Chill 20

<Jack>

Behind me, I could hear the sound of clothes rustling. A few seconds later, Nisha let out a loud yawn. "Gosh, I'm so sleepy now that the adrenaline's gone. I think I need to take a nap. Jack, can you help me again, please? I have no idea how you managed to get my coat on me, but I can't get this zipper open."

Turning on my heel, I summoned forth a small smile. "Aww, but I kind of like the marshmallow look you've got going on," I teased lightly.

Nisha's only response was to stick her tongue out at me in a childish manner, but her grey eyes were laughing.

More of that warm joy kept creeping through my body, filling me up until I felt as if I might be nearly as warm as a normal human. Stepping closer, I began unraveling Nisha from her many layers. When I was finally done, three minutes later, she was sweating heavily.

"First a shower, then a nap," Nisha decided firmly.

"Do you need help with that too?" I smirked slightly.

"You wish," she rolled her eyes.

I sighed, nodding my head. "Indeed I do."

"Pervert," she shook her head in exasperation. Standing on her feet, she pointed to the pile of clothes sitting on her bed. "You made the mess, so you can clean it up."

Without another word, she pulled out some fresh clothes from her dresser and left the room.

Watching her retreating back with fierce longing, I glanced around the empty bedroom once she was gone. "...Gods, she's got me wrapped around her finger."

Despite my words, my face was filled with a shit-eating grin as I happily cleaned up all the clothes I'd dragged out. If it was Nisha, I didn't mind being whipped.

Glancing down, I took in the absolutely trashed sandals that I was amazed were even slightly hanging onto my feet. "This is why I hate shoes. The Human World is such a pain," I grumbled, shaking my head tiredly.

Once I finished cleaning up, I left Nisha's room and returned to my own. I still had a bit left to unpack. Now that I was in control of my emotions again, I didn't have to worry about destroying everything around me.

By the time I folded and laid the last article of clothing in my dresser, nearly thirty minutes had passed.

Leaving my room, I knocked on Nisha's closed bedroom door. No answer came after a few seconds, so I quietly tried the knob. Opening the door without any resistance, I peeked my head in. "Love?" I called out worriedly.

Curled up on the bed was Nisha's deeply sleeping form. Smiling softly, I quietly closed the door to leave her to her nap. Trailing down the stairs, I called out to Grace in the kitchen. "Nisha's passed out upstairs for a nap."

Turning her head from the pot she was stirring on the stove, Grace nodded. "Yeah, I imagine she must be exhausted. How did it go? I could feel the cold air creeping down the staircase earlier. You didn't break anything, I hope." In the end there Grace's steely grey eyes hardened in proper grandmotherly fashion.

Laughing awkwardly, I shook my head. "C'mon, Nana. Do you think I'm that careless?"

She kept silent, pursing her lips and raising a brow in a very judgmental way.

Sighing in irritation, I moved forward to take a seat at the dining table. "While things aren't as cleanly set as I'd like, progress has at least started. I told her I can only grant her a week."

"And no matter her choice, you're sticking to her like glue, hmm?"

"Of course!" I clenched my hands into fists. "Six years was more than long enough. I can't last even another day without her."

Nana chuckled sadly, shaking her head. "I can't tell if you're sweet or creepy."

I winced, shifting in the seat. "I much prefer the first option, thanks."

After giving the pot a few more strong stirs, Nana moved to sit down across from me. "Did you learn anything else?" Her gaze behind her glasses quickly grew sharp and focused.

Propping my chin on my left hand, I smiled darkly. "Oh, I learned enough."

"...Considering how crafty you are, I'm going to guess tonight then." Nana smiled back at me with an equally ruthless light in her eyes.

I pointed a finger gun at her, chuckling. "Bam! Got it in one, Nana!"

"Call me heartless, but I think I'll be opening up a bottle of champagne tonight. It'll be the first night I can get a good night's sleep in several months." Leaning back in her chair, relaxing with a long exhale of breath, Nana smiled brightly.

"There's nothing heartless about celebrating the demise of someone who has hurt your family," I assured Nana firmly. "If anything, it's only proper that you do."

She remained quiet for a few moments, her eyes closed in thought. I waited, seeing no need to rush her. "Jack, make sure you get in a few good blows for me as well." She reached out to pat the top of my head, looking truly at peace with her decision.

I nodded once. "Yep. Don't worry about a thing, Nana. I'll make sure the fucker suffers."

"Then I'm fine," Nana confirmed, rising back to her feet to check on the pot. After making sure things were in order, she returned to her seat. "Now," she murmured slowly. "How is...how's Mary been?"

I closed my eyes, grimacing in a bit of emotional pain. "Mom is, uh," I fumbled horribly, muscles tensing from the stress.

"'Mom'?" Nana brows shot up in shock. "She allowed you to call her that?"

I flinched, rubbing my palms against my arms as if to get warm. "Well, not exactly," I confessed around a mumble.

A face filled with patient expectation stared back at me as Nana mirrored my sitting position from before. She peered at me over her glasses, a tiny smirk pulling her lips to the side as she waited for a coherent response.

"...Mother is Mother and Mom is Mary," I grumbled around a defeated huff of breath. "But considering how proper the two of them are, I'm only allowed to call Mary 'Mom' in private. The few times she's happened to overhear me, I have to admit Mom was kind of scary. Makes me wonder if that's how Nisha will be when she's angry."

Nana giggled gaily, kicking her feet under the table. "But the angrier she gets, the more she cares."

I glowered at my grandmother who was having way too much fun at my expense. "Nana!" I hissed, reaching out to shove playfully at her arm.

Grace smoothly dodged out of the way at the last second and snickered at my shocked face as I was momentarily frozen. "This old biddy is faster than you, Jack. Tell me, how bad is your pride bruised?"

"Nana!" I cried, tears forming at the corners of my eyes. "Why are you being a big meanie?"

"This is nothing," Grace rolled her eyes at me. "I haven't seen you in so long. I have years of giving you shit to make up for."

My bottom lip trembled as I repeatedly shook my head in denial. "I want my adorable granny back!"

She smiled widely with lots of teeth, eyes lowering briefly into narrow slits. "Too bad. I swapped places while you were acting all sweet with Nisha upstairs."

I gasped, pointing a shaking finger at her from across the table. "How do you know about that?!"

"I never realized you liked cuddles so much. Maybe I should give you some too, hmm?"

I leaned back in the chair, hiding my face in my hands. "Nana!"

"Aww, is my wittle washwellow Jackie-poo upset?" Nana stretched out her hand to pinch at my cheek, grinning like mad. "You are such a cutie when you get like this."

I let out a low whine of utter humiliation while Nana continued to tease me mercilessly. In between her snickers, she explained that she'd snuck upstairs and peeked into Nisha's bedroom to make sure we were both still alive.

After a full two minutes of Nana's fierce playing around, she eventually returned to a more serious mood. "Now, Jack, let's return to the topic at hand. I know you thought you were being sneaky about changing the subject, but you weren't. I've sent Mary letters, photos, and home videos several times a year. But she's never responded."

Closing my eyes briefly while I tried to gather my cool, I nodded stiffly. "Mom's been, well, depressed since you and Nisha left. For about a month after Nathan died, she was completely inconsolable. It was bad, Nana," I whispered harshly. "*Really* bad."

Grace's eyes filled with unshed tears as she gazed at me, the pain obvious on her face. "My baby boy," she breathed out so softly I was sure I wasn't meant to hear it. Glancing away, trying to pretend I hadn't, I continued speaking quietly.

"Mom's gotten a little better in the last two years. It's less obvious that she's depressed, but I hear her crying herself to sleep when I secretly go to check on her sometimes. Still, she's gotten to the point that she can at least appear strong. I know she's been terrified and impatient for you two to return."

A muffled sob floated across the table and I moved my gaze down, to the table cloth.

"I know she watches the videos since we've watched a few together. I don't know if she reads your letters, but I believe she does. She has several of the photos you've sent hanging up in her room."

Sniffles, followed by the sound of Grace getting up to blow her nose with a nearby paper towel roll.

"...I'm really hoping that Nisha agrees to return with me. I'm pretty sure the only thing holding Mom together anymore is getting to see her daughter again."

"Jack," Grace's arms came from behind, holding me close in a hug. "I really hope Nisha does too. Family is all we have left in the world. Mary should be able to see her grandsons, at the very least. But I can't make the decision for Nisha and neither can you." Nana pressed a brief kiss against my cheek before backing up slowly.

I turned in my chair, rubbing the kissed spot absently. "I know," I murmured forlornly. "I can't steal her away to another world, no matter how much I want to."

Grace nodded her head firmly. "Not if you don't want doubt to eat away at any happiness that might come your way."

Slowly, Nana moved away and returned to her cooking. I glanced around the kitchen for a few moments, absorbing the quiet. But, eventually, I knew I still had tasks to accomplish.

Finding an appropriate location to interrogate and torture someone was one of them, actually.