The light turned green.
Finding Jasper would have to wait.
Chapter Seven
The Starview apartments sat off the beaten path in a neighborhood known for being a little rough and rowdy. At least the complex didn't have one of those annoying entry gates that make guests stop and punch in numbers before allowing access. Cruising past the first building, I caught sight of Asia on the sidewalk in front of unit two and pulled into a parking spot. Putting the engine in park, I got out of the car.
“I think her temperature is worse,” Asia said, her face a mask of worry. She was dressed in a neat pair of light gray slacks and a mint green button down shirt. Her hair had been pulled back into a half hearted bun, her face void of make up.
“Let's go.” I grabbed the car seat and Asia's diaper bag, leaving Asia to carry the crying baby to the Camaro. It unnerved me a little to know Kaia wasn't well. I kept glancing at the adorable little girl, whose hair looked a bit damp near the temples from her feverish sweat. Kaia's cheeks were flushed bright red and her eyes, so blue like Jasper's, appeared more glossy than usual.
After a small hassle installing the car seat and stowing the bag, Asia buckled Kaia in and we were on our way. I glanced in the rearview mirror, noting Kaia's pinched features and angry fists. She squalled and kicked her feet.
“It'll be okay. What doctor am I going to?” I followed Asia's directions out of the complex and back onto the busy streets. Twisting in the seat, Asia tended Kaia between guiding me to the office.
It wasn't far, and for that I was grateful. It made me anxious when Kaia let out little screams. My scant experience with babies hadn't prepared me for problems like these. Asia seemed just as anxious, talking quietly and cooing while giving Kaia a finger to hold onto.
The doctor's office sat back from a side street in a cluster of tan buildings with tin roofs and tinted windows. Asia directed me through what seemed a maze of turns to a building that sat apart from the rest. Parking in an empty space, I cut the engine and reached back to get the diaper bag while Asia eased Kaia from the seat. We worked pretty well as a team, I thought, and wondered if the stress of the situation made my feelings more pliant.
Not about to abandon Asia at the doctor's office with no way home, I waited inside while the nurse ushered Asia and Kaia immediately to the back. A large waiting area for patients and parents sat to the right, with a section dedicated for kids. Toys ranging from large legos to building blocks to books were scattered over a mat on the floor depicting Sesame Street characters. Three other mothers with children waited, reading magazines, paying me no attention. I chose to pace rather than sit, wondering where Jasper was and how Kaia was doing. Just in case, I'd brought Jasper's phone with me, along with my own. At some point, he would call or leave a message to tell me where he'd gone. He shouldn't have work until this evening, so it was some other errand. How ironic, I thought, that I was the one taking his wife and maybe-daughter to the doctor.
An hour and ten minutes later, when I was about to go to the desk and talk to the receptionist, Asia appeared. Kaia was asleep in her arms.
“Can you hold her for a minute while I fill out paperwork?” Asia asked in a quiet voice.
“Sure.” I didn't know much about babies, but I wouldn't say no. Easing Kaia from Asia's arms, I cradled the toddler and paced away from the desk to let Asia take care of business. I could still feel a little heat coming from Kaia's cheeks and wondered what was wrong. I knew Asia would fill me in when she could.
I paced and rocked, paying more attention to Kaia than anything else. She smelled sweet despite the sweat and I caught myself with my nose to her skin at least three times. So that was the baby smell other women were always going on about.
“Thanks, Finley. We're ready to go. Want me to take her?” Asia asked when she was done with the paperwork.
“I can carry her to the car. Might as well,” I said, since she was already in my arms and still asleep.
Asia nodded and out we went. Once we arrived at the Camaro, I carefully transferred Kaia to Asia, because I was positive I'd bonk the poor baby's head on the car or pinch her legs with the carseat strap trying to get her inside. Carrying a child was one thing; trying to navigate limp limbs and lolling heads into tight confines was another. I did watch Asia however while I held the front seat out of the way, taking note of positions and buckle manipulations.
“How long did it take you to get that down pat?” I asked.
Asia said, “About two weeks. I kept checking and re-checking the straps and the buckle, worried I didn't have her in right or that the buckle wasn't pushed all the way down. At some point it becomes as natural as breathing.”
“Looks tedious,” I admitted, and slid into the driver's seat.
Once Asia was in, she added, “The doctor said she's got a virus and an ear infection. I just have to get her prescription filled when I can.” Asia buckled her seat belt and set her purse on the floorboards. “At least he had some samples to get me started.”
“Do you not have the cash for the medication?” I asked bluntly.
Asia blushed and looked out the window. There was something pained about her expression that made me sympathize with her situation.
“I do, but that means I can't file the divorce papers as soon as I wanted to. I'd have to dip into that money until I get my check from work next Friday.”
“Where do you usually get your prescriptions filled?” I pulled out of the parking lot and got on the road.
“The corner pharmacy there by Starview. I've got three days of samples to get me through. I'll figure something out by then,” Asia said.
“Hey, look. I don't mind loaning you the money--”
“I couldn't. That's too much of an imposition.”
At the next stoplight, I glanced across the car. A tear rolled down Asia's cheek. Not typically moved by other women's emotions, I nevertheless experienced another pang of sympathy. Asia was still looking the other way out the window, clearly trying to hide her upset.
“It's not an imposition at all. I usually get tips with my job—not this week, thanks to my jerk of a boss—so I've got a little stash I keep set aside. I brought some with me, just in case, so we'll stop and get the medication now. Really, I don't mind. I'm glad to help.” I discovered I was telling the truth. I didn't begrudge Asia a situation she couldn't control. Considering how well put together the woman usually was, juggling a job and a baby and a husband who'd walked out with no warning, I thought she was doing as well as she could.
Asia smeared away the tear and gave me a shaky smile. “Thanks. I'll pay you back when I get my check.”
“That's okay. Don't worry about it.” I smiled, too, then drove through the intersection when the light turned green.
“What did you mean about the tips and your boss? Does he have the option to cut them, or something?” Asia asked.
“No. But he pulled me from my regular position as an Usher and made me learn a...showgirl routine. Let me just say—dancing is not my forté. I hate the outfits, have trouble remembering the steps, all that. I don't do ten tons of make up and rhinestones everywhere. Plus, the girls are snobs and self righteous and holier-than-thou.”
Asia chuckled. “No, I can't picture you in that role at all.”
I grunted. “It was torture. He just told me last night? And then made me get on stage last night, too. My legs and back feel like someone hit them repeatedly with a steel pipe.”
Through another quiet laugh, Asia said, “I can help you with that, if you'd like. It's the least I can do for your help today.”
“Help me with it? How? Are you a choreographer or something?” I peered aside for a moment, then looked back at the road. The pharmacy was one block ahead.
“No. I'm one of the self-righteous snobs,” Asia replied with no small amount of wry amusement.
“Oh, crap. Sorry. I didn't mean they all were snobs...” Except the girls at Olympus were. I hadn't met one that didn't have a chip on
her shoulder or a bad attitude. And I shouldn't have been surprised at all to hear that Asia was a dancer. She had the body for it, the long legs, the pretty layers of hair and a striking face.
“It's okay. I don't get along with many of my co-workers either. If I could get a job doing something else, I would. But dancing is where my expertise is, it's what I know best, so into a show I went. Granted—it's not a fantastic venue. It's the bottom of the rung here in Vegas. But I had to do something to pay the rent right off the bat, so I took the first job I could get.”
Pulling into the pharmacy parking lot, which was a lot busier than I expected it to be, I chose a spot across from the double sliding doors. “That's how it is here most of the time. I had to work in a souvenir shop when I first arrived.” I neglected to mention my failed stint as a waitress. “I've been hoping the girl whose spot I had to take will show up unexpectedly, and I won't have to go back.”
“Well, if you decide you want pointers, or help remembering the routine, I'm willing.”
I fished money out of my pocket and handed Asia the cash. “Thanks. Maybe I'll take you up on it. Here, this is all I brought. I hope it's enough.”
“I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. I'll be right back.” Asia disembarked and went through the pharmacy doors.
All in all, I thought, Asia was a nice woman. I got along with her better than I did most girls, which surprised me considering she was more girlish than tomboyish, and I usually steered far away from her type. Glancing back, I checked on Kaia. The baby slept on, undisturbed. Cranking up the air another notch, just to make sure Kaia stayed cool in the back seat, I propped my elbow on the window sill and watched the doors. I wondered what Jasper was doing, whether he was home or not, and then remembered the landline at the house.
Using his own cell phone, I dialed the number. It rang twice, then the answering machine picked up. My own voice requested the caller leave a message. If Jasper was there, he would have picked up. I ended the call without leaving a voicemail that I would just have to erase later on.
While I waited, I entertained the idea of getting pointers from Asia. Would it be awkward? I wasn't enthralled with the notion of Asia having to watch me struggle through the steps. At least I could admit that performing wasn't my strong suit. It was Asia's, though, and there was some small appeal in showing up to work with more control over my moves. Already the steps were fuzzy in my mind, the routine a hazy memory. I would first have to remember the correct steps before we could start to perfect them.
Some minutes later, Asia emerged from the pharmacy, white bag clutched between her fingers.
“How did it go?” I asked as she climbed in the car.
“I got both prescriptions. Thanks again, Finley.” Asia tucked the bag between her thighs and handed me what was left of the cash.
To my surprise, the medications hadn't totaled more than fifty dollars for both. “You know what? Just keep that for now. In case you need something more for Kaia. If you don't use it, then give it back when you get paid.”
“Oh, I can't--”
“Yes, you can.” I winked and reversed out of the spot. What was I doing? I couldn't cull my natural urge to help, no matter that this woman was still married to Jasper and might possibly be my competition. I sensed that she was having a rough time of it, and I'd been there before. She didn't need more trouble, she just needed someone to lend a helping hand.
Shortly, we arrived back at her apartment. I parked in the same space as before. “If you need any other help, just call, all right? I can take a look at your car like I mentioned yesterday, if you need me to.”
“You've done so much already. I'll let you look at my car if you let me help you with the routine.” Asia's brows lifted in question.
I laughed. Quietly, so I didn't wake the baby. “Okay, okay. I warn you though. I have two left feet. Seriously.”
“By the time I'm done with you, you'll dance better than any of the other girls in the show.” Asia smiled a confident smile, the first of the day, and climbed out of the car.
I managed not to guffaw until I was outside the vehicle. Grabbing the diaper bag, I followed Asia along the pathway to her apartment. The three story, faded blue buildings needed a new paint job. White trim that had once been pristine now sported a distressed appearance with cracks and chips that showed the natural wood beneath.
Asia paused at the bottom of a set of metal stairs and reached for the diaper bag. “I can get it from here. Really. Thanks again for being so understanding.”
Intuition told me that Asia was likely embarrassed of the apartment. Maybe she only had the same kind of hand-me-down furniture that Jasper and I had owned the first full year we lived in Vegas. Little did Asia know that I would have been right at home in mismatched sofas and chairs. I handed the bag over.
“Sure, sure, it's no trouble. I--” I halted when Asia's cell phone rang.
Asia juggled the bags and the car seat to dig her phone out of her purse. She held up a finger in a holding motion.
“Hello? Oh, yes, Missus Keller. I called Jasmine in to cover for me tonight. --what?” Suddenly, Asia's expression faltered. “My baby's sick, Missus Keller, I can't—wait. There's nothing I can do.”
I'd been down this road before, too. Except my situation hadn't been over a sick baby. Asia's work was trying to force her hand about her shift.
“Please, Missus Keller, give me a few minutes to call some of the other girls.” A moment later, Asia said, “Oh.” In the car seat, Kaia stirred and squirmed. She let out a whimper.
I offered to take the car seat and the bag with a silent gesture at Asia. She handed the car seat and diaper bag over with a grateful glance. I shouldered the bag and used two hands on the car seat to rock Kaia. The baby was heavier in the device than I would have imagined. Soon, very soon, Kaia wouldn't fit in this style any longer.
“But I can get someone else. One of the girls owes me a favor—please, Missus Keller. I need this job.” Asia paced a small circle in front of the stairs, one hand cupping her forehead in distress.
Asia really was having a bad day. Maybe a bad year. While she all but begged for her job, I stared down at Kaia, looking for other tells that she might be Jasper's child. I didn't see it in the profile or the pouty mouth or the general shape of Kaia's face. It was when she opened her eyes that I felt a jolt, a reminder of Jasper.
Taking a deep breath, I turned my mind from it. Nothing would help me getting torn up all over again by things I couldn't control.
Asia ended the call and stared off into the distance. No one needed to tell me what had just happened.
“She fired you, huh?” I said, trying to sound casual. Like it wasn't a life or death situation, which it might very well be considering Asia had a child.
“Yes.”
I tongued the underside of my teeth. Thinking. “I'll tell you what. Let me talk to a person or two. I might be able to get you an interview.”
Asia met my eyes. Hers were half shuttered and wounded. “Where?”
“Olympus. That's where I—and Jasper—both work.” Was I really offering Jasper's wife an opportunity to work in the same building? That might put her and Jasper in contact more than was wise. Yet I could do no less. Watching Asia in such distress bothered the compassionate part of me that existed somewhere amidst all my natural cynicism.
“I won't—can't—say no. If you can get me an interview, that would be great.” Asia stepped over to take the bag and the increasingly fussy Kaia from me.
“I'll see my contact later today when I go into work and I'll call you if I can get you an appointment.” If I had to lean a little on my friendship with Ramsey, then I would.
“Thank you, Finley. Again. I feel like I'm going to owe you the world by the time this is all over.”
Just sign the papers and move on from Jasper, is what I almost said, which would have sounded churlish and tactless under the circumstances. Asia already seemed like she wanted to move on. “It's not a prob
lem, really. If you point me in the direction of your car, I can take a look at it, too, before I go home.”
“It's the blue Monte Carlo in parking space twenty-four. The lock is broke on the passenger door, so you can get in that way.” Asia dug out her keys and handed them over.
“Got it. I'll take a look.” I veered away from the woman and followed the pathway back to the parking lot. The Monte Carlo was a little older than I thought it would be, a nineteen-seventy or so, the dark blue paint showing extreme signs of wear.
While I lifted the hood and started doing an initial check, I wondered again where the hell Jasper Lowe had gotten to.
*
When I entered my own house an hour and a half later, I didn't expect to see Jasper slouched on the couch with one arm slung back behind his head. Legs stretched out in front of him, he looked no worse for wear. Jeans hugged his hips, tapering down to a pair of construction boots. Conspiracy Rebellion decorated the front of his black tee shirt.
Relief hit first, and then irritation. “Where have you been?” I asked with a frown.
“Where have you been? You've got grease on your clothes, yet I checked the back garage and there are no cars to be worked on,” he retorted, giving me a once over.
He had some nerve.
“Asia had an emergency with Kaia. I went over to pick her up and take her to the doctor. Then I looked at her car, because it won't start, and now I'm here.” I tried to temper the sharpness in my voice.
Jasper sat forward, his expression moving from annoyance to instant concern. “What happened? Is the baby all right?”
“She's got a virus and an ear infection, but she'll be fine. Kinda cranky.” I tossed Jasper his phone. “Next time, don't forget that, and maybe you'd be up to date on what's happening.”
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