Laying awake at night, unable to sleep, tossing and turning will finally give way to a very exhausted body and an uncontrollable unconscious mind. Jennette was trying hard to ignore all the thoughts racing through her mind. Memories of feeling betrayed when her brother and best friend, Leah, had stopped wanting her around so much, danced with feelings of concern for Tracy. She didn't know if Monica and Tracy were fighting or fine.
Then Jennette's mind would wonder to Tristan and she would make up reasons why she should probably hate him, just to counteract the overwhelming feeling of attraction. She imagined that perhaps he is so good looking that he is arrogant. Maybe he has had so many girls after him that he has slept around. He surely has got to have something wrong with him, so it could be that he is a sloppy kisser.
She desperately clung to any bad and horrible thing that she could imagine, in an attempt to repulse herself and drive off the feeling of desire she felt when she remembered his smell and his shirtless, tight, muscled stomach. She found herself thinking about his big bulging arms and how safe it would feel snuggled into his chest and wrapped in his strength.
"Stop." Jennette had to verbally reprimand herself. "Go to sleep. Dream of cookies and balloons and fireworks."
It didn't work. Hours of repeating the cycle finally gave way to sleep sometime well after two o'clock in the morning.
Jennette's dreams were no more restful. They were vividly clear and jumbled with visions of Tristan and Thomas. Sound asleep, her mind played tricks on her, allowing her to practically feel Thomas' breath on the back of her neck and Tristan's body pressed into her chest.
In her sleep, her body flushed with excitement and small beads of sweat frosted her skin. Jennette was a virgin, but her unconscious mind was envisioning the touch of a strong man reaching down into her panties and creating a sensation that she couldn't define. It left her longing for more but unable to grasp what it was she needed.
Jennette had never been kissed beyond a simple peck, but she had seen plenty of movies that fueled her drifting dream state. She saw and felt and dreamed of a taste in her mouth that embodied sweet flavorful lust. Her visions of wiskers dancing over soft pink lips and caressing against her face we confusing because in her dream she couldn't differentiate between whether she was kissing Tristan or Thomas.
After only a few hours of very erotic and nonsensical dreaming, Jennette woke up sweating and more exhausted that when she first lay down.
It was a little after five a.m. The house was completely silent and she needed a fresh glass of water to cool her burning chest.
There was a small faint light illuminating the kitchen and the smell of fresh coffee already filled the air. Just as Jennette was about to abandon her search for water, she heard a voice from the shadow of the kitchen.
"Don't go. I never have company this early in the morning." It was Tracy's father, Teddy.
"I'm not usually up this early. I just needed a drink."
"Well pull up a chair and I'll fix you up." He was awfully cheerful for such an early hour. He prepared her a tall glass of ice water, and slid a cover dish of muffins her direction.
"Don't eat those if you are going back to bed," he said.
Confused, Jennette asked, "why not?" and took a deeply needed drink.
"They are delicious, but they'll give you bad dreams."
Jennette almost choked on her water. Sputtering she confessed, "Don't need anymore of those."
Teddy of course wasn't sure what she meant but after the concern passed, he laughed at her blunt response. They joked that there might be a reason he never had company early in the morning, and then they wasted an hour just talking. Jennette was amazed how easy Teddy was to talk to. His smile was genuine and pleasant and his joyful demeanor made Jennette feel accepted and whole.
Lois was the next person awake to join the conversation in the kitchen. She started a breakfast casserole and had a natural way of incorporating Jennette into the process. Handing Jennette the egg shells, she said, "Here. Throw these away for me, please. Tell me more about your major."
Jennette and Lois talked with ease. She was a woman deeply in love with her husband and kids. She embodied a true love for people and a welcoming heart. Jennette felt a warmth and comfort in her presence that she knew she was missing, but had no idea how good it could feel.
Jennette held onto hope that she could stop herself from falling in love with Tracy's brother, but she was already head over heals for Tracy's parents. They were just simply the kindest people Jennette had ever met.
Jennette excused herself to go freshen up for the day. Her short trip to get a glass of water had turned into a treasurered morning and it was too late to go back to bed.
Jennette showered and got dressed. She knew Tracy and Monica were both accustomed to sleeping in so she went back to kitchen to see if Lois ready to start assigning task for the party preparations.
Before she rounded the corner to enter the kitchen she heard Teddy say, "...She is too. She is exactly what he needs. Smart, funny, kind...and beautiful."
Lois responded, "Stay out of it. He doesn't want your opinion when it comes to his girlfriends, and if you like her then he won't. Besides it's not up to us. Leave it alone."
Jennette was certain she was not supposed to be hearing this so she thought it best to back up and pretend that it was taking her longer to get ready for the day.
She took two hard fast steps backwards and tried to turn, but she accidentally bumped hard into Tristan. What was with these brothers lurking over her shoulder?
She hadn't heard him at all or felt his presence so she was completely shocked when she found herself off balance, trpping over her feet, and crashing into him. He of course caught her, but it didn't stop her from letting out a little scream.
So much for secretly hiding her presence from Teddy and Lois. Jennette wasn't sure what was more embarrassing: Teddy and Lois rightfully suspecting that she had heard their conversation or being tangled up in Tristan's arms.
Jennette apologized and found herself at a completely loss for words. She may have been embarrassed, but Tristan was pleasantly surprised. He had meant to sneak up and scare Jennette but when she fell into him, her strawberry scented hair flung into his face. He caught her arms and he was thrilled by the pleasure of feeling her smooth skin in his hands.
Tristan helped Jennette regain her feet and balance before his parents saw her slumped in his arms. They did respond to the scream, but Jennette and Tristan made light of the situation. Jennette saw the concern on their faces change to something uncertain. She wasn't sure if it was an expression of "I told you so" or "wrong brother".