The Girl in Apartment 1203

by Paige Parsons

  Back to her phone and curled up with her dirty bunny, she tried Brianna again. Voicemail again.

  "I never thought I'd hate the sound of your voice, but every time I listen to this message, I want to throw my phone against the wall. Call me back!"

  Then she sent a series of text messages that rivaled a stalker.

  When the phone vibrated against her cheek, Keila nearly fell out of bed. She didn't remember falling asleep, but that was obviously what had happened.

  "Hell."

  "Are you kidding me with three voicemails and fifteen text messages. Is someone dead? And by someone, I mean, are you dead and calling me from the beyond? What the hell, Keila? Oh no, did you shove that school in Jack's face and give him an ultimatum? I told you not to do that. I begged you not to do that."

  "You've never begged me for anything since we met. But, no, I didn't even mention the school. I didn't have time. Where are you? Where were you?"

  "I'm in the car. I was at an audition. Freaking long as hell dance call. The show will be good, but whoever set up the audition process is a sadist. No one should need to learn or do that much just for an audition. Back to you. What's the crisis du jour, Kei?"

  "You're making me sound like some sort of drama queen."

  "As of late—"

  Keila cut her off. She didn't need more grief in her life. "Don't be rude, and do not make me cry. I called you to help me."

  "Okay, I'm pulling over. Give me a second. Better yet, do I need to drive up there?"

  "No. Please don't. I think it might make it worse. Well, I don't know that for sure, but I feel like if Jack comes home and finds you here, he's going to be sure I didn't do what he told me and that I didn't even think about it."

  "All right, I'm parked. Now, convince me I'm not turning this car around and driving in the opposite direction of home."

  "I love you. Jack was not thrilled with, in his words, my little disappearing act this morning. When he woke up and I was gone from the apartment, he was less than happy. He actually came into my apartment yelling at me. Jack doesn't yell. It threw me off, and instead of shoving the papers from school in his face, I shoved them under the couch cushions. It did not feel like the right time for a righteous stand or an ultimatum. Hell, I made a flip comment and he turned into scary version of Michael, we tried to avoid, before my eyes. It was a little frightening and a bit of a turn on. Luckily for me, thoughts of self-preservation took hold and I didn't test how much more I could push him."

  "Damn, girl! I'm glad I pulled over. Keep going?"

  "He admitted he loved me. I mean, I knew that, but he looked at me today like he wanted to toss me on that couch and do filthy things to me."

  "And, you gave him a resounding yes, Sir, right? Keila, if you went with coy, I swear I will strangle you."

  Keila got up from the bed and went back into the living room, after a kitchen stop for a snack. Starting her morning off with so much caffeine and sugar was coming back to bite her in the butt. She wouldn't be sharing that with Jack. His know it all/always right streak needed no confirmation from her.

  "He didn't attack me, you freak. I just got a little physical affirmation of desire."

  "So, you felt his dick poking at you. Yes! Why do you talk about sex like a Victorian virgin? Cause we both know you aren't. Bad sex still counts."

  "Moving on. He gave me an ultimatum. I have to tell Mom and Grams about him before anything physical happens. He was pretty emphatic about it, Brianna. You know I can't do that. My mother will lose her shit. I'm telling you, there is no version of this story that won't have that woman completely apoplectic."

  "So, she loses her shit. There isn't anything she can really do except be pissed. Your tuition is paid by your scholarship. Jack covers your other expenses, and this will put a definite end to your grandmother's meddling. You should be racing to make that call. What's really holding you back? I've seen you together. Sometimes you do things just to provoke her. Why is this different?"

  "It just is. I don't know why it's so important to him. It doesn't matter to me. I just want to wait until after graduation."

  "Are you digging in because it's so important to you or just as an act of defiance? Be honest with me. 'Cause if this is about getting a rise out of Jack, you might just live to regret it."

  "He thinks I see him as a dirty little secret. He's not completely wrong, Bri. Even your family doesn't know about that damn website and they've embraced the hell out of Michael. My grandmother will gather the Yentas and all the lawyer sons and grandsons of Yentas and try to shut the website down and have Jack arrested for making me a member of a sex ring."

  "You have seen way too many episodes of Dateline. That doesn't happen in real life. In real life, people have a shouting match then accept whatever the other adults want to do in their lives and move on."

  "They do not see me as an adult."

  "The question is do you see you as an adult?"

  Lying on her back and staring at the ceiling, Keila had to think about that. She wasn't sure what she saw herself as. At school, at work, absolutely. Keila knew she was considered quite mature for her age. Other times, even the idea of giving it all over to Jack seemed more appealing than any job or degree or peaceful relationship with the other two most significant women in her life. If there was anyone to be totally honest with, it was Brianna. She ran her hand over her face as she tried to formulate her thoughts into an answer.

  "Kei, there isn't a right answer, and you know you can tell me anything. It's also okay not to know yet. Just keep talking it through with Jack. Go with the things that work and chuck the shit that doesn't. I mean, I'm not telling you anything you don't already know."

  "I know. Holy-crap-on-a-cracker! I swear this woman has impeccably awful timing. Bri, that's my mom on the other line."

  "Yikes, let it go to voicemail. Everything about talking to her right now is screaming backfire."

  "You know what happens when I don't pick up. She will just keep calling, until the first words out of my mouth are rude, and then it'll be my fault we're arguing."

  "She is good. Okay, I'm going to head home, but call me back. I love you, and stop worrying so much. Your heart already knows what to do."

  As soon as the line went dead, the phone's vibrations got stronger and Keila sat up when she answered. "Hello, Mother."

  Ten

  Jack

  He was feeling better. There was zero denying how a chat with Maman Pachoute and golf

  with Michael could turn his mood around. Next week, he would take Keila to New York. He would visit Julia's grave and bring Keila with him. When he first had the idea, he thought it weird and macabre, but the more he talked it through with Michael and his friend Eli, it felt less weird and more right. Sure, it was purely symbolic, but he needed that final blessing. He needed to close the door on the past for good. By the time Jack reached the front of the clubhouse, the two seemed to be done talking shop and were on to more personal matters. Jack offered to give them some privacy, but they both drew him into the conversation.

  Eli owned the firm that designed the golf course and was looking to expand. He was also in the process of a yearlong messy divorce. It sounded like the soon-to-be ex had her eye and hand out toward any expansion of his business and how she might turn her own profit from it. Jack and Michael both agreed he'd gotten hold of a bad one. The poor guy was trying to keep things civil, but even his attorney agreed that it was time to go at least a little low down. Eli ended up playing the round with them and having a burger and a few beers as well.

  After hearing what Eli was going through currently and what he'd been through over the last two years, Jack got in the car feeling like a very lucky man to have Keila in his life. There was a calmness that went with knowing you had what you needed in a partner and were providing the same in kind. He was excited to pick her up for dinner. He hoped she had the answer he wanted, but he was going to do his best to exhibit patience if she couldn't give him a resoundin
g yes. As long as she could be honest, he could be patient.

  Once he got home, he raced through getting showered and changed to get to Keila's apartment. Being ready in a timely fashion was not her strength for social functions, so he didn't bother knocking, knowing he would be ignored or greeted by a barefoot and half-dressed pixie who would spend more time making excuses than putting herself together.

  He was surprised he wasn't hearing music blaring through the apartment. She liked getting ready at full volume. Her place didn't have the built in sound system, but her little portable speaker managed to do the job of getting the sound throughout the place. Jack didn't hear music, but he did hear her on the phone. He went into the kitchen to get a drink, after he called out to her and didn't get a response.

  "Kid." It was a blasted one bedroom apartment, how was it that she didn't hear him?

  Keila

  It began really innocently. Well, mostly innocently. Her mother had called while she was on the phone with Brianna. The temptation to ignore it was hard to push down, but shove it down she did and answered the call. Five minutes in, and she was regretting that choice. Sitting still listening to the latest tear the woman was on made her head want to explode more than usual, so she opted to put her ear buds in and do something she should have done a full season ago.

  She'd put off cleaning out her closet and packing up her winter things long enough. Before he left on his trip, Jack had specifically told her to get her closets in order. When he realized she was wearing an assortment of seasons in a single outfit, he informed her he didn't fashion himself a style expert, but he knew hobo wasn't the look she should be sporting at her internship. He called her on where her spring and summer clothes were. He even joked that she was getting spoiled and was looking for a mini shopping spree. At the time, defending her own honor seemed like the better idea compared to just taking a couple of new outfits.

  "Really, spoiled? Come on, Jack, you know me better than that. I just haven't cleaned my closet out or turned over my winter and fall stuff for my spring and summer stuff. Ugh, I've only almost completely unpacked from the move. You'd think in nine months, I would have found more time, but you know how it goes. Moving, the wedding, our trip—who takes friends on their honeymoon—my trip back to Brooklyn—big mistake, huge—classes starting back up, and this internship you set up for me, which by the way, thank you very much."

  She had stopped talking for a full two minutes before it dawned on her that he hadn't said a word, but he was definitely looking at her like she'd suddenly sprouted an extra head.

  "What? What'd I say?"

  "Are you really telling me that you haven't finished unpacking since the move?"

  "Are you really telling me that was your biggest takeaway?"

  "Keila. Where have you been hiding all that stuff?"

  "Hiding makes it sound much more sinister than it is. You're telling me you have your place completely put together?"

  "You know it is. You've been over."

  "I just figured it was tucked away. You know, like mine."

  "No, Kid, not like yours. I knew how busy things would get, so I had the movers set up and unpack. Remember when I suggested it to you and you said, and I quote, 'that's ridiculous. I don't have that much stuff. I can unpack my own boxes without a stranger touching my delicates.'"

  "Um, I vaguely remember an exchange like that, a little bit—maybe. I will get to it. I promise. By the time it's time for graduation and Mom and Grams descend, I will be appropriately weather ready."

  Jack never said a word but got up and headed to her bedroom. Damn him, she thought as she dutifully followed his lead to what would undoubtedly be her undoing.

  "Okay, nope, no, sir. Jack, do not open that. It's just going to upset you. I don't really want to put your blood pressure in jeopardy like this.

  "You're protecting someone, but I doubt it's me or my fragile blood pressure. What am I going to find, Keila?"

  "Let's make a deal. How about you don't open that door or look behind or under anything else, and I'll agree to a full inspection when you get back from your trip."

  "That's incredibly specific. You're going to be working and finishing up midterms, and aren't you going to Brooklyn for spring break?"

  "No! I mean, I'm not going home for break anymore. Grams is taking a cruise with some of the ladies from the temple and I'm giving Mom the opportunity to sneak around with whatever man she's secretly dating behind Grams' back."

  "Your mom is more than old enough to date without sneaking. Try again. Why don't you want to go home?"

  "You know why. Six days with the two of us alone is a Greek tragedy waiting to happen."

  "When were you planning to spring this on me?"

  "I don't know. I guess the next time plans came up. Bri and Michael aren't planning to travel and you'll just be getting back. Plus, you said you planned on working and relaxing with them. It's not like you all would mind having me join you, would you?"

  "Don't put this on us. What aren't you telling me?"

  "Nothing. I'm a bit of a slob. This isn't really news, though."

  Jack walked over to stand in front of Keila, his size obscuring anything from her view except him and his imposing will.

  "Keila, you need to be fully unpacked and settled into this apartment. What are you afraid of, Kid?"

  "Nothing. Can we not mountain out of a molehill this, please? I'll get it done."

  "This weekend."

  "Jack," she singsonged in a way that usually got results. The look on his face said he was far less impressed than she would have liked.

  "No. Nope! No, ma'am. Let's get some dinner. You have a lot of work ahead of you."

  "So, does this mean our plans for the weekend have changed?" Keila inquired.

  "Well, yours have, to be sure. And don't even think about rolling your eyes. You brought this all on yourself."

  Keila thought herself lucky that last night and this morning's drama had unfolded the way it had. Until she opened her closet door, she forgot that she was supposed to have spent most of the time Jack was away unpacking the apartment and turning over her closets. Well, they had more pressing issues at hand now, so even getting some of this done would be a bonus to last night's meal.

  "Mom, you know I can't come. Work. I'm low man on the totem pole. Last hired and last to get a day off. I'm scheduled to work most of the days during spring break. You must have something more interesting to do than hang around with your college aged daughter. No, it doesn't have anything to do with Brianna or some boy. I'm not doing this with you. Why didn't you go with Grams on the cruise? I'm sorry you'll be alone, but I can't come to Brooklyn. It's not going to happen. Come here? Uh, no, that's really not a good idea. What am I supposed to do, bring you to work with me? Trust me, no one wins points at work doing that. Well, no, I don't know what to tell you to do, but your plans cannot include coming here. I'm serious, Mother. None of your 'she'll love this surprise' foolishness. I'm telling you, I will not be happy."

  When she turned around to set her phone on the dresser outside of the closet, she saw him. Worse, he saw her and likely heard her. There wasn't a two-step she knew to get herself out of this mess.

  The smell of bergamot, wood, and musk shouldn't have been as calming as they were, considering her current predicament and the fact that she felt anything but calm. It was Jack's smell, though, and everything about Jack settled her, even under the worst of circumstances. Keila only wished her nose had worked that well thirty minutes earlier. How could she feel calm with her nose pressed in the corner of her bedroom, where the closet and bathroom nearly met? It served her right that this tight spot fit her tight situation. She'd been told more than once to clear out the clutter in her room, but thanks to her habitual procrastination, the small space she was in was the cleanest spot of the floor that her two size-eight feet could fit into.

  Keila's focus was narrowed down to the tiny dent in the wall to her left where the doorknob hit the wall, when s
he was in a hurry to get ready, and to the sound of Jack's breathing. Part of her was furious that she was about to get the spanking of her life for being a repeat offender, in his eyes, and the rest of her was frustrated because she was a little turned on at the prospect. She really had to stop thinking that way. The thing she hated most was knowing that her spanking/forgiveness need would be met, but she'd be left to put out her own sexual fire when he finally left her apartment and went across the hall to his.

  What was that shift she was hearing? There was the rustling of fabric. Maybe something moving in the room. Furniture? She didn't dare turn around. Her hind end couldn't take the consequence of that level of impudence. She was chewing on her bottom lip and pulling at the hem on her t-shirt. Being responsible, a good student, and a generally compliant young woman saved her from a lot of serious discipline, but she'd broken a cardinal rule in their relationship and one of the sugar bowl's top ten. Do. Not. Lie. You always get caught. The problem was Keila told little white lies so often, she hardly thought about it. She just tried to make sure to be brutally honest with Jack. Unfortunately, the lie he'd busted her telling wasn't to him, but about him, and it was one she'd been building on for the last two years. Those chickens had finally come home to roost. Great, her mind was quoting her grams at the worst possible moment.

  Grams and her mother were the other reason she was in her current predicament. Unfairly, Jack would not see it that way, and self-preservation told her to not even hint at that as a justification. Thinking along those lines didn't make her think her mom and grams would be any more receptive to her convoluted rationalizations. She knew this kind of thinking was keeping her from focusing the way Jack preferred, and she absolutely wasn't standing still to his level of acceptability. Her active mind led to her fidgety body.