Rough Drafts (7 page)

“Speaking
of
kids
, Jeffrey seemed a little…”

“Nervous?
He is. Still worries about you,” Pearl said.

Candace
glanced out the window. Jameson was leading Jeffrey and Jonah toward the barn.
“I know he does. I really should make more of an effort to keep in touch.”

Pearl
nodded. “You think Jonah will be all right?” she asked Candace.

Candace
let out a heavy sigh. “I hope so. I have to say, that was about the last thing
I expected to hear.”

“Think
there is something he’s not telling you?” Pearl guessed.

Candace
turned to Pearl and nodded. “I’m sure of
it.
”

***

The
weekend passed much more quickly than Jameson would have liked. Jameson was due
in Ithaca at noon. Jonah had asked if he could accompany her. Jameson
reluctantly agreed. “So, Scott is your cousin?” Jonah asked.

“Yep.”

“You
guys aren’t close?”

“We
were,” Jameson said.

Jonah
watched Jameson’s brow knit in tension as they pulled into the parking lot.
“J.D.?”

Jameson
turned and offered Jonah a half-hearted smile. “Come on,” she said.

Jonah
followed Jameson through the doors of the clinic. They rounded a corner and
Jameson’s pace slowed. Jonah noticed that Jameson’s hand was trembling slightly.
“J.D.? You okay?”

Jameson
nodded. “Come on.” She took a deep breath and made her way a few short paces
down the corridor. “Scott?”

Scott
turned and smiled. “J.D.,” he greeted her. “Who’s this?” he asked.

Jameson
looked at Jonah. “This?” she asked. Scott nodded. “This is Jonah…my…my
step-son,” she smiled.

Scott
extended his hand and Jonah accepted it. “Nice to meet you, Jonah.”

“You
too,” Jonah said. He leaned in and whispered in Jameson’s ear. “How painful was
that?”

Jameson
laughed and elbowed him in the ribs. “It’ll be a lot more painful for
you
if you’re not careful.”

Jonah
followed Jameson for the next hour as she took detailed notes and made rough
sketches. They passed Scott a few more times and Jonah noticed that each time,
Jameson would become quiet. He was enjoying watching Jameson work and was
curious about what she was looking at. Jameson made no more mention of Scott.
That
was
until she and Jonah were headed
out the door and Scott caught them.

“You
headed home?” Scott asked Jameson.

“Yeah.
I have to drive to Albany tomorrow morning to take Jonah to the airport.”

“Have
time for dinner?” Scott asked hopefully.

Jameson
managed a small grin. “We’re actually headed to my parents’ house for dinner,”
she explained. Scott nodded his understanding. Jonah looked at Jameson
curiously. Jameson sighed. “I’m sure Mom would be happy to have you join us,”
Jameson said. “You are her nephew,” Jameson continued.

“I
don’t want to impose,” Scott answered.

Jameson
took a deep breath. Candace’s words were ringing in her ears. She needed to
talk to Scott. She simply didn’t know how. Maybe Jonah and her parents would be
enough of a buffer for her to begin to find a way. “You wouldn’t be,” she said
honestly. “Just stop over. You know Mom will be happy to see you.”

“Are
you sure?” Scott asked. “I’m
sure
that
Jonah is…”

“It’s
cool with me,” Jonah chimed.

“Okay.
What time?” Scott asked.

“You
know my mom,” Jameson said. “Just come whenever. You never needed an invitation
before,” she pointed out.

“Yeah.
I remember,” Scott said softly.

Jameson
sighed. “Whenever,” Jameson repeated. “I’ll let her know.” Scott nodded and
watched Jameson and Jonah leave.

Jameson
rubbed her eyes and shook her head as she walked out of the building. Jonah
grabbed her arm. “J.D.? Are you okay?” he asked. “It’s none of my business, but
you just seem…”

Jameson
looked at Jonah. “It’s a long story,” she said.

“I
don’t leave until tomorrow,” Jonah reminded her.

Jameson
nodded and sighed. Jonah’s offer was sincere. “How about we grab
a beer
before we hit my mom’s?”

Jonah
smiled. “Hey, at least you aren’t telling your parents you are about to become
a parent yourself.”

“True,”
Jameson laughed. “Beer?”

“Beer,”
Jonah agreed.

***

“So?”
Dana asked Candace.

Candace
looked up from her desk at her friend and lowered her glasses onto the bridge
of her nose. “Happy Monday to you too, Dana,” Candace replied.

“Don’t
you Happy Monday me,” Dana scolded her boss. “Did you talk to Shell?” she
asked.

Candace
removed her glasses and placed them on her desk slowly. “I did,” she responded.

“And?”
Dana urged.

“She’s
considering coming on board. I promised her that you would be there to guide
her,” Candace said.

“I
will,” Dana responded. She watched as Candace’s face transformed into a
familiar expression, one that told Dana there was something else on the
senator’s mind. “Uh-oh. What happened? Is J.D. okay? I know Friday was an
eventful day for her too.”

“Jameson
is all right. She’s headed back there today,” Candace said.

“Are
you worried about her?”

Candace
smiled. “I always worry,” Candace reminded her friend. “Jonah is with her.
She’ll have a buffer—at least for today.”

“Jonah?”
Dana asked in surprised.

“Mm-hm.”

“I
didn’t know Jonah was coming home,” Dana said.

“Neither
did we,” Candace said with a nervous chuckle.

“Is
Jonah okay?”

“Oh,
he is okay. He just had some news he wanted to share,” Candace explained.

“He
got a job lined up already?” Dana guessed.

“Nope.”

“He
met someone?” Dana’s eyes grew wider.

“You
could say that, yes,” Candace replied.

“Did
he bring her home?”

“No
yet, no, but I think you can safely say we will be meeting her,” Candace said.
Dana’s curiosity was piqued. “It seems that I am going to be a
Nana
again,” Candace explained.

Dana
seemed confused for a moment before Candace’s meaning hit her. “Oh my God,
Jonah got someone pregnant?”

“Laura.
Her name is Laura, apparently,” Candace said.

“Holy
shit! What did you say?” Dana asked. Before Candace could
respond,
Dana repeated her reaction. “
Holy shit
!”

Candace
laughed. “Not exactly what I said, but pretty much my reaction too,” Candace
admitted.

“I
did not see that one coming,” Dana said. “Is this a serious relationship?” she
asked.

Candace
shook her head. “It is now,” she said. “Would it have been?” she mused aloud.
“I don’t know, Dana. You know Jonah. He’s quiet about those kinds of things.”

Dana
nodded. “Have you talked to him about how this will eventually hit the media?”

“No,”
Candace said flatly. “He’s been around things enough to know that. If I can,
I’d like to keep this at bay as long as possible.”

“Any
reason, other than the obvious?” Dana asked cautiously.

“There
is something he is not telling me,” Candace said.

“What
do you mean?” Dana wondered. “Something that we need to worry about?” she
asked.

Candace
groaned. “I don’t know,” Candace confessed. “Right now, I am not worried about
that.”

“I
know, Candy. I get it, it’s early now. I hate to say this to you, but letting
this out now might be for the best. Any negative blowback will blow over before
the campaign season heats up in earnest.”

Candace
kneaded her forehead in frustration. “I know that,” she said. “The campaign is
the least of my worries.”

“I
know
that
,” Dana responded. “I
understand. But, Candy—you have a commitment to this election as well. You know
that. This is the reality.”

“Shit,” Candace huffed. She massaged her temples
and closed her eyes.

“Candy,” Dana began sympathetically. “I do
understand. Jonah has been around this his whole life. He knows the drill,” she
pointed out.

Candace opened her eyes and shook her head. “As
long as you can manage it, at least for now,” Candace said. “I want to leave it
in the personal realm. Okay?”

Dana frowned. “You’re the boss, Candy. You know
that this could be worse for everyone the longer we wait.”

“I haven’t even met the girl, Dana,” Candace said.

“Can I ask?” Dana started.

“Go ahead. That’s your job.”

“When is the new addition expected?”

“October,” Candace told her.

Dana nodded. “Just before the election. Well, that
could prove advantageous,” she mused. Candace rolled her eyes. “I know you hate
this,” Dana said. “That’s what you pay me for. And, Candy, Shell will have to
think like this too if she comes on board.”

“I know,” Candace admitted. “I don’t have to like
it, Dana.”

“No, you don’t,” Dana agreed. “How about J.D.?”
Dana changed the subject. “How does she like all these grandchildren?” Dana
asked with a smirk.

Candace finally chuckled. “Truthfully, I think she loves
it,” Candace said. “You know her, she’s just a big kid at heart.”

“Candy…”

Candace sighed. “I know, Dana.”

Dana nodded. “Did you really put in
a word
for Jason to work on Senator Maupin’s
campaign?”

Candace shrugged. “He’s good at what he does. He needs
to learn boundaries. Gordon will be good for him,” Candace said. “Enough about
campaigns. I still have a job,” she reminded her friend. “So, let’s talk what
is happening
today.
”

***

“Shit. J.D., that sucks,” Jonah said flatly after
hearing her recap the story of Craig’s death.

Jameson laughed. “You sure have a way with words,”
she said in amusement.

Jonah shrugged. “Well, it does,” he said.

“Yeah, it does. It did. Suck, I mean,” Jameson
said.

“Puts my problem in perspective,” Jonah said
quietly.

Jameson regarded him thoughtfully for a moment as
Jonah drew patterns in the condensation on his beer glass. “Jonah?” she called
over to him. “What’s going on?”

Jonah took a sip from his beer and then looked at
Jameson. “J.D., it’s complicated.”

“What is?”

“Things with Laura. They’re just—complicated.”

“Complicated, how?” Jameson asked.

“I just don’t know what is going to happen when she
tells her parents,” Jonah said.

Jameson waited for Jonah to continue. When he
didn’t,
she decided to press lightly. “Look,
you don’t have to tell me anything,” she said.

“I don’t think they are going to be very
accepting,” he said.

“Of the baby or of you?” Jameson inquired.

“Both,” he said. “They’ll expect us to get married,
I think. And, even then….I don’t know.”

“I’m guessing
her parents are a bit conservative?” Jameson
asked.

“Understatement.”

“Is it you that you are afraid they will have an
issue with or is it your mom?” she asked him.

Jonah chuckled nervously. “Oh, they’ll have an
issue with me. They will definitely have an issue with who I am. I’m screwed.”

“Do you mind me asking; what does Laura think?”

“I don’t know. She’s scared shitless to tell them,”
he said. “I have no idea what will happen. I just know it isn’t going to be
fun.”

“Maybe it won’t be as bad as you think,” Jameson
said.

Jonah laughed. “It will be.”

“I’m sorry, Jonah.”

“No,” Jonah said. “Shit, J.D., I’m the one who is
sorry.
Sorry
that Laura has to deal with
this. Sorry that it might hurt Mom. It’s all my fault.”

“It’s not anyone’s
fault,
”
Jameson said. “Sometimes things happen. It’s just life, Jonah. You need to give
yourself a break,” she told him. Jonah lifted his eyebrow. “That’s freaky,”
Jameson said.

“What is?”

“That!” Jameson pointed to him. “That’s the look
your mother gives me when I’m in trouble for something.”

Jonah chuckled. “Get in trouble often?” he asked.

“I plead the fifth,” Jameson said as she lifted her
beer and took a sip.

“Just seems like maybe you should take your own
advice,” he said.

“Come again?”