T H E S T R A N G E S T
Billy held out his hand for her to shake. The girl looked at it with uncertainty causing him to roll his eyes.
"I don't bite, sweetheart.", he said, waiting patiently for her to shake his hand.
"Are you sure about that...
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(christian slater as sean hatmore)
chapter twenty
N E V E R H A V E I E V E R
WHEN JACKIE GOT HOME SHE WAS WELCOMED WITH AN EMPTY HOUSE. She called out for her mother and found it peculiar when she received no answer. Janet usually worked from home, and when she didn't, she would always get off way before Jackie would typically arrive home.
Jackie searched every inch of her home for the blonde woman, but Janet was nowhere to be found. Jackie eventually gave up the search, ending up in the kitchen. The girl placed her hands on her hips as she pondered all the possible places her mother could be. Maybe she ran to the store, she pondered.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing. Jackie assumed it was her mother and she furrowed her brows wondering why she was ringing the doorbell to her own home.
But, Jackie made her way to the door, swinging it open to find not her mother, but her father. James stood on the porch, sticking out like a sore thumb in his bright orange sweater. In his right hand, he held the handle to a suitcase.
Jackie looked James quizzically, not expecting him to be standing there. "Um, dad, what are you doing here?"
James cleared his throat before nodding his head towards the inside of the house. "May I come in?"
Jackie nodded her head, stepping to the side to let her father pass. Baffled, the girl watched as her father rolled his suitcase inside their home.
"Are you staying with mom and I?", asked Jackie, eyeing his luggage.
James sighed, stuffing his hands into his pockets. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other whilst his eyes looked everywhere but where Jackie stood. James' facial expression was wrought, and he looked as if he were in deep thought.
"What is it, dad?", she asked, suddenly feeling nervous at her father's trepidatious manner. "D-did something happen to mom?", she implored, assuming the worst.
"No, your mother is fine."
At this, Jackie's shoulders relaxed, but James still seemed on edge.
"We need to talk.", he said, his voice reserved. He then gestured towards the living room.
Jackie's mind raced as, in her experience, nothing ever good came after her parents told her that they needed to talk. Usually bad news would follow after that sentence was uttered. The last time Jackie was sat down after her mother told her 'We need to talk', Jackie found out that her grandfather had passed away.
