1.4 Trouble Brewing

Breanna aged up while Jenna was taking care of an emergency at the graveyard. Exhausted Jenna went straight to bed, but didn't sleep for long before she was awakened by a noise in the front room.

 

She takes only a second before reacting, it's been a while since her last fight, and all the rage she thought was gone during her pregnancy comes back in a rush. She quickly whips the stuffing out of the poor man and hands him over to the police. He mumbles about being shocked by her beauty, had she not been in her undies she wouldn't have gotten the upper hand. Laughing the officer says, "You tell yourself what you need too, but that gal is hard as nails, skivvies or no she still would have mopped the floor with you. If she wasn't the best fire fighter on the force, we would have recruited her ourselves by now. Get a message back to The Alto, Jenna Mathews will forgive one misdeed as accidental or ignorance, bother her again and she just might take the organization down single-handedly." 
"I don't know who you're talking about, I just moved into town and was short on cash"
"Right and I'm the Leader of the Free World"

 Breanna wakes the next morning oblivious to the drama that played out last night. She takes out Rags to give her a hug, worried about the first day of school. "What the.... Who are you?" Where is Rags? " Breanna wails.
"I'm Rags, silly. Don't you recognize me?"  "Um no, Rags is the size of a baby, you are not." she says.
"Well,  I'm her."
"Prove it", Breanna says indignantly. 
"Hmmm, well, your dad only comes by for your birthday, but he only sent a toy box yesterday, your mom taught you to read, walk, and your favorite bedtime stories are about Jimmy Sprocket.  They are mine too, I've heard them so much the past few years I have them memorized." Rags tells her.
"OooooKay, that is way too weird. I never told anyone that but....OK I guess you are Rags, but um, why are you alive and why are you my size?"
"Well, I'm not really alive, not like you are anyway. I'm kind of only an essence right now.  No one can see me but you."

Jenna loves to read to Breanna at night, it makes everything right in her world to be with her daughter. Tonight instead of Jimmy Sprocket, she reads her a logic book. As Breanna drifts off to sleep she can't help but think about Rags. Maybe there is a way to make her real. That night she dreams of having a real life Rags for a best friend, all the kids at school will be so jealous!

The next day she tells Rags her plan. "I hear the Research Center is looking for new butterflies and other insects. I think I will collect a bunch of them so I can get to know some of the scientists. Then I can ask someone if they have any ideas on how to make you real." Breanna explains.

"That sounds great, but don't give them Monarch Butterflies, my great great grandmother was one, I'd hate to see any come to harm. " Rags tells her. "Ya know Rags, you look like a butterfly, at least you have the same colors" 
"Oh do you really think so?!" Rags says wistfully.

While they were out someone comes by to take the toy box Francisco gave Breanna for her birthday. Jenna is furious because all her bills have been paid on time. She may not have much but what she has is paid for. She heads to Francisco's house to get to the bottom of things.

"Did you know there was an attempted robbery at our house a few days ago?" She asks him. "And today while I was at work the repo man came by and took the toy box you gave Breanna."

Francisco's shoulders drop. "Oh no, I thought you would be safe if I stayed away." 
"SAFE!?! Out with it now, before I rip it out of you!" Not one to keep her temper under wraps for long, Jenna can feel it building like molten lava under a mountain. The heat of it shows on her face.

He steps back and puts his hands up defensively. Francisco begins to stammer "I, I'm sorry, I thought it would be okay. I owe The Alto money and instead of making a payment I bet it on the game. I thought they were a sure thing and I could pay off all my debt."

"AND?"

"Well, I didn't think they would link me to your place. I've only been twice, it's why I missed her last birthday. I'm not avoiding you or Breanna, I was staying away to keep her, you both, safe" He watches as the color of her face deepens from pink to red. Funny, he thinks to himself, it's the same shade as her hair now, then the color drains from his own as the volcano blows.

"You low down, llama milking, scumbag! You aren't fit to clean up llama spit!" She growls. "How dare you put MY child in danger? You cowardly scum! So what's the threat this time? To break both your legs?"

"Something like that, yes" he eyes her suspiciously. Llama milking scumbag? that one's new.

"After I'm through with you you'll WISH they were the ones to find you first"

"Dispatch?....... Yes, this is Jenna Mathews, send an Ambulance out to 90 Hatchery Road........ Yes, we have an injured man here, multiple fractures, evidence of internal bleeding. He's nearly unconscious. I'm not sure what happened. Looks like he was fixing the roof and fell."

Francisco moans, he knows she let him off easy, he deserves no less for endangering their child. "Stay away from us or I will turn you over to The Alto myself!" As he watches her greet the ambulance from beneath swollen eyelids he wishes things were different. He loves her even more for the fierce and fearless way she protects those she loves.