Game of cat and mouse

Now that Jason had a good idea of what Jenny was doing, his need to find her became even greater. And with her long gone and out of reach, all he could do was call her to convey his disapproval of her actions and have her return as soon as possible. When his phone call was answered after four rings, just before it went to voicemail, he heard a voice on the other side of the line answer with "Hello...?" Jenny answered so calmly and void of emotion, that it was clear to Jason that she had not seen who had called and had picked up the call blindly. From her slightly rushed breathing, he could tell that she had been and was probably still walking with a high speed. Even as she was picking up her calls. Maybe even carrying things as she did. If so, he was certain that it would be all that she could fit in those tiny hands of hers. Making Jason's initial worry border over to a beginning annoyance.

When Jenny heard the words, "Hello my dear wife." It became immediately clear who had called her. Though the words itself were full of kindness, his tone caused a chill to run down Jenny's spine. She had picked up the call in a hurry as she was making her way back to the hospital room with the things she had bought in a few of the nearby stores. Elizabeth's favourites had been quite hard to find, forcing her to visit three different stores. Since she didn't want to miss the arrival of her friend's son either, she tried to hurry as she got all the items on Nick's list. With the different bags in her hand, it was difficult enough to pick up the call before the other person had hung up, that she didn't waste any time in looking at the caller-ID. Now that she found out who the other person on the line was in this way, she regretted not glancing at the name in the display before and taking the risk of it going to voicemail.

By now Jenny was certain that Jason knew most of what she had been up to and was less than pleased. And with her promise of making her health and well being her number one priority, assuring him that it was a thing she would never neglect, especially now, he had every right to be displeased with the current situation. Though she hadn't done anything that would actually harm herself or their baby, he did not know that and she had left without informing him. Thinking she would just pop in the store across from the hospital and be back before he would even notice, she didn't think it necessary.

But judging by his tone, she had made a wrong call there. Plus, she was quite sure that her carrying so many bags and running around went against his idea of taking care of her health and body, or at least would be considered as her taking too big of a risk. It certainly was something that went against the amount of exertion she had agreed on when she had a talk with all of her four guards back at home, at least for the remainder of her pregnancy. Though she had only agreed to get them off her back and feeling well enough to do more than what they seemed to want permit, it didn't change the fact that she had agreed.

Trying to make her way out of trouble she tried playing innocent as she replied, "Ah well if it isn't my dear husband. What a pleasant surprise! What has you calling me so out of the blue?" Jason played her little game of cat and mouse along as he replied, "Well, I was busy decorating the room when I realized that my wife, who is eight months pregnant and should be most careful, was missing. So, I went to look for her." Jenny laughed awkwardly as she stepped in the elevator and said, "Well you can stop searching then, because you have found me. I am just making my way back over to where you guys are. I am in the elevator as we speak." Jason had meanwhile walked over to the elevators as well and was calmly waiting for Jenny by its doors as he said, "Oh? Is that so. So, tell me my dear wife, just where are you making your way over from, hmm?"

Jenny was in the middle of thinking of a good answer, for a way to tell Jason about where she had gone and what she had been up to with the least amount of damage to either, when the doors of the elevator opened and she was standing face to face with Jason. He was standing in front of her with all his grandeur. Phone to his ear, his other hand in his trouser pocket and a calm, calculating look on his face. Jason was waiting for Jenny's arrival with the same look and air he used on his business opponents that were trying to test his patience.

Being caught in the act, with the evidence in her hands, there was no escape route left for Jenny. With the look on Jason's face, she wished she could dig a hole and hide in it. She had not been able to prepare a good story and was left with nothing more than the full, undistorted truth. Which in the current situation was more of a ticking time bomb that would instantly dig her own grave, instead of the safety net she hoped it would be with the right preparations. The only thing she could think to say was, "...It's not as bad as it looks...?"