Chapter 69 Jess - Germany
sixty-nine
Jess: Germany
My phone rings, jerking me out of a nightmare. My hands shake as I reach for the phone.
"Jess, did I wake you up?" Becky's voice slows my heartbeat.
"Yeah," I admit, "but I need to be up, anyway." I glance at my clock. I missed my early-morning yoga class, but I can still make it to my lab if I hurry. I haven't been sleeping well again, and when I do sleep, I have nightmares I can't quite remember.
"Sorry, I won't keep you. I just got some insider information that I think you should know."
I sit up. "Insider information?"
"Yeah. Bryan got his orders. We're going to Germany."
"Wow. I'm excited for you, but I'll miss you guys. Germany's pretty far away."
"It is, but you don't need to miss us. You could come."
I shake my head, confused. "To Germany? With you? Do you need a nanny?"
She laughs. "That would be awesome, but I'm sure I can't afford you. My insider information says that most of their unit is going to Germany too, meaning Jacob is likely being transferred as well."
"Oh." My heart falls. "Germany is so far away."
"You could come with us," she repeats. "Wives get to go on this one."
"I'm not exactly—"
"Yet," Becky says. "Like you said. Germany is far away. Think about whether you really want to be that far from Jacob again."
After she hangs up I start thinking about it—all of it. How much I'd hate to be that far away from Jacob, how much I love him, but also how I'm not finished with school. As far as marrying Jacob, for me, it's become less of an if and more of a when. I think, or at least hope, he feels the same.
I get dressed, too distracted by everything Becky told me to worry about making my lab on time. Angelica walks in, a cup of coffee in her hand. She sits on my bed. "Did you have a good spring break with Jacob?"
"The best," I answer.
"I'm glad. I want details tonight. I have to get to class. I just wanted to tell you Michael called."
"Michael?" I ask. He's so far from my mind now that it takes me a second to register who she's talking about. "Why would he call?"
"I don't know, I mean, I assume it was Michael. The connection was terrible, so I couldn't tell who it was, but he sounded far away.
"What did he say?"
"Just, tell Jess I'm thinking of her. If you ask me, that's borderline creepy, especially since you broke up with him, but maybe he meant it in a friendly way." She stands. "I just thought you should know so you're prepared if he calls again."
"Thanks," I answer, hoping she doesn't notice the tremble in my voice.