Part 16 (1/2)

”I was thinking more like a month,” he confides.

I smile. ”I can live with that.”

I ask Mason to bring Chandler and JoJo to my house while I go get Leah from Mama Lynn's. With four of us together now, and me without any emotional baggage, I have high hopes we can locate the fifth vessel in record time.

But before I go to Mama Lynn's, I grab a piece of notebook paper and make a quick sketch on it. I walk over to George's house and knock on his door.

When he opens it, he's dressed in khaki's and a red flannel s.h.i.+rt.

”Jess!” He says, giving me a bear hug. ”What brings you to my door this early in the morning?”

I hand George my drawing. ”You still have that jigsaw right?”

”Yes,” George says, looking down at the paper in his hands. ”You want me to make this for you?”

I nod. ”Yes.”

”Looks simple enough. Just the four pieces?”

”Yeah. When do you think you can have it done for me?”

”I can knock this out for you this afternoon.”

”Great,” I smile, unable to contain my excitement.

”Mind me asking you what it's for?”

I tell George because I feel sure I will need his help in my surprise for Mason.

”You're the first person I've told so don't say anything to Faison or Mama Lynn until I get a chance to tell them.”

”Ok, Jess,” George says. ”My lips are sealed. You just let me know when you need my help with things.”

I leave George's house and go over to Mama Lynn's. Faison opens the door and I feel like I'm looking at the old Faison again. Her hair is fixed, make-up on and there's even a real smile on her face.

She grabs my arm and pulls me inside the house.

”I can't believe you had s.e.x last night and didn't tell me it was going to happen,” she laments.

I quickly scan the area to make sure Leah is no where around.

”I really couldn't find the right time to tell you, Fai.”

”Well?” Faison asks looking at me expectantly. ”How was it?”

I feel my eye begin to tear up.

”Oh G.o.d,” she says, ”was he that bad? I thought for sure since he was so old he would have had enough practice by now to be good at it.”

”No, Fai,” I say indulgently. ”It was that good. It was everything I could have hoped for and more.”

A slow grin stretches Faison's lips. ”Good. I'm glad he made it so special for you.”

I wipe at the tears in my eyes.

”You look really good,” I tell her.

Faison sighs. ”I just realized John Austin wouldn't want me to mourn him, especially if his death was destined to be anyway. His life wasn't for nothing because we'll always remember him. Besides, Leah needs me. I can't be a big sister to her if all I do is mope around the house and cry my eyes out all the time. I need to set a better example for her. She's been through so much in her short life. She doesn't need more baggage and that's what I would be. So, I'm getting myself together and that's that.”

I hug Faison, glad to have my sister back.

I see Leah bound down the steps from the second floor and almost don't recognize her. She has a new haircut which feathers the hair around her face accentuating its exotic beauty. Her clothes are brand new and more in line with someone her age. She has a little bit of make-up on but not enough to be overpowering.

”Hey Jess,” she says coming to stand with me and Faison.

”Leah, you look beautiful. I love the hair!”

Leah looks bashful. ”Thanks. Faison suggested it.”

”It looks great,” I rea.s.sure her.

Faison puts an arm around Leah's shoulders. ”Yep, we'll have those boys at school eating out of the palm of your hand in no time.”

”School?” Leah asks.

”Uh, yeah,” Faison says. ”You know, where you go to learn things.”

Leah looks at me with panic in her eyes. ”I've never been to school.”

”Oh,” Faison looks at me. ”What do you think we should do?”

”Did Remy teach you things when you were moving around?”

”I know how to read and basic math,” Leah says. ”But other than that...”

”I'll talk to Mason. We might just get you a tutor or something. Don't worry. We'll figure it out.”

”I would like to go to school one day,” Leah says. ”I've never been around a lot of other kids my age.”

”Well, let's take it one step at a time,” I tell her. ”We need to get you up to speed on the history of this Earth in particular. It's a lot different from the one you know.”

Leah nods. ”Ok, Jess.”

”I came over to get you,” I tell Leah. ”I thought the four of us should try connecting with the fifth vessel. Hopefully, it will be easier now with four of us.”

”When do you think you'll be done?” Faison asks. ”I thought I would take Leah to the mall so we can get some stuff to decorate her room with.”