Page 9 of Deluge
I slam back the glass of water in two gulps before I turn the faucet on and fill it up again.
“Yeah,” I mutter before I raise the glass to my lips again.
“Always?”
“What?” I ask, casting her a curious glance as I set the glass down on the counter.
“Well, has it always been just you?”
“No.”
She nods as her hands find their way to her hips, and I do my best not to roll my eyes. Maybe I should have lied and told her that I live with someone, but I don’t think that would deter whatever it is that she might be thinking.
“What about you?” I inquire, hoping to change the subject to something a little less mundane. “Who do you live with?”
“Hm? Oh, with my aunt and uncle. My parents bit the big one when I was a kid. I don’t really remember them, but I have pictures of them I like to look at. It’s nice to pretend sometimes, you know?”
“Pretend?” I echo curiously.
“That I know them. That they’re just on an extended vacation, and I’ll get to meet them again someday,” she explains with a shrug.
No.
“Yeah, that sounds reasonable,” I lie.
Jessa glances over her shoulder, and I sigh. “Do you wanna see the rest of the house?”
“No, I was just kinda hoping to sit down and rest my legs for a little bit,” she says, making a face as she leans down and rubs her knees. “I haven’t been on a swing in years.”
I nod as I walk by her again and give her arm a brief tug. Her footsteps resound in the quiet home as she follows me into the living room.
I hold a hand toward the couch, then sit on the three-legged armchair across from her. I would eventually like to throw this damn thing away, but Hailey spent a fair amount of her time in this chair before she left, talking to us about the Magnificent Luke Greene.
If it wasn’t her favorite chair, I would have buried it with them.
“Hey, can I ask you something?” Jessa pipes up strangely.
It’s the first time I’ve heard her tone take an odd turn in the two times we’ve met and said something to each other. Strange enough to drive the thought ofhimand Hailey out of my mind for the time being.
“Sure.”
“Why do you watch that house so much?”
My face burns crimson. I can feel it take over my cheeks like a fire suddenly lit, and I clear my throat as I wipe my now sweaty palms on my denim-covered knees.
“What house?”
“Come on, Dalton,” she says with a smirk. “I live almost directly across from it. I’ve seen you there almost every single night for months. Do you know the people that live there?”
“Listen,” I begin as I get to my feet, “I don’t know what you think you’re seeing, but I’d really like to get some sleep now if that’s alright with you.”
Jessa looks up at me, her eyes bright with mischief, her smile reflecting the same.
“Looks like I struck a nerve.”
I give her an even look in return.
“Alright,” she says as she stands up, “but I’ll tell you, there’s nothing special about those two. Just some gal taking care of an older man. They both seem nice enough, you know?”