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“I’m fine, Jack. Obviously still part of the living. My mom and stepdad are here, they are taking Alex and me to a hotel for the night. I’ll call you tomorrow or in the next few days and we’ll talk. I promise.”
I’m not sure why I am being so generous, maybe it’s the panic in his voice that makes me feel bad for him.
“I wish you had told me sooner that you have some crazy going down. I want to be there for you, if you’ll let me. I care about you, Mia, but always have the impression you want things to be only temporary between us.”
I sit kind of stunned, because I know what he’s saying is true. This is only temporary. I’ve never let him spend the night or meet my friends and family.Can I really blame him for hedging his bets?
“Jack, I don’t have it in me to talk about this right now. I’ll call you when I get settled at the hotel. Thank you for caring, but I need to get some sleep and wrap my head around some things.”
“Okay, but if you need me, any time, Mia. I mean it.” He seems sincere, like he cares, which is not the curveball I was prepared for.
When I first met Jack I wasn’t attracted to him right away and being messed up after my ‘situation’ last year, I didn’t want to take anything too seriously. For the last month or so it’s been fun and casual, just what I wanted, except sometimes he looks at me with this intense stare, and it creeps me out a little. When I saw him leaving my neighbor’s apartment, I figured it was done, but here he is, acting like my boyfriend?
Too much to think about right now. I don’t have time or stamina for the likes of Jack today. We hang up and I finish packing just as Richard peeks his head around the door.
“I’m ready,” I say with a conjured smile.
“Good, let’s get going kiddo.” He smiles at me, but I see the worry in his eyes. My mom is probably driving the poor man crazy.
Richard has already called his driver around, so we rush out into the car. Once inside you can cut the tension with a knife—or mini machete…Jesus, why would someone bring something like that into a house, into MY house?The thought gives me chills and I shiver a little.
“Are you cold, love?” my mother asks.
“No, I was just thinking about tonight.”
“Richard, what was the officer saying to you tonight? I mean, he didn’t seem to be asking a lot of questions, so what exactly was he sharing?” I keep my focus on the passing cars in hopes my nonchalance will make him want to spill.
“He was speculating about the break in, in light of the fact that nothing was actually broken into, they believe the criminals probably just used the window as an exit, opening it from the inside.”
“Hold on,” Alex pipes up. “Are you saying that they let themselves in, like they had freaking keys to our place?!”
“That’s one theory,” Richard replies.
“It was the muggers, the guys from the alley. I had my keys in my running bag.” I suddenly feel sick, this is all my fault. I should have known better than to take that stupid shortcut. “I should have known better than to keep my keys in my bag. Jesus, I could have gotten us killed! I’m so sorry, Alex.”
Alex grabs my hand and squeezes. “Wait, Richard, you said that was one theory. What exactly are the others?”
We all focus our attention on Richard, who adjusts himself in his seat to take on a more casual appearance, with one leg crossed at the ankle. He seems to be bracing himself for the response.
“They found cigarette butts on the balcony of the apartment. Old butts… Considering I know neither of you smoke, that tells us someone has been watching you. If the assailants are the same people who attacked Mia in the alley, they have more than likely been preparing for the job for weeks. There is a chance they’ve been in your apartment before tonight.”
My mind begins to spin and my stomach turns. I lay my head down in my mother’s lap and Alex squeezes my hand again.
“You keep saying ‘they’,” my mother points out. “So you think there is more than one person involved?”
“The police said they have an eyewitness who saw two men fleeing from the scene.” Richard looks out the window of the car, and we all sit in silence for the remainder of the ride.
Isit on the edge of my hotel room bed in the furry hotel robe, grateful for the hot shower I’ve just taken, and grateful even more to be staying on the 36th floor. They’d need Spidey powers to get at me here!
It’s been a harrowing night and I managed to keep it together through my goodbyes with Richard and my mother, plus the twenty hugs Alex bestowed on me before we turned in. After everything that’s happened, I am dreading this phone call to Jack. Just as I’ve been trying to pull my life together, this week’s drama is not boosting my confidence for a call about having a relationship. My life has literally been on the line, and yet I’m a chicken about speaking to Jack?Why does the thought of speaking to him make me so nervous?This is why I need to swear off men. They cloud my judgment and blur my perspective.
I look down at the phone in my hand and wonder what the hell I am going to say. The vibration startles me and I jump.Calm down, Mia.
“Hey!”
“Hi!”
We sit in silence for what feels like an hour, until I break the ice with, “Whatcha doin’?”
