Arms Length

Chapter 38: Don't know how to play it Cool

**Jade**

"Jade, please..." I feel her hand on my back and it still sets my body on fire.

I take a deep breath and steel my nerves as her profile comes into my peripheral vision, before I can open my mouth to speak like a saving grace. "Jade." Hannah says over the walkie, causing Billie to jump a bit.

"Go ahead Hannah."

"Can you come to the medical tent near the Honda stage?"

"Sure. Be right there." I say into the walkie and shove it into my back pocket. "Nice seeing you Billie." I say walking toward the medical tent leaving her mouth hanging half open. I feel like I can't get away from her fast enough as I walk toward the medical tent; by the time I get to the tent I have to take a breath and compose myself and follow Hannah's voice "how did this happen?" I hear her ask.

"What happened?" I ask walking into a make-shift triage area where one of the interns is receiving stitches in their hand.

"I fell on some glass behind the stage, it's not a big deal." The intern says in his half shocked half tired state.

"It is a big deal though. Have you a tetanus shot?"

"A what?"

"Now I know why Travis was so frustrated with us all the time." Hannah mumbles looking over the clipboard.

"Okay." I sigh pushing my sunglasses onto my head, "Hannah, can you get him to the closest Med Clinic make sure he gets a tetanus shot and check in with me on Monday."

"How was your day, honey?" Aunt Sherri asks as I walk upstairs, pulling my hoodie off.

"I now understand why Travis was so frustrated with us all time, I had to send an intern home because he cut his hand open on glass and I ran into Billie briefly." I sigh. "How is Chase?"

"He's been asleep for hours. Did you talk to her?"

"No, the emergency with the intern saved me from having to interact with her."

"Sit down sweetie, let's talk." Aunt Sherri says patting the couch next to her.

"If you're going to tell me I need to hear her out and forgive her..." I say sitting next to her.

"Right after Clay was born your Uncle Frank cheated on me...." Aunt Sherri says shifting her seating position to face me.

"What?"

"Mmhmm. And we'd been married for 5 years and already had Aimee."

"..."

"Honey, I'm not going to sugar-coat this because your mom never sugar-coated anything with your sister or you. Sometimes sex is just sex. If she was emotionally checked out when she went on tour, I'd worry, but she wasn't... just hear her out. Every relationship is going to hit a rough patch, just talk to her." She says patting my leg as she gets up and hands me the video monitor. "Hear her out sweetie." My aunt says leaning over as she kisses the top of my head before walking upstairs to the guestroom.

I sigh and nod as I look at a sleeping Chase in the monitor as he cuddles the stuffed shark Billie gave him. I pull out my phone, unblock her number and contemplate texting her or calling her. I swallow my pride, press her contact information, and say a small prayer she doesn't pick up, though I don't know what I'd say if I were to leave a voicemail. I pick at my cuticles as the other end rings and eventually goes to voicemail.