worry her.” Jessica said quietly as her mother approached them.
“What happened?”
“I was helping Michael with his serve.”
“What? Who's Michael? Why were you playing tennis?” Her mother looked between Jessica and Michael with a confused expression on her face.
“This is Michael.” Jessica pointed to him with one hand. “He lives in Bellfrey.”
“Nice to meet you.” Priscilla wrung her hands.
“Nice to meet you, too,” Michael said. “If you don't mind...” He gestured towards the entrance.
“Oh, o
f course.”
“What's going on here?” Cory adjusted his gloves as he came up to them.
“I sprained my ankle,” Jessica said.
“Cory, could you run and get Dr. Newman? I think I saw him in the dining room,” Priscilla said.
“At once.” Cory nodded at her and set off at a fast walk towards the dining room.
They followed him to the entrance. One of the valets held the door open and Michael nodded at him as they made their way inside.
“Over there,” Jessica said and pointed to a room off to the right.
Michael followed her instructions and placed her on a sofa.
“Now, what happened?” Priscilla sat down in a chair next to the sofa. “How on earth did you manage to sprain your ankle?”
“I'm not quite sure. I jumped and then I think my heel caught in my pants and I somehow twisted my leg as I landed.”
Priscilla eyed her shoes. “Why were you playing tennis in the first place? I thought you were having dessert with Cory?”
“I should go,” Michael said.
“Thank you for rescuing me,” Jessica said and smiled at him.
“Yes, thank you very much for bringing her up here.” Priscilla stood up and shook his hand.
“No problem.” Michael nodded at her and backed up.
“Here we are,” Cory came in announcing. “I found the doctor.” He beamed and held out a hand at the man who followed him.
“Oh, Dr. Newman, thank goodness you were here.”
“Now, now.” Dr. Newman swallowed. “Did I hear something about a sprained ankle?”
“Yes,” Cory said. “She ran off to play tennis in these ridiculous shoes.”
“They barely have any heel at all,” Jessica said.
“Well, let's see. Which leg is it?”
“The right one. But it's the leg, not the ankle.” Jessica sighed and leaned back, vaguely aware of Michael disappearing from the room.
Dr. Newman lifted her pant leg.
“A bit swollen, I see. How bad is the pain?”
“Moderate, maybe.”
“Hmm.” He gingerly lifted the leg. “Does this hurt?”
“Yes.” Jessica grimaced.
“And this?” He carefully moved the leg a little bit.
“Yes.”
“I see.” He put the leg back down. “I highly recommend getting an x-ray.”
“Is it broken?” Priscilla asked and grabbed Jessica's hand.
“It might be. It might be.” Dr. Newman took off his glasses and cleaned them with a cloth from his chest pocket. “I'll call the hospital and make sure you get Hensen. She's the best.”
“Thank you, doctor.” Cory shook his hand.
“Yes, thank you,” Priscilla said.
The doctor waved a hand at them as he brought out his phone and left the room.
“My car is just outside,” Cory said. “I'd be more than willing to drive her.”
“Thank you, Cory.”
“I don't think that's necessary,” Jessica said. “Mom can drive me.”
“I insist,” Cory said and took her hand. “Can you walk to the car if I support you?”
Jessica sighed. “I can try.”
With Cory on one side and her mother on the other she managed to hobble her way to Cory's car, a little sporty one, so low she had to struggle to get in it.
“There we go. Priscilla, would you like a ride too?”
Priscilla eyed the car. “No, thank you. I think I'll stop by the house and pick up Frederik.” She bent down to Jessica. “We'll meet you at the hospital.”
“Tell Dad not to worry.”
Priscilla raised an eyebrow. “The house could be burning down around that man and he wouldn't be worrying, only calculating the safest way out.”
“Still, I know he worries about me.”
“Don't trouble yourself with that, dear. I'll make sure he doesn't worry too much.”
Jessica smiled at her mother as Cory got in the car.
“You ready,” Cory said and pressed a button to start the engine. “Here we go.”
He pulled out of the driveway, and Jessica waved at her mother. Just as they were about to turn she spotted Michael. His eyes followed the little car as it left the club.
Chapter Six
Jessica sighed as she entered her parents' house. Or mansion, rather. It had six bedrooms, all en suite, and three living rooms. Jessica had never figured out why they needed three living rooms in addition to her father's man cave, her mother's office, a movie room, and two dining rooms. But she had liked the numerous closets and nooks and crannies when she was little. It was a dream house for playing hide and seek. If she didn't have friends over, she would hide and her dad would seek.
“There you are, my one and only child.” Frederick came up to her and kissed her cheek.
“Hi, Daddy.” Jessica hugged him tightly while trying to keep her crutches from falling.
“I'm so glad your mother was able to convince you to stay with us.”
“It's only for a few days. And mostly so you won't worry.” Jessica adjusted her crutches.
“I know.” Her dad put a hand on her arm. “You've always been independent. And strong. Just like your mother.”
“And a bit too stubborn, if you ask me,” Priscilla said as she carried Jessica's bag inside.
“Oh, Mom. I'm here, aren't I?” Jessica shared a smile with her father.
“Well, I practically had to kidnap you to get you here.” Priscilla turned to their housekeeper who had been with them since Jessica was little. “Here she is, Rosa. I told you she was fine.”
“I think Rosa has been more worried than any of us,” Frederick said.
“Yes, you should know that if you hadn't agreed to move in here, Rosa would have come to live with you.” Priscilla smiled. “Leaving us to fend for ourselves.”
Rosa, a slightly heavyset woman in her fifties, grabbed the bag off Priscilla. “I take care of the family best I can,” she said. She gave Jessica a quick, one-handed hug. “I'm glad you're here.”
“It's only for a few days.” Jessica looked at the faces around her. She was lucky to have three people willing to have their lives disrupted so they could take care of her.
“We'll see,” Rosa said and walked off with the bag.
“I had her make up the green room for you so you don't have to take the stairs,” Frederick said.
“Thanks, Dad. I think I'm going to lie down for a bit. A woman was snoring loudly at the hospital so I didn't get much sleep.”
“I thought you had your own room,” Frederick said. “I told your mother you must have your own room.”
“I did,” Jessica said. “But she was very loud.”
“You go rest, dear. And if you want, I can bring you a tray for dinner.”
“No, that's ok. I want to be up and move around. The sooner I can get back to work, the better.”
“Well, you probably can't work while you have the cast.” Frederick made a gesture to the pink cast that extended from just below her right knee to her foot, leaving her toes visible. “Not at the diner, at least.”
Jessica looked down. “I guess I can't.”
“How long do you need the cast?” her dad asked.
“At least six weeks. I'll go crazy if I can't work for six weeks.”
“We'll figure something out, dear. You go rest now.” Her mother kissed her head and shooed her off to the green room. Jessica felt their eyes on her back as she struggled to get the crutches to behave as she wanted them to. Without work, it was going to be a long six weeks.
JESSICA MADE HER WAY to the living room they used the most as dinnertime was approaching. She never realized how big the mansion was until every step was exhausting.
“There you are,” her mother said as she entered the room. “Did you have a nice nap?” Jessica grimaced. Sleeping with a cast felt strange and uncomfortable. Her father looked up briefly from the book he was reading.
“Cory called,
he wanted to know how you were feeling.” Priscilla sat up and held out a hand, ready to catch her as Jessica sat down on the sofa. “I told him you had to have a cast for a few weeks.”
“Mom.” Jessica caught her mother's eyes. “I am not interested in Cory.”
Her mother waved a dismissive hand. “I know. You made that perfectly clear when you ran away from him so hard you broke your leg.”
Frederick let out a small laugh.
“That's not what happened, Mom.”
“It was still nice of him to worry,” Priscilla said and pulled up a footstool Jessica could rest her leg on.
“Yes, Mom. It was nice of him to call.” Jessica rolled her eyes and lifted her leg.
“Are your toes cold? I could get one of your father's socks to put over the cast.”
Frederick peaked out from behind the book.
“They're fine for now. But maybe if I go outside.”
Frederick lowered his book.
“Honey, do you need me to cancel my plans? I could stay here with you, drive you around and things.”
“No, Dad.” Jessica smiled at her father. “You've been looking forward to the conference for almost a year. I don't need you to take care of me.”
“Don't worry, dear.” Priscilla patted her husband's hand. “I'll take good care of her.”
He nodded and went back to his book.
“Speaking of which,” Priscilla turned back to Jessica. “I know you want to keep busy, so I got you a job interview.”
“Mom.” Jessica squinted at her mother. Priscilla had been disappointed when Jessica chose not to work for her, and every once in a while she'd mention a job Jessica could have if she wanted. Jessica, on the other hand, enjoyed being independent. She made her own money and paid for her own little apartment, an apartment that would still need to be paid for, even if she was living here.
“Hear me out. It's a temporary job at the bank in Bellfrey. I know you think banking is the most boring thing in the world.” Priscilla rolled her eyes. “But they need some help going through archives and updating things. Apparently, they still have paper files that haven't been entered into the system.”
“Well, that sounds riveting,” Jessica said dryly.
Her mother cocked her head and gave her a look. “It's a job you can do with a broken leg. You can't very well go back to the diner for a while, now can you?”