Returning to You

Jessica’s POV
I woke up and got up from the couch stretching my limbs out and feeling all my muscles stretch before I stumbled my way upstairs and walked into the bathroom and stripped my clothes off and stepped into the shower and washed myself.
I managed to get changed into some clothes I had stashed around then made my way downstairs to the kitchen where I turned on the coffee pot. Leaning back against the counter I brought a hand to my mouth as I yawned, the events of the last couple of days wearing me out considerably.
The coffee brewed and I poured myself a cup and just stood there sipping on it looking around myself at the walls, I really needed to get them painted and I already had the paint for them.
I finished my coffee and cleaned the cup before I moved out to the garage and started hauling paint tins in and placing them into the rooms they were going to be coating. When they were all in place I found the paint rollers I had bought as well and standing in the kitchen I tied my hair back and got to work on painting the room white. The tiles I had wanted were already up so that was fine.
I blew a hair out of my face which had escaped the bun I had tied it into then stepped back to survey my handy work. The ceiling didn’t get any paint and I had kept the tiles clean and the counters were fine except from the odd bit and I had wiped them off quickly to avoid it drying. There wasn’t actually much wall to paint in here being that most of it was covered in cupboards or tile. I smiled at the handy work before I moved into the downstairs bathroom and painted that white as well.
As soon as I finished I heard my phone ring; setting down the roller I wiped my hands quickly on an old towel before making my way into the sitting room where the phone was.
Picking up the receiver I answered
“hello?” I heard a sigh before a voice spoke
“hey there Jess, how are you doing?” I smiled at the concern in her voice but I could hear the exhaustion there as well
“I’m fine Val, are you ok? You sound tired” I heard her groan
“oh god yes I’m tired! I’ve been up for a while with these guys in the studio and they are driving me crazy but I called to see how you’re doing?” I chuckled
“I’m fine really Val but you’re not, why don’t you guys take a break and come round mine, I’m only painting right now”
“oh thank god! I need to get out of here and well the guys need something to take their energy out on” she said thankfully and I giggled to myself before I answered
“well come on over, oh but you might wanna pick up some paint brushes and rollers, I don’t have enough for everyone”
“ok, will do, see you in about half an hour” we then rang off and I sighed as I put the phone back in the cradle. I looked around my nice quiet house and decided that if the guys were coming to help then I had better cover every surface knowing that they would make a mess, especially Jimmy.
After covering everything that needed it I looked at the clock in the kitchen and saw I had a couple of minutes before they arrived so I just got out a load of cups and started making some coffee, I knew what each of them liked by now and though I’m sure they would all like beer better, they were getting coffee.
Just as I finished pouring the water the front door could be heard opening up and I heard all of them making their way into the house before Brian called out
“Jessica where are you!” I smiled and called back
“in the kitchen Brian!” soon after they all piled into my newly painted kitchen and turning around holding a mug I warned
“don’t lean against the walls, I painted this, this morning so it’s still kind wet” they all seemed to move closer to one another to avoid the walls and looking over Val saw all the mugs and asked
“did you make us all drinks?” I grinned and nodded
“yeah though each of you has coffee, I am not letting you have beer before you paint my house” I looked pointedly at Jimmy at that moment and he held his hands up
“hey don’t look at me like that! I am not a walking disaster” everyone snorted at once making Jimmy pout and Brian clapped him on the shoulder before he walked over and picked up his mug and sipped on it. Coming over he gave me a side hug
“thank you Jess” I smiled up at him as everyone proceeded to get their cup and drink while we talked.
I assigned everyone to a room; Matt had the living room, Jimmy had the Dining room as there was no furniture in there to break, Johnny had the spare room, Zacky had the main bathroom, Brian had my art room and Val and I were doing my room and on-suite.
Once everyone was in their room Val and I moved into my room and looking around I sighed and said
“let’s do this then, have you got the tape?” Val grinned and held up the masking tape and together we got started on running the tape over the woodwork so that no paint got on it and we would have straight lines once the tape was taken off.
Soon we were working on painting a wall each when Val asked
“so what is going on between you and Brian?” I glanced over my shoulder at her and shrugged
“we’re friends” Val chuckled
“I got that honey, but is that all you are?” I sighed
“to me that’s all we are at the moment, we were friends as kids then we fell out or lost touch with each other, I don’t know but then we kinda hated each other and this is us reconnecting since I got back” Val nodded and continued painting while I teased
“well I know you and Matt are together but when are you guys getting married?” Val groaned
“I have no idea! We’ve been together since high school and we still aren’t even engaged!” I winced
“ouch”
“I know” Val grumbled then she sighed “I know we’ll be married one day but what the hell! I’ve waited long enough” I smiled
“ahh impatience there. Don’t worry, anyone can see Matt loves you ok so don’t fret, it will happen soon” Val made a noise of non-committence and I laughed before we carried on painting.
When we had finished my room and the on-suite we both walked out to check on the guys and found them sipping beers on the front porch, their shirts off and thrown over the railing. I eyed them all suspiciously as Val went and sat next to Matt and I asked
“did you guys finish the rooms?” they all nodded though I could see some looks passing between them and I groaned before I turned on my heel and walked through the door to go and see what they had done.
Looking in the sitting room I couldn’t see anything wrong so I moved on to the dining room and groaned. The sheet on the floor was completely covered in paint though the walls were done; it appears though that Jimmy got bored as I could see a big smiley face in the paint on the sheet. Sighing I made my way upstairs and checked in the spare room to find that Johnny had done the room perfectly then I moved onto the bathroom to see the same.
Holding my breath I looked to the end of the corridor and the last door, my art room. Walking over I opened the door cautiously and walked in looking around. The room was painted a deep red and I couldn’t see much but then I looked over at the far side and saw writing.
Walking over I peered at the words and had to laugh, each of the guys had signed the wall and written me a message. I read them over and they were just short words that meant a lot to me so walking out of the room I walked down the stairs and back out onto the porch and over to the guys where I pulled Jimmy and Johnny into a hug at the same time
“aww thanks guys! I like the messages” Jimmy grinned
“it was all my idea babe” I smiled and leaning over I kissed his cheek, Johnny whined
“hey I wrote something too” I laughed and kissed his cheek too before I moved around and did the same to Zacky and Matt then walking over to Brian I got pulled down in between his legs with my back to him as he hugged me from behind.
“it’s fine, Jessica, now you just have to wait for everything to dry” I nodded and turning my head slightly I kissed his cheek then turned back and started talking to Val.
Soon it was getting dark and looking around I smiled and said
“thanks guys for helping me” they all muttered words of assent making me smile before I offered “I want to take you all out and buy you some food” Val smiled
“Jessica you don’t have to do that” Johnny raised a brow
“yes she does” Zacky elbowed him in the gut making him groan and the rest of us laugh but I agreed
“yes I do, you guys have gone without food all day plus I need to be out anyway so this can all dry so why don’t we all just go out, you can all go home and change then we can go to Danny’s” they all thought then nodded
“yeah I’m game, see you soon” Matt said and they all offered their thanks before they all left.
I had changed then driven to Danny’s where I went in and got us a table and waited there. Brian came first, bringing Jimmy, sitting beside me then Matt and Val then Johnny and lastly Zacky who had been looking kind of upset all day and I was concerned.
After we ordered some food I looked at Zacky who was next to me and asked
“are you ok?” he looked up at me from his hands and I could see the sadness in them as he said
“I broke up with Gena” I frowned and rubbed his arm
“aww Zacky, why?” he shook his head
“I found out that she’s been cheating on me so I ended it, I can’t be with someone who isn’t faithful” I nodded and Johnny noticed that we were talking and asked
“hey guys what are you talking about?” we looked up at him and we now had the attention of the table, I looked at Zacky concerned before he cleared his throat and said
“I broke up with Gena” Val looked at him with sympathy and reaching over she put a hand on his arm and all of the guys gave their condolences like it was a funeral before we got on and ate before going home.