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

[color=teal]"Uhh, it's ok!"[/color] Jess blurted, her startled gaze shifting from Roxy, who'd started testing a knife's sharpness in an almost loving way, to her mother. Was the anchor acting like this to get back at her for earlier? [color=teal]"Roxy's just quite the martial artist is all."[/color]

There was more to it than that, Jess already knew from the short amount of time she'd spent living with Roxy. Combat seemed to be more than a sport to the anchor.

Jess' words did nothing to ease her mother's nerves. Tension seeped into the empath, clenching her stomach. [color=teal]"And, you know... I've been offered a job here already. Working at the desk. Things are... pretty good."[/color] She shuddered. She hated lying, but it was the only way not to ruin the visit.

Her mom put on a smile that hid her underlying worry. [color=aqua]"I knew you'd be alright,"[/color] she said, even though she'd clearly seen right through the false reassurance. It was as if she tried to convince herself as well as her daughter that everything would be ok. [color=aqua]"Remember what I kept telling you? That things would surely get better?"[/color]

Things certainly weren't as they used to be any more. But would they improve in the way that Jess and her mother both wanted?