Chapter Text
Jay was glaring at her face-down phone, sighing loudly. This was an obvious sign something was bothering her. However, Chip didn’t feel like asking what was wrong.
Jay’s phone began to ring. She quickly stopped the noise, glancing over at Chip.
She sighed again, resting her cheek in her hand, still staring at Chip. He gazed intently at the computer screen, pretending to be transfixed by the stock he was ordering.
“Okay fine,” Jay relented, realising Chip was not going to ask. “My Father keeps trying to call me.”
Chip’s attention immediately shifted from the computer. “Why didn’t you lead with that? Why’s he calling?”
“Why would I know that, Chip?” She had the nerve to sound agitated, as if that wasn’t a perfectly reasonable question. “I’m sorry, it’s just– Are you serious?”
The phone rang again.
“I’m pretty sure he knows you want nothing to do with him,” Chip muttered as Jay hung up. “Can’t he just text you like a normal person?”
“Have you met my family? There isn’t a ‘normal’ person among us.”
“Isn’t he busy running the Navy? Surely he has better things to do…”
Once again, the phone was ringing.
“I guess not.” Chip paused, hesitant to speak his mind. “What if it’s important?”
Jay sighed angrily, picking up the phone. “Stop calling me.”
Chip couldn’t hear the other side, but whatever her father said made Jay’s face fall. She placed the phone on the counter, turning it to speaker mode.
“Say that again.”
“The boy your friend is looking for; we found him.”
Chip froze.
“Found him, or took him?”
The man laughed. The slight distortion of the speaker somehow made the sound even more unnerving.
“I’ve missed your jokes, darling. The boy snuck onto one of our ships, a Marshall found him.”
“Why didn’t you just text me? Like a normal person,” she replied, half smiling at Chip, who couldn’t return the gesture.
“I wanted to hear your voice, of course! It’s been so long, you never visit anym–”
“You know exactly why I don’t–!”
“Watch your tone! ” He yelled, shutting Jay up. “That is no way to speak to your Father.”
She bit her lip, saying nothing. Chip placed his hand on top of her clenched fist for support. He could feel it shaking. He hoped it was from anger and not fear.
“The ship arrives at port tonight. 7pm. Why don’t you come pick him up? ”
“I don’t want to see you.”
“Jay, I’m not going to hand over a child to a stranger.”
She groaned, sending a worried glance towards Chip.
“I can call his Mother and arrange–”
“I am not asking, Jay. I will see you tonight.”
Before either of them could get another word in, her father hung up. It took a few minutes before any words were spoken.
“Well, what a dick am I right?” Chip said with a chuckle that went quiet almost immediately.
Jay’s jaw was clenched as she took deep breaths through her nose. If her glare was anything to go by, she did not appreciate his joke even a little bit. Which was fair enough, but Chip had to admit it hurt a little.
“Do you think… Should I call his mum?”
Jay shook her head. She refused to elaborate as she sat down on the floor, knees pulled to her chest.
Chip thought about sitting next to her, but the store was still open. So he stayed standing, unsure of how to help.
He checked the time, 1:30. Four and a half hours of worrying.