Shorts Series: The Friday Night Fright 2034
Rain. Honestly - Jess loved it. Loved the feeling of it hitting her bare skin as her body became soaked from head to toe. There was something about it - the feeling of the freezing droplets setting onto her body mixed with the brisk winter air. Perhaps it was just habit. For the longest time, waking up at 3 am and going out for a walk - no matter the weather - was a comfort mechanism. A way to keep running - hiding. Though over the years she had gotten out of that habit… partially thanks to Dorian and finally having some sort of stability in her life - her nightmares mostly subsiding away. Though… sometimes… rare times it returned. Like today - Ironically the anniversary of her death.
Jess had woken up from her dream with a gasp - the memory of the shock setting into her skin as she looked around her body, her friends… and family surrounding her with tears in their eyes. As she jolted awake, it took a few seconds for her to realize what had happened… where she was. That she was still alive. Dorian was asleep next to her - not waking up as he, himself, had a busy day the day before and looked exhausted. Looking at the man with loving eyes, Jess placed a kiss on his cheek before moving out of the bed and through the darkness of their bedroom to the hallway outside. Their kid’s room was a few doors down though Jess stood still for a moment to make sure they were still asleep before making her way towards the living room - turning off the alarm system that was in place when they slept. Years earlier Jess would have just gone for a walk. Rain or not - that was her instinct. But she was far past that point in her life… if not for her, for her kids. So instead, she found herself walking barefoot to the backyard - entering the patio and just standing there - in the middle of the rain as the water ran over her body. Jess closed her eyes as the water surrounded her - listening to the calming sounds of the rain surrounding her, mixed in with thunder.
Over the years - she could still remember the good times… and the bad - the memories that rain brought within her mind. The way she laid on the floor years earlier contemplating the day she left school for four years. Or maybe even the time Dorian drove her home and they ended up sitting together and later dancing… and kissing in the rain. Part of her didn’t even realize how long she had been out there before hearing a scared little voice behind her. “Mommy…” Opening her eyes, Jess moved her head up to see her two girls huddled together jumping at the sound of thunder. Zoe was holding on to her little bear dressed in a soccer uniform that Dorian had brought back for her with one hand and was tightly holding onto her sister while Shay was wrapped around her blanket shivering.
Jessica didn’t hesitate before immediately making her way back to the two and bending down to their level, frowning as both her daughters tightly wrapped their arms around her the moment she had gotten close to them. She felt Zoe jumping at another sound of thunder and starting to cry muttering “mama” between her sobs and Jess softly kissed her on the forehead. “Hey shh, you don’t need to cry my love, there’s nothing to be scared of,” Jess whispered to the two, watching as Shay poked her head into her arms as well. “mama why were you… outside?” Shay asked in Jess’ arms and Jessica kissed her other daughter. “Just thinking…come on you two, come here,” Jess stated, picking Zoe up and holding onto Shay’s arm as she brought the two to the kitchen - turning the electric fireplace on so there would be some light and warmth as she turned the stove on to make some hot chocolate for the girls. "Do you want to know a little secret? Rain is good luck, Jess told her daughters, one of which was hugging her leg and the other sitting on the stool. “Give me one-second baby,” Jess smiled, picking Zoe up and putting her on the counter as she walked over to the laundry room nearby to grab a towel for herself so she wouldn’t get her kids wet. She returned just as the water had heated up and adding hot chocolate in a cup for Shay and a sippy cup for Zoe once the temperature was cool enough that the two wouldn’t burn themselves.
“How is… rain good luck mommy?” Jess grinned, picking Zoe up off the counter and walking towards the Sofa with their drinks as Shay followed suit, cuddling with Jess once she was seated. Well, Shay. I metyour dad when it was raining like this for the first time do you want to hear the story? she asked her kids, feeling a nod from Zoe who had stuffed her head in Jess’ shoulder as another boom echoed in the night, making both girls hold tighter on to theirs mother. “Well… once upon a time when your mom was just a little bit older than you… she met your dad for the first time due to the rain”
Flashback
Many people believe that Jessica had fallen in love with Dorian the day they kissed during one fated game of spin the bottle. But the honest truth of that situation is that love doesn’t work that way. It isn’t instantaneous where you see someone as your best friend and then boom you’re in love with them. Rather, it’s a series of small things. Things that indicate it could be more… it could always be more. But that all started somewhere. The day that Jessica Pierce met Dorian DeLoughrey was not an event that anyone would have expected.
And that event… well… it was a freak storm that no one had bloody expected. Jess had only just arrived to Beryl a few days earlier and Dan was being a party pooper in his bed. Though… .granted… he was still upset about the move… and his little sister… well let’s not talk about that. Either way, Jess had decided to go somewhere to get some food for the idiot. So that’ show she found herself in a place called “whole foods” by herself. After all - they called it whole foods. There must be… a whole ton of food right? Perhaps it was strange for an 9 year old to be alone in the streets - but the alternative was a 64 year old butler taking her around and honestly, Jess preferred the former. So here she was - an 8-year-old who had never been on the streets of America casually going to a random store to buy food. Not to mention while it was raining cat and dogs - and Jess says that coming from the city of rain.
To anyone else it must have been an interesting sight to see a little girl alone with a large cart putting random foods into her cart. And by random - she meant random. Sure there were a few things that were actually meant to make food but most of it was junk - cookies, cinnamon buns, cake - really anything she could get her little hands on.
Jess had gotten all her things in her cart and was waiting in line - her eyes going to the picture perfect American family in front of her. Two blonde boys and a blonde girl arguing - around her age - and then their mother who was putting things from the cart to the cashier so that her items could get checked out. Was it bad for Jess to be listening in on the conversation in front of her? Mayybee. But she couldn’t help it. The little girl had seemingly asked her mom for some candy and the younger boy was telling her how it wasn’t even good candy. First of all - rude. Let the girl have what she wanted. Jess found herself walking towards them, puffing her chest out as she looked at the boy. “Hey don’t be mean,” Jess huffed before looking at the girl. “Don’t listen to him. I love that candy,” Jess told the girl who beamed at her words.
Perhaps that would have been the end of it - until of course the lights instantly turned off with a rage of thunder making everyone jump out of their skin. In the darkness, Jess found herself gravitating towards the person closest to her and instantaneously holding his hand. The lights didn’t come back on, rather, instead Jess heard a voice on the intercom. “Hello guests. we apologize for the power outage but due to a surge it seems that the power in Beryl has gone out for every business and home. The city has called an emergency notice to stay inside for the next 3 hours as the storm passes and we would like to request that all guests stay inside and only leave at their own risk. Whole foods has generators so please stay with your family and hold tight.”
Jess watched as a few emergency lights came back on and realized that she was still holding on to the mean boy’s arm and let go after a few seconds. She watched as the mother of the three bent down asking if her kids were okay. It was interesting… to see a mom who cared so much about her kids. It was… something Jess never had. Her own parents barely cared about her asking to come to Beryl in the first place. As long as she was out of trouble. Though what surprised her was when the woman looked over at her and asked if she was okay too and where her parents were. “Me? Oh I’m good. I’m here alone,” Apparently that wasn’t a normal thing because the minute she said that, the woman, who she later learned was named Davina just said that Jess could stay with them until it was safe again. And that was the start. The four of them sat down and talked and for the first time - Jess felt like she was part of a family… even if it wasn’t her own.
End of Flashback
"So you met daddy because of the rain? Jess smiled as Shay wrapped her arm around Jess’ stomach, her eyes drifting between opening and closing. “I did, the first time I met your dad and his family was because of the rain and then we all became friends,” Jess told the girl - smiling as a soft smile met her lips and the girl fell asleep on top of Jess. Zoe was also wrapped around Jess, her eyes closed seemingly having fallen asleep during the story."
“You still remember that?”
Jess found herself slightly startled as she looked behind her to find Dorian standing their leaning against the kitchen counter. “Are we forgetting that I remember everything Dorian?” Jess asked cheekily as he walked closer to her, kissing her on the lips when he reached her. “I also remember you asking me ‘who even are you’ after I yelled at you for being mean to Elo…so Dorian… who even am I?” Jess laughed slightly as he helped pick Zoe’s sleeping body up and Jess picked Shay up - ready to put the two into a peaceful sleep despite the thundering storm.
@astxrism - This was supposed to be a short but yeah didn’t end up being too short did it?