the least attention. Convinced it was just her weary mind playing tricks on her, she continued up the steps. At least she still had a job, she told herself as she desperately searched for a positive.
She realised she must have been wearing rose-tinted spectacles the last time she’d visited the office. Either that, or it really was a different place now. The office just hadn’t been quite the same as the place she remembered from six months ago. During her earlier week on the job, she had been welcomed with open arms by everyone, her work appreciated and applauded. Now, the faces weren’t at all familiar, aside from Mr Chan, and the people hadn’t been overly friendly either. The atmosphere seemed so competitive.
At least she had Jack. Lovely Jack would be waiting for her as soon as she got through the door. That was her one shining positive in an otherwise crappy day that couldn’t be over fast enough, as far as Jessie was concerned.
‘Hi honey, I’m home,’ Jessie called as she opened the door, liking the way it sounded. It was nice to come home knowing someone would be there. Maybe with a home-cooked meal in the oven and a glass of wine freshly poured with her name on it.
‘Hi,’ croaked Jack from the living room. ‘How’d it go?’ he asked, followed by a series of coughs.
‘Fine,’ Jessie replied automatically. Now she was home, she suddenly didn’t feel like launching into a full-scale deconstruction of what her day had really been like. She’d tell him over dinner.
‘That’s good. Any thoughts on dinner?’ he asked, followed by more coughs.
‘Dunno,’ Jessie replied, slightly deflated as she dumped her bag and slipped out of her shoes. Obviously no home-cooked meal waiting for her then. Jessie did a quick scan of the living room to see if any wine was on the go. Nope. No wine either.
‘There goes another fantasy,’ Jessie said under her breath as she plastered on a smile to hide her disappointment. It would be unfair of her to take out her shitty day on Jack. He was sick and probably hadn’t had much fun himself. At the moment he was sprawled out on the sofa watching the television, looking every inch the sick person.
‘How’re you feeling?’ Jessie asked as she slid into his lap. She felt instantly soothed by the contact. She studied the rash on his arm, noting that it didn’t look quite so angry as it had that morning.
‘Not so good,’ he replied, sliding her into the seat beside him with a grunt and a grimace.
‘My head aches and I’m sore all over, and this blinking rash is itchy as hell,’ he moaned, looking pathetically sorry for himself.
‘Well, at least you’re up and about. And dressed. That’s progress,’ Jessie said, desperately searching for a positive.
‘Probably not for long,’ he said miserably. ‘I’m exhausted and am probably going to hit the hay soon.’
‘I thought you were hungry?’ Jessie semi-protested.
‘Nah, I changed my mind.’ He leaned over to give her a quick kiss. ‘Think I just need to sleep,’ he added as he raised himself up off the sofa slowly, moving like a man twice his age. Jessie watched him silently cross the living room towards the bedroom door. Then he seemed to remember something and hobbled over to the kitchenette instead.
‘What are you doing?’ Jessie called over to him.
‘I’m fixing your dinner,’ Jack replied simply as he pulled a plate of pasta out of the fridge and hefted it into the microwave.
‘You didn’t have to do that,’ Jessie said, her heart melting as she shot off the sofa to help. And to think, she’d been thinking frustrated thoughts about him.
‘Yes, I did. I made it earlier when I had a bit more energy, but it’s still kind of fresh.’
‘You go to bed. I can manage,’ Jessie said, gently stroking his arm.
‘You sure?’
‘Yes. Go and rest.’ She gave him another peck on the cheek. ‘And thank you.’
So, Jessie got her home-cooked meal in the end. And although Jack
She realised she must have been wearing rose-tinted spectacles the last time she’d visited the office. Either that, or it really was a different place now. The office just hadn’t been quite the same as the place she remembered from six months ago. During her earlier week on the job, she had been welcomed with open arms by everyone, her work appreciated and applauded. Now, the faces weren’t at all familiar, aside from Mr Chan, and the people hadn’t been overly friendly either. The atmosphere seemed so competitive.
At least she had Jack. Lovely Jack would be waiting for her as soon as she got through the door. That was her one shining positive in an otherwise crappy day that couldn’t be over fast enough, as far as Jessie was concerned.
‘Hi honey, I’m home,’ Jessie called as she opened the door, liking the way it sounded. It was nice to come home knowing someone would be there. Maybe with a home-cooked meal in the oven and a glass of wine freshly poured with her name on it.
‘Hi,’ croaked Jack from the living room. ‘How’d it go?’ he asked, followed by a series of coughs.
‘Fine,’ Jessie replied automatically. Now she was home, she suddenly didn’t feel like launching into a full-scale deconstruction of what her day had really been like. She’d tell him over dinner.
‘That’s good. Any thoughts on dinner?’ he asked, followed by more coughs.
‘Dunno,’ Jessie replied, slightly deflated as she dumped her bag and slipped out of her shoes. Obviously no home-cooked meal waiting for her then. Jessie did a quick scan of the living room to see if any wine was on the go. Nope. No wine either.
‘There goes another fantasy,’ Jessie said under her breath as she plastered on a smile to hide her disappointment. It would be unfair of her to take out her shitty day on Jack. He was sick and probably hadn’t had much fun himself. At the moment he was sprawled out on the sofa watching the television, looking every inch the sick person.
‘How’re you feeling?’ Jessie asked as she slid into his lap. She felt instantly soothed by the contact. She studied the rash on his arm, noting that it didn’t look quite so angry as it had that morning.
‘Not so good,’ he replied, sliding her into the seat beside him with a grunt and a grimace.
‘My head aches and I’m sore all over, and this blinking rash is itchy as hell,’ he moaned, looking pathetically sorry for himself.
‘Well, at least you’re up and about. And dressed. That’s progress,’ Jessie said, desperately searching for a positive.
‘Probably not for long,’ he said miserably. ‘I’m exhausted and am probably going to hit the hay soon.’
‘I thought you were hungry?’ Jessie semi-protested.
‘Nah, I changed my mind.’ He leaned over to give her a quick kiss. ‘Think I just need to sleep,’ he added as he raised himself up off the sofa slowly, moving like a man twice his age. Jessie watched him silently cross the living room towards the bedroom door. Then he seemed to remember something and hobbled over to the kitchenette instead.
‘What are you doing?’ Jessie called over to him.
‘I’m fixing your dinner,’ Jack replied simply as he pulled a plate of pasta out of the fridge and hefted it into the microwave.
‘You didn’t have to do that,’ Jessie said, her heart melting as she shot off the sofa to help. And to think, she’d been thinking frustrated thoughts about him.
‘Yes, I did. I made it earlier when I had a bit more energy, but it’s still kind of fresh.’
‘You go to bed. I can manage,’ Jessie said, gently stroking his arm.
‘You sure?’
‘Yes. Go and rest.’ She gave him another peck on the cheek. ‘And thank you.’
So, Jessie got her home-cooked meal in the end. And although Jack
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