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And Again_____________________________________________________x
Sitting in your room, in your parents house is not the best way to spend your summer holidays, in fact it is probably the worst way to spend your holiday as Jessica Harris soon found out. It was the middle of August 2009 and Jess felt as if she was under house arrest. Jess was staying with her parents over in St Albans with her daughter Blake who was now 10 months old. Since her graduation, Jess had not returned to Hollyoaks once, though not through want of trying. So much had happened to her in the year or so she had been away from Hollyoaks and she longed to be back home, back to normality
Jess’ parents, Jean and Matthew were very split in their thoughts about Jess. Matthew was trying hard to accept that his baby was all grown up but Jean, she still behaved as if Jess was 15 and tried to control everything she did, even her daughter. Jean called over to Jess, “Pass me those pretty little dungarees will you? The ones with the pink butterflies on the front”. Jess pushed her hair behind her ear, a sign of her becoming stressed. She got up off of her bed and went into her parent’s room. “Mum! I can do it myself!”. Jean didn’t even look up at Jess but replied, “Of course you can darling”. Jess couldn’t take it much more. She bent down and scooped Blake up off of the floor anf took her downstairs. “She’s not dressed yet Jessica”, Jean called downs the stairs. Jess chose to ignore her. “Darling, we’re just trying to help, look at what happened last time”. Jess froze on the stairs clutching Blake tightly. She carried on down the stairs blinking back the droplets of water forming in her eyes.
“Do you want me to hold Blake whilst you calm down?”, her father sympathetically. He carefully placed Blake on his knee who grumbled a bit - she preferred to be with her mum. “Thanks Dad”. She blew Blake a little kiss and went back upstairs. Jean was folding up all of Blake’s clothes. “Mum, why can’t you ever let it go? That wasn’t my fault, it just happened”. Jean didn’t answer, but carried the piles of baby clothes into Jess room. Jess followed.
“I just think you need some help Jessica darling, you never know what’ll happen to this one” Jean wasn’t raising her voice but Jess felt flushed with anger. “Mum! She has a name”, Jess shouted. “I know she does darling, and a very pretty name if not a tad unusual but that seems to be the fashion these days. I should have known better than to expect a nice old fashioned pretty name”. Jess could feel the tears prickling her eyes. “And anyway, nothing is going to happen to her!”. Jess could feel her voice raising. “But how can you be sure sweetheart?”, Jean replied. “Mum, I was 16 and I miscarried. I didn’t plan it, I didn’t make it happen, but that’s life. It was my body’s way of saying it wasn’t ready for a baby. Of course I wasn’t ready, not financially, mentally or physically. But I am now, and I’ve got Blake to prove it.” Jess ended somewhat quieter.
Jean acted as if she hadn’t listened to a word Jess had said. “Will the baby’s father ever be joining us?” Jean asked. Jess shook her head in disbelief and felt a tear drop out of her eye. “Of course he won’t be mum, he’s . . .he’s dead. Did you not read the letters, did you not listen when I told you?!”, Jess was struggling to get her words out as the tears began to come thick and fast. Jess wiped them off her face with her palms, trying to keep her temper under wraps. Jean sighed and replied, “Well she’s going to need a fatherly figure, the poor dear. She’ll need someone to look up to, some one who’ll protect her and love her”.
That was the final straw. Jess did not even bother to reply. It was too much for her. She ran into her room, shoved all of her’s and Blake’s clothes in one suitcase, all of the little things she wanted to keep in a bag and then put all of Blake’s other stuff into her baby bag. Jean acted as if nothing was going on. The hatred for her mum was rising up inside of Jess and she needed to get out before she did something she knew she would later regret. She ran downstairs where her dad, crying silently handed baby Blake over to Jess. He also handed Jess £200 and told her to get away as fast as you can. Jess nodded, and kissed her father goodbye. “And Jessica sweetheart?” Jess turned back round. “Keep in touch will you?” Matthew seemed genuinely upset at the whole ordeal. Jess nodded, “Of course I will dad”. he nodded and signalled for her to go out the door. It was only when Jean heard the front door close that she realised what was happening.
Jess had shoved her cases and bags into the boot of her silver Vauxhall Corsa, and was now putting Blake in her car seat. Jean came running down the stairs and running out of the front door. Jess was leaning in the passenger seat car door finishing up the last buckles on the car seat. Jess was still crying but Blake seemed oblivious to everything. Jean came storming towards Jess, shouting and screaming but Jess just ignored her “You can’t just walk off with her Jessica. She needs stability - a routine, a family, you can’t give her that!”. Jess closed Blake’s door, walked round the back of the car and got in the drivers seat. She slammed the door in Jean’s face and struggled to push in the key. She flopped back hard on the chair making the whole car wobble. Jean was banging on the window, but again Jess ignored her. She got the car started and drove out her parents house and down the drive as fast as she could safely. She checked in the wing mirror and saw that Jean had given up chasing the car. Jess was finally out of her reach, but where to go now? Her other family was mainly based in Wales and she didn’t fancy spending the rest of her summer on Cardiff, no matter how beautiful it was. No, there was only one other place she had ever called home, and that was a little town called Hollyoaks…
As she pulled up in Hollyoaks, it looked as if nothing had changed. She tried to smile but where she had cried so much on the journey, her face was tight and taught. She looked over at Blake who was now fast asleep. Jess could hear her breathing in and out, it was soft and it relaxed her. Jess got out of the car and closed the door quietly. She looked around for any familiar faces. She wasn’t sure what to expect. She’d been away for a year and a half, she didn’t know if anyone would still be around. As she did a 360 degrees turn on the spot and the whole of Hollyoaks seemed to flicker past her eyes. She sighed, not recognising anyone and walked round to the other side of the car.
She opened the door and began to undo the fastenings on Blake’s car seat. Blake grumbled and opened up her eyes. Jess smiled back at her daughter and picked her up, fixing her onto the left side of her waist. She closed the door and locked the car. She began to walk into the centre of the town. Jess felt Blake’s rest on her chest and Jess rested her own head upon Blake’s.
“Blake baby”, she whispered, “welcome to your new home”. She kissed her baby’s head full of curly hair and began walking. It wasn’t long until Jess managed a proper smile though, for she had spotted someone she used to know.
“Tony!”, Jess exclaimed, practically running over the road to see him, careful not to drop Blake. “Jess, haven’t seen you around here for a while!” He gave her a big hug - well her and Blake a hug. “Hey Blake” he said giving her a tickle under her chin. She giggled but then hid her head in Jess’ shoulder still giggling to her self.
“How’s Jacqui? Oooh and the baby?” Jess asked. “Fine, they’re both fine!” Tony replied happily, “Everything is just fine!” Jess told Tony she would pop round and see Jacqui and baby Corey later on in the week, after she settled in. Tony agree it would be a good idea and off Jess went, a smile more permanently fixed on her face.
As she walked further down, she bumped into someone she never thought she’d see. “Zoe!!” Zoe’s face lit up. Jess wasn’t exactly the person she’d expected to bump into either. They hugged, awkwardly again for Blake was still in Jess’ arms.
“I can’t believe it’s you!” Zoe exclaimed. She seemed somewhat overwhelmed and persuaded Jess to come back to her flat and stay for the afternoon, and after the morning Jess had had, she was not likely to say no.
Jess looked around the fully furnished flat, “nice flat”, she commented. Zoe smiled and thanked her. “It’s not much though really is it” Zoe said modestly.
“Just cos I’m a poor single mum Zo, doesn’t mean you have to pretend you live like one” Jess told her. Zoe just laughed and told jess she hadn’t changed a bit.
“oh you’d be surprised Zo” Jess replied, her eyes glazing over slightly. She looked down at her lap, then over at Blake who was sitting on the floor in the living room, then back at her lap. She felt Zoe come over behind her and hug her. Jess tried to laugh off the tears.
“I’m fine Zo, honest. Let’s just say I won’t be seeing my mum, ever again”. Zoe gasped in horror at Jess’ revelation. “What happened” Zoe asked horrified.
Jess bit her lip. “We argued, she told me that I . . . that I couldn’t cope with my own daughter because of the miscarriage and everything . . .”
“Miscarriage?!” Zoe asked shocked
“When I was 16”, Jess replied, “But now my mum hates me. It’s as if everything I do is … is wrong, you know? I mean she had a go at me for Blake’s name, she wouldn’t let me dress her some mornings and now she’s,she’s even trying to blame me for Dean’s death”. The silent tears bgan to fall once again down Jess’ cheeks.
“No offence Jess, but you’re better off without her. How can she blame you for Dean’s death?!?! When you first told me I cried for you Jess but look at you now, you’ve pulled through it and you’ve got that beautiful little girl” Zoe inclined her head over to Blake, “ to prove it, okay?” Zoe smiled at Jess. “And as far as names go,I love the name Blake!”
Jess grinned back at zoe and wiped away the remains of the tears. “Thanks Zo, it means a lot”
Zoe grinned again. “Out of interst, where was the inspiration for it?”
Jess put down her cup of tea and though for a while. “You know, I don’t really remember. She and Zoe laughed. “It wasn’t planned to call her that, I had always wanted to call her Sophie but once she arrived, she wasn’t Sophie anymore. She was my baby, my baby Blake”.
Jess looked over at Blake, who sensed she was being watched, sent a big grin in jess’ direction. Blake gurgled for attention and Jess looked as Zoe, “Wanna come meet Blake properly”. Zoe grinned and followed Jess. They both knelt down in front of her. Blake smiled again and crawled round to hide behind Jess. Jess placed her hands under Blake’s arms and picked her up and placed her back in front of Zoe.
“Blake?”. Jess tickled Blake’s tummy which made her flop backwards onto her back. Blake laughed out loud and Zoe looked at Jess her eyes shining. “God, she’s even got a little laugh!”
Jess laughed at Zoe. This was all new to her, but even jess had to admit that watching Blake still gave her little butterflies in her stomach. Jess took Blake’s right hand and beckoned for Zoe to take Blake’s other hand and together they pulled her back upwards so she was sitting upright again.
“Blake baby?” Blake looked up at Jess. “This is Zoe okay?” Jess laughed at Blake’s expression. Blake blinked her eyes twice, her long eyelashes covering up her soft hazel eyes. Blake looked from Jess to Zoe, back to Jess and then back to Zoe. She outstretched her arms up at Jess, who rolled her eyes smiling. “You lazy thing Blake Appleton”
Jess hoisted Blake up. “I really should get going Zo”
Zoe got up too and went to put the cups in the dishwasher. “Oh no, stay!” she called over to Jess. “At least stay tonight. You’ve got no where else to go!”
Jess sighed. Zoe was right. She looked at Blake. “Wanna stay here with Zoe and mummy, Blake?” Blake nodded sleepily. “Why am I asking Blake eh? This is what I’ve turned into Zo! She runs my life!”
Zoe came back into the lounge area. “You wouldn’t have it any other way” Zoe said rubbing Jess’ arm.
“I guess not”. Jess smiled. “Right, hold her for a min will you, I need to go get her stuff out of my car”
Zoe grinned and took Blake off of Jess and went to sit down on the sofa. Jess went out the door and had to walk a while to get back to the car. She decided to only get Blake’s baby bag out, a couple of outfits for Blake and her clothes for the next day. As she carried them in, she saw Rhys, only she struggled to wave at him, but he saw her smile and he grinned back at her. Jess finally felt at home.
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She got back to Zoe’s flat and found a weary Zoe pacing up and down with a red faced Blake in her arms. “How long do you wanna take Jess!” Jess hurried in, dropped all her stuff and took Blake off of Zoe. “I don’t think she likes me”, Zoe said slightly disheartened
“Don’t be daft, she’s had a long day, she’s just a bit grumbly from everything” Jess reassured her.
Zoe didn’t look very convinced. “Zoe, trust me okay. Tomorrow it’ll be a different story. She’ll love you. Jess smiled at Zoe and Zoe nodded, smiling back.
Jess tried to bend down, with Blake still in one arm, to try and pick up all the stuff she had put on the floor, but she stopped and stood up again. “Zo, are you sure about this?” Jess asked somewhat nervously.
Zoe scooped up all of Jess’ stuff. “Of course I am” she replied, “I wouldn’t have offered otherwise!” Zoe grinned at her. “Now will you relax a little!” She grinned at Jess who smiled back. Blake yawned a little yawn and rested her head on Jess’ chest.
Then they heard a noise at the front door. “Ah”, Zoe admitted apologetically, “There is the small problem of me room mate . . .”
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Jess looked over at Zoe. “look, if you’re with him, with him, I’ll find somewhere else to…”
“No I’m not with him, that was always more your department Jess”, Zoe stated
Jess went to reply but stopped confused by Zoe’s answer. “ Look Zo, thanks for the offer and everything but I really should get going anyway, I really need to .. .”
Zoe’s room mate had come through the front door into the dining room. Jess turned to face Zoe. “He’s your room mate?!” Jess asked shocked
“Hello stranger”, he replied. “Long time no see!”
Jess looked from Zoe to her room mate. “This is just weird, she confessed. Zoe’s room mate laughed. “Says you, standing there with a baby in your arms!” He didn’t sound angry, more sort of intrigued.
Zoe picked up the last bits of Jess’ stuff. “I’ll just put these in the spare room”. Jess nodded and walked ver into the lounge, putting Blake down on the sofa. Jess sat down next to her. Blake yawned again and lay down on the sofa, resting her head on her mum’s lap. Jess began stroking her head gently, twiddling her daughter’s silky brown hair round her fingers. Zoe came back into the living room and entered into the awkward slience.
She laughed to her self. “Kris Fisher, lost for words! Now that is what’s weird!” They all laughed, except Blake who was now struggling to keep her eyes open. Jess seemed to relax a bit as did Kris.
“I take it you never told Kris about . . . anything?” Jess asked Zoe. Zoe shook her head. “I never felt it was my place to do so Jess”, she replied. “But I guess you two have a lot to talk about so I’m gonna go have a bath”
“Don’t do that on my behalf Zo” Jess insisted. Zoe shook her head. “It’s fine, I was going to have one today anyway. Look at the rota on the fridge. Thursdays are my bath nights!”
“And you said I hadn’t changed Zo! Neither have you in the slightest!” Jess laughed.
Zoe walked off into the bathroom and left Kris and Jess in the lounge. Kris took a seat on the chair opposite the settee Jess was sitting on.
Again came the awkward silence until Kris decided to break it. He looked at Jess who was avoiding Kris’ eyes completely. “So who’s that then?” Kris asked. Jess was forced to look back into Kris’ eyes and it was like she’d never been away. She studied Kris for a while before answering him, not sure of what his reaction would be.
“Blake”, she answered. Kris nodded. “Pretty name” he added. Jess smiled back, “Thanks, at least someone thinks so”. She sighed. Kris opened his mouth to ask, but shut it again. He didn’t want to seem to forward. It had been a long time since he had seen Jess. They had both changed. They had their own lives now.
“And is she . . . yours?”, Kris asked. Jess nodded. Kris nodded his own head before asking, “How old is she?”. jess was still stroking Blake’s head. “10 months now”. Kris couldn’t help but grin. Blake had taken to sucking her right thumb as her left cheek rested peacefully on Jess’ right thigh. “She’s, er, cute” Kris stammered. Jess laughed.
Suddenly, the tap water began to run. Jess shook her head. “Zoe was listening wasn’t she” she asked Kris. Kris nodded. “Look’s like it!” Kris got up off the chair and offered Jess a drink. Jess declined and Kris fetched himself and glass of orange juice. He considered sitting on the sofa next to Jess but lost his bottle at the end and sat back on the chair.
“So what brings you back here, then?” Kris asked, taking a sip of his orange juice. Jess relaxed backwards, resting comfortably on the sofa, careful not to disturb Blake.
“It’s the only other place I’ve called home. I’ll probably only stay for the summer, so I’ll just rent a small felt or something I guess”.
Kris nodded and took another sip from his glass. “How comes you never got in touch with me?”. Jess grimaced, knowing that at one point Kris would want to know. “You kept in touch with Zoe” Kris pointed out.
“I know, and I’m sorry Kris. I guess I thought you would be living it up somewhere and I did think about ringing you, only I never did and then everything sort of, got out of control and to be fair, I haven’t really spoken to Zoe since Dean . . .” Jess trailed off. “I mean, since Blake’s birth and that was months ago.”
Kris looked at Jess. He knew she wasn’t telling him everything but he wasn’t going to push her. He couldn’t force things to be the same as they were before, how ever much he wanted them to. “So where have you been since you left?”
Jess looked down at Blake who was now asleep. “I lived with Dean a while, but I’ve been staying with my parents most of the time”
She looked up at Kris who was stifling his laughter. “You wouldn’t be laughing if you met my mum”, Jess warned Kris. “She’s a total head case and I hate her!”
Kris stopped laughing. He had never heard Jess talk about someone like that before and was shocked she could talk about her own mother like that. Obviously again, he didn’t know the full story.
“Wanna talk about it?”, he offered, but Jess shook her head. “Maybe some other time”, she told him. Kris nodded understandingly. Jess studied him again. He still wore the same attire. She smiled to herself. “What?” Kris asked grinning. “You seem so different, but you look exactly the same!”
Kris smiled. “Anti-ageing cream! Works wonders!” He winked at Jess who shook her head slightly smiling. “You seem more mature somehow”, Jess stated. Kris nodded again. “Yup, I’m all grown up now! And by the looks of it, so are you” Jess nodded. “I have to be”, she sighed. She could feel her self becoming all emotional again.
Kris noticed and he palced his glass down on the glass table which separated himself from Jess, got up and sat next ot her on the sofa. He instinctively placed his left arm round her shoulders and kissed her on the top of her head. jess rested her head on Kris’ chest and closed her eyes, dreaming of when they would always sit like that. “Good times” she whispered to her self, as a tear rolled down her cheek, “good times . . .”
They stayed sitting like that for a while. Kris was now resting his head on Jess’ and he too had his eyes closed. Neither noticed when Zoe waddled in, her towel wrapped round her and another wrapped round her hair. She went to speak, but her expression softened when she saw the three of them sitting there so peacefully. Kris opened his eyes as he heard Zoe shuffling around in her pink fluffy slippers. “Hey” she called over to him. Kris smiled over at her. “ What’s the time?”, he asked her?
Zoe looked over in the kitchen. “Half six!”, she whispered back to him. Kris nodded, and tried to move his arm without waking up Jess. He didn’t succeed. “Sorry!”, he whispered to Jess. Jess rolled her eyes and pretended to be angry, but she couldn’t keep it up for long.
“I’d best wake this one up”, she sighed,” She needs a proper sleep, though now she won’t sleep through the night” She looked at Kris and at Zoe, ”Sorry guys, you’re in for a rough night”
Kris looked over at Zoe disbelievingly. Zoe just laughed. “It’s fine”, she told Jess “Kris and babies - they just don’t go!!” Jess had to agree whilst Kris was busy fighting a losing battle. In the end, Zoe gave Kris an ultimatum as Jess slowly picked up her baby and carried her into the spare room. “Prove it!”, she told Kris. And her and Jess laughed, something Jess felt so relieved to be doing. It felt just like old times.
Jess asked Kris to go to her car and get out Blake’s carry cot and he brought back into the spare room where Jess and Zoe were standing over the bed with Blake lying down in the middle of it. Jess and Zoe looked round at Kris.
“Oh thanks Kris! You’re a star!” Jess gave Kris a big smile, which he returned. She took the carry cot off of Kris and put it up next to the bed. “Pick out a sleep suit will you Zo?”
Zoe looked quite excited at the prospect of choosing a sleepsuit which gave Jess an idea. “What are you two doing tomorrow?”, she asked smiling. They both replied saying nothing. “Good”, Jess answered, “Then you’re coming shopping with me and Blake!”. Jess saw Zoe’s face light up.
“Blake needs some new clothes, I left the majority of them at my parent’s house and seeing as my dad gave me £200!!, We’re going shopping !!”. Kris grinned as did Zoe. “But I though, you and your parents. . . .”
Jess shook her head, “Only my mum” she replied. “My dad, is lovely and he said he wants to keep in touch and stuff, but I’m not letting my mum anywhere near Blake again”.
Zoe eventually chose a sleepsuit and Kris watched somewhat in awe as Jes carefully undressed and redressed Blake. She gave Blake a kiss on her cheek and then beckoned to Kris and Zoe to give her a goodnight kiss as well. Zoe was more than happy to do so, and eventually Kris gave in and kissed her on the top of her head. Jess smiled a watery smile and carefully placed Blake into the carry cot. She placed a little blanket over her and gave Blake her “blanky” to cuddle up to.
“Her favourite toy?, Zoe asked, pointing to the blanket that was now a faded pink colour. Jess nodded, she cuddles it each night and won’t go hardly anywhere without it. It was her last present from Dean . . .”
Zoe walked over and gave Jess a big hug. Kris looked confused but saw Zoe’s face and went over to join them stretching his arms round both of them. They stayed there hugging until Blake fell asleep and the only sound that could be heard was Blake’s soft breathing and mumbling as she fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning Blake was up at half seven, obviously a lot earlier than Kris would have liked to have got up but Kris reluctantly got up when he heard her gurgling and babbling to her self in the lounge. Jess and Zoe were already up and jess was making Blake’s breakfast. Kris came out in a stripy dressing gown, dark circles under his eyes and a flattened mop in placed of his usual spiked up hair. He grumbled as he sat at one of Zoe’s breakfast stools.
“Why’s she such a happy baby?”, he groaned to Jess and Zoe. Jess just rolled her eyes and walked over to fetch Blake. She placed her on her lap and sat down opposite Kris. Blake grinned at Kris.
“What you smiling at?!”, Kris said to Blake roughly, but Blake just laughed as did Jess. “Leave her alone Kris! She’s happy cos she’s got a great mum and for her, life is brilliant”, Zoe told Kris sternly. Kris rolled his eyes and ended up dropping his spoonful of cornflakes down himself.
Blake burst out with the giggles and kris threw Jess an evil look, but Jess just laughed at him. “Look’s like you’re going to have a hard time proving whatever it was you and Zoe bet one!” Jess said laughing. Kris moaned again and began wiping up all the mess he made.
“Kris, we’re leaving at 9-ish okay? So be ready!”. Jess laughed again at Kris. His face was a picture. Jess carried on feeding - trying to feed Blake her breakfast. After a half an hour stint at breakfast, jess took Blake to have a bath, not realising, Kris too wanted the bathroom for a shave.
“You can do it at the same time, the room’s big enough”, Jess protested. So in the end they agreed. Kris would shave and Jess would bath Blake.
Blake seemed to be having a good time in the water, hitting her arms in out and, splashing the water around the place. Jess tied her hair up and began to sponge her down. Kris was fascinated - he had never seen this sort of stuff before, except on the telly. After Blake was covered in bubbles, Jess began poring cups of water over her head to wash them all away. Blake didn’t cry once, which too amazed Kris. “Tough little thing isn’t she”, he commented, before adding, “Just like her mum”. Jess smiled but didn’t let kris see. She finished of bathing Blake them got her towel and began drying her down.
At 9:10, they were all ready to go off into town. Seeing as jess had the baby after moving away, she did not know where any of the baby shops were, but after walking around a bit, she found the normal shops which sold baby’s clothes. “Come on then, let’s go and shop!”
At half 12, they had finally finished shopping and Kris ended up with more bags than Blake. Jess looked at him. “Well we cant all look like fashion rejects can we?!” he winked at Jess who shook a threatening fist in Kris’ direction.
“Oooooh I’m so scared Jess(!)”,Kris retorted before running off with his millions of bags. Zoe looked at Jess and they both smiled. “Some things never change!”
Jess asked Zoe is she would push the pushchair for a while (which had been in the boot of the car since Jess was at her parent’s house). Zoe said she would and Jess went sprinting after Kris.
“Come on you slow coach!”, Kris yelled to Jess, who was tiring out. Jess stopped completely and began to laugh, she could see what was going to happen next. Kris was running forwards but was looking over his shoulder and didn’t see the piles of rubbish form Il Gnosh . . . And he ran straight into them. Jess burst out laughing as did Zoe but Kris was far from amused.
Jess ran over to him and bent down next to him. “Now who’s the fashion reject?!?”. She held out a hand for Kris to grab onto, which he did so. He tried hard to pull Jess to join him in the bags of rubbish but she was too strong. After the morning’s excitement, they decided to pop into Il Gnosh for some lunch where Jacqui and baby Corey were sitting at a table.
Jess was now pushing the pram again and walked in last, after Zoe and Kris. A few faces seemed to recognise her, once of whom was Jake Dean and the other, of course, was Jacqui. Jess smiled but could feel herself blushing as everyone stared at her. She walked in and saw Jacqui call her over so she told Kris and Zoe she’d be there in a minute. She walked over, Blake now in her arms, to Jacqui’s table and they began to talk. Soon enough, everyone was back to their own meal except one man, who couldn’t help but stare at Jess . . .
After chatting for about 15 minutes, Jess found her way back to Zoe and Kris’ table. “If Tony calls Blake Brooke one more time. . .” Jess told Kris and Zoe warningly. Jess couldn’t help but smile. She sat down with Blake on her knees. Jess’ phone began to ring. She looked through her bag and got out her phone. It was her dad.
Jess got up and placed Blake onto Kris’ lap. Kris opened his mouth to protest but Jess had walked out the restaurant and was standing outside, leaning on the window talking quickly. Zoe laughed at Kris who seemed to be struggling frantically with Blake on his lap. She wasn’t crying but Kris |
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