Time will tell

 

Was this going to be a make it or break it moment? Jake went to Chicago on a whim. Yes, it was the first time he'd ever felt close to someone, and that someone was Macy.

Yes, he'd always enjoyed their conversations. He felt sad now that he'd waited too long, but he'd always felt an outsider. And even now, he felt like an outsider waiting for this moment to happen on the steps of the brownstone where Macy lived. He went inside.

Jake checked his trusty watch again. He had texted twice already and had not heard a thing. 

He never traveled. Had always wanted to, but he never let himself, and then, when he noticed how cheap the flight could be, and a straight shot to Chicago, it was like lightning had struck him. Still, he didn't want to look too happy. She might see through him and know the goofy boy that he was. He needed to be serious.

But all that washed away when he saw her come out of the elevator. Only, Macy was not alone. Naturally, he towered over both of thim and he studied the lanky blonde who looked quite distressed.

"What are you doing here? We were coming to the airport to pick you up?" It startled Macy and this meant the other person was bumping Macy from behind.

Jake put on his best smile. "You forgot to read the rest of the text."

He dropped his duffel bag and spread out his arms. Of course, Macy rammed into his stomach for a hug and a little squill, and he awkwardly put his arms around her. But he knew someone was immediately hurt, and Jake wasn't quite sure what to do about that.

Macy did her best to start an introduction.

"Oh, this is L? Who you told me about?" Jake smiled back, hoping it wasn't a smirk. He wanted to be sincere. He was sincere, but he had a feeling with that leer of L's that he wasn't. 

She left soon enough after a cold handshake. Immediately, he imagined she was the sick one, but he wasn't quite sure of the sickness. He did feel sad for a slight moment. But no. It was a delight of giggles and chuckles all the way up on the elevator. Of course, when it stopped, he felt as if his legs might be jelly, but he guessed he wasn't much of a traveler, after all.

"I can't believe you're here." Her smile practically made him glow. He could feel it in the core of him, and it radiated a certain happiness he didn't know could make him practically drunk, but he let her lead the way.

"You must be hungry," Macy said.

"Oh, I'm not that hungry." He settled on the leather couch, which was a bit slippery, but he managed to plant himself on it, gripping the arm tightly with his long fingers. He tensed, thinking his hands were large, and when he looked down at his sneakers. It was devastating. His feet were gigantic. Would Macy notice?

Of course, not. She stumbled over his feet just to give him a bottle of water. If it had been open, he would have been soaked. Instead, it hit him in the middle of the chest as if it were a reality bite.

A secondhand emotion

 "She's such a baby," L festered a look of discontent when she couldn't stop thinking about Macy. Usually, she was in her tank and sleep pants about now, but she still had on her trusty hoodie and work pants along with her clunky shoes.

"She's an infant." She bellowed to no one in particular, but Jax had his back to her as he finished up the dishes that hadn't been done in the last few days. He was slow at chores, but eventually he got them done.

After all, Jax was her man-child she found at the park. That's where he used to play chess with the old timers. It felt like ages ago instead of a few years. Yes, she'd been drawn to him like one would want an abandoned puppy. 

She imagined even then how he got by. Did he just sleep at the park? Of course, it took some kids to beat him up before she took charge of him. He was all of twenty-two then, but he came home with her and has been here ever since. She helped him sharpen his chess skills, and he'd blazed through the last few years winning prize money at chess showdowns. If it wasn't for him, she might still be in the studio in the basement. Now she lived in a spacious two-bedroom apartment. Still, Jax was always on monotone and said very little, but usually it was profound.

"It's love." 

Did she imagine him saying it?

"No, it's not!" She was getting testy. She looked for the box wine in the fridge just as her phone beeped telling her that her blood sugar was too high. Of course, she didn't believe the sensor, but she knew the red wine would bring it down. She poured some wine in her drink cup "Sipping through Winter" and added some Fresca. It was half and half.

"It's love."  

Again, Jax was annoying her, but he went to the fridge and got out the eggs. He would make the usual scrambled eggs dotted with a few red peppers and onions. 

L got into her favorite chair and propped her feet on the ottoman to relax, but not for too long. Macy might text her about something so she couldn't drink herself silly. Before she knew it, Jax had dinner waiting.

He reminded her when they sat down to eat that he was on a team now and they would be flying him to Shanghai for a tournament soon.

"Do you really have to go?" She didn't think they played chess in China.

"Stop." He interrupted her. "Go." He looked at her as if she had forgotten he played another game.

She sighed. 

"It's love." Jax looked at her blankly.

"Be quiet, will you?" She frowned back and ate a forkful of eggs with the brown rice.

Suddenly, her phone rang.  It rattled her. It was well into the evening. Of course, it was Macy. L hoped she hadn't gotten lost in the building.

"What?"

"Can you take me to the airport?" She asked as if she were already in a rush.

"Why?" She hoped she wasn't leaving already.

"My friend's on his way here," Macy told her.

"Well, can't- What?" L winced. Damn, L thought, that fellow who made Macy so happy would be here for Valentine's Day. L gritted. She was going to have to chaprone the whole weekend.

After she got off the phone, she pointed her fork at Jax. "You aren't going anywhere."

"I leave with the team on Monday." He might as well have rattled off her itinerary for the whole weekend. She was to have dinner with her co-worker Wade and his fiancée. "Steak night."

L felt as if he was pouring in sweat. There were too many people wanting her to do things, and all she wanted was to be there for Macy. It was getting impossible.

Where do they all belong?

 "I wouldn't want to come between you and your grandmother," L said. "You should drive."

L and Macy were walking to the car in the apartment car lot. It was right where she'd left it, but she could already tell that Macy was lost. Seriously, it frightened her to think just who could take advantage of this small-town girl. Of course, L already knew she would be driving again today.

"Just pay attention, OK?" L was always serious. Not that she thought everything was a teachable moment, but she would do her best to simplify it. "Get familiar with the streets."

"All right," She was wide-eyed at the moment.

"I know it's a big garage."

"We didn't have parking garages like this back in Denver," Macy shrugged.

"I'm sure you did, you just didn't have to use one," L was matter-of-fact as she went down the path to take them out of the dark into the bright sun. Macy winced as if she preferred the cave life. It didn't bother L; she was used to it. From the moment she got to work, she was on the move.

"I suppose you're right?" Macy smiled back like an optimistic first grader. L, on the other hand, kept her knuckles white on the wheel and drove through the heavy traffic, but it didn't keep her waiting long; she got into the groove and made her way toward work.

"So did something happen last night, other than that phone call from your grandmother?" L asked with a sour lip.

"Oh," Macy laughed softly. "I heard from an old coworker. Jake."

"Really?" L knew she didn't need to know. "At least, it wasn't your ex."

"Yeah, it was good catching up with Jake and the library."

Macy agreed as she studied streets and landmarks. She shook her head, no. "It really looks all the same to  me."

It wasn't long until L drove into another massive parking lot building. "Is he going to call again?"

Macy nodded as if she believed so. L kept an even smile.

"L, what's your real name?" Macy asked before they went their separate ways.

"Elenor," L said she'd always hated that name. Then she got back to the driving issue. "Maybe it's best if you learn the transit system."