| ZAC: Robin and I woke almost at the same moment. Probably because we heard movement outside the tent. She rolled toward me and threw her arm around my waist. I kissed her forehead and smiled. "Hi.." "Hi yourself. Did you sleep well Zac?" she asked. "Yup. Did you?" I asked still smiling. "Yeah...I could probably sleep longer. But I smell coffee..." she grinned. "I think Tay and Jess are up. Should we go see what's for breakfast?" I asked her. "I am starving. Let's go.." she said and then pulled me down to her and kissed me fully. When she let go of me she smiled brightly and turned to put her clothes on. Once we were dressed we poked our heads out of the tent to see Tay and Jess, sitting in front of the fire, Taylor wrapped protectively around his fiancee. They weren't talking or anything. Just sitting as if transfixed. They looked as if they were only one person. Robin and I looked at each other, unsure of whether we should break the silence. We almost felt like we were intruding. Jess absently looked up and saw us. Her hands tightened on Tay's knee, involuntarily, as she smiled at us. "Hi you guys.." she said as Taylor turned his head and grinned. "Hey guys.." he said at almost the same instant Jess spoke. Damn they creeped me out sometimes! But I knew that it would take a pack of wild horses and a hell of alot of explosives to tear the two of them apart. I had no worries as to whether or not their marraige would last. Then I looked at Jess and really SAW her. I took Robin's hand and squeezed it. "Morning bro.." I said "We'll get breakfast started okay?" He nodded at me and I pulled Robin over to the table where Taylor and Jess had set out the food. "Robin? Jess still doesn't look well..look at her.." I said, so Jess wouldn't hear me and start insisting that there was nothing wrong. Robin's gaze followed mine and she shook her head slightly. "Yeah..only thing I can think of is that she's lower than 4 percent. We just need to get her to eat a couple of extra meals for the next couple of weeks and maybe cut down on the caffeine. She only drinks it by the gallon, what the hell does Jake have her doing?" |
| "Don't blame Jake, Robin. He's always on her ass to slow down and so is Tay. She just goes and goes..always helping someone with something. And Ike's wedding is down to the wire, and we can't be around much to help with all the promotions and things that we've got going now too. Lacey leans on her alot and Jess gets up with Tay at 5:00 am and works out almost every morning. You sure she really just needs to eat more?" I asked. "If she's doing all that and training to compete YES. Once she gains a percent or two she should feel alot better. And she probably knows that. Jake will kick her ass when she gets home, though. That is a conversation I DO NOT want to hear.." she trailed off. "C'mon, let's get some breakfast in her." She said suddenly and started getting things out. We scrambled some eggs and grilled some toast, and Robin rummaged through another bag until she found some fruit. She fixed both Jess and Tay a plate and handed them to Taylor. He reluctantly unwrapped himself from Jessie and took them, handing Jess hers first. He watched her for a minute, almost as if he was afraid she wouldn't eat it. Once he was satisfied that she was going to eat, he started on his own breakfast. Robin reached over the fire and grabbed the coffeepot and poured everyone a cup, but as she held Jessie's where she could reach it, Jess made a face. "God! I must have made that way too strong..no thanks Wattley...drink it at your own risk.." she giggled. Robin and I took a sip of ours, but it seemed fine. Taylor took a huge gulp of his and looked at Jessie sideways, but didn't say a word. |
| ZAC: Jessie glanced around at all of us, noticed that we were watching her and swore loudly and creatively. I had to grin, she was so exasperated that some of the color was coming back to her cheeks. "I am NOT going to fall apart if the rest of you breathe. I AM FINE. I will eat when I need to and I WILL take it easy today, but if this continues I will get my ass in that truck and leave you all here to drive Wattley's car wherever the hell you wanna go..." she barked and stood up. She threw her paper plate in the garbage can and ducked into her tent, quickly reemerging before Taylor could go in after her. He was at the entrance when she exploded out of it, some kind of clothing wadded up in her hand. She stomped right past him and headed down the trail that led to the lake. He stood there, stunned, staring after her for a few minutes. I could hear her, a steady string of swearing coming from her that would even shock a sailor. I looked at Taylor and said, "You better not just stand there, Tay. She is pissed and she'll probably hurt herself." "Son of a bitch!" he muttered and headed down the trail. As he left, Robin and I just looked at each other, eyes sparkilng and lips twitching, trying not to laugh. Granted, the subject of her health was NOT funny right now, but the sound of her muttering like a wizened, grumpy old man was just too much. As soon as I was sure Tay was out of earshot I burst out laughing, Robin two seconds behind me. "Hope she gets that under control...my mother wouldn't want to hear Zoe saying some of that stuff." I grinned. "ZAC! You know darn well that Jess wouldn't EVER talk like that in front of the kids.." she huffed. "I know..but to listen to her when she gets hot under the collar like that.." I laughed and shook my head. "I know.." Robin giggled. "Let's get this taken care of and then we'll go check on them okay?" We put everything away in a comfortable silence. When that was done we headed down the trail to the lake. |
| TAYLOR: Shit! Here I thought I had everything all under control. I had even gotten Jess to promise me that she would see a doctor if she wasn't better by the end of the week. I loved my brother, and Wattley too, for being concerned about Jess, but I knew she'd explode if we pressed the issue. Sure enough she did. I was completely shocked when she brushed right past me, heading down the trail, bathing suit in hand. And Zac was right, she still didn't feel well and she WOULD hurt herself if I didn't get down there and calm her down. Damn stubborn woman! As I took the last turn in the trail I saw her at the end of the dock, already in her bathing suit. I looked and saw the trail of her clothes leading down to the dock. Dammit! she probably ripped them off during her tirade and just left them there. I picked them up as I hurried down to the dock. "Jessie..stop!" I yelled as I neared her. She looked back for a split second and dove in. I swore loudly and dropped her clothes and ran to the end of the dock. She surfaced about halfway to the swimming platform and I swore again, kicking off my shoes. "Jessie!" I yelled again, but she ducked her head under the water and swam. "Shit!" I muttered and dove in, clothes and all. When I surfaced, she was on the other side of the swimming platform. "Jess! Please.." I called to her again. I watched as she swam toward the platform and pulled herself up the ladder. She sat down in the center of it and drew her knees up to her chest and ducked her head as she wrapped her arms around her knees. I groaned and my heart jumped to my throat as she seemed to shrink instantly and I knew she was crying. |