Work Text:
Hanging up the phone, Jessica was exasperated. The day had been a disaster, beginning with Amos bringing his sister, Winnie, over for Jessica to keep company because the woman left her husband. Jessica had to finish her manuscript that night. She had to—yet no one seemed to understand or even listen to what she was saying. Sometimes she felt people thought her career was not important. No one respected her boundaries when she was on deadline. Writing was hard work. Work she loved, but work, nonetheless. Her manuscript was almost finished, but she had had far too many distractions, cutting it closer than ever before to meet her deadline. She had never missed one, and she didn’t intend on starting now.
Still, Amos had manipulated her, getting her to take Winnie in for the afternoon. Although she had tried to hold firm, when Winnie commented on her photo of Frank, she knew her resolve had completely disappeared. After sitting with the woman for several hours, she felt sorry for her, but when she mentioned forgetting her prescription, it had been far too easy to pass her along to Seth.
When Seth had called telling her that Winnie wanted to stay with him overnight, she heard the desperation in his voice. He was in a tizzy, worried about his reputation, and wanted Jessica to take her back.
But she held firm. She had a book to finish and finish it, she would. Seth was a grown man, and he could take care of himself.
She knew she hadn’t heard the end of it though.
And she hadn’t.
Jessica finished her manuscript that night and had the best sleep in weeks. Waking the next morning, she had been energized, barely giving thought to Seth’s turmoil.
She trusted him after all. Winnie was a good person, but Seth would never do anything inappropriate with a married woman, even one who was leaving her husband.
Wanting to provide some assistance to Winnie and her family as well as a needed distraction now that she had met her deadline, Jessica had invited them over for dinner. No one seemed to like seafood, but it was too late to change the menu. Confident that the family had more troubles than her offerings for a meal, she concentrated on helping Amos as he tried to navigate the family’s fractured relationships.
After Winnie’s husband died and others were rendered unconscious, she was horrified to realize that her chowder had likely been laced with a drug to cause Elmo’s death. Amos sent a deputy to Jessica’s house to pack up the chowder to test at her own insistence. Elmo had not been a pleasant man, but no one deserved to be killed.
Later that night, after it was determined the other family members affected were safe to leave the hospital, Amos took Winnie back to his house with her in-laws. Winnie was not happy, but as her husband was dead and he was who she had been trying to get away from, she left with her brother.
When Amos offered to drop Jessica at home on the way, Seth interrupted, “Sounds like your car is plenty full, Amos. Jess, I’ll take you home if you can just give me long enough to finish some notes.”
The look he gave her made it clear that he wanted to talk to her, so she nodded, sitting back down in the waiting room.
When he pulled up outside her house later, Jessica was surprised he came with her to the door. She thought the events of the evening would have him ready to hibernate alone.
Instead, he followed her inside.
Turning on the coffee pot, she watched him sit down at the kitchen table. She stifled a sigh. What had started out as a wonderful day where she had more energy than she could recall in some time, she felt exhausted again.
She really hadn’t thought he would want to stay tonight. But she could tell by glancing at him now that he would. Tired or not, she never liked turning him down, though sometimes she insisted they only cuddle.
Placing a cup of hot coffee in front of him, she sat down. “What’s wrong, Seth?”
He rubbed his face roughly, obviously tired himself. “I thought we should talk about last night.”
Raising one eyebrow, she said, “Oh?”
“You sound surprised.”
“I am. I thought you would want to talk about Elmo dying. Why do you want to talk about last night?”
“Because Winnie stayed last night, woman! Or did you hear anything I said when I called begging for help, and you pretended to be an answering device you don’t have?”
Confused, she said, “I did hear you, Seth. I don’t think you heard me say that I had to finish my manuscript. Are you holding that against me?”
“For pity’s sake, woman, not at all. I’m trying to make sure you know that I would never do anything with Amos’ sister!”
Taken aback, she sat up in her chair, “Well, of course, you wouldn’t. What an odd thing to say.”
“Why is it odd? When that David Everett character came sniffing around looking for lost treasure, I wanted to know that he stayed in the guest room, especially when he had taken liberties by kissing you on the street.”
Laughing now, she said, “But you and I didn’t have that sort of relationship yet, Seth.”
“Ayuh, maybe so. But as I recall, it wasn’t long thereafter that I staked my claim on you, Jess. Or what little claim I have.”
“Hmm, yes, let’s not get into that again.”
“So, I just want it to be known that Winnie stayed in the guest room all night. I did not do anything inappropriate, nor would I ever.”
Touching his face and looking into his eyes, she kept her hand still and whispered, “I know you wouldn’t, Seth. You are an honorable man. You would never hurt me that way.”
He reached to hold her hand in place. “No, I wouldn’t. But there are some gray areas in our relationship. I just wanted to be clear.”
“Are there?” At his confused look, she added, “What gray areas?”
“Well, we are friends who love each other and occasionally sleep together. But we don’t have a defined commitment yet.”
“We don’t? That’s news to me. So, are you saying you can sleep with me and be like Jonathan Martin and go sleep with Eve or Phyllis tomorrow?”
“For Christ’s sake, woman, you are twisting everything I am saying.”
She did know what he meant. Part of her had thought to tease him, but she realized that after he brought up David and started talking about gray areas, her question had been due to frustration coming to the forefront.
Ready to put them both out of their misery so they could retire to bed, she chuckled, reaching for his hand, saying, “Seth, dear, despite you hating the phrase, we are what my nieces call, friends with benefits. I know you don’t agree, but it’s not dirty. I think at our age and place in life it’s quite satisfying. I appreciate that we have our own homes and are alright being alone, but we have time when you stay over. I am happy where we are in our relationship. Maybe one day we will be more. But let me make a few things clear so we can move on and go to bed, because I’m exhausted—I am monogamous. I want and expect you to be faithful just as I know you want and expect that of me. I trust you with my life, my heart, and my body. Therefore, the fact that Winnie stayed in your guest room last night is not a concern to me. Because I know you. I know you love me, and you care for me. I couldn’t be with you if I didn’t feel safe. I do appreciate you being open and telling me though, so that it didn’t appear to be a secret. Now if something ever changes, I also trust you will let me know. But I am secure in our relationship.”
He nodded. She thought he would have something more to say, but when he stayed silent, she placed both hands on the table, ready to stand, when she asked, “Are you staying?”
“Ayuh.”
“Will you lock up? I can’t wait to crawl into bed.”
“Don’t fall asleep until I get there.”
“Oh? Did you have something in mind, dear?”
Checking the back door and turning off the lights, he walked right behind her on the stairs, hurrying her along.
Grabbing her from behind on the landing, before she could head into the bathroom, he brought her body flush against his chest, holding her in place with one hand, the other roaming her chest down to her hips. Kissing her neck softly, he whispered, “One day, I hope we can be more than what we are now.”
“Seth, we are what we need to be right now. One day it may make sense for more. But let’s just enjoy this season of life. Alright?”
“Just as long as you know I love you.”
“I do. I love you, too.”
“Please don’t take too long in the bathroom. And do me a favor?”
“What would that be?”
“Don’t bother putting on any pajamas.”
Her delighted laughter followed him to the bedroom, where he climbed in on his side of the bed and waited for his lover to join him.