Family Ties

Chapter Eleven:


Jessi spent an hour in the bathroom drying the curls from her hair. She pulled the sides back pushing it forward a bit creating a small poof as she clipped it. After applying her make up she stepped into her room slipping on her ankle length black spaghetti strap dress. She slid on her black heels ad made her way down the stairs. Kendal and Paul looked up from the t.v. as she walked into the room. Kendal jumped up running to Jessi.
"Mommy you're so pretty."
Jessi smiled weakly picking her up.
"Thank you baby."
Lynn walked up behind her running her hand thru Jessi's hair.
"It's straight. I like it. You look beautiful. Much better than you did this morning. You sure you feel ok?"
Jessi shrugged setting Kendal down.
"I must be coming down with the flu. I'll be alright."
Lynn reached down feeling Jessi's forehead.
"You don't have a fever. But you sure did look pale this morning."
Justin walked into the den turning a complete circle showing off his black suit.
"Well?"
Lynn nodded straightening his jacket.
"You look handsome. You need to wear suits more often to these events."
Justin shook his head rolling his eyes.
"No momma. They're lucky i'm wearing one tonight."
Paul stood up grabbing his camera.
"What is tonight anyway?"
Justin grabbed Jessi's arm pulling her up from the couch and putting his arm around her letting Paul take their picture.
"It's some sort of Charity event. I think. Hell i'm not even sure. Lance will know."
Jessi sighed sitting back dow on the couch.
"I don't know if i'll make if all night or not. I'm so tired."
Justin jogged thru the house to the foyer as the door bell rang. He opened the door letting Lance inside.
"Come on sis. Limo is here."
Lance walked into the den as Jessi stood from the couch. He placed his hand on the small of her back kissing her cheek.
"You look beautiful."
She smiled and quickly kissed him.
"And you look handsome."
Kendal grabbed Lance by the leg tugging on his pants.
"Hi dad"
L"
Lance laughed reaching and picking her up.
"Hi angel. You gonna be good for grandma and grandpa?"
She smiled pulling at his tie.
"Always daddy."
Lynn reached out taking Kendal from Lance.
"You're gonna mess up daddy's nice suit. Kiss them bye so they can leave."
Lynn walked around to the three of them letting Kendal kiss them goodnight. Lance leaned down looking Jessi in the eye.
"You ok.?"
She took a deep breath nodding.
"I'm ok. Just tired. I think i'm getting the flu. I don't think i'm going to be able to stay all night."Lance nodded taking her hand.
"That's ok. Whenever you want to leave just tell me."
Justin slapped Lance on the back.
"Come on. We've got to stop and pick my date up."
They waved goodbye and pilled into the limo.

Jessi, Lance, Justin, and Becca joined the rest of the guys and their dates in front of the hotel where the event was being held. Jessi stood back with the rest of the girls as the guys stood together having pictures taken. Jessi closed her eyes balancing herself as her head began to spin. Kelly leaned over grabbing her arm.
"You ok?"
Jessi shook her head looking at Kelly.
"I need to get inside."
Kelly nodded quickly looking around.
"Come on. We can sneak past the guys and get in."
Jessi followed close behind Kelly as they walked to the door of the hotel. JC watched them walk to the door and reached behind Joey punching Lance in the back. Lance looked over and JC nodded toward Kelly and Jessi. Lance nodded quickly breaking up the session and following them into the building. He walked up behind Jessi slipping his arm around her waist.
"You alright?"
Jessi nodded. "Yeah. I just wanted to get out of the way."
Lance shook his head looking at her out of the corner of his eye.
"You are lying."
Jessi moved away slipping her hand into his kissing him. She pulled away wiping lipstick from his mouth.
"Let's go have a good time."
He squeezed her hand smiling and led her thru the crowd.

Jessi stood behind Lance her arms wrapped around his waist as she listened to him talk. They had spent the past few hours dag, mg, mingling, and eating. Jessi patted Lance on the stomach and he placed his hands on top of hers squeezing them as he looked over his shoulder .
"I'm gonna go sit for awhile."
He nodded. "I'll come with you."
Jessi shook her head siding her arms from around him.
"No. JC and Tara are over there so i'm gonna go sit with them."
Lance leaned down softly kissing her.
"I'll be over in a minute."
She smiled and walked toward JC.
As she reached the table her head began to spin as a sharp pain hit her abdomen. She stopped slightly bending grabbing her stomach. JC stood up from his chair walking around to her.
"You ok?"
she waited a minute before standing up straight taking a deep breath.
"I'm gonna walk out to the lobby and get some fresh air."
JC nodded grabbing her arm.
"I'll go too."
She shook her head. "No. You stay here. I'm ok."
She walked away and into the lobby stopping to lean against a pole as another pain hit. JC bounced his knuckles on the table sighing.
"Tara i'll be right back. OK?"
She nodded looking over her shoulder into the lobby. Jessi took another deep breath and stepped away from the pole. She nodded assuring herself and began walking toward the door. when she collapsed onto the floor. JC broke into a run falling to his knees next to her. He lightly slapped her face calling her name trying to wake her up. Mike ran into the lobby squatting next to JC.
"What happened?"
JC shrugged. "I have no clue. We've got to get her out of here."
He reached down sliding one arm under her back and the other under her knees to lift her. He quickly jerked his arm back looking at it. He stared at the blood covering his arm and slowly looked over at Mike.
"Call an ambulance."
JC lifted her limp body from the floor quickly walking to the desk thanking God there were few people in the lobby. The gentleman behind the desk ran around the desk quickly leading JC to a back office. Mike instructed the phone operator to send the ambulance to the back door and hung up the phone. He ran back into the ball room searching the crowd for Justin.

JC laid Jessi down on the floor. He gently patted her cheeks calling her name again.
"Come on Jess. Damn it wake up."
Mike found Justin across the ball room talking with Chris and shoved his way thru the crowd reaching Justin out of breath.
"Justin........Jessi......"
He stopped trying to catch his breath. Justin grabbed Mikes arms as his brow furrowed.
"What? What is it?"
Mike took a deep breath looking at Justin.
"JC has Jessi. She's not good. I've called an ambulance. You've gotta hurry."
Justin looked over to Chris.
"Find Lance."
chris nodded grabbing Nichole by the hand pulling her thru the crowd.

JC looked over his shoulder as Justin ran into the room.
"What's going on?"
JC turned to Mike.
""Find out where that damn ambulance is. NOW."
Mike ran out of the room and JC ran his hand thru his hair sighing. Justin looked down at JC's arm, his eyes widening in shock.
"What has happened Josh?"
JC shook his head.
"She went to the lobby to get some air and she just passed out. I can't get her to respond Justin."
Justin pinted to JC's arm.
"The blood........"
The paramedics made their way into the room shoving JC and Justin out of the way. They stepped into the hall watching from the doorway answering what questions they could. The hotel manager tapped JC on the shoulder handing him some towels as he turned around. JC thanked him cleaning off his arms and removing his jacket. Lance and Chris ran down the hallway with the girls behind them. Lance stopped slamming into the back of Justin.
"What happened?"
Jc took a deep breath.
"Don't know Lance. She just passed out. They're working on her."
The paramedics placed Jessi on the stretcher rushing her out to the ambulance. Mike and Lonnie checked the back entrance making sure it was clear before ushering the guys out to the limo. Justin stopped grabbing a paramedic by the arm.
"I want to go with her. She's my sister."
The paramedic nodded pointing to the passenger door.
"Get in."
Justin jumped into the ambulance cringing as the driver jumped in hitting the siren.