Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
There was a chill in the air. It was November, and Jessica had been teaching since August. She was finally beginning to feel as though she knew what she was doing, although she was still exhausted most of the time, and spent hours every evening working on lesson plans and assessments.
She was also more homesick than ever. Teja had suggested they eat dessert together since her husband, Brad, was playing at the local honky-tonk with his band that evening.
They sat together on Jessica’s front porch. There was an old swing on the porch that creaked loudly when it moved. Jessica had her legs tucked up under her and held a bowl of peach cobbler with ice cream in her hands. She took a bite of the ice cream and then shivered.
“We didn’t think this through.”
“The cobbler is warm, though,” Teja replied with a shrug.
“I’m going to need a blanket or something. Be right back.” Jessica hurried to get a blanket from her bed and then tucked it around both of them on the porch swing.
“A strange man walked by while you were upstairs,” Teja said suddenly.
Jessica frowned. “What do you mean? Where?” She scanned the street, but it was almost entirely dark, and difficult to see anything much other than the houses and the circles of light surrounding the streetlights.
“He’s gone now. He was dressed all in black.”
“How was he strange? Maybe he was just out for a walk.”
“Maybe, but I haven’t seen him before. And he walked kind of slow. He stared at me, too. I couldn’t see his eyes, but his face was turned this way. I could tell.”
Jessica felt a shiver run through her body. “I’m sure it was nothing.”
“You’re probably right.” Teja paused. “What does your ex look like?”
Jessica’s breath caught in her throat. “You don’t think it was him, do you?”
“Of course not.” Teja was unconvincing.
Jessica took another bite of dessert, her eyes skimming over the features of the dark neighbourhood. “He has dark brown hair and eyes. He’s tall and thin, with a pale complexion. Was it him?”
“I couldn’t tell. It might’ve been. But it’s not very likely. Is it?”
“No, it’s not likely. He doesn’t know where I am. And I don’t think he’s crazy enough to follow me to another state.” She wasn’t sure if this was true. She hoped it was. It was what she’d been telling herself for months.
They sat in silence for a few minutes, eating. Then Teja stood up. “Should we go inside? It’s too cold out here.”
“Great idea. I don’t know what we were thinking.”
“Who eats dessert outside in November?”
Jessica laughed as she opened the front door and waited for Teja to walk through it. “I’ll make us some hot cocoa.”
“Perfect.”
They settled at the small round table in the kitchen. Jessica made a mug of hot cocoa for each of them and added half a dozen mini marshmallows. Then she carried them back to the table.
“This is better.” She felt snug and warm. The fear she’d felt outside on the porch seemed silly now, an overreaction to being in the dark, unable to see her surroundings well.
“Much better. So, how are things with the military man?” Teja asked as she waggled her eyebrows.
“Military man? I guess that’s a good name for him. Tyler is great. I’m enjoying getting to know him.”
“Sounds very mature.”
“It is. We’re taking things slowly. He hasn’t tried to rush me, which is nice.”
“Slow is good. You sound cautious, though… What about love? Falling in love is the best.”
Jessica hesitated. She wanted to fall in love, wanted to let go of everything that was holding her back, but it was hard. “It’s complicated.”
“Because of your ex?”
“I guess so. It’s not really something I think about a lot. I’m trying to live in the moment, leave the past behind and all that. But I trusted Hilton, and look how it turned out.”
“Surely there were signs along the way.”
Jessica sighed. “I can see that now. Looking back, there were so many red flags. But I was na?ve. I thought he was mysterious, the strong but silent type. Like my dad. Dad doesn’t talk much, but he’s solid, you know?
He’s always there for me. And I thought maybe Hilton was like him in those ways.
Very different in other ways, of course.
But he reminded me a bit of my dad at first. I was stupid. ”
“Tyler isn’t like him, though. Is he? I haven’t spent much time with him, so I can’t really say for sure. But my impression of him is that he’s a normal, nice, and very extroverted guy.”
Jessica laughed. “He is definitely more extroverted than I am, and the complete opposite of Hilton in that way. I like that he’s friendly with everyone. People seem to like him. That’s a good sign. Hilton never had any close friends.”
“I don’t want to see you miss out on something special because you’re holding back.” Teja carried her empty bowl to the sink and rinsed it out.
Jessica followed her and did the same. “I don’t want to miss out either. I’m going to try to let go of my worries and let myself fall…”
“In love?”
“In… whatever. I don’t know if it’s going to be love. But at least I have to give it a chance to be. Don’t I?”
Teja hugged her. “Definitely. I think that’s a great idea.”