Jed Bailey (jokerandthief) wrote in the_colony, @ 2011-01-02 21:10:00 |
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Entry tags: | ^ week 24, bridget mackenzie, gregory blair, jed bailey, |* greg/jed/bridget |
Week 24: Monday Afternoon
Characters: Bridget Mackenzie, Jed Bailey, Greg Blair
Location: Jed’s room
Summary: Bridget comes to collect Alice’s things, with Greg’s help. Naturally there’s tension, and Jed decides he should ask Tom about moving rooms.
Rating: PG-13, for angry pregnant woman
Bridget was still fuming about the events of last night when she stepped out of her room to make the short trek to the room Alice had recently shared with Jed. Tom had asked her to collect the other woman’s things to spare Alice any more discomfort, and she’d gladly agreed.
“All ready?” Greg asked her as they reached the door to the other room. He would serve as the pack mule, lugging the items back to avoid overloading the expectant mother. Two empty duffel bags were slung over his shoulder, waiting to be filled.
“Let’s do it.” Bridget nodded, and knocked on the door. She didn’t even know if Jed was in the room.
Jed had been staring at the ceiling, thinking about how to sneak out for a bit of whiskey, when the knock jolted him out of his thoughts. He sat up in bed, looking uncertainly at the door. Was it Tom? Or maybe Jack wanted to talk some more?
“Yeah?” he called, his voice a bit of a croak.
“It’s Bridget, Jed.” The expectant mother called through the door. “Tom asked me to come get Alice’s things. I’ve got Greg with me to carry anything heavy.”
Moving so his feet were planted on the floor, his hands gripping the mattress, he wondered if he should just leave as they did it. But then he might run into others. “S’open,” he said, watching the door warily.
Bridget pushed the door open and waddled into the room, Greg trailing behind. The expectant mother had promised herself she’d be civil, but it was all she could do to keep her expression neutral as she spotted the room’s occupant sitting on the edge of the bed. “Which drawers are hers?” She asked, deciding not to waste time with niceties.
Greg just leaned against the wall, looking slightly embarrassed to be there.
His eyes rising no higher than Bridget’s stomach, Jed looked around. It was hard trying to think of separating the room into his and Alice’s. “The... the right side of drawers, mostly. Some stuff in the closet, too. I... There’s prob’ly other things, I think, books and all, but I ain’t real sure.”
“All right.” Hands on her hips, Bridget surveyed the room and looked for obvious items that were Alice’s beyond clothes. She reached over and took a bag from Greg and marched over to the dresser. A drawer opened and clothes were taken out to be placed in the bag.
It was all she could do to keep herself from turning around and letting loose on Jed. She didn’t care that he’d been hurt too, all she could think about was how shattered Alice was.
Jed listened with a heavy heart. If only he could get rid of Alice from his mind as easily as it seemed Bridget was removing her from his room. He looked at Greg, trying to gauge his part in this in a glance, unsuccessfully. Glancing at Bridget again, he asked quietly, “She...she alright?”
Greg winced at the question, shaking his head slightly at the other man, but the damage was already done. All sound ceased as Bridget stopped in her tracks, then slowly turned around to glare at Jed. The expression ‘if looks could kill’ definitely applied here, as Jed would have been vaporized by the intensity of Bridget’s displeasure. “No, she isn’t all right! She’s shattered, an emotional wreck.” She waddled over to where he stood and stared up at him, still glaring. The expectant mother jabbed a finger at him, poking him in the chest. “And it’s all” *poke* “your” *poke* “fault!” *poke*
Greg took a step forward to pull Bridget away from Jed, but recoiled with his hands up at the glare that was sent his way from the expectant mother.
Trying to step back, Jed just hit the bed, wobbling slightly but keeping his feet. A lump was lodged in his throat, making it even hard to breathe. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides, trying to hold back the urge to scream at her. She didn’t know anything. Anything except what Alice was going through now. “I know,” he said hoarsely. “And I’m sorry. I’m-- But I can’t make it better.”
“You’d better be sorry!” Bridget fumed tearing up just a bit, but managed to avoid saying the first thing that popped into her head: namely that Jed could just avoid having anything to do with women, since he was so bad with them. First Jack and now Alice.
Instead she huffed and turned around to resume cleaning out Alice’s things.
Greg caught Jed’s eye and jerked his head out into the hall. Maybe if they left Bridget to do her thing until she needed him to carry something they could avoid any more explosions. Having Bridget get into a screaming match in her condition wouldn’t be particularly healthy for her.
Jed didn’t hesitate, going out ahead of Greg. Almost anything was better than facing Bridget right then. Leaning against the hall wall, he realized his hands were shaking. Balling them into fists, he shoved them in his pockets, breathing deep.
Greg patted him awkwardly on the back before moving to lean against the opposite wall. “Breakups never are fun.” He commented, glad there were no children involved in this particular situation. “I suggested to Bridget we arrange a time to come when you wouldn’t be here, but she wanted to get Alice’s things to her as soon as possible.”
“No. No, she’s right. Better gettin’ Alice’s things now,” Jed said, his breathing evening out. “It’ll help her. Make a clean break. Jesus, wish I could do that.” He leaned back, closing his eyes. After a moment, he gave a hollow little laugh. “You wantin’ yer own room?”
“Wanting a clean break on your end too?” Greg nodded sympathetically. Bridget might be too angry to notice that both parties were devastated by the break, but he wasn’t. “I’m the newest member of the group -” aside from Leo, but he wasn’t going to mention the other man “- might be best to let Tom know you want to make a change and let him decide who gets the room.”
Jed nodded. That actually wasn’t a bad idea. Aside from the talking with Tom bit. That he wasn’t looking forward to. He could face a few more days of that room. Opening his eyes, he looked at Greg. There was none of the accusation and anger in his face that there was in Bridget’s. He wanted to explain to him, find someone who could see his side. But there were no words.
“I didn’t...I never wanted to hurt her,” Jed said.
“Want to or not Jed, you did.” Greg sighed and shook his head. “I came very close to being in your shoes with my ex-wife once, only the fact that my daughter was in the room made me walk away before it got that bad.”
Ducking his head, Jed said, “I didn’t hit her. ‘Least I didn’t fall that bad.”
“Someone was there to save you from yourself.” Greg nodded. “Things can get out of control quickly.”
“Greg, I’ve got a bag ready!” Bridget’s voice, annoyed, called from inside the room.
“Be right there.” Greg called back, and turned back to Jed. “Things look bad now Jed, but they’ll get better.” He put a hand on the other man’s shoulder. “Have faith.” With that, Greg let the hand fall and went to pick up the bag.