Dejected

JESSICA

The singing and chirping of the birds on the exotic trees in Mrs. James’s garden wake me up before I’m ready to get up from bed, but I don’t mind. I’ve overslept anyway. It is past nine in the morning, and I went to bed around nine-thirty the previous night, so that means that I’ve slept for almost twelve hours straight, something that I hardly do.

Staying here with Mrs. James is good for my health and pregnancy. I take a quick shower and head downstairs because I can faintly hear the familiar voices of Sebastian and his wife, Carol, coming from downstairs. They hardly ever come here, not to talk of coming here so early, so I wonder what the problem is.

By the time I get downstairs, I don’t need anyone to tell me that something horrible has happened. It is obvious from the dejected and horrified looks on the faces of everyone in the living room that everything is far from fine.

Sebastian is there, as is Carol, Mrs. James, Carol’s father, and about five men I don’t know, alo