Chapter 4: Lunch Rescue
"You look like the rest of my life."
-Beau Talin
-Jessie-
Later that night I found myself sitting in mine and Laura's apartment living room with her drinking coffee as we studied together. I sighed trying to concentrate but the past few days memories were getting in my way. William was in my every thought lately, in my every dream, his deep green eyes and how it felt when his hand would brush against my skin. I couldn't get the flutter in my heart to quiet down when I thought about his kiss on my lips and neck.
"Hello earth to Jessie," Laura's voice snapped me out of my thoughts and I turned to look at her. "Dream boy can wait girl, though I'm all for the sexy day dreaming, we need to focus." She said before gabbing me in the side with one of my textbooks that must have fallen on the floor. I snatched it out of her hands before she could jab me in the side again.
"Sorry Laura, I'm just... Ugh... I don't even know. It's like I can't stop thinking about him. He is like... He's " I couldn't even form a coherent sentence.
"Oh girl, you are falling hard. I never thought I'd see the day you would start day dreaming about a guy instead of doing homework. I can't blame you though, he is one of a kind when it comes to you." She said standing up and going to the kitchen for some more coffee.
I frowned, what did she mean when she said he was one of a kind when it came to me? I watched Laura pour her coffee and waiting for her to come back into the living room. My phone beeped loudly from my lap and I looked down at the bright screen.
William: How's studying going brown eyes?
Me: I think I've managed to read one paragraph in two hours of studying.
William: Having trouble focusing?
I could practically see the smile he had on his face as he had sent that text. He had been flirting with me non stop all day. Laura sat down and eyed me with a raised eyebrow and a sly smile on her lips.
"What did you mean when you said that William is one of kind when it comes to me?" I asked her setting my phone down without answering William back.
"Nothing, he just seems to really like you, on a deeper level than most men his age or any age are capable of. The way he looks at you, it's like his world was consumed by you and all he can see anymore is you."
I frowned thinking about what she said, I never thought about another guy in the same way I had about William. I barely knew him but I felt so drawn to him, he was so different the most men. He seemed to truly care about me to the extent that he wanted to know every detail of my life, as if by doing so he could properly insert himself into my life and become my main focus.
"How about we call it a night on the studying?" Laura asked placing her textbook down on the coffee table and laying back against the couch. I nodded and placed my own textbook down just as my phone beeped again. I picked it up thinking it was William again and felt the blood drain from my face as I saw who it was. "Jessie what's the matter?" Laura asked from beside me. I just stared at the text on my phone in shock and horror.
Rachelle: Jessica I'm going to be in you area for the month for work. Paul and I decided that we are going to come see you.
"It's Rachelle." I said my own disbelief flooding through me.
"Your mom?" Laura said scrunching her nose in disgust. She hated my mother just as much as I did for everything she did to me as a child. "What the hell does that bitch want?" She asked grabbing my phone from me.
"To see me." I said shakily.
I stood up and left the living room without grabbing my phone from Laura. I made my way to my room and shut the door behind me. I went straight into my bathroom and turned on the shower as hot as it could go before throwing my clothes on the ground and stepping into the shower. My mother was the last person I wanted to see right now. She was mentally abusive and judgmental, always criticizing me about one thing or another when she actually was around. I had spent most of my life being told I wasn't good enough for her and that I was the reason my father left us.
After about an hour of being in the shower, the water now cold, I turned off the shower and stepped out into the bathroom. I went about my tedious routine of getting ready for bed before finally sliding under my covers and sinking into my bed forcing myself to go to sleep.
The next morning I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing. Glancing over and my nightstand I realized that Laura must have brought my phone in to me and plugged it into the charger after I had fallen asleep. I groaned not wanting to wake up. I hit the answer button not even looking at the caller ID before I put my phone to my ear.
"Hello?" I said into the phone.
"Jessica, you sound like you are just waking up. It's already ten in the morning." I cringed at my mother's condescending tone.
"Yeah it is also Sunday, I don't exactly have plans for the day besides studying." I said dryly.
"Well get up and get ready, we are going to lunch." She snapped before hanging up on me.
I groaned baring my head back in my pillow. Why didn't I check who it was before I answered the phone? Now I had to go to lunch with the last person I wanted to see. My phone beeped and I looked up at it to see I had several unread messages.
Rachelle: Lunch at 11:30. Harrison Garden. Wear something nice.
I frowned at my mother's text, why did we have to go somewhere that fancy for lunch? I scrolled to my other texts to see one from William and one from Laura.
L: Hey girl I had to run to my parents house really fast but I'll see you tonight.
Me: Okay, I have to go to lunch with Rachelle anyway.
L: What? What time and where? I'll come back and go with you.
Me: No it is fine. I'm supposed to meet her at Harrison Garden and 11:30. At least it is public enough she shouldn't make too much of a scene.
L: You sure?
Me: Positive. Tell your parents hi and that I love them, drive safe.
L: Will do, call me if you need me, luv ya girl!
I smiled at Laura's text, she was always so protective of me when it came to my psycho mother. I scrolled to William's name to see his text.
William: Morning brown eyes. (9am)
Me: Good morning. Sorry I slept through my alarm.
William: It's Sunday, you are supposed to sleep in on Sunday's.
Me: What are you up to?
William: Heading to my parents house for the day, what about you?
Me: Nothing much, probably just going to study.
William: Why does that not surprise me brown eyes.
I smiled setting my phone down and getting out of bed. I went to my closet and found my favorite dress. It was a short sleeve knee length maroon dress. It had a v shape neckline that showed just enough cleavage to make me look more adult but not slutty. The dress fit perfectly over my curves and had a delicate black lace belt around the middle. I pulled a pair of black dress stockings and a black pushup bra and matching underwear out of my dresser and placed the items on my bed before heading to my bathroom. I took my time perfecting my makeup until I had a perfectly delicate smoky eye that framed my eyes. I pulled my curling iron out and tamed my crazy hair into long curls that hung down my back. When I finished I went back to the bedroom and put on the clothes I had selected. I found a pair of elegant black dress shoes and pulled out a black clutch placing my phone and card inside.
I made it to Harrison Garden's just as the time hit eleven thirty. I hurried inside and asked the man at the front desk for my mother's table. He led me through the crowded restaurant to an area towards the back near two tall windows. My mother sat at the table dressed to impress and looking irritated as ever. When she noticed me she narrowed her eyes at me, her lips pressed into a tight line.
"You are late." She stated.
"By like two minutes." I said rolling my eyes as I sat down in front of her.
"It's a good thing I already ordered or we would be here forever." She said snidely before looking me up in down no doubt criticizing every little thing about me.
-William-
I glanced down at my phone as it chirped loudly at me, I frowned not recognizing the number but it was the third time it had called me. Finally I just answered the phone as I walked into my parents house.
"Hello." I said into the phone.
"It took you long enough, prince charming." Laura's voice came through the phone a hint of slight irritation in her voice.
"Is everything okay?" I asked confused as to why Jessica's best friend was calling me.
"I'm just going to cut to the chase and say that Jessie needs you like now. Her mother, Rachelle, just showed up out of nowhere and is forcing her to go to lunch. I'd go rescue her but I'm already nearly two hours away at my parents house."
"Why do I need to rescue her? Isn't it a good thing that her mother wants to go to lunch with her?" I asked Laura as I walked into my parents kitchen where they stood by the counter. My mother smiled at me warmly and I waved slightly in greeting.
"Look I don't have time to explain to you the psycho bitch that is Jessica's mother. Just know that if Jessica isn't rescued from having to spend an entire lunch meeting with her mother she's going to end up locking herself in her room for the next week barely eating and refusing to communicate with anyone. Her mother is a real piece of work. Harrison Garden's at eleven thirty." Laura said before hanging up the phone on me.
I frowned glancing down at my phone, why wouldn't Jessica tell me her mother was in town? Why did Laura feel the need to call me and tell me to go and interfere with their lunch plans.
"Everything okay son?" My father asked glancing at me.
"It's fine, how do you guys feel about Harrison Garden's for lunch?" I asked glancing at the time on my phone, it was already eleven twenty two.
"Oh we haven't been there in forever, that would be nice." My mother said with a smile. I nodded and headed back towards the kitchen entrance.
"I'll go tell James to get the car started." I said as I left the room.
I glanced down at my clothes, it was a good thing I had dressed in the my grey suit today. Harrison Garden's was a nicer establishment. I found my parents driver James and told him to get one of the vehicles started and waited impatiently for my parents to meet us out front.
"Son you seem distracted, are you sure everything is alright?" My mother asked on the way to the restaurant. I sighed as I tried to figure out how to explain to them what was going on.
"I'll be fine once we get to the restaurant." I said glancing at my phone again. I could see my mother glance at my father out of the corner of my eye.
When we finally got to the restaurant I asked for a table near the very back of the restaurant in a slightly closed off private area. As we were escorted through the large restaurant I glanced around the room for Jessica and found her towards the back left corner sitting across from a stern faced woman with black hair. Jessica looked gorgeous, dressed to impress her mother no doubt. The high end outfit she was wearing had more than just his eyes on her. She hadn't even noticed the eyes on her as she looked absolutely flustered, her cheeks slightly reddened with irritation as she looked to be arguing with the woman across from her.
"I'll meet you at the table." I told my parents moving away from them, not waiting for a response. I made my way closer towards Jessica's table and overheard part of the conversation she was having with her mother.
"Honestly Jessica, don't be so dramatic, I just said you could loose a few pounds not that you were obese." Her mothers flippant voice floated to me over the sea of people and I paused briefly. Was this woman for real, telling Jessica she should loose weight when she didn't even have anything to loose. "It's not like you have anything better to do anyway, you should focus more on your appearance." Her mother said to her. I felt a serge of anger flood through me as I made the last few steps to her table.
Jessica looked up just now noticing me and paled. I leaned down and placed a gentle kiss to her forehead. I didn't give a damn about our stupid no distractions deal that we had made, she needed someone to show her she was so much more than her mothers nasty words.
"Sorry I'm late darling." I said sitting down next to her and taking her hand reassuringly. For a second she seemed to be confused and then realization flashed through her eyes.
"Who are you." her mother snapped irritated.
"I'm William Kingston, Jessica's fiancé. Sorry I am late, I wasn't going to make it originally but my plans got changed." I said with a smirk. I felt Jessica's hand squeeze mine and I glance over at her and smiled at her. She smiled at me before glancing at her mother.
"Kingston, as in Kingston Tech?" Her mother asked slightly taken aback.
"Kingston as in Kingston Law and Kingston Enterprise." I said pointedly to her comment, my families companies were easily worth six times the amount of Kingston Tech, though the company was one of my distant cousins. "So what did I miss?" I asked calmly eyeing Jessica's mother darkly daring her to mention anything negative about Jessica to me.
"Nothing." Jessica said quickly but it seemed her mother didn't think their conversation had been nothing.
"I was just telling Jessica she could stand to loose a few pounds, surely you could agree being her boyfriend." Her mother said snidely. I raised an eyebrow at the woman, she really was a bitch.
"I think Jessica is absolutely perfect the way she is. I was curious to see if you would repeat the nasty and harmful words you had spewed haphazardly as I walked over here. I am going to tell you this once although I don't believe you deserved her attention you are her mother. If you ever say another word to my fiance that is negative in manner I will not hesitate to cut you out of her life for good." I told her mother. I watched as the woman's eyes widened in surprise.
"Well I never..." she started looking flustered. I ignored her and turned towards Jessica.
"I got us a separate table, would you like to move to it?" I asked her giving her the option to stay if she really wanted to. She just nodded and began to stand still holding my hand.
"I'll talk to you later." She said briefly to her mother before letting me lead here from the table towards the table that my parents occupied in the VIP section of the room.
"Laura called you." She said as we walked and I nodded.
When we came into view of my parents my mother's eyes met mine briefly before looking at Jessica and down to our clasped hands. I had expected Jessica to let go of my hand when we walked away from her mother but it seemed she wasn't ready to let go just yet. I watched my parents who had curiosity in their eyes as we came to the table they were seated at. Jessica noticed them at once and I saw recognition flit through her eyes as she realized who they were from the photo I had shown her just two days ago.
"This is Jessica. Jessica these are my parents John and Norah Kingston." I said with a smile.
"Oh it's nice to meet you, William has told me so much about you." Jessica said politely with a smile.
"It is nice to meet you as well dear. I was wondering why William was in such a hurry to get here, now I understand." My mother said happily. I could tell my parents were shocked that I had come back to them with a woman let alone a woman with such elegance and class.
"I hope it is okay I asked her to join us." I said as I pulled a chair out for Jessica to sit down on. Jessica smiled at me warmly and sat down only now letting go of my hand.
"Of course." My father said with a grin.
I sat down next to Jessica and took her hand in mine again brushing my thumb across the top of her hand comfortingly. She smiled at me thankfully and I felt her begin to relax as talked with my parents. The waiter came by to see what Jessica and I wanted now that we were here and I ordered our food, letting her enjoy her conversation with my mother. They seemed to hit it off right off the bat and it made me smile. I couldn't keep my eyes off of her the entire time.
I felt my dad's eyes on me and I glanced over at him. He smiled at me and gave me a look that let me know he could see just how much Jessica meant to me. I nodded to him and smiled wider as my mother and Jessica started laughing at something they had said. My father and I sat back and enjoyed listening to the two women who were deep in conversation. I was grateful that Laura had called me and that I was able to make it here in time to rescue Jessica from the harmful verbal abuse her mother had laid on her. It was just an added bonus that she was now meeting my parents and that they were getting along so well.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone