Jaq With a Q (Kismet) by Jettie Woodruff Read Free Book Online Page A

side when she practically jumped out of her skin, startled from my call.
    “Is he coming? Is it just Wallace? Do you swear?”
    “Yes, calm down. I’m right here with you. It’s just Wallace. He’s not going to hurt you.”
    “You said you would help me get my medicine. I need the anxiety ones.”
    I watched her walk to the door again and look out, worried about something I didn’t quite understand, not yet anyway. “Jaq, they’re coming tomorrow. You’re okay, and I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”
    “You can’t make me better. Why won’t you just do it?”
    “Why won’t you?”
    The phone came away from her ear and she looked down, like I was right there. “What?”
    My tone may have been a little too brash, but I wanted to know. “Why can’t you do it yourself? Take a bottle of pills and go to sleep. Why me?”
    “You called me.”
    “You called me first.”
    “But I didn’t mean to.”
    “Why, Jaq? If you want out so bad, why not do it yourself?”
    “I can’t.”
    “Why?” I questioned, writing subject and then Jaq just below it at the top of my page.
    “What if it didn’t work?”
    The light tap on the door caused her to jump, and my words to never start. I didn’t know what to say to that anyway. She was afraid of everything, even a failed suicide attempt.
    “It’s just Wallace. Go open the door.”
    “How did you know?”
    “I heard the knock. Open the door, Jaq.”
    “I don’t want to.”
    “He’s not going to hurt you. I gave you my word, didn’t I?”
    Jaq nodded her head like I was right there, unresponsive with words.
    Luckily Wallace wasn’t as much of a thug as he liked to think he was. He was gentle and polite with her. “I have another bag of groceries. Sorry, I didn’t realize I had two. I’ll just put them over here. Your pizza smells good, there’s breadsticks and a warm brownie, too. You ever eat Chico’s brownies? They’re the best. Well, there’s the soda, too. I’ll see you later, Miss Jaq.”
    Jaq never flinched. She stood frozen, watching his every move until he was in the hall and the door was closed behind him. That’s when she moved, running to the door to lock four locks, plus a chain, and then she shoved the sofa against the door for extra measure. She then sat down, stiff and wide eyed, her eyes jerking in quick spasms around the room.
    “Did you get your pizza?”
    She looked to the few things Wallace had brought her and blinked her eyes. “Yes, I have it.”
    “Okay, good. I’m about to start the movie. You can lay your phone down and put your things away if you want.”
    “Okay. I’ll put it on speaker.”
    She didn’t need to do that. I could hear every word she said through the speakers on her computer, but she of course didn’t know that part. Jaq cautiously removed the contents from the bag, and for a brief second, I thought she was on to me. She held the bag of pads into the air, her eyes darting around the room and her posture in a frozen state. My heart picked up a few extra beats, heavy thumps pounding in my ears as I watched, observing her every move. I have no idea what went through her mind, but she never mentioned it. Not once. She took them and went straight into the bathroom, emerging with a little lighter expression. At least, that’s how it appeared to me. A little bit of junk food and the needed feminine products were a simple pleasure for her. Something most of us take for granite on a daily basis.
    Jaq watched the movie and devoured junk food while I took notes. I’m almost sure I saw a smile here and there, but not enough to call it that. One thing I found peculiar was our phone call. We never spoke again, yet she didn’t hang up. I jotted that down in my notebook. Was it a security thing? Did she feel safer knowing I was an earshot away? Sometimes I wondered where she went. Her eyes would drift off, a lost daze taking her to a place I desperately wanted to know.
    Before the credits started to roll,