Private Conversations

Pearl swung the door open and found Jesse leaning back in a chair, laughing.

Looking around, she didn't see anyone else with him. As she cast a bemused look in his direction, she heard the voice of a child. Taking another look around, she quickly realised Jesse was on a video call.

He looked so relaxed and happy. Not at all like the last time she'd seen him. The day she'd ordered him not to bother about her health. She still felt bad about that. Whoever he was talking to had clearly put him in a good mood. His green eyes twinkled and the sound of his laugh had come out of a deep place, the way she remembered it.

It was a short moment before Jesse looked up and saw her.

"Pearl," he said, a considerable measure of warmth in his voice.

"Hey, Jesse."

He glanced at the computer screen and whispered, "Un momento."

Pearl started to say, "I'm sorry. I didn't know you were on a call, I'll just-"

"No, it's fine. Did you need something?"

"No. Not really. Supper's almost ready so they sent me to find you."

"Oh, alright," he took a look at the screen. Pearl saw tenderness on his face and then he looked up again. "Come over here."

"What?"

"Come see who I'm talking to. You can say hi."

After a moment's hesitation, she walked across the room and rounded the side of the desk in Vivienne's spacious study. Curiously she leaned toward the screen.

Jesse watched a genuine smile spread across her face and he drank it in like a plant in a rare desert storm.

"Hello, Pablo!"

"Bonitas mujer!" Pablo exclaimed, clapping his hands enthusiastically. "You're back!" the boy cried happily in Spanish.

With a slight laugh, "Yes, I'm back. How did you know I'd gone away?"

"Papa told me."

"Papa?"

Pablo pointed at them. "Papa Jesse!"

Pearl chuckled again and asked Pablo how he was doing. It was enough to launch the child off into an excited narration of the fun things he did on a daily basis.

Jesse watched Pearl as she gave the child her full attention. She didn't have a chance to say much, but she didn't seem to mind. He loved seeing them interact; Pablo clearly liked Pearl and anything that made the boy smile, made Jesse smile. He had had a hard start to life, learning from his environment at a very young age that no one was going to look after him, love him or nurture him. His mother had been too wrapped up in her own vices and addictions to give him anything of herself. By the time Pablo had been found making a bed of newspapers in a parking lot near a church, he had already learnt not to cry and not to smile. Children like him weren't allowed to have emotions, they only served whatever purpose those with power over them needed them to. Pablo had learnt that very early and it had made him a very grave child. It had taken time to chip away at that protective barrier, but Jesse could see the child emerging slowly.

Reluctantly he announced that they had to leave for dinner soon.

Pearl glanced at him, nodding and Pablo made a face. "Don't you want to stay with me?"

"You know I do, little one," Jesse smiled easily. "I'll call you again before the weekend is over and we'll talk for even longer."

"Will she be there?" Pablo asked, meaning Pearl.

Chuckling Jesse shook his head. "Probably not, baby boy."

With a dramatic sigh, the Spanish speaking boy nodded and waved as his matron walked into the room.

"Good bye, Papa." He held his hand to the screen and waited.

Jesse lifted his hand too. "Good bye for now, Pablo."

A moment later the boy jumped down from the chair and ran out of the room.

When the screen went blank, Pearl turned to Jesse, who still had a slight smile on his face.

"That was nice."

"Yeah. That kid makes my day so much better every single time."

"Do you talk often?"

"At least once a week. I don't feel the same until I know how he's doing."

"Wow. I had no idea he made that much of an impact."

"Neither had I," Jesse admitted, "until the idea came to talk to him. Now, I'm addicted."

Pearl laughed. "Has God told you what to do about him yet?"

Jesse leaned back in the chair and looked at her where she perched on the side of the desk. "I think so." Pause. His eyes searched her face and then he looked away. "There are things I need to sort out first. Whatever I do for Pablo has to be planned and thought out, you know?"

Their eyes met again. Pearl nodded.

"Let's go eat," he said quietly, "before they think we're up to something in here."

He stood up and held out a hand to her. Pearl looked at him quizzically.

"Don't ask."

She took his hand and slid off the desk, her shoes making no sound on the plush carpet.

He hugged her to his side briefly. "It's good to have you back."

"Thanks, Jess, it's good to be back."

"With a client like Sahara, I can only imagine," he muttered.

He let her through the doorway first.

Vivienne stopped in her tracks when she saw a laughing Pearl looking back at her elder son. He was looking down at her, a slight smile on his face, amusement twinkling in his eyes.

"There you two are!"

They both paused and looked at her.

"Hey, Mom, I hear you guys were looking for me?"

"Yes. Dinner's ready. We sent the pearl after you and she didn't come back, so I decided to hunt for the both of you."

Jesse chuckled as he reached his mother's side. "Well, you've found us both. It's my fault she was delayed. I was video chatting with someone."

"Oh!" she glanced at Pearl. "Why didn't you come back and say so?"

"Because I dragged her into the conversation too," Jesse interrupted mildly. "Let's go eat."

Vivienne complied and hooked her son's arm with her own. Jesse glanced at Pearl and offered his other arm.

She took it and that is how the three of them entered the dining room, where most of the family was already seated.