Katia glanced up at her son from the comfort of the couch.

“Huh?” she asked with a warm smile still gracing her lips.

Jason repeated his question, attempting to smooth out the frown etched on his face.

“Who. Is. Chris?” He said, enunciating each word. Katia gave him a strange look, but quickly caught on.

“Ohhhh, I see,” Katia replied, suppressing a chuckle. “That was the doctor from the hospital checking in to see how you’re feeling,” she explained simply, rising from her seat to envelop her son in a tight hug, though his suspicion lingered.

“Why would he call you instead of me?” Jason queried, his arms momentarily embracing his mother before they parted.

Meeting his gaze, Katia clarified, “He mentioned trying to reach you but couldn’t get a hold of you. But what is with that tone, young man? It was just a friendly conversation about your well-being, and he happened to mention he sells some fresh produce at the farmers’ market. He even invited me to check it out. I thought it might be good for you to incorporate more healthy veggies into your diet,” she rambled on, a hint of enthusiasm in her voice.

“My mom is getting corrupted!” Jason thought to himself as his mom continued to lecture him.

“I eat plenty healthy. I’m just not worrying about it while I’m on vacation! Why does no one understand that? You know I’m not fussy. Veggies have never been a problem,” he tried to reason with her.

“Sure, but that’s because I use loads of butter and spices. The doc mentioned your cholesterol, so I’m just gonna ease up a bit,” Katia explained, causing Jason’s face to scrunch up in disgust.

“Butter’s a healthy fat, Mom! Can’t you just let me not worry about it for another week? I didn’t come here for a diet talk. I get enough of that from my coach.” Jason put his hands on his mom’s shoulders, but she stood her ground, hands on hips, giving him a stern look

“Oh? So if you’re already eating well at home, why would your coach be on your case about it?” Katia asked, watching as Jason stumbled over his words.

“Uhhhh, well...” he felt a bead of cold sweat roll down his neck.

“Don’t worry, honey. I’ll do my best to make sure everything still tastes good, but there are going to be some changes,” she said firmly, giving him a hard stare. He frowned deeply before letting out a heavy sigh.

“Fine… But why did he call you directly? Don’t doctors usually have their staff or nurses handle that?” Jason shifted the conversation, trying to see how suspicious that call was.

“This is a small town, Jason. Not every doctor is distant and impersonal like in the city. I think it was really thoughtful and sweet for him to check in like that,” she replied, crossing her arms. “Ugh, Mom, you’re too gullible. What if he is after something else?” he grumbled.

Katia scowled up at Jason, displeased with her son’s lack of trust. “Listen sweetheart, I’ve been around for over forty years. I can tell when someone’s not being honest. Have a little faith in your mother.” She gently prodded Jason’s chest with her finger. “Living in the city has made you overly wary of people. But not everyone you meet is up to no good,” she continued her tirade, while Jason attempted to interject.

“But mom...”

“No buts, young man. Your well-being is my priority, and I’ll manage just fine on my own. I’ve been doing it for the past eight years, and it's not like there are men lined up to date an old woman,” she insisted, ending the argument with a bit of a verbal blow.

“Mom...” Jason said, sounding defeated. “Alright, you win. But I’m going with you when you meet him. When is it?” he asked, prepared to push back if necessary, but Katia just smiled warmly at Jason’s offer.

“That sounds wonderful! We can make a day out of it. You can invite Jillian, and I’ll invite Ginny. It’s this Tuesday on 3rd Street. I guess it’s the large carpool parking lot.” Her excitement and smile were infectious, and Jason couldn’t help but smile in response as well.

“Alright, sounds good,” he said with a light chuckle, before releasing another sigh.

“I’m sorry mom… I hate that you are here by yourself,” he added, causing Katia to furrow her brow slightly.

“Oh sweetie, I didn’t mean it like that. I want you to have your own life too. It just gets a little lonely sometimes, but I have Ginny and her kids close by to keep me company,” she reassured him, her smile returning.

“I wish you would consider moving out to Florida with me. I’m sure we could find a nice condo, and I can work on getting you a place of your own when I get promoted again,” he broached the topic they’d discussed many times before.

“Jason, sweetheart, you know how I feel about this. I don’t want to move. Living in or even near a city just isn’t my thing. My visits only confirmed that for me. You know I care about you a lot, and I know your heart is in the right place, but I honestly think I’d go stir crazy if I was stuck in a city.” Katia’s expression softened as she spoke.

“It’s not all bad if you find the right neighborhood. There are plenty of really nice suburbs nearby,” Jason persisted, not willing to drop the idea just yet.

“I’m sure there are, but I wouldn’t have my own support system there. You’re not going to be by my side every minute of the day, and I wouldn’t want that for you. I have Ginny and some other friends I see occasionally. Plus, I help out with her kids a lot, I couldn’t just leave them behind. I care about them too much,” Katia countered, standing firm in her decision. Jason sighed heavily, conceding defeat.

“Okay, but we are going to revisit this in a few years… But for now, I’ll drop it.” And with that, the matter was put to rest, for now at least.

The two embraced tightly, and Katia sighed. “Even so, I wish you were here more often. I miss you so much.”

“Well I think I will be visiting a lot more often from this point forward since I have you and Jillian here now,” he said with a smile. Katia gave him a half smile but nodded as she leaned back to look up at him.

“How does a nice spaghetti sound for dinner? Have you eaten anything today?” she asked sweetly.

“Actually, I haven’t. It’s been so busy, I haven’t had the chance,” Jason replied. Katia’s eyes widened at his statement.

“But it's already past lunch?! Oh, you poor thing! I’ll start cooking right away then. I’ll bring you some snacks to tide you over as well.” She patted his arm and nearly sprinted into the kitchen, as he chuckled softly at the sight. He knew his mom was quite something.

“No one will ever be good enough for my mother,” he thought, his fists clenching tight.

As evening crept in, Damon finally returned home after taking the kids out for lunch and a movie. He had taken Calvin to a playground while the older kids looked after Lonnie. Damon’s back was aching from carrying around the toddler. Ginny had asked him to watch the kids while she had a private chat with Jillian. He couldn’t help but worry about his oldest daughter. Ever since she returned, he had been concerned about her health and emotional well-being. The secrets she still kept from him and her mother weighed heavily on them both. The only thing that kept their marriage afloat during her absence was the unexpected arrival of another baby. It wasn’t planned, but Damon was grateful for the toddler’s presence.

Calvin wasn’t a replacement for Jillian, but he served as a good distraction, albeit a barely affordable one. Damon was already pushing his mid-fifties, and felt exhausted all the time. He had gotten promoted to foreman over a decade ago at a large construction company. He was damn good at his job and it had allowed his wife to quit her job and become a full-time housewife. However, he knew she was equally exhausted from the house full of kids where the chores never seemed to end. With Jillian’s return, the burden of chores had lightened a bit, but over the past week, his oldest daughter had become distant and frequently absent from the home. Damon started worrying about her leaving again, hoping Ginny could talk some sense into her today.

One thing Damon found concerning about his wife was that over the last three days, they’d only made love twice. While that might sound sufficient for many couples, Damon was used to a frequency closer to six times. This change raised his concern because when they didn’t have sex, it often signaled that something was wrong or bothering one of them. Their sex life served more of a means to alleviate stress and discuss their day, or discuss the day ahead in the morning. Unless they were really in the mood, getting kinky, dirty talk stayed out of the bedroom. He hoped that his wife would tell him everything tonight and they could get back to their usual schedule.

Entering the two-story home, the majority of the family members dispersed eagerly. The aroma of freshly baked goods wafted through the air. It was always a good sign. Reese and Wendel headed upstairs to their room, June dashed into the kitchen, and Lonnie made his way to the living room. Calvin, was limp in Damon’s arms as he carefully placed the sleeping child in the nursery crib, estimating they had about an hour before he woke up again, if they were fortunate. In the kitchen, Damon was greeted by a soft smile from his wife, Ginny, a reassuring sight. However, Jillian seemed to avoid meeting his gaze.

Jillian and June were putting the finishing touches on some cookies they were decorating. Walking over and sitting at the table with Ginny, Damon let out a groan as he sat down, his back aching badly.

“How did it go, baby?” Ginny asked, reaching over and rubbing the man’s back.

“I was about to ask you the same thing,” Damon responded. She continued to smile at him as her hand moved down his back and eventually got to his thigh, giving it a firm squeeze.

“I’ll explain more tonight, but for now, just relax and try to keep an open mind, hon.” Damon gave his wife a strange look at those words.

He felt her hand move to the inside of his thigh, moving teasingly higher. While her touch was promising, her words certainly didn’t fill him with confidence. The reason would become apparent as the night went on

.

“Hold on just a damn minute! You’re talking about the guy you met just last week?” Damon’s grip on his fork tightened as he spoke. Jillian shook her head.

“No, Daddy, I’ve known him since high school. It was just a coincidence that he happened to be Katia’s son.” she tried to clarify for her father, whose normally stoic expression grew angrier as the conversation went on.

To him, it seemed like this boy had appeared out of nowhere, and was now threatening to take his daughter away again, just when she had finally come back.

“I remember him saying that he works and lives on the other side of the country! Are you planning on leaving to go live with him?”

Ginny’s eyes widened as she realized she hadn’t asked that question either. Both parents stared at Jillian, awaiting her response. Thankfully, Jillian shook her head and waved her hands to dismiss the idea.

“No, no, no, it’s way too early for anything like that. I don’t plan on leaving you guys for quite a while. There is still so much I need to do here. I don’t want to leave before June is back to normal, of course.” Jillian paused and looked over at her little sister, who was still sitting there next to her. “Honestly... I’m kinda scared to leave for long, anyway.”

Both Damon and Ginny felt relieved hearing that she wasn’t planning on leaving anytime soon, for now at least.

“We’re happy to hear that, honey. We’re not ready to see you go again yet either. I’m sure Jason understands that, right?” Ginny asked, and Jillian nodded.

“Yeah, we discussed it a little earlier. We will plan visits and keep in touch mostly over the phone. Haha, it was funny. He was talking about how he would come to visit for only a weekend. All the way from Florida for like a day. It was so silly but sweet,” Jillian said with a giggle and smiles spread across all their faces, except for Damon’s, of course.

He still wasn’t thrilled about his daughter dating a guy she just met. Even if they did reconnect from back in high school. Just because they had history didn’t mean people didn’t change.

“So, when’s he coming over to ask me about dating you?” Damon asked, earning puzzled looks from two of the women.

“Sweetie, that seems a bit old-fashioned, don’t you think?” Ginny tried to intervene.

“I don’t care how old-fashioned it sounds, I’m not letting some guy waltz in and take my daughter away without proving to me that he is gonna treat her right, damn it!” Damon replied firmly.

“He’s not some deadbeat, Daddy. He has a good job, sweet, loyal, and even knowing we would be so far apart he still wants to be with me,” Jillian said passionately, trying to calm her father’s worries.

“If that’s true, then we’ll have a good chat. But if he’s not willing to meet with me face-to-face, then I’m not giving my approval,” Damon asserted. He knew he might not have the final say, but he would not give up without a fight.

Jillian let out a heavy sigh at her father’s stubbornness. He had always made a fuss whenever she got a boyfriend and it seemed not much had changed.

“I’ll talk to him and see what he thinks. Tomorrow night okay if… No, scratch that, he’s taking us out to dinner tomorrow, so does Tuesday night work?” Jillian said as Damon’s eye twitched slightly.

“Us?” he questioned the term.

“Yeah, as a thank you, he’s taking me and June out to a nice dinner.” His gaze shifted to his youngest daughter, June, who suddenly found her mashed potatoes very fascinating.

At least Reese and the others in the peanut gallery knew better than to interrupt when their father was speaking.

“...Alright tuesday,” he finally conceded.

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The rest of the dinner passed quietly, save for Calvin’s clattering attempts at feeding himself. Under the table, Jillian pulled out her phone and finally texted Jason back.

Jill: Hey, so my dad wants to meet with you about us dating. I’m sorry! I tried to assure him that you’re not some scumbag or anything of the sort but he’s a bit of a stubborn old man. I swear he means well.

There was a brief pause before Jason responded.

Jason: That’s okay with me. I don’t mind talking to him.

Jason: The real issue right now is that the doctor who treated me at the hospital is now hitting on my MOM!

Jill: :O

Jill: Wow, Good for her.

Jason: THIS IS SERIOUS, JILL!

Jill: Why are you so freaked out? A doctor makes good money and if she likes him, he must be nice. I don’t see Katia going for a jerk. So I don’t see a problem. Unless you know something about him that she doesn’t. Do you?

There were a few long moments when Jason stopped texting.

Jill: Your silence says it all.

Jase: I’ve only met him once, so I’m not sure. She’s meeting him at his booth at the farmers market. I’m going with her to make sure everything’s on the level.

Jill: Haha, you’re being a bit paranoid, babe.

Jase: You’re coming with me, right?

Jill: When?

Jase: Tuesday.

Jill: Well, I have an appointment with my therapist in the morning, but after that, yeah, I’ll come. Can I bring June? Also, does that night work for talking with my dad?

Jase: Of course. And sure, sounds good to me.

Jill: I’ll be by in an hour or two.

She followed up her message with a line of kissing and winking emojis.

Jase: Sounds better.

Both Jillian and Jason set aside their phones, focusing on finishing their dinners. Later, the sisters settled in the living room to watch a movie. Jillian seized the opportunity to chat a bit more with June, exchanging in short whispers. Despite the brevity of their conversation, Jillian felt a sense of pride in her sister’s progress. She brought up the invite to the upcoming farmers market. June happily accepted the invite, hoping to see some fresh flowers. Halfway through the movie, Jillian started to look a little anxious for some reason. Squirming in her seat and looking at the time and how much time was left on the movie. June silently tapped her sister on the shoulder.

“Huh, what’s up Junebug?” Jillian asked, turning towards June.

Leaning in, June whispered, “You can go see Jason if you want... I don’t mind. Since he’s leaving soon, right?”

Jillian was a bit surprised by her sister’s offer. With just one more week together, her sister’s gesture meant a lot. She honestly wanted to spend time with both, but the clock always felt like it was running down for Jason.

Jillian locked eyes with her younger sister, who simply smiled back. She felt a surge of admiration for June’s strength. Jillian found herself at a loss for words. She bit her lip and thought about what to say. June couldn’t help but laugh a bit, reverting to sign language.

“Just go, this movie is trying to put me to sleep anyway,” she signed.

Jillian returned the smile. “I love you so much. Oh, that reminds me,” she said, before pausing the movie, “Jason’s treating us to a nice dinner tomorrow night. So, pick out something ‘fawncy’,” she added with a playful emphasis on the word.

The two giggled lightly before sharing a tight hug, after which Jillian got up and they waved goodbye to each other. She made her way to the door and slipped on her flats before leaving the house. She was relieved to have the large jacket to keep her warm in the night’s autumn chill. As she walked the short two blocks down the road towards the Merris home, she couldn’t help but shiver slightly. Upon reaching the window that led to Jason’s room, she peered inside, noticing the dim light. It was too early for him to be asleep and he would be waiting for her anyway. She scrunched her mouth to the side in confusion, then made her way to the front door, feeling a sense of apprehension. She lightly knocked on the door, waiting nervously.

Soon, the door swung open, revealing Jason, dressed in a loose-fitting long-sleeve shirt and sleep pants.

“Oh, hey Jill… I mean, babe. You’re early.” he said, a hint of surprise but with a smile and a laugh.

“Sorry, I can come by later instead?” she said meekly, before he waved it off with a chuckle.

“No, no, we’re not doing anything important. I’m just relaxing with some TV in the living room with mom. Though she is more lost in the word game on her tablet. Come in!” he said, gesturing for her to enter.

Even though they had gotten along and made up before, the fact that Ginny knew about how Jillian used to bully Jason, made it pretty obvious that Katia was probably the one that told her. Which meant that she figured that Jason’s mom was probably even more pissed at her than her own mother. Hell, she still didn’t forgive the kids that bullied June. Why would Katia forgive her?

And if Katia knew then Jason must have been the one to tell her recently. Jillian couldn’t help but feel a tad resentful that he did, but she quickly pushed the feeling aside. She walked into the house but stayed in the entrance way as Jason shut the door behind them. He looked down at her with a raised brow.

“You alright?” he asked but Jillian quickly nodded and wrapped her arms around his waist and nuzzled into him for a moment.

“Yeah, I’m okay. Just missed you.” Her words made him smile softly as he gave her a return squeeze.

“It was only a few hours, but I missed you too,” he said with a small laugh before they partially separated.

As they walked into the living room. Jillian noticed Katia sitting on the couch, absorbed in her tablet while wearing reading glasses. Jason pulled his girlfriend along, her arm that was still around his midsection tightened as they moved closer.

“Hey, Mom, alright if Jill hangs out with us for a bit as well?”

Katia looked up at the two as Jason spoke, her gaze lingering on Jillian for a moment. There was a flicker of emotion on her face before she spoke.

“Oh, of course, please, have a seat,” Katia said as nicely as she could manage. She was doing her best to be kind and not show any signs of being upset or angry. Still, Jillian could almost feel the hidden emotions pouring out of her. It was not pleasant, to say the least.

Jason quickly took Jillian’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before guiding her to sit on the couch. She reluctantly did, sitting on the couch farthest away from Katia. Somehow able to hide the look of shame on her face from Jason.

“Thirsty? Want something to drink, babe?” Jason asked sweetly. Despite feeling uneasy about being alone with Katia, Jillian nodded.

“Sure, anything’s fine. Thanks,” she said, giving her best smile to Jason. She was surprised by his use of endearment with his mother nearby, a term he was clearly trying to get more used to.

He nodded and left for the kitchen. An awkward silence settled just briefly until Katia broke it with a heavy sigh.

“Every maternal instinct in me is screaming to kick you out, Jillian...” Katia said and Jillian felt tremendous pang of guilt at her words.

“I know... I wouldn’t let me stay either,” she replied, lowering her head in shame.

There was another moment of silence before Katia spoke again.

“But Jason, my one and only son... I haven’t seen him this happy since before Frank passed away. And I can’t take that away from him. So if he can forgive you for all you have done… Then so will I.”

Jillian’s eyes widened as she slowly looked over at Katia. Stunned, she nodded dumbly in understanding.

Jason’s heavy footsteps announced his return to the living room with a couple of beers and a pitcher of decaf iced tea. He handed Jillian an open bottle of beer.

“Thank you,” she said softly, though it seemed that a simple thank you wasn’t quite enough for Jason anymore. Leaning over, she planted a gentle kiss on her lips, right in front of his mother. Jillian felt herself flush with embarrassment. After the brief chat she’d just had with Katia, the whole situation felt incredibly awkward.

Jason refilled his mother’s drink from the pitcher, which she thanked him for as well. Jason also leaned down and gave his mother a kiss atop her head instead. Putting the pitcher back in the kitchen, he quickly returned and planted himself next to Jillian, who quickly snuggled into him like she was magnetically attracted to him.

The two cuddled together and watched TV while Katia played on the tablet. A few frustrated but innocent remarks slipped from her mouth as she struggled with her word game.

Curses along the lines of “Gosh darn it!” and “Son of a biscuit!”

Jillian finished her beer quickly, and sat the bottle on the end table. With her hands free, she snuggled even closer to him, resting her head on his chest, trying to ease her mind from the awkwardness of the situation. Normally, it was the women who dozed off in front of the TV, but when Jillian felt the arm around her go limp, she paused. Looking up, she saw Jason’s sleeping face turned to the side.

Jillian couldn’t help but let out a small giggle at the sight. She didn’t even realize how long she had been watching him until Katia spoke up.

“He means the world to me,” Katia said, drawing Jillian’s attention to her. “It feels like just yesterday he was my little boy running around in the backyard with his father. Even when Frank was exhausted from work—well, that’s what we thought, until we found out he was sick.”

Jillian frowned deeply at the words.

“Did you know Jason was born a month premature? He was so tiny and fragile, he got sick a lot during his first few years. So when I see him now, it’s hard to believe it’s the same fragile boy. They told me I needed to make sure he ate well. I may have taken that a bit too seriously as he got older.” Katia went on to share a bit of Jason’s history, and Jillian appreciated learning more about him.

“You were only doing what you thought was right, no one can blame you for that,” Jillian began. “He didn’t deserve the things I put him through in high school, not a single thing. I hated myself so much for everything I did. So when he suddenly came back into my life, I was so shocked that all I could do was revert to my old bullshit and give him a pathetic apology. We fought so much again that I never would have thought that we would end up falling for each other.” She glanced down, a slight smile tugging at her lips as she reminisced.

“Even in highschool I secretly thought he was cute, you know? How hardworking and serious he was, yet still so innocent. And his eyes...They were exactly like my grandfather’s, who had passed away the year prior. Not that it justifies my past actions, but that’s where it all began. I ended up running off in tears the first time I saw them, and that’s when the rumors started spreading.”

Katia nodded, recalling the memory from Jason, but not why it happened.

“He… he told me he was falling in love with you,” Katia suddenly confessed softly.

Jillian’s eyes widened and her cheeks warmed quickly, but she couldn’t suppress the delighted smile.

“He feels the same!” her inner voice cheered.

Katia didn’t need to inquire about Jillian’s feelings; it was obvious with the way she had been gazing at her son earlier and the rather goofy grin on her face. At the very least, Jillian was well on her way to loving her son.

“We should get him in bed. He’s had a long day,” Katia suggested, rising from her seat.

Jillian snapped out of her trance and agreed with a nod, turning to Jason. She gently patted his cheek.

“Hey, sleepyhead, time to wake up,” she said sweetly.

Jason emitted a soft, sleepy snort, his hand finding its way to her thigh, giving it a firm squeeze along with a groan.

Jillian let out a small yelp of surprise, then laughed a little, “Haha, Jason, wake up!”

She reached over and gently pinched his nose shut. It quickly caused him to startle awake when he couldn’t breathe out his nose.

“Huh, what...” he mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

“You dozed off, silly. We’re trying to get you to bed,” Jillian explained, removing his hand from her thigh.

He let out a long yawn, and apologized, “Ah, sorry, didn’t sleep well last night, so I’m pretty tired.” She smiled sympathetically.

“It’s alright, baby. Come on, let’s get you to bed.”

Standing up, she took Jason’s hand and attempted to help him off the couch. Jason smiled and slowly got to his feet, letting Jillian do what she could to pull him up. Once standing, he allowed some of his weight to rest on her.

“Oh god…so heavy,” she groaned followed by a laugh as she wrapped her arms around his waist to steady him. Laughing as well, Jason returned to normal, taking his weight off of her.

“Haha, sorry about that. Just wanted to test your ability to actually carry me to bed.”

He smiled down at her, then looked back at his mother, who was watching them with a gentle smile, giving Jason a nod. He understood this as her accepting their relationship. For better or for worse, she would let her son explore this new experience with her blessing.

Jason couldn’t help but feel a bit overwhelmed by his mother’s acceptance. Her opinion mattered more than anyone else when it came to aspects of his life. To see her smiling at them like this meant everything to him.

“Well, I’m heading to bed. Goodnight, mom,” Jason said, moving off Jillian and over to hug his mother

“Goodnight, sweetie,” she replied, giving her son a firm hug before they parted.

As Jillian walked up next to Jason, she leaned against him and smiled before waving goodnight to Katia. Then, as the two started down the hall...

“Um, excuse me, where are you two going?“ The couple froze and looked back at Katia a bit wide eyed. “Are the two of you really just gonna go into the room together right in front of me?” she said angrily as she stood there with her hands on her hips.

“Oh... ummm.” Jason began, and Jillian blushed brightly.

It just felt so normal going to bed with him, Jillian didn’t even realize how strange it might seem. Katia already knew they had been fooling around before, but now they had taken it even further and had sex just earlier today. Not that Katia was aware of that, of course.

Katia maintained a stern expression for a few moments, watching the two squirm uncomfortably before her. She eventually burst into a fit of giggles.

“Hahaha! I’m sorry haha, I couldn’t resist,” Katia laughed a little bit longer, while the couple looked at each other then back at her. “You’re both adults and I understand that if you didn’t do things here, you’d just find somewhere else, or sneak in later while I’m asleep,” she said, the last part stinging a bit since Jillian had snuck many times into his room before.

"At least I know you’re being safe... right?" Katia added, her expression turning more serious.

“We are, promise,” Jillian chimed in with a smile that seemed genuine.

Jason looked over at her, still a tad curious about the whole pregnancy thing. Though he figured he was just being paranoid. Katia smiled back at Jillian and nodded.

“Good, don’t stay up too late you two, okay?”

They both nodded and exchanged final goodnights before making their way back down the hallway to Jason’s room. Once behind closed doors, they shared a moment of laughter.

“Well, that was friggin’ awkward,” Jillian said, still chuckling.

Jason laughed a bit as well, nodding in agreement.

“Yeah, when she stopped us, I honestly thought she was going to send you home.”

“Same here. I would’ve felt bad sneaking back in,” she replied softly.

Jason quickly took off his long-sleeve shirt and tossed it into the hamper. He looked over at Jillian, and noticed she still had his track suit on, but it was unzipped, revealing she wasn’t wearing a thing underneath.

The small mounds of her small chest were barely covered by the oversized jacket as she sat on the bed, looking up at him with a content smile. He smiled back at her feeling a little awkward.

“What?” he asked, a small laugh following his question.

“Oh, nothing... Just thinking,” she replied innocently.

He simply shrugged and chuckled. Walking over, he turned out the light. Since there wasn’t much moonlight tonight, he could hear her crawling into bed while undressing more. He followed suit and got into bed as well, crawling under the covers, and rested on his back

Almost immediately, Jillian moved closer to Jason, slipping in between his arm and chest. Without her jacket, her warm bare skin met his, her soft curls splayed out against his chest as she rested her head atop it. They lay together silently for a moment before Jillian spoke softly, breaking the quiet.

“You can go straight to sleep if you want.” Jillian’s meaning was clear; asking him if he was interested in fooling around or something more. After a brief pause, Jason finally spoke up with something she wasn’t quite expecting.

“Can I ask you something that’s been on my mind for a while?” In the dimly lit room, he could feel her head turning slightly to look at him.

“Um sure, what’s up babe?” Jillian’s voice carried a hint of concern. Jason took a deep breath before coming out with his question.

“Why don’t I need to worry about getting you pregnant, Jill?”