Page 33 of Christmas in Watch Hill
JESSICA
Iwas being hasty.Stubborn. Myopic.
It didn’t matter.
I wanted out of that restaurant. I wanted the space to breathe. I wanted to get away from Ian, who hadn’t exactly reacted as well as I hoped to the news that he was about to be a father. I understood that; I didn’t have a great feeling about it, either. This was the kind of life altering news that had ramifications. It was normal to not take it well.
I called for a car from my phone when I reached the street and hopped into the one that arrived about two minutes later. Soon enough I was home, my bed and the thick duvet on top beckoning me, offering shelter from the mess my life had become. No matter what, the coming new year would be full of twists and turns, with nothing about my life looking the same.
I crawled underneath the sheets and pulled them over my head.I’ll deal with it later once I’ve had some decent rest.
TEN
IAN
Ihad the waiter boxup the meals, slipped him an extra fifty bucks for his trouble, and headed back to Watch Hill. When I arrived at my aunt’s house, I texted Jessica three times and called her once. Despite my utter shock over the pregnancy, and my possible role as the baby’s father, I didn’t want to leave her with the wrong impression. Time was running out to make it right—I had to catch a late flight to DC the following day.
She didn’t text or call me back.
The next morning, I stopped by Already Perked after my usual six-mile run. The next few days represented the final sales push for the café, and I figured she’d be there, working hard behind the counter with the rest of her crew.
But all I found was the same barista who’d been working when Molly and I ordered the Mexi-Cocoas.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “She called in sick today and didn’t give a lot of details. Just said she needed time off.”
A little defeated, I shoved my hands into my running jacket pockets. “Hope she feels better.”
“It’s unlike her to call in or do this.” He shook his head a few times. “Could really use her here today, but I guess we can manage. Only a few more days, and it will be a new year.”
“That’s right,” I said, my breath still heaving from the run. I waved goodbye and took a few steps backward. “Thanks anyway, and happy New Year.”
“Happy New Year,” he called as I left.
Convinced I’d find Jessica at home, I ran the few blocks to her street as fast as I could, welcoming the additional workout. But when I arrived at her house, the bare driveway, closed curtains, and a package left on the front doorstep told me no one was home. I knocked on the front door just to make sure.
Nothing.
