Jaded22

Jaimie gathered up her things, punched her time card and headed for the overhead door that led to the parking lot. "JAMESON!! You know we're not supposed to use that door!" a burly blonde man in his mid-thirties yelled as she jumped from the loading dock to the pavement below. "I know Shane...but I am gonna be late dammit!" she yelled, as she ran backwards so she could see his reaction. "Jimmy'd kick your ass!!" he yelled back, smiling. "And what do you THINK YOU know?" she taunted, tying her jacket around her hips. "I KNOW! Have fun...see ya kid." Shane waved her on as she jumped in her van, guned the motor and took off.

Taylor wondered if maybe Jaimie was avoiding him, he'd been sitting in his car, parked outside her apartment for 20 minutes and she still wasn't home. He looked toward the house and noticed that all the lights were still on. "Must be her dad's truck.." he said to himslef when he saw the small red vehicle parked between the house and Jaimie's apartment. He breathed a sigh of relief when Jaimie pulled her van in behind the truck. He got out of his car and strode toward her, smiling when she saw him. Her face broke into a beaming smile. "Hi, Jame.." he said softly, "How was your night?" Jaimie shrugged and grinned. "How much fun can unloading boxes be, Tay?" "Good point." he smiled. "Looks like your dad was up all night too.." he motioned toward the house, glowing from the inside. Every single light must have been on. "Oh shit.." she breathed when she noticed and bolted for the door. "DADDY?? DADDY??" she called with no answer. Taylor close on her heels.
"DAD!! Where are you?" she called again, slamming doors open and looking wildly around. "Jame? What is it? What can I do?" Taylor asked, thoroughly confused. "Tay. You don't have to stay for this." she answered quietly. "I'm sorry.: she said and stopped short when she found her father, either asleep or passed out, in his recliner, in the den. "God, Daddy..." she breathed and went to him, kneeling down. She gave him a gentle shake as Taylor watched, touched. "Daddy? Daddy wake up.." she urged. "Daddy please.." she shook him again. "What time is it, Jaime-girl?" her father asked when he opened his eyes slighty. "Daddy, don't freak me out like that." Jaimie complained. "It's morning. Where's Mongo?" she demanded. "If he ain't here, he musta gone home." he father slurred, and Taylor was bombarded with the heavy smell of stale whiskey. "Well goodie for him." Jaimie muttered. "Come on, Daddy. Sleep in your bed, you'll feel better." she told him and wrapped
his arm around your shoulder. "Where's your momma?" he asked her, his eyes glassy. "Momma's sleeping.." she told him and hoisted him up out of the chair. "Well when the hell did she get home? I waited up for her.." he slurred and Taylor's heart twisted in his chest.
"I know, Daddy. Just come on and get some sleep, okay?" she urged and almost stumbled. Taylor reached out to steady them and the man's large hand gripped his forearm as he tried to focus on the person in front of him. "Well there ya are, Jimmy...you and Jameson have a good show?" he asked, Taylor only smiled at the man, feeling bad that he missed the other half of his family so much he resorted to this. tay was about to open his mouth and say something else, but jaimie beat him to it. "This is Taylor, Daddy. Jimmy's not here." she said as Tay moved aside to let Jaime manuever the stumbling man into his bedroom. "Taylor?" he stared at Taylor hard, his eyes dialating as he tried harder to focus. "Hello, sir." Taylor smiled. "Where'd HE come from?" he asked, Jaimie. "Be nice, Daddy. Taylor's a good friend." she warned as she dragged her father through his bedroom doorway.

"Don't tell ME to be nice missy.." Jaimie's father admonished.
"BE NICE, Daddy." Jaimie warned again. "Taylor'll come back around when you're not so...tired....okay? You'll like him. I promise. Just behave, you know Momma hates it when you act like this.." Jaimie grumbled, as Taylor took all of her father's weight from her, motioning for her to pull the blankets back. "Okay, Jameson." her father gave her a lopsided grin as she took him from Taylor and helped him into bed. "That's better." she smiled back and he reached up to caress her cheek. "I thought you said Momma was sleeping?" he let his head loll back on the pillow. "She is Daddy, just go to sleep now. We'll talk later." she said softly, pulling off his shoes and tossing them on the floor. "Okay, Jame. Tell your brother when he gets in that..." her father began. "Yes daddy, I know. Sleep now.." she pulled the covers over his shoulders and kissed him on the cheek. "Be a good girl and get your daddy some breakfast, will you?" he asked. "I'll fix you something when you wake up, Dad. Sleep." she urged. "'Night baby girl.." he murmured and closed his eyes. "'Night Daddy.." Jaimie whspered back, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. Taylor followed her silently out of the room, out of the house and into her apartment. She untied her jacket from her hips and dropped it on the futon and kicked her shoes off, in silence, ran her hand through her hair, went to the fridge and took out a bottle of water. She twisted the cap off and guzzled half of it as Taylor waited for her to say something. She turned her back to him and leaned over the sink, setting the bottle down, then ran her hand through her hair, as she took a deep shuddering breath. She lowered her head and gripped the counter tightly, making her knuckles turn white. It was then that Taylor realized she was crying, holding back the sound so he wouldn't hear. He was behind her instantly, with his arms around her, holding her tightly. "Jame.." he called to her softly as she silently shook in his arms. "Jame, it's alright.." he tried to comfort her. She took a deep breath and stifled her sobs, gripping his hands around her waist. "I'm alright.." she sniffed. "Taylor, it's okay. I'm fine." she said and breathed in one more time. When she blew it out she stopped shaking altogether. "I'm sorry you had to witness that insanity." she apologized, her voice a mere whisper. "He only gets like that when he's had too much.." she sniffed again and wiped her eyes quickly. "For the most part, he's adjusted. Once he sleeps it off he'll be himself again. I just worry that he'll catch the house on fire or something.." she went on, then actually managed to look Taylor in the eye. "It's alright Jaimie. Are you okay?" he asked, tucking her hair behind her ears. "Yeah...fine.." she murmured as he bent his head and kissed her lips, softly. "We don't have to go out, Jame..." he looked at her questioningly. "Let's go, Tay.
I can't deal with this and he's good and passed out by now. Let's just get out of here.." she said, grabbed her jacket and a comb and flew out the door. "Okay.." Taylor said to thiin air, then ran to catch up with her.

"JAIMIE WAIT!!" Taylor yelled when he saw her yank open the door to her van. She turned and looked at him, frustrated. "Jame...just let me drive, okay? We'll go wherever you want, just... please...let ME drive." Taylor had reached her in just a few long strides, then grabbed her arm. She continued to stare at him for a moment, several emotions crossing her face in the course of a few seconds. He wished he could decipher more than the sadness and anger, though right now, those seeemed to be what she was struggling with most. Finally she sighed heavily. "Okay. Let's just GO." she said as he shut her van door. He managed to make it to his car before her and opened the door, closing it for her when she got inside. He slid into his seat and started the car.
"Where to?" he asked. "Are you hungry?" Jaimie shook her head. "No. But if you are, I can keep you company and have some coffee.." she said softly. "You know what? I have an even better idea..." he grinned at her, proud of himself for thinking of something he thought she'd appreciate. She managed a weak smile. "Whatever you want, Tay. I just wanna get out of HERE.." she said and looked out the window. "We're gone, baby." he grinned and squeezed her thigh as he pulled away from the house. She covered hhis hand with hers and looked into his blue eyes. "Thanks." she managed to say, before she turned to stare out the window, thinking that she was glad he father was passed out, rather than just sleeping. She planned to be away from all this for a very long time today.