The Compromise

"Ah, Christmas break," Sarah said as she sat down next to Jess in the teachers' room. They had just dismissed their students and were waiting for the staff luncheon to begin.

"Two whole weeks without a paper to grade or a blue slip to pass out!" Jess rejoiced. The girls giggled at their excitement but fell silent as other staff members walked in.

"I am looking forward to tonight. I mean it is going to be so weird to be in your house with people in it. It may actually feel cozy."

"It's not really well lived in huh?" Jess was slightly embarrassed by this observation. She and Sid were busy people and when they were home they really only used three rooms: the kitchen, the family room off the kitchen and the master suite. Every other room looked as though it had never been touched, until tonight.

"No, you just need to get married and have a few babies and it will look well lived in in no time." Sarah was reassuring.

"Honestly, I still feel like its Sid's place that I just stay at sometimes. But don't tell him I said that. He gets upset when I bring stuff like that up. He wants me to be comfortable and I do feel that way more so now than two months ago, but..." Jess trailed off.

"Well you are playing hostess tonight so you will have to be comfortable then!"

"Yeah, I know."

"Eeee! I can't wait!" Sarah squealed making Jess laugh. She was thrilled that her friend was looking forward to the Christmas party she and Sid were throwing.

*********

"Are you baking cookies?" Sidney asked when he entered the kitchen later in the afternoon. Jess hurried home after the teacher luncheon and got busy baking to add some homemade touches to the festivities. They had a caterer bringing the meal around six for the festivities at seven, but they decided they would cover any sweets.

Sidney peeked inside the oven to see chocolate chip cookies rising and smiled. He knew they smelled delicious, now he knew he good they looked. He turned around to see Jess busy with mixing more cookie dough and stole a glance over her shoulder to see she was now mixing M&Ms into the dough. He reached for a finished cookie cooling on the rack nearby when he felt a spatula land on top of his hand.

"No," was all Jess said. He feigned injury and pouted elaborately.

"I just wonder if they are as good as they smell!" He defended.

"No," Jess said again, but giggled when he pinched her side. "Where's your parents and sister?"

"They took their things upstairs," Sid said as he stood behind her resting his hands on the counter boxing Jess in. Sid rested his chin on her shoulder, "Two weeks of you to myself, eh?"

"Your family is here though so not all to yourself," Jess reasoned as she continued mixing the cookie dough.

"Yes, but you don't have to leave me in the morning to go to school. And I don't have to go anywhere while you're home. So we can stay in bed for as long as we like."

"You're mind is always in the gutter," Jess laughed. She spun around in her little cage to face Sid and was floored when he kissed her aggressively. She gripped the front of his hoodie to pull him closer to her.

"Oh god get a room!" Taylor exclaimed breaking the pair up quickly. Sid still kept Jess trapped by his frame, but she turned around to start scooping dough onto trays.

"Smells delicious!" Troy said with a large grin on his face. Trina was behind him as they walked into the kitchen.

"What can I do to help?" Trina asked as she came around to embrace Jess, "Hello pretty girl." And she hugged Jess.

"Hi Trina, I'm so glad you made it. The batch in the oven is just about finished and that will be the last of the chocolate chip." Trina nodded and reached for the oven mitts to take the hot tray out.

"And you can leave and stop trying to eat the goodies before the party!" Jess jokingly reprimanded Sid as he attempted to grab another cookie from the cooling rack.

"Just one! I can't even taste one cookie." Sid turned towards Taylor and pushed her along with him to the family room. "Come on I wanna show you something we did down in the basement. You too Dad!"

Jess and Trina watched the three Crosby's walk down the hall towards the basement and returned to the baking in the kitchen.

*********
Jess put the finishing touches on her makeup and slipped into her flats before walking into the bedroom to find Sidney buttoning his dress shirt. She admired how nice he looked in the crisp light blue shirt and jeans. He stood barefoot and was focused on rolling the sleeves to his shirt up a couple times. He hadn't heard Jess walk into the bedroom and was pleasantly surprised when he felt her hands on his arm to help him tuck his sleeves up.

"You look incredible," Sid said when he reached out for Jess to fix his other sleeve. He was staring intently at her face and with his free hand ran his fingers across the silky material of the black short sleeved dress she wore. "This is new."

"I got it for New Year's when I thought we would be here, but now that we will be in New York," Jess trailed off and shrugged her shoulders.

"You should still bring it with you," Sid said, "Is everything okay?"

"I'm just anxious. Trying to remember everyone that will be here is making me nervous."

"I will be with you the entire night. And at any moment you feel overwhelmed and I'm not nearby, find me and we will walk away for a bit, okay?" Sid reasoned.

"Yeah, alright. That will work. Thank you," Jess circled her arms around Sid's waist and lifted her lips to capture his in a quick kiss. "I've got a surprise for you," Jess said, "But you don't get to see it until everyone is home or in bed."

"Is it something I get to unwrap?" Sid asked. He sat on the edge of their bed and pulled on the hem of Jess' dress.

"Maybe, maybe not," Jess teased as she pushed his hands away from running up her thighs. Sid groaned and fell back against the mattress.

"You're going to be the death of me woman," Sid said as he grabbed his socks and sat up to put them on. Jess laughed and walked out of their room leaving Sid to finish getting ready on his own.

********

The party had gone off without a hitch and everyone that Jess was getting reacquainted with had been very thoughtful with her. None of them overwhelmed her and she was able to leave Sid's side confidently. She was standing in the kitchen with Vero, Katherine, Taylor, and Sarah, pouring three of them glasses of wine and laughing about Dupers showing up dressed like one of Santa's elves.

"Hello ladies!" James bellowed as he followed Sid into the kitchen. Sid giggled and crossed the room to stand between Jess and Taylor. He threw his arms around both girls and pulled them close to his sides.

"I don't believe we've ever met, I'm James. And you are?" James asked as he found himself talking to Sarah. She replied with her name, giving him a few more facts about how she knew the host and hostess. He seemed drawn to her and it distracted Jess. She had contemplated introducing Sarah to some other single guys from the team, but never imagined her and James. Jess watched them interact with one another as Sid bantered with Taylor and the other two women wandered back towards the crowded party.

Jess wandered away from the kitchen and tried to get her feelings in check. 'They are just talking, nothing more,' she thought to herself. She wasn't paying attention to where she was walking and found herself in the empty dining room. The caterers were going to set the food up in there, instead they opted to place the warmers in the kitchen where it was closer to the party action.

"Babe? You need a minute?" Sidney snuck up behind her.

"Yeah...yeah I did. Sorry, you were talking to Taylor." She stayed facing away from him, not wanting Sid to figure out the unwanted inner-turmoil. She felt his arms pull her close and in a matter of seconds she felt relaxed and a peace wash over her.

"I don't like it either, Jess. She is too good for him," he said and gently placed a kiss on her neck. She leaned against him and closed her eyes. He knew her better than she knew herself sometimes.

"I noticed them too," he said.

"It's not exactly how I felt though," Jess started. How does she tell the man she is completely devoted to and in love with that she was jealous of the interaction between her two friends?

"You felt a pang of jealousy." Sid said nonchalantly catching Jess off guard. She turned to look at him and found he seemed indifferent to the situation.

"How do you do that?" Jess asked.

"You're my lobster," he chuckled.

"Leave it to you to make a Friends reference in the middle of a somewhat important conversation." Jess crossed her arms and stepped back from Sid.

"Jess, it wouldn't be natural for you to not be slightly jealous. You did have a relationship with him. And you don't need to hide this from me. What makes our relationship work is how much we communicate and trust each other." She considered his words, carefully choosing how to respond.

"You know what they say of penguins?" Jess said as she circled her arms around Sid's neck. She played with the hair on the back of his neck.

"What?" He smirked down at her.

"They find one partner and mate for life."

"Does that apply to hockey players whose mascot is a penguin?" Sid joked.

"You better damn well believe it," Jess exclaimed. She leaned up and kissed him, emphasizing her point. He reciprocated, moaning against her lips, and pulled her flush against him.

"Can I unwrap my gift yet?" He asked against her lips.

She smiled and offered him a little sneak peek. Taking his hand she guided it up her thigh until he was cupping her ass and he could fill the silky lace covering her bottom. "Can I see it?"

She shook her head no, laughed at his slight discomfort and kissed his cheek. "I love you. Later tonight baby."

"You really are going to be the death of me, love you too." He stepped back and adjusted the front of his pants to hide the beginning of an erection he was sporting.

"That is the quote of the day!" She laughed as she walked out of the room towards the music blaring in the family room where the party was still going strong.

*********

Sidney watched as Jess gracefully walked through the throng of guests, speaking with them and flashing them with smiles. He was impressed with how at ease she seemed to be after their little chat. And he was even more pleased to see how she did seem to remember everybody that was there. She stopped to chat with her sisters when Sidney took the opportunity to find her father.

He found her dad talking with Mario and Dan when he approached. 'How fitting. Her dad and two men who are pretty influential in my life.' Then his dad approached the small group. 'Ah great. This is going to go well.'

"Sidney! Great party kid. Thanks for putting this together. I didn't realize how many guys were in town now," Dan said as Sid sidled up next to his father.

"Yeah, thanks. It was really Jess who suggested it. It's funny that you all are standing here together like this." Sid suddenly felt extremely nervous. "Uh, Perry, I really...ok, hold on."

"Spit it out son," Troy laughed smacking his son on the shoulder, jostling him a bit. He knew what Sid wanted to say and thought his chat with his son earlier that day would put him at ease.

"Okay, good. Well, I didn't imagine doing this right here with a small audience. And I am generally really good with my words."

"Go ahead Sid," Perry encouraged. His sincere smile helped Sidney. He ignored the three other men and focused on Jess' father.

"Sir, I love your daughter. More than I can say. And I want to spend the rest of my life showing her how much I do. You have raised an incredibly brave and vibrant, and beautiful woman, who challenges me and makes me a better man. I guess what I mean...what I am trying to ask...say, oh for Pete's sake." He glanced away and caught sight of Jess. She had a megawatt smile on her face and was talking animatedly with a small group of people. Her father speaking drew Sid's attention back to the matter at hand.

"Sidney are you trying to ask for my blessing to marry my baby girl?" Perry asked.

"Yes sir. I am."

"I can't imagine her with anyone else, and I see just how much you two care for one another. Thank you for asking me and for courageously doing it here in front of all of us."

Sid smiled and held out his hand to shake Perry's. "Thank you Perry," he said as they shook hands and her father patted Sid on the back.

*********

Sarah came up behind Jess and whispered, "What do you think he is asking your dad right now?"

Jess spun around in the direction of Sarah's vision. She hadn't noticed Sidney talking to her father until then and as she watched them they clapped hands and share a brief, manly half-hug. "I have no clue."

"Come on Jess! You don't think he would be asking to marry you?"

"I don't know. I wouldn't imagine Sid doing it right here." But Jess continued to watch their interaction until Sid made eye contact with her. She smiled, and felt her face redden because she had been caught.

"Oh well. Guess we will see soon enough. Anyways, you won't be weirded out if I go out to dinner with James tomorrow night, will you?" Sarah asked.

Jess tried to focus her attention on Sarah. "Oh no, go for it," she said half-heartedly. But while her mind tried to comprehend that her friend just asked to go out with her ex, her heart was pounding at the thought of her father speaking of marriage with Sidney. In the conflict inside roared it's ugly head.

Notes