“I was thinking two boys and a girl?” I reply. “The girl can come last, so her older brothers can protect her.”
“Good thinking. And have you got any names in mind?” Jess asks.
“Guys, what in the world,” Georgie protests, but her smile is radiant, even though the blush.
This is what matters. Family. Relaxing. Enjoying the small pleasures of life. Being around Georgie. This is what life is supposed to be about. Not warehouses and attack plans and drama.
Chapter 18 - Georgie
Jess lifts her travel bag onto the bed, pulling the zipper open, she glances over the neatly rolled clothes I am helping her sort.
She picks up a few of her T-shirts, placing them into her bag, then sighs loudly and throws me a pout. “I’m going to miss you like crazy,” she complains. “But I’m so excited to get back to Emmanuil. Jeepers, I can’t even explain how much I love that man. I can’t believe I’ve already been here for a month. Time flies so fast.”
Sitting down on the side of the bed to hide the fact that my legs feel weak, I smile at her. It’s been amazing having her here. She’s the type of person that I can not see for ages, but as soon as I see her again, it’s like we never had any time apart.
And knowing how happy she is in her life makes me happy, too.
“I’m so happy you found that kind of love, Jess. I can see how you glow when you talk about him. Were you really here for a month? That’s crazy. Having you around is so comfortable it feels shorter. What am I going to do without you?” I say, handing her the clothes as I finish rolling them.
Jess throws me an odd, cheeky smile.
“It’s not like you’ll be alone. You know, I can see your glow, too,” she raises her brows at me.
“Okay, let’s not start all that again.” I shake my head, not eager to discuss anything about what’s going on between her brother and me, because I have no idea what’s going on. How can I comment on it when it’s so one-sided, with me looking like a desperate fool?
I’ve managed to somehow steer clear of this conversation every time she’s tried to bring it up during her stay.
Besides, right now, I feel like crap. It started in the very early hours of this morning and keeps getting worse. I’m drained, exhausted, vomiting throughout the day, and all I want to do is crawl into bed. I’ve managed to hide it from everyone, though.
“You look a bit paler than usual,” Jess remarks, squinting at me.
“Oh, it’s nothing. I didn’t get enough sleep last night. I’m a bit worried about the next exam.”
“You shouldn’t be,” she says confidently. “You keep acing them. You’re the top student in that class.”
I don’t want to worry her with whatever is going on with me. It’s probably just some kind of tummy bug that will pass in a day or two. She’s so excited to get home to her husband, and if she finds out I’m sick, she’ll insist on staying to take care of me.
“You’re right. But the pressure still gets to a person,” I shrug.
“The pressure to be the best.” She grins, shoving the last pair of jeans in and zipping her bag up. “Is that everything?” she asks, looking around the room.
“I’ll check the bathroom. You always leave your toiletry bag behind.”
“Not always,” she complains. “Only most of the time.”
Sure enough, it’s sitting on the vanity. I scoop it up and zip it closed, carrying it through to the room.
Her face beams with a sheepish grin. “Most of the time,” she says again, taking it from me and opening her bag again tostash it inside. She glances at her watch. “Okay, I have to get going. The pilot is waiting for me on the runway. I was supposed to be there already.”
I grab her and pull her into a hug, turning my face away so she doesn’t get my germs on her. She squeezes me tight.
“You'd better message me every day. No more secrets. Tell me everything,” she says, scolding me.
“I will,” I say. “And we can video call next week again. You just let me know the time and day after you’ve settled in at home.”
She steps back and gives me one more long look.
“You should talk to Kris. About things. You might be surprised by what he says,” she suggests, her eyes piercing into mine as if she knows secrets.
