When Hearts Collide (Complete)

~ Chapter 15 ~

                The following morning, Jackie awoke with a killer headache; guess having a cry fest would do that to someone.  “How stupid,” Jackie mumbled to herself.  She rolled her eyes and climbed out of bed, just as Dylan walked in.

                “Hey mom.”

                “Hey sweetie.  What time was Jordan’s dad coming to get you?”  She asked as she rubbed her eyes and pushed her hair out of her face.

                “You still go about two hours.”  Jackie smiled at her son and kissed his head.

                “Good.  And you got your bag all packed?”

                “Yup.”

                “Tooth brush?” she questioned, giving him a look.

                “Come on mom!”

                “Go pack it mister.”  He huffed and climbed off of her bed.  “Do you need dinner or was Mr. Sanderson grabbing something?”

                “We will be having pizza, I think,” Dylan answered, poking his head around the doorway.

                “Ah, okay.  Maybe we can have Jordan over one night soon.”

                “That would be awesome mom,” Dylan said, filing back into the room and giving her a hug.  She laughed and hugged him back, smiling as Sam leaned against the doorway.

                “Hey hon, what about Rachel?”

                “She will be running later, an emergency came up with her mom.”

                “That’s fine, you can just go with me while I’m at the bar and she can get you there.  Would probably be easier too, since that’s closer for them.”

                “Or, you can let me stay and she can get me here.”

                “No way!  What if it’s later?  I am not letting you stay by yourself, young lady.”

                “I am not a little kid anymore, mom!  I’m fine being alone; you don’t have to be over protective like I’m some baby.”

                “Is that what you think I am, being over protective and treating you like a baby?”

                “Yes, why can’t you see that?” Sam huffed, crossing her arms in irritation.

                “Because you are still too young in my book and that’s not being over protective, that’s me taking my job as a parent very seriously.”

                “Rachel get’s to stay home alone.”  ‘Yeah, with her mom watching her on the home camera’s that she doesn’t know about so she’s not really alone,’ Jackie thought to herself but made sure to keep that well within her thoughts.

                “That’s Rachel, and that’s her mother’s wish, it’s not mine.  You are my daughter, not Rachel.  Now, you can text her and let her know to meet us at the bar or you can stay with Mrs. Smith, and I might think twice about letting you go next time.”

                “You are such an unfair mother, Jackie!” she huffed again and stormed to her room, slamming the door behind her.

                “That is mom, young lady!” Jackie yelled out and then let out a breath, looking at her son.  “I swear Dylan, if you give me as many problems as your sister does when you become a teenager, I’m sending you to live with your dad.”

                “He would never feed me!”  She laughed and pulled him in for a hug.

                “Let me get ready.”

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                Jackie pulled up to the bar and Sam got out before the car was parked and slammed the door.  Jackie sighed and rolled her eyes as she got out of her car and walked into the bar, spotting Sam sitting at a table.

                “All okay?”  Jackie shook her head as she glanced at Bobby, her anger building again from last night.

                “No, look…”  Bobby shook his head and glanced at Sam who was watching them.

                “We need to talk, sure, and I’m sorry about last night, but she looks really pissed off and I don’t think you want to tick her off anymore.”

                “No, I don’t.  Can you keep an eye on her while I open everything?  And see if she wants anything before her friend comes?”

                “Of course.”  Jackie nodded and Bobby sighed.  He hadn’t really had too many dealings with kids, but Sam looked like a mini adult so maybe it wouldn’t be too bad.  He walked over and offered her a smile which she barely returned.

                “Can I get you anything?” he asked her

                “A coke.”

                “Coming right up.”  He poured her a drink and put some cherries in it along with a little umbrella and set it before her, causing her to laugh softly.

                “Jackie does that too,” Sam uttered.

                “Jackie, as in your mom?”

                “That would be her.”

                “You are allowed to call her by her first name?” he questioned.

                “Only when I’m mad at her, like I am now.”

                “Why?  Isn’t she letting you go out?”

                “Yes but she also treats me like a baby!”  Jackie was a fair boss so he would have to assume she was a fair mom as well.

                “Why do you say that?” Bobby asked her watching as Sam played with her umbrella for a few seconds before finally looking up at him.

                “So, I’m like 13 right, which means I should be okay to stay alone and watch myself, or watch my brother without a babysitter!”  Ah, he got it now.  Yes, from her view, he could see why she would be upset.

                “13 is a pretty good age and maybe you whould be okay alone, at least for a bit and during the day only.”  Her eyes narrowed at what he said.

                “Why just during the day?” she asked.  

                “Because the freaks come out at night.  When I was 14, I begged my dad to let me be alone at night, right?  And he did, because I told him the same thing, I was old enough.  So, one night my dad was working late and I had no babysitter and I was okay; or that was until had to lock up and get ready for bed.”  Her eyes had stayed trained on him while he started the story.

                “What happened?”

                “Well, I was listening to the radio as I got ready for bed, like I always did when.  But the DJ started talking about a con who had escaped and was dangerous.  About ten minutes after I heard that, there was a banging at the front door and when I looked at the peep hole, there was this guy in an orange jump suit.”  Sam’s eyes were huge and you could hear her gasp.  “I wanted to cry and he kept banging on the door, but I had no clue what to do, so I called the police, but he heard me on the phone and tried to break the door down.  This scar,” he said, rolling up his shirt sleeve and showing it on the outside of his arm, “was where he cut me with a piece of glass he found outside.”

                “Oh my God, how did you survive?”

                “Well lucky for me, my neighbor had seen him and called the cops before I could.  But if she hadn’t, I wouldn’t be here.  So, you’re mom is right, I think, in still having someone watch over you.”

                “Oh, you are so right, I never thought of that!”

                “Thought of what Sam?  What’s going on?” Jackie asked as she walked up the table.  Sam quickly got off of her chair and flew into her mom’s arms.

                “I’m so sorry mom, I won’t ask to stay alone again, anything can happen.  Please don’t leave me alone,” she said, still holding on tight to Jackie.

                “Uh, I won’t sweetie,” Jackie said, wrapping her arms around her daughter while she looked up at Bobby, a thank you clearly written in their depths.