[center][color=teal][h2]Jessamyn "Jess" Bailey[/h2][/color][/center]

Jess bit her lip. That feeling of hurt and rejection still radiated from the anchor. Not only had she gone and deeply offended someone whose story she didn't know, this was far from the best situation for her mother to walk in on. The last thing she wanted was to upset both of them.

Even so, her heart leapt as she watched the car door open. As soon as her mother climbed out, she raised her head. The woman's eyes were shadowed, stress having clearly taken its toll on her, but at the sight of her daughter, her face crinkled into a wide, relieved smile.

Despite her worries, the same expression spread over Jess' face. [color=teal]"She's here,"[/color] she called, glancing over her shoulder at Roxy. [color=teal]"Uh... you say we've got to be in the same room..."[/color] And she was doing it again, worrying so much about bothering the anchor that she was likely to do so anyway. She made her way towards the stairs, wondering how to minimise the awkwardness, and make this as happy an occasion as it should be.