New Girl in Town Pt. 12

"That was wild, Jess. I can't believe you, of all people would do something like that." Marybeth says. "What's gotten into you?"

"Jake almost did." Staci giggles.

"It'll happen soon enough." Jessica answers her. "I'll make sure of that. Now can we get back to decorating? Some of us still have some finishing touches to work on for our costumes for tonight."

****

"This is amazing!" Sarah exclaims as she takes in the view from the top of the drive in screen.

"Don't get too close to the edge, Sarah." Mr. Golden warns her.

"I won't." She promises. "Jake said he wouldn't bring me back if I did."

"Thank you, Jake." Mr. Golden says then looks around. "This is some view. Is that a lake I see over there?"

"That would be Belews Lake, sir." Jake answers. "Most people use it for swimming or boating and the fishing is pretty decent."

"Any camping over there?" Mr. Golden asks as he snaps off more pictures.

"The north side is bit more developed so there is some campgrounds and such over there." Jake answers.

"But no development on this end? That's a bit odd." Mr. Golden comments. "Is there any reason for it?"

"Split ownership of the lake." Jake answers. "Patrick's dad owns the north end but this end is owned by Mr. Crouse. He wants to keep this part as a pristine nature preserve. Last time I checked, they were still fighting that out in the courts."

"You certainly were thorough in your research, Jake. " Mr. Golden says. "I would really like to look over that paper of yours if you can find it."

"I'll ask my mom. She keeps just about everything that I get a good grade on and some that I do terrible on to remind me that I'm not always so great." Jake chuckles.

"Smart woman." Mr. Golden comments. "We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success. That's a Samuel Smiles quote that's engraved on a plaque in our offices. I need to use it with Sarah a lot more often don't I, Sar-bear?"

"Nope, I do everything great." Sarah announces proudly.

"You do, huh? And just how do you do that?" Mr. Golden asks her.

"Sissy teaches me." Sarah answers. "And now so does Jake so I'm doubly smart."

"Lord help us all, then." Mr. Golden jokes.

After several minutes pass and several more pictures are taken, Mr. Golden suggests they head down as the wind is beginning to pick up. Jake again adjusts Sarah's mask for her and makes her show him how to turn her headlamp back on before they head down the metal stairs.

"Sir, I looked up your architectural company a little while back and I've been wanting to ask you something." Jake says as the group is walking back to the car.

"Go ahead and ask, Jake." Mr. Golden says while watching Sarah gleefully crunch fallen leaves under her feet.

"Well by looking at the website, you seem to be pretty high up it the company." Jake begins. "Jess said that your company was the reason you moved here and I was just wondering why they'd send someone like you into this backwoods town."

"They originally sent one of less seasoned employees but despite their best efforts, the project was still missing it's deadlines." He explains. "I did a little research on the town, came up for a few visits and fell in love with it. Val came up and felt the same so we started talking about making the move. I grew up in a little town just about like this one and wanted the kids to experience this kind of life for a change. Frankly, after learning about what went on with that Sean boy Jess was dating, I'm surprised at how resistant she was to the move at first."

"She didn't know about Jake 'fore we moved." Sarah explains. "Can you carry me now, I'm tired."

Mr. Golden laughs as Jake scoops up Sarah into his arms.

"I guess you're right about that, Sarah." Mr. Golden says. "If she or you had known about him, you both would have made us move years ago."

****

"So exactly how much trouble am I in?" Jessica asks as she starts backing out of Staci's driveway.

"Why would you ever be in trouble with me my dearest, Jessica?" Dr. Golden asks with a sly grin.

"Because of the way you answered that for one." Jessica says. "All the girls had a ball teasing me about how Mrs. Daniels was going to tell you what happened."

"And just what was she going to tell me?" Dr. Golden asks.

"You're going to keep this up until I admit it, aren't you?" Jessica asks while shaking her head. "All right, she came home and Jake and Ray were both there and yes, we were planning on them spending the night with us."

"Do you think that's kind of sudden for you and Jake?" Dr. Golden asks. "You haven't dated that long."

"We weren't going to go that far that night but..." Jessica pauses. "Are you sure that you want to hear this, mom?"

"Not really," Dr. Golden answers truthfully. "But then if we had talked more about you and Sean, maybe I could have saved you some of that pain."

"Jake is no Sean if that's your concern." Jessica tells her.

"No more problems with him popping into your head I take it?" She asks.

"It was still happening a little but after that night Jake made me forget that anyone named Sean even existed." Jessica smiles.

"Jessica!" Her mother scolds her.

"Well, you asked." Jessica defends.

"I did but... I did and thank you for being open with me. It can't be easy for you." She tells her daughter.

"With your support, Jake's and all my friends, it gets easier every second." Jessica shares. "I did good this time around mom. Really good."

"I'm very glad to hear that and I'm also glad that you assured Staci's mom that you were being safe with Jake. She tells me that I've raised a great daughter." Dr. Golden tells her.

"I had a great example." Jessica tells her.

Dr. Golden smiles then shakes her head. "Compliments aren't going to get you and Jake out of this talk, Jess."

"The compliment stands for itself." Jessica says then smiles at her mom. "It was worth a shot though, right?"

Dr. Golden giggles. "All I'll say is that you, my darling daughter, have a wonderful aim."

****

Jake arrives at Jessica's to pick her up for the party wearing a long trench coat over his costume.

"Hey Jake!" Sarah shouts as she opens the door. "Where's your costume?"

"It's under my coat." He tells her. "I've got some finishing touches to do before I unveil it."

"Hi Jake," Dr. Golden says as he follows Sarah into the living room. "Are you keeping your costume a surprise?"

"Just got to put some finishing touches on it and I didn't want to run the risk of scaring Sarah with the mask." Jake explains. "Is Jess about ready?"

"I'll go and check while you get the rest of your costume ready." Dr. Golden tells him as she puts down her book. "I want pictures before you go."

"Yes, ma'am." Jake nods.

"You come with me, Sarah." Dr. Golden says. "Let Jake's costume be a surprise for you and I think your dad wants a word with Jake, in private."

"My mom is looking for that paper, sir." Jake tells him as he turns to face him.

"Thank you, Jake. I'll make sure to call and thank her for looking as well." He tells him. "What time does this party normally wrap up?"

"It varies." Jake answers. "I think the latest we've gone is one before but it's usually left up to Mrs. Daniels discretion."

"Oh so she will be there... this time?" He asks giving Jake a knowing look.

"Uh... yes... yes, sir. She will be." Jake stammers knowing that he knows about last weekend.

He nods at Jake. "Jess's curfew will be two tonight in case Mrs. Daniels needs help cleaning up after the party." He tells him.

"Yes, sir." Jake answers.

"Jake, there's going to be a conversation between all of us and it's going to be soon but not tonight. Tonight, I want you both to go out and have some fun." He tells him. "If you drink..."

"I don't." Jake answers quickly.

He nods but continues anyway. "If you drink, just call us and we'll get you both home without reprisals from us. Just do not drink and drive with my daughter in the car."

"No, sir." Jake answers.

Mr. Golden smiles and nods towards the hallway. "Go on and finish up your costume so we don't make you two late."

Jake nods and heads into the bathroom, thankful to be excused and slightly worried about the upcoming talk the Golden's want to have with him. As Jake is applying eye black around his eyes he hears Jessica in the living room.

"Where's Jake?" She asks.

"I ran him off." Mr. Golden answers.

"You better not have, dad." Sarah says causing Jessica to laugh.

"What she said." Jessica says.

"Relax." Mr. Golden chuckles. "He and I had a little chat that kept him from putting on his face. He'll be out in a minute."

Jake carefully applies spirit gum to his face before tapping the domino mask into place. Once he's sure that it's on straight, he opens the door and walks out with his trench coat slung over his arm.

"Wow, Jake. You look amazing!" Sarah enthuses.

"Nearly as good as Jess does." Jake answers.

"There's my two crime fighters." Dr. Golden comments when she reappears with her camera in hand. "Now give me a heroic pose."

"Ready, Batgirl?" Jake asks Jessica.

"Ready, Nightwing." Jessica answers raises her fists towards the camera. Beside her, Jake pulls the escrima fighting sticks that he modified from his back holster and flicks a small switch on the shaft that lights up in the tips of them in a blue glow.

"That is impressive, Jake." Mr. Golden comments. "Did you do that yourself?"

"My grandpa helped me with the wiring." Jake answers before Dr. Golden snaps off a series of pics. "Show them what you've got, Jess."

Jessica reaches into her functional utility belt and pulls out a piece of folded metal. With a flick of her wrist it snaps into a miniature batarang.

"That's awesome!" Sarah shouts as she looks over it.

"Let me have a look at those." Mr. Golden asks as he steps over to the teens. Jessica hands him her batarang for inspection.

"This is really nice work." He comments. "Jake, did you do this?"

"I drew up the design then we got Mr. Fishel to help us cut the shape and attach the hinge so it could fold up." Jake states. "He's got a metal shop in one of his garages."

"He was really helpful and it was funny watching him poke fun at Jake." Jessica laugsh.

"Interesting." Mr. Golden comments then hands it back to Jessica. He then takes one of the escrima sticks and looks at it. "You hollowed it out for the wires?"

Jake nods. "I didn't want them snagging on anything and I thought it looked cleaner this way."

"It's very nice work." He comments as he hands it back. "I'd like to see your mock up of Jessica's throwing thing sometime if you don't mind."

"No problem." Jake answers.

"We should get going, Jake." Jessica says taking his arm in her glove clad hand. "We can't be too late. Bad guys to catch and all that."

They say their goodbyes and Jake promises to have Jessica home on time as he helps her get her cape fixated in his car.

****

"What was all that about?" Jessica asks as they drive towards Staci's.

"Which part?" Jake asks.

"You almost seemed scared of my dad." Jessica laughs. "I thought you guys had a good outing today?"

"We did." Jake answers. "Then he made a point of asking if Staci's mom was going to be home this time like he knows about last weekend. Does he know about last weekend?"

"He knows about last weekend." Jessica admits. "Mrs. Daniels told mom and mom told dad."

"Great." Jake comments.

"It gets better." Jessica states. "Your mom was there too so she knows as well."

"How... how'd they let us out of the house if they know what happened?" Jake asks.

"Well, they know Mrs. Daniels is for sure going to be there tonight and I think they're kind of... happy for us." Jessica shares. "Not with the whole sneaking around thing but with us taking our next steps. That said, they are planning to sit us down and have a talk with us about all this but I don't know when."

"Soon." Jake answers. "Your dad said soon."

"I figured as much but just remember that I've got your back and I know that you've got mine. We'll make it through this, I promise. If worse comes to worse and it starts looking bad for us, we'll just unleash our secret weapon on them." Jessica explains.

"Our secret weapon wouldn't happen to be miniature version of you would she?" Jake asks with a grin.

"You know it." Jessica laughs. "Cry havoc and let slip the Sar-bear of war!"

"Those poor, unwitting souls." Jake laughs as he pulls into Staci's already nearly full driveway.

"We're fashionably late it appears." Jessica comments as she looks at all the cars.

"I guess we are." Jake answers. "Ready to make our big entrance?"

"Ready as I'll ever be." She answers taking hold of Jake's hand. "Let's go make this a party to remember!"

****

Thanks for reading, commenting and voting as always. You all rock!

I was hoping to get to the big party but ran out of time. Next part, I promise.