Free S.W. Tanpepper's GAMELAND: Season Two Omnibus (Episodes 9-11) by Saul Tanpepper Page B

expected,” he said. He wanted to draw her away from Reggie’s house, away from the gaming equipment. Away from questions. “The new kidneys are holding, but they have to keep a close watch on his white blood count while they suppress his immune system. They don’t want him rejecting the transplants or coming down with an infection. And the dialysis is really doing a number on him.”
    â€œStill?” Jessie asked. “Shouldn’t it, I don’t know, shouldn’t the kidneys just work right from the start?”
    â€œIt’s all the medicines they’re giving him. They don’t want to put a lot of strain on the kidneys just yet.”
    They walked along in silence for another block, standing close to each other but not touching.
    â€œAny word from your mom?” he finally asked, hoping to change the subject.
    He heard her take in a sharp breath, and immediately regretted asking. Even at the best of times, Jessie’s complicated relationship with her mother was a touchy subject. And this most certainly wasn’t the best of times. Not even close.
    She shook her head.
    â€œIt’s been almost a week,” he mused. “I wonder—”
    â€œI know how long it’s been,” she snapped at him. “You don’t have to remind me!”
    He couldn’t stop himself. He wanted to help. “Maybe you should try pinging her.”
    She didn’t answer.
    â€œLook, Jess,” Kelly said, his recent Link conversation still playing in his head, “I’m sure she’s fine. It’s just that everyone’s having a tough time right now. Telling you who your real father is couldn’t have been easy. She’s probably just ashamed that it happened, that she didn’t mention it sooner.”
    Jessie seemed to consider this for a few minutes. Then she gave him a thin smile and grabbed his arm and pulled him closer until they were forced to stop walking or else trip over each other’s feet. She lifted her chin to his face and his heart clenched inside his chest. She had grown so pale and thin, and there were dark circles under her eyes and new lines in the corners of her mouth. She looked so much older than she was. He supposed they all did.
    â€œTonight,” she whispered as she leaned into him. Her breath on his neck sent a shiver through his body. “Tonight I think we should celebrate our marriage. It’ll be our honeymoon night.”
    Kelly’s heart fluttered loose from its bindings. It was the first either of them had made any mention of sex since returning. He thought he’d never again be able to think about anything but the death and dying he’d witnessed and been a party to while in Gameland. But now he felt a stirring inside of him, the trace of something old and familiar and good. He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and hold her tight against him.
    At the same time, the thought terrified him like nothing he had ever experienced before.
    â€¡ ‡ ‡

Chapter 8
    Jessie hummed to herself while preparing dinner. It was a simple casserole of mixed frozen vegetables and hamburger thawed in the microwave. A little grated cheese sprinkled on top and two mismatched half-boxes of pasta. So what if the cheese was moldy (carefully shaved off, of course) and the pasta stale? It was the first meal she’d actually enjoyed since their return, and the first time she didn’t feel like puking afterward.
    â€œEric was supposed to go grocery shopping,” she told Kelly, apologizing as they sat down to eat. “There wasn’t much to choose from.”
    He smiled at her over the steaming plate, his Link sitting beside his drink glass on the table.
    Both her grandfather’s and mother’s chairs were empty, and Kelly was sitting in Eric’s place. The dinner progressed in an agreeable silence.
    Later, when he was rinsing the glasses in the sink, Kelly observed, “Your