Chapter 48: One Hour of Peace

At Sherry’s insistence, Rick wore his dress uniform for her graduation. He had asked what she’d prefer and when she saw him in it her decision had been made. Her valedictorian speech was about friendship and putting the people you loved first before anything else no matter the workload.

It was a subtle message to her mother who took it well.

The party at the rich businessman's place had been every bit the way Rick had imagined it from the way Annette had described the man and his family. His uniform had gathered the attention of a few parents present. Sherry introduced him as her former babysitter and an old family friend. Something which Annette supported.

Unfortunately one father called him out for being a fraud, as in his opinion, Rick looked too young to be captain and be awarded the Medal of Honor. He was well placed to know as he was a former serviceman himself. Rick had simply given a look at Sherry who quickly whispered in his ear that the man had a bone to pick with her and her mother because they both rejected the man and his son who was in Sherry’s year.

Rick had simply pulled out his flip phone and showed everyone a picture of the president awarding him the Medal but after ‘making a mistake’ of showing his Bachelor in biology from Princeton.

“Just because you failed to do something of yourself at my age doesn’t mean that others can’t. That’s the beauty of the American dream. No matter your origin, no matter your age or who you are, you can always become someone if you’re ready to put in the work.”

Annette didn’t bother holding back her snort then laughed at the retort. To drive the knife further and to add insult to injury, she grabbed Rick’s arm and smothered it between her breasts so she could get on the tip of her toes and kiss him on the cheek. She made a comment about ‘real men’ like Rick being rare these days and joked to Sherry about marrying him soon or she would snatch him. Her daughter played the game perfectly and imitated her, grabbing Rick’s other arm and shoving it between her breasts along a proclamation that Rick’s was hers.

Humiliated, the man excused himself in barely controlled rage under everyone’s laughter. One couple thanked the trio for the laugh and Rick for his service. That was a first for him. People didn’t thank him for the job he used to do, the President aside. It was mainly due to the fact that the only people he knew of what his work was about and he encountered were people he had to kill.

When Sherry felt like she had enough of partying, the trio left simply back home. Rick didn’t joke or make any mention of her or Annette’s very public flirtatious actions towards him. He understood that they used his presence to deal with a father son duo that were bothering them and couldn’t take no for any other answer than ‘I’m just playing hard to get’.

He hadn’t minded in the slightest.

The evening was spent playing board games at Sherry’s request. Why board games instead of a movie or just going out? Rick didn’t know but he suspected that she wanted to have one night where she could experience a family atmosphere. When it became late, she was almost sleeping while sitting. Rick carried her to her bedroom effortlessly and received thanks from Anette.

When they drove him to the airport the teenage girl didn’t want to let him go. Rick joked he would stay he she and her mother agreed to go on a date. As he had expected, she pulled back immediately and called him a jerk with a frown on her face. He even got kicked in the shin for it.

After reminding her that she could always write to him he left to catch his plane. Jill hadn’t been there to welcome him this time and he took a taxi to get to her flat. He wasn’t upset by her absence, well aware that she had been working on a case when he left for Harvardville.

Jill found him in the kitchen cooking a late dinner for the both of them. After talking about his time with Sherry and Annette’s change, something Jill was dubitative about, he listened to her rant about the investigation she had closed.

“How about you take some time off?” Rick suggested.

Jill blinked at him as if he had spoken Chinese. “Time off?”

“Yeah. A vacation. You’ve been working non-stop since you started forming the BSAA. That was what… Ten months ago? I was thinking of taking a vacation too soon. Get out of the country for a week.”

He rose from his chair and went to search for some papers in his living space before coming back and handing them to her.

“Terragrigia?” Jill looked at the brochure.

“A floating city, established in 93. It’s in the mediterranean sea, near the south of Italy. Peak of technology!” He explained with enthusiasm. “It’s entirely powered by solar energy. Think about it! The sun, the sea, clean air and streets.”

She kept looking at the brochure and the paradisiac pictured of the city on it. “Okay, that sounds really nice but—”

“But nothing. I already booked a room last month for late June. Two beds.”

“Rick! Tell me you didn’t!” She exclaimed in shock, understanding that he had already paid everything for her.

“Of course I did. It was about time I finally did something nice for you. After all your help and support. I would have taken two singles but it was way too expensive.”

Jill protested on the spot. “I can’t accept this!”

“Like I couldn’t accept your food, your money or simply you looking after me?” Rick challenged her. It left her speechless. “Come on… Just this once. I already paid anyway and there are no refunds. The only other person I would ask is Rachel and she’s too busy with the FBC.”

“This is crazy.” She whispered.

“Maybe,” he shrugged his shoulders. “But all work and no play makes Jill a dull girl.”

She gave him a flat, unamused look. “Did you just quote The Shining to me?”

He simply grinned unrepentantly at her, choosing to say nothing. Jill had been the one to introduce him to the movie when he was sixteen and it had scared the shit out of him. All because of the twin girls speaking in perfect sync.

Sighing in surrender, she nodded. “I suppose you’re right. I do need a vacation to relax. Ever since we confronted Wesker last year, I’ve been at it without taking a single break.”

“Yes!” Rick fist pumped the air in victory. “Who knows, maybe you’d find a guy there.”

Her eyes narrowed and looked murderous. “That’s none of your business!”

“Please! I get more action than you do and the last time I did was in January! You’re going to go nuts if you don’t get laid. Or are you turning into a nun? Sister Jill,” he laughed. “That has a nice—”

Jill moved from her chair in a flash and put him in a chokehold with her arms. “We don’t talk about my sex life!”

“What sex life?”

Believing she wasn’t squeezing hard enough, she put more strength into her arms and maintained it until he tapped them in surrender with his hands. Only then did she release him, finding herself merciful. Rick didn’t let her go though. He grabbed her and pulled her down so her ass would land on his lap and wrapped his arms around her stomach.

“What the hell?!”

His facial expression was another one she hadn't seen before. Embarrassed. “We can… you know… If..”

His words trailed off in the air while he blushed. Something she had never witnessed before either. Jill blinked, not computing what he was saying. It took several seconds before her jaw comically lowered in shock.

“Did.. Did you just ask me to have sex with you?!” She didn’t know if she should be flattered, offended, shocked or anything really. This was so out of the blue and left field that her emotions were all over the place.

“What?! No!” He quickly replied in panic.

Jill didn’t let it go however. “Then what was that supposed to mean?! Because it sure sounded like it!”

“I... Well… If you have a… itch… I’ll scratch it if you want?” His explanation didn’t convince her otherwise.

“That’s exactly wanting to have sex with me!”

“I don’t want to… No, scratch that, you’re gorgeous so yes I do but you’re like… the big sister I never have and… it feels wrong… But if you want or need it… I won’t… mind?... I mean…”

It was then that Jill understood what he was trying to say as his face became redder and redder. Setting aside for a bit the happiness she felt at his confession about her being like his big sister, like family, she calmed herself down.

“So in other words…Despite thinking of me as your sister, you’ll… commit incest… for me?”

It was Rick’s turn to blink and to consider her words carefully. “I… yes? There isn’t a thing I wouldn’t do for you, Jugs.”

The situation was surreal to Jill but it also made her heart skip a beat. His confession made her feel warm. She hadn’t had a family since her father’s arrest and subsequent jailing fifteen years ago. He hadn’t been much of a father either. What kind of dad teaches his daughter how to steal, lockpick, con and fraud? Not a very good one.

And here was Rick. Ready to do anything for her, no matter the morality, ethic, or lawfulness of it. When she decided to involve herself in his life years ago, it was to make sure he wouldn’t waste away. Not when he was so resourceful and reminded her of herself. She had wanted him to make it. Never, for a single moment, had she thought that he would come to see her as family. Nor that she would reciprocate.

She smiled happily and did something she’s never done before. She kissed him on his forehead. “Thanks. But I’m good.”

Still embarrassed, Rick simply nodded slowly and let her go. Jill did the dishes and retreated to her bedroom to get some rest, all giddy and amused by the awkward end of their conversation.

The first thing she did at work the next day was to warn her boss she was taking a one week vacation at the end of June. It was a bit less than a month of warning but it was enough. She had closed her investigation the previous day and there was no new case for her to take so she didn’t have to argue and fight for it.

When it was time for them to leave, Rick gave her sleeping pills. It was so she would sleep most of the flight and deal more easily with the jet lag they would experience once at Terragrigia.

She had been wide awake when the plane passed over the city and Jill commented that the brochure didn’t quite do justice to how beautiful the city was. Once they had disembarked and got their travelling bags they took a bus from the airport to their hotel.

“Holy shit.” She whispered when she saw the numbers of stars on the building in front of her. Rick had clearly paid a pretty penny for their vacation. That was mind boggling to her. Rick, the stingy, practical guy, had paid good money for luxury. It was hard to believe.

When Jill saw the amused and mischievous smirk on his face, her heart fluttered. She understood that he had done that for her. It really drove home that he’d go against his beliefs for her.

After talking with the receptionist they took the elevator to the 15th floor. Jill inserted the keycard they got into the lock and they entered the room. It was the most luxurious place both had ever been. The beds were so huge they could fit two people despite being meant for one person. The view of the city and the sea was simply breathtaking and Rick was only pulled away from it when Jill came in a hurry telling him that not only was the shower bigger than her entire bathroom at home, they also had a bath. He quickly went to see with his own eyes how that looked.

“Dibs!”

“What?! Nooo! I saw it first!” Jill complained from the best.

A roguish grin found itself on Rick’s lips. “We can sha—” His sentence was interrupted by a pillow hitting him in the face. “Alright, I’ll go second.” He conceded. “What are we doing first?”

Opening her bag and pulling out her clothes, Jill thought about it for a moment. “Hmm… How about we find a small cafe for breakfast? What we got on the plane wasn’t enough. That way we get to have a look around for shops and food places.”

“Fine by me.” He shrugged his shoulders and quickly put away his clothes too.

They went back to the first floor and left the hotel after asking for a map of the city to the receptionist. The woman did more than give them one by using a pen and circling points of interest on it.

Going down one black then turning left they entered a small establishment with a few people enjoying breakfast or simply a beverage.

“Everything is Italian.” Jill remarked as she looked at the menu.

“Well, yeah. Terragrigia is Italy affiliated despite being created by a billionaire.”

A waiter came to take their order and Rick helped up in choosing something. Jill took a coffee with a chocolate chip brioche bread while he opted for an orange juice and fried bread.

When the waiter left Jill asked the question she had on her mind. “You’ve been to Italy before?”

“Sicily a few years back. Only for a couple days. We came, did our business and left. Barely had the time to enjoy local—”

Rick’s head snapped to the side, looking out the window. His eyes narrowed and began to search for something. Jill immediately was alert. Her relaxed posture was replaced by one of action.

“What is—” Her eyes widened when she saw a hunter land on the roof of the car park right outside the cafe, crushing it. She barely had the time to roll when the B.O.W. jumped through the window right onto their table.

By the time she balanced herself she saw the beast fall forward, dead. A knife was lodged into its eye. So far there wasn’t much left of the hilt to see.

“Everyone retreat to the kitchen!”

Rick’s shout broke the spell in the room. People began to run at the back of the cafe out of fright when they saw two more hunters outside. Jill quickly got to her feet and armed herself with the nearest knife she could find.

“God dammnit! We’re on vacation!” She shouted in frustration while Rick charged one of the B.O.W, and stabbed its eye too.

“Vacation is over! We need to arm ourselves!” He dodged the claw of the third hunter, grabbed its head with his hand and proceeded to hit it repeatedly against the pavement until it died.

They’ve been on Terragrigia for less than an hour and already they were confronted with a bio-terrorist attack.

‘So much for relaxing.’ Jill thought.