Chapter 10 - The New Beginning

The morning was characteristically silent, the majority of the townspeople to only to rise for the day ahead in a few hours. Jessi's leave would go relatively unnoticed for the time being. Nothing could obstruct them now.

Hensley's scientific instinct was tempted to pry into Jessi's feelings about finally being outside, but he held his questions at bay. He was content for the moment to watch her rich palette of reactions to the car. She fiddled unsuccessfully with the seat belt and eventually accepted help from Hensley, choosing to look outside her window as he wrapped the strap around her shoulders. Everything was so green. It was shocking how much more she could now see from only just a few feet away from the home.

Outside, Julian ran back and forth, rounding up rogue children (Kieran remained particularly elusive) and whatever loose remnants of the home were left and no doubt attempting to look busy for Hensley. He would not be making the journey with them, as he had promised to stay behind in order to continue researching Mars and Marine - thankfully, Jessi added. She could rest somewhat at ease that the children she left behind were in (somewhat) safe hands. Carlos sat in another car, also disguised as a taxi, with the remaining children.They would drive in opposite directions to avoid suspicion, and the kids would stay low, just in case.

As the final arrangements were made and the car lurched to life, Jessi made it her goal to take in every single sight that had evaded her since her twentieth birthday.

She saw the bar (now turned laundromat) where her friends had taken her to drink on her last day of freedom. Jessi wondered what they had made of their lives. Nobody from the outside was allowed to communicate with her, save for doctors and repairmen.

She passed the park, where she had gotten her first kiss as an eager seven year old from the alpha male of the third graders. It was on a dare, but she didn't need to know that. Jessi still remembered being confused when the parents laughed at this and called it "ironic", a word she still didn't understand when she went home and looked it up in the big dictionary her mother used to keep on the coffee table.

The school looked relatively the same. Something about that comforted her.

It shocked her how small the town really was. It felt like only a few minutes until they were met with a sign wishing them a safe journey out of town, "come visit again soon!". That, Jessi could safely assume, was ironic.

If there was one thing Jessi could say about Safehollow's campus, it was that the place breathed. Townspeople weaved freely through parks and rich wildlife, armed with fishing rods and picnic baskets. The plants were alive and adorned with a spectrum of colors, from the birds and the variety of treehouses the citizens adored so deeply. From first impressions alone, Jessi knew that she had made the right decision. She didn't even care about the home at this point - she just wanted to explore the town.

Well, she still kind of cared about the house. When she had allowed Hensley the privilege to blindly select her future home, she was riddled with doubt soon after. These hesitations evaporated the minute Jessi thought that their ride had pulled up at the wrong house. When she was informed otherwise, she could scarcely believe it! Three stories high, the house was spacious enough for bedrooms, a stocked hobby room, a lovely nursery, and a pool.

She had tried to snap a lovely group shot of everyone - including Carlos - in front of the new home using Hensley as a eighth hand, but none of them looked particularly interested in staying still, least of all Jessi. When she had finally given up, all seven of them scattered in opposite directions, leaving Hensley with barely a word in edgewise. In any other circumstance, Jessi would have felt guilty, but the promise of entering a park for the first time in five years was too tantalizing.

The kids were quick to discover the treehouse in the backyard, but Kieran was quicker. He dashed up the ladder like a monkey, his sisters rolling their eyes at his out-of-place behavior. Secretly, though, both of them were planning how to cut in front of the other to be the next one up.

Juno won.

Meanwhile, Jessi was faced with the dilemma of figuring out exactly what to do. For years, she had dreamed of an opportunity like this, but now that she found her self face to face with the real thing, she had to think on her feet. So she took the first logical step and stole a fishing rod.

It was partially rusted and half buried in the bank mud, so she figured it was okay. Right?

It took a few minutes for the rod to fit comfortably in her hands, but the end result was worth it. Her first catch! It was small fry, but would make a great housewarming meal.

"Fishing" a few simoleons from her breast pocket, she then bought a small hamburger and contented herself with observing her now-neighbors. Jessi hoped that she didn't come off as creepy.

Hensley hadn't lied when he said that Safehollow was home to some oddities. But strangely, she was feeling more at home here than she had ever felt back in the old house. Relish in your freedom, she decided as she squeezed her third packet of ketchup onto her burger.

When she had arrived home, she was greeted by the smell of burning cheese.

"I really wanted to surprise you when you got home," Carlos explain solemnly. "And this was the only thing we had in the house. I figured since you were breaking so many roles of your legacy anyway you wouldn't mind me making food."

She pulled out the fish. "Plan B?"

He laughed, grabbing the saucepan and heading toward the nearest trashbin. "Plan B."

Everything was going smoothly.

Chapter 9 - The Change

Jessi inched out of the stall, considering how to approach the question. She had always had a fine time with her mother, sure, and often thought of her - but it was a little awkward talking about a relationship that had gone so quickly from regular mother-daughter relations to "here's how to really please a man" in what felt like a day. And though she tried to not let it preoccupy her, she often wondered what her relationship with the woman would have been had Jessi not been heir to the Delilah legacy. Jessi had drawn up her own shares of illusions in place of actual fact, which often included soulful heart to hearts and makeshift book clubs.

She tried to word this as coherently as possible to Hensley, who merely nodded and made no comment – much in contrast with his personality just a few minutes ago. Jessi appreciated this, but it did create an awkward silence until Hensley cleared his throat with a decisive cough. He lead her out of the bathroom with a flick of his arm and into the living room. Julian and Carlos had mysteriously disappeared, probably to slink into their blessedly separate rooms. “I know that I promised I was done questioning you, but I actually have one more thing to ask you.”

She checked the time. The kids would be arriving home soon any minute. “I guess it’s fine.”

“Where exactly did you plan on moving after our transactions?”

“I…” She wavered. A few particular houses within the neighborhood stood out to her. “Undecided.”

“I see.” Shifting his weight, Hensley pierced through Jessi with his dazzling blue eyes. "Jessi, do you understand exactly what we do at Safehollow Labs?"

What happened to one more question? "Science, I'd hope", she joked. Hensley didn't smile. Granted, it hadn't been an exactly funny statement to begin with. He instead took to scanning the room, as if expecting an eavesdropper, and lowered his voice accordingly.

"We scour the world for the mystical, Jessi. And for the unordinary people of the world like you. You wouldn't believe what's out there, and you wouldn't want to believe what people are willing to do to said unordinary people. You've lived your life relatively easily."

Hensley lifted his hand before she could object.

"This is not to insinuate that your work is easy. But the town at least supports you."

"Not as much as you probably think," she countered, recalling Petal's outburst. It had felt like such a long time ago that the girls had nested under her wing, and a wave of unnecessary nostalgia rushed over her. It made listening further to Hensley draining. 

"I believe that I have occupied enough of your time, m'girl, so I'll just come out and say it. What would you say if Safehollow Labs could escort you and your children to a brand new house, equipped with the latest technology and enough room for everyone in your family, located in a plentiful and beautiful neighborhood, all free of charge?"

The offer should have been taken her aback, but if anything, Jessi was feeling dizzy. She smiled wearily. 

"I'd say it sounds too good to be true."

Hensley laughed, as if he had expected her answer. "That's what they all say."

"Who's 'they'?" she inquired. 

"Here is the part I believe you'll like the best. If you came with us, you would be living in a tightly knit community with women of similar fates."

"You mean there's other people out there like me?" Though still tired, the thought of living among others like herself piqued her focus.

"Now look who's answering all of the questions", he chuckled. "But yes. A lot more than you'd think."

Jessi pondered. On one hand, abandoning the home that she had grown up in in chase of a complete and total violation of her legacy would have probably set more abiding Delilahs reeling. But was she the same? Hadn't Jessi spent her entire child-rearing career discovering just the opposite? Surely, the incident of her live in roommates was just the beginning of a long list proving just that. On the other hand, she would do anything to better the lives of her children, and a home on the outstretched skirts of nature would definitely be for the best. And giving into her personal whims, a community where she could actually be free was beyond ideal. There was nothing to hold her there but for her family's guilt. 

Hensley had noticed her silence, and smiled. "I can give you a while to think about it."

"No, I think I've researched a decision", she determined. He looked on in interest as she arched her arms over her head and stretched. "As long as you agree to still buy the home, I think we have a deal."

Barely listening to Hensley's enthusiasm, she thought about what her mother would have done.