Page 30 of The Gift
She moves loudly with every step she takes. The little bells around her wrist would drive me fucking crazy within minutes, but on her they kind of work. As she tinkles up the narrow staircase, I follow behind her still a little confused as to what’s going on. Flicking a look behind me, Henley stands at the base of the stairs, his poise relaxed as he chats away with Maya and Hugo, their laughter following me. And where I thought the front of her cottage was quaint, in here it is like a Disney movie, think Snow White’s house and you’re spot on.
“Jenna, what am I doing here with you?”
“I told you; you’re helping me finish packing. We’re going. Didn’t they tell you?”
“No. We got a little caught up talking about other stuff.”
“Girl, with everything going on, I’m taking up Pack Bailey’s offer. Excuse me, how funny is that. Anyway, Hugo would like us to go stay at the new omega sanctuary, so that’s what we’re doing. It’s probably a good idea because the reality is once my heat hits, well, none of us are going to be worried about security. Shit, last time we barely remembered to stock up on Kombucha and free-range vegetarian protein. Although, great news, Hugo remembered the locally made organic lubrication this time and some edibles. And, sorry, not sorry, but I guess I need to tell you straight up I’m a big over-sharer. Always have been. Anyway, the most wonderful news ever, we’ve even got someone coming to care for Brucey. Get this, last time there was a point I remember him hissing in disgust at me. Goddess knows how he got in our nest but there he was looking properly horrified. He must have seen all parts of his Mommas and Poppa, I’m not sure he should have seen. I don’t really think he’s still forgiven any of us.”
I stand at the door to her bedroom while she dances around, flitting here, and damn near leaping there. She’s talking a mile a minute while she opens and closes drawers without taking anything out. She must catch me a little stumped, standing at the threshold to her bedroom.
“Come, come,” she insists, waving me forward with long movements of her arms. Yep, I was right, she’s au naturel, like no razor blades in this house.
But I can’t. Despite her inviting me into her bedroom, that’s such a deeply personal thing of mine. It’s intimacy in its purest form. She’s obviously cool about having people in her personal space, but no one goes in my bedroom unless they’re intimate in my life. And it makes me uncomfortable to even think about taking a step in hers. I lean against the wall and focus on watching her and petting Bruce.
Jenna’s bedroom is as hobo chic as she is. A low-slung colourful swath of material billows from the ceiling, in muted colours, and while they have a bed in there, meaning it’s not their nest, it still stinks of sex, love and everything I consider private. And lord, I am not a prude, I can smut it up with the best of them. Toys, paraphernalia, porn, hot as fuck books, hook ups on the dance floor, like I’m good with all of it, but this is on my no way Jose list.
“I might stay here if that’s good.”
“Shit, I never thought you’d get uncomfortable. I am so sorry. Insensitive should also be my middle name, but honestly, I blame the way the drugs fucked me up years ago.”
“Pardon?” I stammer, while the floor under my feet vibrates, nearly knocking me to my ass.
“Goddess above, below and around us, please tell me they told you I am one of the omegas from The Gift?”
“Um, no. I sort of guessed it and that was always what we were aiming for.”
“Well, sweetness, you have employed the best damn trackers in the world to find all of us poor darlings. And viola, I’m proof they’re really good. I guess, I should confess though, that once I saw they were on the project, and you too, well I called them so in all honesty they didn’t track me as much as pick the phone up.”
“Why though?”
“Why what, Bailey?”
“Why did you do that? You guys are clearly living the dream,” I say, hoping for an explanation.
Jenna knows no boundaries, she walks up and cups the side of my cheek as she speaks. “So damn true, honey. It’s more like I felt this universal moral obligation to be a part of your wonderful endeavour because, forgive my cursing Blessed Mother, but those motherfucking cunt-flogging-soul-sapping pricks need to see how we not only survived but we are thriving, loving, cherishing every day as it comes. We are not prisoners of their experiments; our tears are our own and we are perfectly proud. We should be universally accepted, cherished, and adored until we die. If I slick, I do it on my terms.”
As long as I live, she will be my poster girl. I think survivor and I will see her. And I’m getting her a ‘If I slick I do it on my terms’ t-shirt made. In tie-dye of course.
She takes a step back.
“Can I ask why I’m here? If you don’t mind. Like out those doors,” I point over through her window to the front yard where through one of those quaint headlight windows I can see my team still going at it with Koda, “You have the people I need to take your story to the world. I’m only one part of the equation. Really.”
Jenna plucks the cat out of my arms and takes his place before walking us out of the room away from everywhere. I pull away, trying to put some distance between us, but by god this woman is on a mission.
“Truth time. I see in you a lost but generous kindred spirit. I feel it too.”
She doesn’t look at me as she talks, and in a lot of ways, I’m happy for that. It gives me a chance to listen to what she’s saying properly, without worry or concern of people watching my reaction.
“Don’t ask for an explanation, but I’ve always admired you. Ask Hugo, but I’ve watched every minute you’ve been on TV. You have this unwavering, ethereal light in you, even when you smile sad. And I know those days you can’t do red lipstick. I have a theory too. Anyway, all that aside, it had to be you, no one else. Which is why I want you to be the only one to come and do the filming.”
“What?” Seriously, I think stammering is fast becoming the only way I speak lately.
“This is my gift. To the universe, really.”
“Jenna, we barely know each other. That’s incredibly private.”
“Oh girl, you are not watching when I go into heat. But whoever came up with the concept, it’s so damn good. Like, really, they’ve nearly made us out to be nothing more than walking vaginas. After we escaped they made it like we were brainless.”
