Chapter Two Jess
Chapter Two
Jess
Returning to her dining room table, refreshed mug of tea warming her hands, Jess stopped short.
“Steinem,” she said. “The whole and entire point of getting you that toy laptop was so that you could mirror me and stop—” She put her mug on the table and cupped his sleek black-and-white bottom. “Stop parking yourself on mine every time I step away.” She nudged, and after a bit of resistance, the cat yawned and stood. Jess tapped the toy sitting in front of the chair beside hers. “That’s yours,” she said. “This is mine.”
Steinem shot a glance at the toy, a glance at Jess, then stalked to the other end of the table and sat, his back to her. Jess rolled her eyes.
“Okay, fine,” she grumbled, picking up her mug. She glanced at the corner of the screen. Still another ten minutes before her video call with her close friends Alice and Stephanie. She straightened the papers on her desk with one hand as she sipped. The first day of school was the following week. Her first day as Dr.Anderson, University of Michigan professor, the career she’d been dreaming of and striving toward since middle school. Along with her excitement about work, she also counted herself lucky to have found a place to shoot. Her competition days were over, but she still loved archery and needed it to be a part of her life.
She hadn’t been thrilled about the way she learned about the Michigan Folk School. Her car was the only one in the relatively empty teacher’s parking lot with a flyer tucked under her windshield wiper. Jess had approached her car carefully, checking underneath it and in the backseat before getting inside. But once she’d read the flyer the anxious prickles that had shot over her skin faded, and curiosity bloomed.
She’d found a couple of indoor archery clubs that would have saved her the thirty-minute drive from Warrendale to Ann Arbor, but the ambiance of the Folk School, and the few people she’d already met there, made the commute more than worth it.
“Guess I’m doing all right, huh, Sty Sty?” she asked the cat, still giving her his back. “Back to the States. Truly started my career, my grown-up life.” A shower of sadness passed through her, and she readjusted in her seat to get rid of it. Something was missing from that picture. Her sister should have been there to share in this new stage with Jess, but she wasn’t. If Jess wanted a good start, she would need to keep doing what she had been—ignoring her grief, stuffing it away in the deepest corners of her mind. Allowing it the tiniest foothold would open the door for it to overtake her.
I already cried, I already grieved. Time to focus on the next thing.
According to the psychologist she’d seen briefly before she moved back, she was doing well. He’d shared that it was normal to just react to life after a cataclysmic event like losing a sibling, and that Jess would continue to do well if she lived one day at a time, focused on one step at a time. The fact that she’d started to regain interest in archery was a big deal. It meant that she was rebuilding her agency in life—beyond her career.
The video call ringtone went off from her laptop, bringing her back to the present.
“Buenas tardes!” Alice announced as she appeared on the screen.
The sight and sound of her friend brought a wave of excitement for an instant, but it quickly died down. Alice’s skin was bright pink.
“Buenas…tardes?” Jess said, confused.
“Your pronunciation’s getting better,” Alice said, half-smiling. “Though I probably can’t talk. I still have a looong way to go before I communicate well. At least people are kind and patient about me trying.”
“That’s good,” Jess said. “What is up with—”
“I’m late, I’m late, I’m late for a very important date,” Stephanie said, interrupting Jess as she joined the call.
“The surprise would have been if you were on time,” Jess said, smirking as she sipped a bit more tea.
With Jess in Michigan, Alice at an NGO in Mexico City, and Stephanie teaching at a university in Sao Paulo, they’d been staying in touch through video calls in addition to their group chat. They’d become close friends while finishing their doctorates in gender studies at the University of Sussex near Brighton in the UK. Finding a good time to talk with their newly differing time zones was taking a bit of an adjustment, but they were adamant about making it work.
Stephanie stuck out her pierced tongue.
“I am nothing if not consistent,” she said. She got closer to the camera, raising an eyebrow as she angled her head to one side and ruffled her bright purple pixie cut. “Apart from the story behind this impressive sunburn you’re rocking, Alice, what did I miss?”
“Ha,” Alice said. “While Goth-girl skin wasn’t an issue in Sussex, I need to get better about sunscreen now that I’m closer to the equator.”
“Yikes,” Stephanie said.
Alice nodded.
“Jess,” Alice said. “The big day is coming up. I’m sure you’re already prepared for work, but how about socially? Any exciting encounters in real life?”
Jess snorted. “As a matter of fact, I have had one… adrenaline-filled encounter.”
“Excellent,” Alice said. “Do tell.”
“?‘Adrenaline-filled’?” Stephanie asked, squinting. “We’re listening.”
Jess quickly recapped her run-in with the weirdo dressed like a serial killer while she’d been emptying out Cassie’s storage space. She couldn’t remember if he’d mentioned his name, but it wasn’t like it mattered.
“So you threatened an innocent stranger with physical violence,” Alice said.
“Consistent for you,” Stephanie added.
“Hey!” Jess said. “I’d like to see how you’d respond when an ax murderer cosplaying as a blacksmith shows up. And there’s no way to know if he’d planned on remaining an ‘innocent stranger.’?”
“I wouldn’t have announced my presence,” Alice said, her shiny, posh British accent making the chiding worse. “He didn’t even know you were there. You approached him.”
Jess rolled her eyes.
“I wasn’t going to let him get the upper hand.”
“Of course not,” Stephanie said.
“Anyway, it worked out fine,” Jess said. “He went away and left me alone. I got everything out of the space, so we won’t cross paths again.”
“I suppose that’s true,” Alice said, chewing her lip a little. “You could cross paths with other people, maybe. Like your parents?”
Jess frowned.
“There’s no need,” she said. “I’m here, they’re in Rockford. Everyone is just fine exactly where they are.”
“I see,” said Alice.
“I get it,” Stephanie said. “But seeing them might actually be useful. It’s only been a few months since…Cassie, and grieving together might—”
“Can we talk about something else, please?” Jess snapped, cutting her off. She had zero desire to see her parents. An awkward pause almost gave Jess time to start feeling bad about being rude. But Alice saved her by pasting on a bright smile.
“Sure we can,” she said. “Steph, do you have your class schedule yet?”
Stephanie barked a laugh.
“I’m not getting the best vibe from the administration. It’s getting…”
“Curiouser and curiouser?” Alice asked.
“I’m afraid they may all be mad here,” Stephanie said.
Jess and Alice grimaced.
“Well, we can keep our fingers crossed,” Alice said. “At least Steph’s picked up tennis again, and I’ve got my second book club meeting next week. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, Jess.”
“Right,” Jess said. “I didn’t tell you that I’ve found a place to shoot.”
She minimized the window and pulled up a browser. After copying the link to the Michigan Folk School, she pasted it into the chat.
“This looks good,” said Alice.
“Is it far from where you live?” Stephanie asked.
“Not too far,” Jess said. “And actually, there’s an open house there this afternoon.”
“You are going, right?” Stephanie asked.
Jess raised an eyebrow.
“Why do you say it like that?”
“Well, you know how you get,” Stephanie said, shrugging.
“What’s that supposed—”
“Huh,” Alice said, cutting Jess off. “Funny coincidence.”
“What?” Jess asked.
“They have a blacksmithing program. Looks like it’s following you around,” Alice said.
Jess took another look at the site. She’d only focused on archery before.
“Oh, you’re right,” she said, scrolling through. There were a couple of photos of people taking classes. None of the people in them could have been the guy she ran into; they were too short or too slim.
“The guy isn’t on here. Plus, he was working in the city,” she said.
“Be funny if you ran into him again, though,” Stephanie said.
“Yeah. Hilarious,” Jess said, deadpan.
“Well, maybe awkward,” Alice said. “Since you did threaten to kill him.”
“Jess doesn’t get awkward,” Stephanie said. “She gets, like, closed-off ice queen.”
“That’s true,” Alice said. “All sealed up, keeps everything inside.”
“You know,” Stephanie said, “it’s a wonder she ever let us in enough to become friends.”
“It is,” Alice said, ignoring Jess gawking at the screen. “Probably because we’re so awesome. Did take a bit of work to get her to actually share an emotion. Like genuinely smile at—”
“Ladies! I am right here,” Jess said.
“What? We still love you,” Stephanie said. “Your hermit crab nature is part of your charm.”
Jess squinted at the screen.
“And look, Steinem loves you,” Stephanie said.
Steinem had stepped into view, hopping onto Jess’s thigh and rubbing his face on her jaw. She ran a hand down his back.
“I don’t have to take this slander, do I?” she asked him.
Her friends laughed.
“I’m sure it will be fine,” Alice said. “This is probably a great opportunity. It’ll be good to join a new community. Make some new face-to-face friends.”
“Just don’t draw down on them,” Stephanie said, winking.
—
Jess pulled into the parking lot of the Folk School. She couldn’t get to the spot she’d taken the previous weeks; the lot was fuller than she’d ever seen it.
“Okaaay,” she said to herself, turning down a different aisle. She thought to park a little bit away from other cars, hoping that she’d still be able to see under hers as she approached it when she decided to go home. But what if it’s dark by that time?
She glanced up. No streetlights in the parking area. She sighed.
Just park, Jess. The “perfectly safe” space doesn’t exist.
She took a deep breath as she got out of the car, squaring her shoulders and walking toward the barn, its open doors decorated with balloons and streamers. Stephanie and Alice weren’t wrong. Jess felt more balanced with her emotions nicely contained. Under her control. Left to her own devices, she could isolate herself in study, or work, or archery. It just happened that way. In England, she’d had her friends to pull her out into the wider world. Before that it was Cassie. Jess needed to clear her throat and rub her suddenly aching knuckles. She took another deep breath. Time for her to be present so she could meet new people.
“Hello! Welcome to the Michigan Folk School,” said a perky female voice to Jess’s left as soon as she crossed the threshold of the barn. The tiny woman behind a table covered in brochures and photos looked much older than her voice sounded. Jess tried to return her smile, but she was temporarily distracted by bright yellow shoots coming from behind the woman’s head. There were small feathers dancing at the ends of the yellow strands.
“I’m Lana,” the woman said, reaching for Jess’s hand. “The millinery instructor.”
“Millinery…,” Jess said, returning her handshake. “That’s hat making, right?”
The woman beamed, her feathers vibrating.
“Exactly,” she said. “Have you ever tried? We have an introductory class if you’d like to come try out the School.”
“Jess is a bit past the point of trying the School,” a familiar voice said from behind her. She turned with a smile on her face. Ned, the salt-and-pepper-haired archery instructor that she’d gotten to know during her visits, joined them at the table.
“How’s it going, Ned?” Jess asked.
“Can’t complain,” he said, the wrinkles around his eyes deepening with his smile. “Lana, Jess is new to the area, but she’s come shooting a lot these past few weeks.” He leaned toward Lana, and she followed suit. “Internationally recognized archer,” he said. “Probably gonna replace me.” He winked.
“Ned,” Jess said, “I couldn’t do that. I’m just here to relax.” She looked at Lana. “It’s nice to meet you. Could I get some of those brochures about the other classes?”
“Nice to meet you, too,” Lana said, pressing some materials into her hands. “Glad to have you among us.”
—
Ned guided Jess around the barn, from one small group to another, introducing her to other teachers and longtime students. Everyone was warm and welcoming. The apprehension that had tightened her shoulders was gone, and she was enjoying herself.
They’d just finished chatting with a couple interested in longbow archery when Ned glanced over her shoulder. He nodded at someone, giving them a wry smile.
“Jess,” he said to her, his gaze still over her shoulder, “I’d like to introduce you to someone. He’s a little…well, don’t hold on too tight to your first impression.”
Confused, Jess turned to follow his gaze as a man appeared from behind her, reaching to shake Ned’s outstretched hand. The air in the barn plummeted fifty degrees. The harsh clutching shock around Jess’s heart should have been strong enough to teleport her halfway around the planet.
The Ax Murderer was shaking Ned’s hand. Jess gulped, her adrenaline flaming through her.
“Mo,” Ned said. “This is Jess.” He gestured toward her. “She’s an archer. She recently moved to Detroit and has been doing a little shooting on the range while she decides if she’d like to sign up for some classes. Jess, this is Mo. Our lead blacksmith instructor.”
While she still had to tip up her chin to meet his gaze, as she had in Cassie’s storage unit, physically he didn’t strike the same fear in her in the plain light of day. The feeling saturating her muscles would be better described as…mortification. She gulped again, trying to dislodge the boulder that had formed in her throat.
His dark eyes went wide momentarily, and his lips pressed into a seam, almost making them disappear behind his full mustache and beard. She caught his brief grunt before he offered her a handshake.
“Hullo,” he said.
“Hi,” she said, shaking his hand and hoping the deep breath she’d taken would calm the tremble in her fingers.
“Even though Mo isn’t our most loquacious team member, he’s been the head of the blacksmithing program for years,” Ned said, drawing Jess’s attention back to him. “We’re quite lucky; he’s the highest-ranked blacksmith in the region.” Jess was surprised by the brief hint of pink that flashed across the bare part of Mo’s cheeks. He glanced down, like a shy kid, then cleared his throat and crossed his arms before he looked up at Ned and gave him a terse nod.
“Oh” was all that Jess could manage to say.
Who knew that an ax murderer could seem…bashful?