Reintegration program - Elmax

Chapter 64 : Beacon

It was the half of August. Joyce was at her kitchen table, taking her breakfast with her young son next to her. She saw he wasn't really feeling good, he didn't see his friends during all summer and barely went outside.

- Is everything ok, sweetie? asked softly the mother.

- Yeah, why?

- Because, it's been a long time you didn't invite Lucas and the others, is there a problem?

- No, it's just...with the story with Jane, it creates tensions and I prefer taking some time for me, trying to think about it.

- Don't punish yourself for this, you already apologized, you can't do more!

- I know! But, I don't know...I prefer letting time doing things for me, told Will.

- Don't isolate you, it's not good for you.

- I'll call them, don't worry, I just wanted to let them alone a bit, reassured the young boy with a smile.

Joyce had a reassured smile. The two keep eating their breakfast before hearing a loud beacon approaching the house. They frowned at each other before going to the window and watching. It was a police car, but, because of the sun, they couldn't see who it was inside. Joyce and Will stepped back, waiting for this person to arrive. They heard knocks and opened directly. The Chief Hopper was standing there.

- The beacon was necessary? frowned Joyce.

- It's not my fault, said Hopper.

- It's mine!

Joyce bent on her side to see behind Hopper.

- Jane! exclaimed happily the mother.

The woman pushed Hopper and took the young girl in her arms.

- I'm so happy to see you!

Jane shyly wrapped her arms too, not really used to those kind of things. She wasn't expecting her to be this happy, she thought she was too much a burden to be missed at this point! Joyce broke the hug to put her hands on the young girl's cheeks to look at her.

- You seem to be ok!

- Yeah, I think I am, told Jane.

- You are, said Hopper.

- When did you get out? asked Joyce.

- Yesterday, I called Jim to pick me up.

- For the beacon, said the man with an amused tone.

- It's faster!

- Yeah, it was, indeed.

- Don't stay here, come inside, did you eat? told Joyce.

- Not yet, answered Jane.

- Great, the breakfast is still on the table.

Joyce wrapped her arm around Jane's shoulders, to be sure she would enter, with Hopper behind them, closing the door. The young girl sat at the table while Joyce was preparing her a hot chocolate. Will stayed a bit away, but shyly waved to Jane. The ex-prisoner had a nod to him, just to salute him.

- So, tell me, how was it? asked Joyce, putting the cup on the table and sitting next to her.

- It wasn't bad, shrugged Jane. It was hard at the beginning but then, it became more cool, less annoying.

- Yeah? What did you do?

- Lots of sport! They said it was for secreting some hormones with a complicated name. We had group talks, and private session with a psychologist, we had to pee in a cup every day!