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

For the next few days, Jess did her best to establish a routine, although wariness simmered beneath that pretense of normality. She started getting some sleep, even if it was disturbed by nightmares. She went with Roxy to get meals from the cafe, training herself not to glance around like a frightened mouse even though all too aware of eyes on the two of them. She limited herself to one coffee a day, no matter how fitfully she'd slept the previous night. Cutting down on caffeine was one way she could ease her nerves at least somewhat, and easing her nerves was of utmost necessity.

Of course, doing so was no easy task. While she worked at the desk - the one thing she could do for Roxy - she remained alert for suspicious people the entire time, although no such customers arrived. The usual clientele consisted of gruff yet nonthreatening people, each visit bringing relief. Even so, as Jess practiced acting confident or at least like less of a wreck, worry built up under the surface.

That worry spiked during a call she received one evening, just after dinner. [color=teal]"Uh..."[/color] She looked across the room at Roxy, reminding herself not to bite her lip. She had to get out of the habit of letting nervousness show. [color=teal]"Mom says she's able to get the weekend off work. Would... going over be ok? Or would it be best for her to come here again? Either Saturday or Sunday, or both?"[/color]

Realising how tightly she was grasping the phone, she forced herself to relax her grip. She could let no sign of anything out of the ordinary show. If her mother jumped to the wrong conclusion, or drew the right one, she'd contact the authorities in an instant - and what would that mean for the three of them?