Janet paused before going into the kitchen. For
whatever reason, she could feel butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She
couldn’t understand why, but she smoothed back her ponytail, twirling the end
of it with her fingers and went in. Her heart gave a leap when she saw Wes with
her laptop.
“What are you doing now?” she snapped. “Planting
more viruses?”
“Of course not,” he said, looking hurt. “I’m trying
to finish up your yenta website. I need your input though.”
“I don’t want it. You can just delete all of it and
leave my computer alone,” she said.
Wes stared at her and slowly closed over the laptop.
To Janet’s astonishment he looked precisely as Jasmine had described, like a defeated
puppy dog. She quickly looked away refusing to feel guilty. He was the one
who had done wrong, not she!
She went straight
to the counter and pulled out of a drawer an apron which she wrapped around
herself. She then took out some aluminum
foil and plastic wrap and started covering the casserole dishes.
“What the heck was Mom thinking?” she muttered to
herself as she covered the third dish. “She won’t need to cook for weeks. Have to
freeze most of this.”
“Your mom said Cindy and I could take some cookies,”
Wes said.
She continued pulling long sheets of foil and
wrapped each casserole dish, totally ignoring him.
“Janet, I’m sorry. I…”
“Don’t wanna hear it. You're just a liar!"
"I know," he said.
This so stunned Janet she ripped the foil too short for the dish and she had to get another piece. "You're a jerk!"
"I know that, too."
Was he trying to tick her off even more? Nothing she hated more than someone apologizing when she wanted to stay angry!
"I hate you!" she said.
"I wish you wouldn't cuz I love you,"he said ever so quietly.
Janet, however, heard it quite clearly. She could feel her heart swelling...with what, she hadn't a clue. She had to bite down on her lip to keep it from trembling.She would not cry in front of him!
"Go away unless you want that
pretty little face smashed in,” she said through clenched teeth.
“If it’ll make you feel better go for it. I deserve it,” he said, coming to stand on the opposite side of the center island.
She glared at him then made a weird face. “What the
heck did you do to your hair?”
“Uh…I dunno,” he said, running his hands through it
and fluffing out his curls. “Any better?”
It was considerably better. She didn’t think he ever
looked cuter, but she refused to say it. Instead she shrugged and turned away.
She rearranged several things in the fridge, moving things around and stacking others and then she started putting away the
food. When she ran out of room there, she turned to the freezer. There were still
two large dishes with no room left.
“Troy is gonna have to take these home,” she mumbled
as she removed her apron and stuffed it back into the drawer. She then cleaned
the counters and left the kitchen. She knew Wes was following her but she paid
him no mind.
“Hey, everybody, we should get--,” she said as she entered
the family room.
She jumped back and collided with Wes when Troy let out a roar of delight and
Donny jumped to his feet.
“Cowboys win!” Donny shouted, turning around to
smile at her.
“Uh, that’s great,” she said, though she couldn’t
care less.She pushed Wes' hands off her shoulders and added, “Um, where’s Jasmine? We have to leave.”
“Getting dressed, doing the makeup thing and stuff,”
Steve told her.
“Honestly! She had all day for that,” Janet huffed
and she stormed out of the room.
“Why is she upset? We’re not late, are we?” Cindy
said.
“We’ll be waiting another half hour or so for Jasmine,
you’ll see and then we will be late,” Steve said.
“You’re exaggerating. It doesn’t take that long to
get ready. It’s just dinner out,” Cindy said.
“You’re thinking of Janet. She’s ready in two
minutes, but you don’t know Jasmine.”
Cindy made a face. “But I’m hungry now,” she whined.
He laughed then stood up and grabbed her hand. “Come
on,” he said pulling her with him, checking to make sure Janet wasn’t watching.
“Where we going?”
“Getting a little snack, but it's gotta be quick,” he replied in a whisper. “Just
don’t tell Janet. She’s like a Nazi sometimes.”
Cindy giggled and they sneaked around behind Janet,
who stood at the base of the stairs and they dashed into the kitchen.
“Jazzy, we're leaving in ten minutes...no joke!" Janet shouted up the stairs.
“I don’t think we can all fit in my car,” Donny said
coming out of the family room with Troy. “Janet, you and Wes can take…”
“No!” she said, cutting him off. “Uh… Troy will
drive, right Troy?”
“ I can’t. My brother borrowed the car,” Troy said. “But
Wes has his. The four of us fit.”
“Yeah, I’ll drive. I don’t mind,” Wes said, staring
at Janet.
But she did mind.She didn't want to be anywhere near him. “Jasmine! Five minutes and we’re
leaving with or without you!” she shouted again.
“Want me go get her?” Troy asked taking a couple of
steps up until Donny grabbed him by the arm.
“I think she can manage to get ready on her own,
Troy,” Donny said. “We still have a few minutes. I see the rain has let up some which
is very good.”
They waited a good long while with Janet pacing back and forth and getting more irritated by the minute.
“It’s almost like another party. Two in one day,”
Cindy said excitedly, coming from the kitchen into the foyer where everyone stood around.
“What’s like a party?” Donny said, putting his arm around
her.
“All of us going out to dinner. It’s gonna be such
fun!” she replied.
“Oh, yes, me with six teenagers. Real fun,” Donny
said, making a face at her.
“Oh, Daddy,”
she said, hugging him.
“That’s it,” Janet said. “Mr. Sebastian,
can we head out now with you? Cindy, Stevie and me? The others will catch up.”
“Janet, you should come with…” Wes stopped abruptly
with one glowering look from her.
Donny glanced from one to the other then forced a
smile. “Of course, Janet,” he said, taking his overcoat and putting it on.
Janet went for her own, but Wes beat her to it. He held
it out for her so she had no choice but to allow him to help her on with it.
“Thank you,” she reluctantly said.
“I’ll do anything for you, Janet,” Wes whispered in
her ear.
A shiver went up her spine, but she ignored it. She went to open the front door, but Wes got there
first and opened it for her. She looked at him askance, then slipped out of the
door, down the walkway and into Donny’s car.
Wes saw them all get in and buckle up and watched
the car until the tail lights vanished from sight. He felt a hand on his
shoulder and turned to see Troy beaming at him.
“That’s real progress, Wes. She didn’t yell at ya once!”
Wes very nearly punched him.
