What Connects Us: Jessica and Jeremy

Fragment Ten

See, I'm a dedicated writer now! ;p

***

Seven years later,

               "Skinny latte for Jessica?" the cafe barista called out from behind the counter. The woman walked to the end of the counter at the pickup section. She smiled at the additional "h" at the end of her name; it had been a long time since someone spelt her name incorrectly.

                     Exiting the small cafe, she took a warming sip of her hot coffee as soon as the January wind hurled towards her. Her light brown hair delicately waved through her hair, as she stuck out her hand to summon a cab. 

                     *Where are you?*

                       She read the text Holly sent her as she got inside the cab. Jessica read the time on her watch; she had plenty of time before she had to arrive at the office.

                   *On the way. This is my usual timing, you okay?*

                     Jessica texted back. She took another sip of her warming coffee as she tightened her coat around herself. Her phone buzzed on the taxi seat.

                    *Yeah, I'm just bored at the office. I'm on my third cup of coffee.*

                   Jessica chuckled at her ex-sister-in-law's message. The driver stopped at her designation as Jessica gave him the fare plus tip. She greeted Mark and Paul, the regular doormen at the entrance of the Finley Enterprise building.

                     *You have a surprise meeting in ten minutes. Where are you?*

                     Holly texted; Jessica looked at her watch, ten minutes until 8:30 AM. 

                 Before she could reply the doors opened to her floor and Holly was a couple of steps away. 

                   "Well that was fast," Holly commented as she kissed her best friend on both cheeks.

                   "New York minute," Jessica said with a wink as she took off her coat. "So what's the meeting about?" she asked as she walked to her office. Holly scratched her chin.

                  "Holly?" Jessica asked with a hand on her hips.

                  "Um I don't know, they just said it was a surprise meeting," Holly replied with a shrug.

                 "You're hiding something. You're scratching your chin, and you only scratch your chin when you're nervous," Jessica said with the cock of an eyebrow. Jessica's interrogation was soon interrupted with a knock on the office door. Holly gave out a sigh of relief. 

                   "Sorry ladies; Jessica can I speak to you in private?" Charles Finley said as he let himself in.

                    "Oh excuse me," Holly said and shot Jessica a smile as she escaped the room.

                   Jessica wiped her hand against her skirt as she motioned for Charles to sit at her desk. He had never come in her office before, so this was new. She dismissed the last moment she spent alone with him in a private conversation. She'd been crying in his arms the day after she'd received the file from Jeremy, as he soothed her pain in a fatherly manner. He was the father she'd never had.