Chapter Nine

                                                                 Unemployed

I opened the heavy wood doors and marched forward where Jack sat, on a couch near the far end of the room. He immediately stood up, his eyes filled with questions. I could see the concern and frustration in them. I tried to calm myself the best I could, but it proved difficult when I saw his worry. I reached out and grabbed his hand and leaned on him. It just felt nice to be next to him.

“What did they want?” he asked in a strained voice.

We looked at each other, the look that always brought comfort to me. “Can we talk at home? I just want to get home.”

That seemed to worry him even more. We left, leaving that place behind us. He didn’t ask any further questions while we were in the ship. I think my expression must have kept him from poking at me for questions. I just felt drained after being around the Keepers. They were like vampires to me.

We arrived home and trudged through the snow before getting inside of our warm house. I tossed my boots into the corner of the room. Jack followed close behind, tossing his own boots aside and taking off his leather jacket. I went into the kitchen where I started up a pot of coffee, feeling Jack close behind the whole time. He was waiting for me to say something. I was waiting for the coffee to be done. His patience amazed me as I poured my cup of coffee and mixed it with milk and sugar. He didn’t even say a word as I went into the living room and crawled onto the couch. He took a seat next to me with his eyes on my face the entire time.

I leaned my head against his shoulder and let out a sigh. “We should probably pick up the kids from mom’s house…”

“Please tell me what happened.”

My heart sank. I knew what I was going to say before I said it. Why was it so hard? “They told me that I have to quit working,” I said. It wasn’t exactly a lie, but it wasn’t exactly the entire truth either.

“Oh?” His tone was almost excited. He had been waiting for me to quit for months. Now that I’ve been told to quit, he knew I didn’t have a choice now.

“Don’t sound so thrilled. I really liked my job.”

He pressed his lips to the top of my head. “I’m not going to lie and say that I’m not happy that you won’t be working anymore. I’m happy. I am sad that you’re sad, though.”

My heart clenched. I wish I didn’t have to lie to him. “Yeah, well, it’s disappointing.”

“Why didn’t they want me in there?”

I froze, my thoughts racing for an explanation. “They thought you would try to start a fight over the matter. I don’t think they realized you were for the firing.”

He didn’t say anything. He just continued to kiss the top of my bed.

I leaned into him, now feeling the exhaustion from the meeting hit me. “Have you heard about the memorial?” I randomly asked.

He kissed my temple and pulled me closer. “Some. It’s supposed to be a big deal, though I didn’t plan on attending.”

I looked up at him in confusion. “Why not?”

His eyes drifted towards the windows, avoiding my gaze. “They had one once before. It was before the human girls were brought here. I think I might have been eighteen or younger. It was…It’s not like a funeral or memorial on earth.”

That only brought more questions. “How is it different?”

“It’s difficult to explain.” He looked back down at me, his eyes swirling with blue, the color of sadness. “Did you want to attend?”

I placed a hand on his cheek and frowned deeply. “Not if it makes you this sad.”

“It’s a memorial. Everyone is sad.”

True. It wasn’t like we were just going to some event. We were remembering the ones that had died, even if I didn’t know most of them. “I’d like to go. Pay my respects and such.”

He nodded, giving me yet another kiss on the head. “So you’re seriously not going to work tomorrow?”

I cringed. I had told Jack that the day after I met with the Keepers, I’d go straight back to work. Actually, I’ve been repeating it every day to make it clear that I was going back. But now I was forced to stay home instead of go back. I probably could go back if I wanted. But that would make Jack question the true reason I was called by the Keepers. I wasn’t ready to share that reason yet. I knew I would have to eventually. If they didn’t tell him, and I didn’t tell him, then he’s find out through the connection. It would be a dead giveaway. “Nope. But you are.” I poked him in the chest.

He groaned, burying his face in my hair. “They’ll let me stay another day…”

“You’ve nursed me enough. I don’t want you to miss another day because I’m crippled. I can get around just fine now.”

He was silent. I could feel his warm breaths near my left ear. “I’ll come home for lunch and check on you.”

His concern and caring really touched me. I think that’s one of the things I fell in love with Jack about. He made sure I was okay before even thinking about himself. “If you insist,” I responded with a smile.

Jack’s lips were suddenly on mine. I immediately reached out and grasped the back of his neck to pull him closer. I’d have to tell him eventually. It’ll eat me up inside if I don’t. But what I really needed to do is to tell Zach what the Keepers have planned for him. He has a right to know that they have this diabolical plan for him to have a child. I didn’t realize that I had stopped kissing Jack until his eyes were inches from mine, glowing with curiosity. They should really have a color for curiosity because Jack sure has that emotion a lot, according to his thoughts I sometimes see. “Something wrong?”

I had forgotten that my eyes were giving me away. I swallowed hard and looked towards the fireplace, which held no flame. “No, no. I’m fine.”

He nuzzled his nose under my ear, the stubble of his cheek brushing my sensitive neck. I giggled like a school girl, trying to shove him back from tickling me anymore. “Liar,” he murmured into my ear.

My laughter faded and my body tensed against his. I wanted to tell him the truth then and there, but I couldn’t risk him getting up and storming out before I was even able to tell Zach. Zach had to know first because, if Jack showed up at his door, Zach wouldn’t know what was going on. Also, I was a complete and utter coward. “I’m still shaken over meeting with the Keepers. They tend to rattle my nerves.” It wasn’t a lie, so it came out smooth.

His lips touched under my ear. “Don’t let those crusty old men get to you. They just like to pretend they have power and control over everyone.” He continued to kiss my jaw as he spoke.

“They do have power.” I felt myself melting against Jack’s touch. It was becoming almost impossible to think. “They can lock someone up with just a few words. They scare me.”

He began to trail his kisses from my neck to my jaw until he reached my lips. “I won’t let anything happen to you,” he said with such sincerity that I knew without a doubt that he meant it.

Jack would do anything to protect the ones he loves. That’s both comforting and worrying. Whether it was legal or illegal, Jack would protect me. He’d kill if he had to. He has killed, in the war. It doesn’t haunt him as much as it haunts me, though. He’s able to push everything to the back of his mind to keep it from gnawing at him. I didn’t have that ability. I simply let it consume me over time. “I know you won’t.”

He kissed me again, with his hand on my back to pull me closer. My fingers tangled themselves into his hair while his rough cheek brushed mine. He really did need to shave. After kissing him each morning, it’s starting to cause my face and lips some pain. He brushed the hair from my face as he planted little kisses across my face. I sighed in content. It’s been wonderful to have Jack by my side the entire time I’ve been injured. He helped me from our room to the bathroom for a bath and brought me every meal on a tray, always with a cup of coffee because he loves me. Of course, the meals were made by Zach because Zach is one of several who make meals for Twiads all over Renton. Nevertheless, it was still adorable to have a sweet and caring husband bring me my food. Maybe I should get injured more often?

Jack’s eyes were swarming with a golden violet, the color that made me smile. I love seeing him happy. We were both smiling, which was something we hadn’t done much of lately. I forgot everything that had been gnawing at me. I forgot about the Keepers. I forgot about everything outside of this house. My entire focus was on Jack. He gently lifted me off the couch and carried me like I weighed nothing at all. I gripped the back of his neck to keep me from falling as he went up the stairs and to our room.

There was something in the house. I could hear the sound of thumps coming closer. My eyes popped open when I heard it close to the door. I gripped the sheets around me and held them close to my chest as I watched the door for any intruder. My heart was pounding rapidly in my chest, loud enough to make it difficult to hear what was going on outside of my room. I reluctantly tore my eyes from the bedroom door and to the still figure beside me. Jack’s eyes were on me and then flashed to the door in an instant. He sat up, his arm extending out in front of me to keep me back.

And then the door opened.

I let out a shriek of horror, covering myself with the blankets while Jack still held me back with his arm. It was horrifying. I wasn’t sure how I’d ever be able to forget what was happening. It was all so fast that I didn’t have time to do anything but scream. The person stood in the doorway, frozen where they were. That person?

My mother.

I managed to quit screaming and to burrow deeper under the blankets as she stood there in horror. It was almost as if she saw her daughter bloody in bed or something. She couldn’t move. Her eyes were so wide that they looked like they’d pop right out of her skull. I gaped at her, unsure of what to say or do. Jack was entirely level-headed during all of this. He adjusted the blankets so that they were a little higher up, but otherwise just watched our reactions. How could he be so calm? I was mortified.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I knocked! I swear! Oh God…” Mom turned away and stumbled out of the room like a wounded soldier.

I waited until she was out of sight before I grabbed a robe from the chair in the corner of the room and pulled it on. I followed after her, practically leaping over the steps instead of actually using them. My breathing was erratic while my mind seemed to be slow on what was happening. Somehow I managed to not fall to my death and catch my mother before she fled from our house. “Mom!” I called, nearly smacking into her because I was running too fast.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I should’ve just left and not went in there! I’ll leave now.” She began to turn to leave, but I caught her by her arm.

“Err, it’s fine. We probably won’t be able to make eye contact for the new few days, but whatever.” I must’ve looked all around the room to avoid looking at her face. “What’d you want?” I released her arm and stepped away awkwardly.

She took a few steps back and placed a hand on the doorknob. “Well, you hadn’t come over to pick up the kids. I thought something must’ve happened with the Keepers and so I came over and… I shouldn’t have. I really shouldn’t have.”

I forced myself to look at her face, immediately regretting it when I saw how red her face was from embarrassment. I probably wore the same shade. “I’m sorry. I, err, lost track of time.”

“I saw.”

I quickly looked down, so humiliated that I felt like I was shrinking right then and there. If only I’d shrink into the size of a raisin so I’d be able to hide under a rock easier. I could really use a rock to hide under right now. “I’ll go pick them up right now.”

“I’ll do it,” said a new voice.

We both looked towards the stairs to see Jack, who was dressed in jeans and a black sweater. Apparently through the chaos I was going through to get to my mom, Jack was upstairs getting himself ready for the day.

“They can stay a few more hours…” Mom was gripping the doorknob so tight that I wasn’t sure whether her hand would break or she’d bend the metal like Hulk.

“It’s fine. I’ll go get them right now.”

I forced a smile to pretend that everything was just fine. It was actually kind of surprising that he was keeping so calm and not cracking any jokes. Or so I thought.

“Thank you for keeping them a little longer, Susan. I highly appreciate it,” Jack said, giving her a light pat on her shoulder with a too wide smile.

Sometimes I question why I married him. At that moment, I was really questioning it. “Go get them. Take your time over there,” I advised through my teeth.

“Will do,” he sang, giving me a peck on the lips before walking past my mother and leaving.

I looked up at my mom like a puppy that was just caught peeing on the carpet. She looked back at me with almost an expression that probably matched my own. I wrapped my arms around my torso and stared down at my feet. “Want some coffee?”

“Sure.”

“Okay.” And that was the last that was spoken on the most awkward subject of my life.