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"Lemon, please." She smiles faintly. "I came over to talk to you about your hippie friend."
I squeeze half a lemon into her tea before taking a seat in the chair across from her. "Jax. What about him?"
She sips carefully at the hot liquid before placing the cup and saucer on the table in front of her. "He was in the lobby when I came home from the doctor yesterday."
My cup instantly begins to shake when she mentions his name. "He what? I'm sorry. He shouldn't have been here." I try to contain my surprise. Why would Jax come here when he knows I want nothing to do with him? "I'm sorry if he bothered you."
"Not at all, dear." She reaches again for the saucer resting it and the teacup on her lap. "He came to see me actually."
"He came here to see you?" I don't even try and veil the shock in my voice. "Why on earth would he do that?"
She sighs before taking another small sip from the cup. "He's troubled. That boy is very troubled." She stares down at her lap as she shakes her head slightly. "I feel badly for him."
"You feel badly for Jax?" I'm questioning not only her better sense but also Jax's motivations. He had no right coming to my building to accost Mrs. Adams and make her feel sorry for him.
"He hurt you," she says softly. "It's upsetting to me that he did that."
I nod. I don't want to interrupt her. My curiosity is peaked now.
"He told me that you saw something that broke your heart." Her weathered brow furrows as she frowns. "I told him that he had to make it up to you."
I smile at her boldness. She was never one to hold back her opinion and now that she's explaining her conversation with Jax, I'm grateful that she's as honest and direct as she is.
"Some things can't be made up," I whisper. "Anything that we had is over now. I'm going to start fresh in Boston."
She studies my expression. I know that she can see right through my words. She knows that I'm only trying to convince myself that I don't care for Jax anymore. "Running away never solved anything, Ivy." Her voice is tender but there's an edge of authority to it. "I know you think you can leave and start over but that's not how life works."
"It can work that way." I take a swallow of the tea and realize it's bitter. I reach for the sugar and stir one scoop into the half empty cup. "I have to get away from here."
"From here or from him?" she questions.
"Both," I confess. "I'm surrounded by lies and betrayal here."
"Do you think I'm a good judge of character?" she asks me expectantly.
I smile before I respond. "Of course, Mrs. Adams."
"That boy has a pure soul." She pats herself on the chest. "I see my late husband in his eyes."
My teacup stops in mid-air as I try to absorb her words. Is she saying she believes Jax is a good person? Why am I surprised by that? He's debonair, charming and manipulative. How hard would it be for him to convince this woman that he's the second coming of her dearly departed soul mate?
"He told me he loves you." Her tone is direct and matter-of-fact. "And I for one believe him."
I draw in a deep breath. "I for two, don't." I pull a thin smile across my lips.
She places the now empty teacup back down onto the table. "He was in pain. I could see it. He just wants you to watch something. A show on your computer. It's called…"
I'm appalled that Jax is so conniving that he's even trying to use my elderly neighbor to further his cause. "He told you…"
"The show is called Flesh Drive," she interrupts. "It sounds promiscuous but he assured me it's not." She snaps her chin down and her expression narrows. "Watch it, dear. He says you'll understand when you do."
Before I have time to protest she's pushing herself up from the so
fa. I rush over to help and hand her the cane she rested beside the coffee table earlier. We walk in silence to the door of my apartment.
"Don't you dare leave for Boston before coming over to see me." She pulls me into a weak but tender hug.
"I promise I won't." I hold the door open as she steps through.
