15. Jessica
Jessica
The music stopped abruptly as Lila’s fingers became tangled on the keyboard for a second time. Jessica’s student sighed in frustration and looked up for support.
“Here. Watch.”
She leaned sideways and showed Lila the run again, going slowly, finger by finger, so her student could see the turns. Then, she shifted to the side and watched as Lila settled her hands over the keys.
“Slow this time,” she said.
Lila did as instructed and completed the run.
“Good job!” Jessica said. “Now let’s do it again, same speed. We’ll do it a couple more times like that before we go a little faster.”
She watched Lila play through the run twice more, then Jessica upped the tempo on the metronome just slightly. Lila continued to ace it.
These were the moments that made Jessica love teaching so much. She loved playing music and performing, but there was something special about helping a young student and watching them progress in their skills.
When the lesson was done, she followed Lila out of the practice room and found her mother waiting just outside the acoustic guitars’ showcase room nearby. Danielle had her tote bag over one shoulder and her khakis on, fresh from teaching at the high school.
Lila wandered off to look at the pianos in the showroom, like she often did while Danielle and Jessica had a little chat during Jessica’s half-hour break between lessons. Lila loved looking at the pianos, especially since they didn’t have room for one in their small apartment.
“So, have you read the new book yet?”
Danielle held up a familiar-looking paperback with a bookmark tucked in about two-thirds of the way through. Jessica felt a pang of guilt.
“Haven’t even started it yet. Things have been… a lot.”
“Are you okay?” Danielle glanced around to make sure Lila was out of earshot, then whispered, “Is it the fling?”
“I told you all, there is no fling.”
But the idea was rooting itself into her brain ever since her last discussion with the book club, and every time she saw Renee. Not that she was ready for something like that right now. The mere thought of meeting with Claire for the Chase handoff had her stomach in knots.
So, no, she wasn’t ready for a fling.
At least not yet.
Oh, who was she kidding? She wasn’t made for flings. When she went in, she was all in. Until the bitter end. Probably too long, as evidenced by how long it took her to realize things were over with Claire.
Danielle put her hands up in defense. “Okay. I don’t want to push you if you aren’t ready. Aside from that, how’s the situation going? I don’t hope you’ve wasted your money, but I also hope for your sanity that Chase is being well-cared for.”
“Still up for debate,” Jessica said. “I’m actually going with Renee to check things out tomorrow night.”
“Wait, you’re going on a stakeout or whatever? Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
That had been Naomi’s exact thought, too, when Jessica told her the plan.
“She needs a car that Claire’s suspicious neighbor hasn’t spotted, and I kind of want to see for myself what’s going on. I’m really anxious about this whole thing.”
Danielle’s expression softened. “I know you are. Understandably so. I’m just worried about you.”
“I know. And I appreciate the concern. I do.”
“Well, then,” Danielle said, catching Lila waving at her that she was ready to leave. “I wish you lots of luck tomorrow!”
Chase sat patiently as Jessica clipped the leash to his collar and took him outside to the grassy area near her apartment.
She had already taken him to the dog park that morning, so all he needed was a quick potty trip.
Especially since he was supposed to be getting a long walk with Claire later that evening.
She really hoped he got a walk. For his sake and for her own peace of mind. She really hoped her time with Renee was all for nothing.
Except, it wouldn’t be all for nothing. Not since she’d be getting the chance to spend time with her again.
That dinner the other night had been a bright spot in her week.
There had been a comfortable ease between the two of them she hadn’t expected.
All of their interactions had felt natural, come to think of it.
She’d never felt that at ease over the past few years with anyone but Naomi.
The book club women were lovely, but it wasn’t the same with them.
And she’d barely felt that comfortable with Claire.
Maybe early in their relationship, but not for a while.
The more she thought about that situation, the more she realized she should have gotten out a long time ago.
Maybe not entered into it in the first place.
But she got Chase out of the deal, even if she did have to share him. So she couldn’t complain about it being all bad.
She hadn’t made it back inside when Claire drove up and pulled into a parking space nearby. Her ex got out of the car and walked toward them. Her thin frame looked heavier somehow. Maybe her extended workdays were weighing on her.
“Long week?”
It wasn’t any of her business, but she couldn’t help herself around Claire. Old habits and all that.
“Yeah,” Claire said. “Long week. Right.”
Jessica couldn’t help but read into that response that something more than work was bothering her. They might not have been compatible, but Jessica could tell when something was wrong with her.
“He just pottied, so he won’t need to go out for a while. He should be good until you and Monica take him for his walk.”
“Right,” Claire said, giving Jessica a sinking feeling that a walk wasn’t on the menu that night. “Monica isn’t there.”
She seemed almost as surprised that she said it as Jessica was to hear it.
“Oh,” Jessica said, unable to think of anything else to say.
“Right. Well. I should get him back to my place. It really has been a long day.”
“Time for your slippers and a little reality cooking show time, huh?”
It had been Claire’s relaxation method of choice. It wasn’t Jessica’s choice, but she often joined Claire just to be with her. To find closeness somewhere.
Claire gave a small smile. “Yeah. That.” Then she turned serious again. “I’ll pick up the last of my things when I drop him off Monday morning.”
Jessica told her that was fine, and they said their goodbyes, leaving Jessica alone and with a weird sense that something was off. It really was none of her business, though. And nothing she should concern herself with to maintain her sanity, as Naomi would remind her.
A few minutes later, a knock on the door let her know Renee had arrived. They’d agreed to leave from her apartment because it was on the way to Claire’s.
“You sure you want to do this?”
Renee was wearing a tank top again, since they were having another warm front even though it was early October. Her expression was equally warm but filled with a mix of seriousness and doubt.
“I’m sure,” Jessica said. “Let’s go.”
They got into Jessica’s car and headed toward Claire’s apartment complex in silence. Jessica backed into a spot across the small parking lot with a clear view from the front windshield for Renee to take pictures when it was time.
“You know, you could have done this by yourself if you were gonna insist on coming here.”
“I could have,” she said. “But you’re better at it, and I need your photos if it ever comes down to bringing this up in front of lawyers and a judge.”
“You sure you’re up for lawyers and a judge?”
“You sure ask if I’m sure a lot.”
“Well, are you?”
“I’m sure I need to make sure Chase is taken care of,” Jessica said. “And if that’s what it takes, then that’s what it takes. I can handle it.”
“Sure, you can,” Renee said with a hint of sarcasm. “You don’t strike me as a very good liar, so you can drop the overconfidence bit.”
“Don’t doubt me. I can do anything I put my mind to.”
“Actually, I change my skepticism. I do believe it when that dog is concerned,” Renee said. “You went to the trouble to hire me, after all.”
Having Renee’s confidence in her made Jessica’s heart swell in a way she couldn’t remember ever feeling before.
The high was a drug she wanted more of. And as miserable a task as it was to spy on her ex, she was glad to have the woman beside her to keep her company. Even if she was paying her to be there.
“So, now what?”
Renee tucked one side of her curly red bob behind her ear and pulled out her camera to set it in her lap. “Now we wait.”