Seasons (28 page)

J
.P. let her go. He paced back and forth across his office trying to process all that had gone on in the past few minutes.
He didn’t know whether to be embarrassed, angry, apologetic, or what. He was beyond tired after working day and night, and
to have something like this happen was totally unacceptable.

“Man, what the devil is wrong with you?” Ron asked from behind him. J.P. turned and saw that Ron and a rebellious looking
Jaci had entered the office without his hearing them.

“Jaci can’t leave until the police get here. I’m sure she’ll have to give a statement. She needs to stay back here. These
women don’t need to be in the same room.”

“I’m sure there’s another office where I can wait,” Jaci told Ron. “Your brother has informed me that he’s tired of dealing
with me. And I refuse to stay where I’m not wanted.”

“I didn’t say that! But I am tired of you trying to handle things by yourself and messing up, when I’m here to help you.”

“Excuse me,” Jaci told Ron, and gave J.P. a dirty look before leaving the office again.

“Do you know what you’re doing, brother?” Ron asked. “You better snap, man. You don’t want to lose that lady. And you know,
that’s something I never thought I’d say.”

“Two women fighting over me like two dogs over a bone!” J.P. groaned loudly. “Oh Lord! That might be an ego booster for some
men, but it’s a total turnoff to me.” He groaned again. “And in front of my staff! That really blows it.”

“And you’re blaming Jaci for that?” Ron asked. “I heard her tell Linda more than once to leave her alone. She even asked me
to make Linda back off so she could leave. But before I could do anything, Linda had jumped her.”

“And you just stood there and let them go at it.” J.P. shook his head disgustedly.

“Naw, man, it wasn’t like that. When Linda attacked her, Jaci was all over her. Before I could even move, Jaci had knocked
her to the floor.” He started laughing. “You don’t want to ever make that woman mad. You’ll get your tail whipped real quick.”

“I, I can’t believe she did that!” J.P. stammered.

“What was she supposed to do? Let Linda beat up on her? Would that have made you happy?” Ron walked over and stood in front
of him. “I don’t believe I’m saying this, but you act a fool and let Jaci get away, it’ll be the biggest mistake you ever
made. She told Linda that no way was she going to let a crazy woman make her walk away from the man she loves. She’s quality,
brother, as you well know. And I don’t know why you’re tripping like this. But . . . that just leaves the field open for me
or some other lucky guy.” He noticed J.P.’s eyes and mouth tightening, and knew he had hit the mark. J.P. was getting angry.

“I’m going back out there and wait for the police,” Ron remarked as he made his escape.

The police finally arrived and took statements from everyone. After ascertaining that Linda had instigated the fight and continued
her threats against Jaci even in their presence, they arrested Linda. They told Jaci she would have to file charges against
Linda, and advised Jaci to seek a restraining order to restrict Linda to a certain distance.

As soon as the police finished with her, Jaci left the building like it was on fire.

“Where’s Jaci going so fast?” Cecelia asked, looking at J.P. strangely.

“Oh, Mom, didn’t you know? J.P. is blaming Jaci for everything that happened here today. Told her he was tired of dealing
with her. So, Jaci said she wasn’t staying anywhere she’s not wanted.”

“Boy, have you lost your mind?” Cecelia yelled at J.P. “You better go catch that girl. You know doggone well Jaci didn’t start
this mess. We told you a long time ago what Linda was after. And you didn’t do anything about it, so if what happened is anybody’s
fault, it’s yours.”

“I’m not blaming Jaci for what happened,” J.P. said tiredly. “I’m just upset that she didn’t handle things differently.” He
made an impatient sound. “You know what? I just wish everybody would leave me alone.” He turned, hurried down the hallway
to his office, and closed the door behind him.

Now that he was alone, Jason walked across his office to the window and got there just in time to see Jaci’s Jeep leave the
parking lot. He grabbed his head, groaning as though in deep pain. “What have I done?” he asked himself.

He sat down behind the empty desk and looked around the office. Everything was ready to be moved. Everything from the walls,
bookshelves, desk, and credenza was carefully labeled with appropriate numbers. There would be no problem placing things where
they belonged.

His office was ready . . . made ready by the woman who had told him she hadn’t slept the past several days. But in spite of
that, she worked hard in here all morning to help him. He knew of no other woman in the world, other than maybe his mother,
who would have done this without thought for herself. He started feeling like the jerk he knew he had been with her.
What in the world got into me?
he wondered.

He sat in deep thought, ignoring the knocks on his door and the ringing phones. He needed to face up to some things where
Jaci was concerned.

She loved him—almost as much as he loved her. By necessity, she was extremely independent, preferring to handle her own problems
and issues. She had told him that from the start. He had to accept the fact that she might never reach the point where she
was comfortable with his need to take care of her and protect her. She was also as stubborn as a mule when she believed she
was right.

She was caring, loving, loyal, dependable, and all those things she had told Ron and Walt on Thanksgiving Day about love.
She was cautious and leery. But once her mind was made up, she was in it all the way.

She’d been honest and up-front about everything from the very beginning.

He wanted to kick himself as he questioned the reasons for his anger with her today. Especially when he came up with only
one reason.
Male pride.
What was that Scripture about pride goeth before a fall? Why was he upset with her? For standing up to a crazy woman because
she loved him? For failing to tell him the extent of the woman’s harassment and trying to handle it by herself? When was she
supposed to tell him? He’d been putting her off all week, telling her he didn’t have time. Hadn’t she taken the day off just
so she could come to him and tell him what was going on? Maybe if he had taken the time to talk to her he could have kept
this from happening. Was this move so important that he would jeopardize their relationship?

Absolutely not! The whole company could go down the drain as far as that was concerned.

He picked up the phone and dialed her number. He knew she hadn’t had time to make it home, but he could leave her a message.
He had to get her a decent cell phone. Hers didn’t work half the time.

“Jaci, I’m so sorry, baby. Just chalk it up to fatigue and stupidity. Will you call me as soon as you get home?”

Forty-five minutes and eight messages later, he still hadn’t heard from her.

His door flew open and his dad, who had been out running errands, stormed into the room, a scowl on his face. “I hear there’s
been some tail kicking going on around here today, and it ain’t over yet. ’Cause if you treated Jaci the way they say you
did, I’m getting ready to kick yours. Have you lost your blasted mind?”

“Yeah, Pop. I guess I have. I really don’t know what got into me. And I don’t need you to kick me, I’m doing that real well
myself.”

“Well, I guess you did Linda a favor,” his dad answered. “She’s getting exactly what she wanted—Jaci out of your life.” He
left the office, slamming the door behind him.

Consuming fear at the thought of life without Jaci filled him and caused tears to fill his eyes. He picked up the phone and
dialed her number again. “Sweetheart, please call me! And you may as well know, I’m not giving up.”

J
aci erased all the messages and turned the ringers off. “I’m not talking to you anymore today,” she said loudly to the last
message.

Feeling dirty and stressed out, she ran a hot bath, pouring a generous portion of bath oil into the tub. She lit her favorite
scented candles, stripped, and sank into the hot water, where she stayed until the water had cooled and she was about to drift
off to sleep. She got out of the tub, slipped into a nightgown, and was asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.
She slept soundly for three hours and was jerked awake by her pager going off. She knew it would continue to beep until she
stopped it.

She realized she had slept through several pages and hadn’t heard a thing. Evidently, she had taken the edge off her exhaustion
enough for the sound to finally permeate. Of course, they were all from Jason, with the exception of one from Randi. She quickly
dialed Randi’s number, knowing her daughter would be worried about her if she didn’t call her back.

“Hey, honey. What’s up?”

“Mama, what’s going on with you and Jason? He’s called me several times looking for you. He said if I talked to you, to tell
you he’s really sorry and to please call him. What did he do?”

She briefly ran down the situation to her. “If he calls back, tell him I said to go suck a rotten egg.”

“I’m not telling him that!” Randi replied. “You’ll have to call him and tell him that yourself. So how long is this woman
going to stay in jail?” she asked worriedly.

“I have no idea. I’m just sick and tired of the whole situation. She knows now that I can whip her butt, so she’s not going
to get too close to me again.”

“Well, I think you and Jason need to go down there and file charges on her, like the police said. And get that peace bond
against her. It’s no telling what that crazy woman may do next.”

“Yeah. You’re right. But I’m not going to talk to him today. I’m still too angry. Maybe tomorrow. I’m going to get some more
sleep now. I’ll talk to you later.”

Jaci snuggled back into her pillow and went back to sleep, praying Linda was still behind bars.

Randi dialed Jason’s number as soon as she finished talking to her mother. “Jason, I talked to my mother. She’s tired and
trying to get some sleep. She said maybe she’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Is that all she said?” he asked.

“Nope. But I can’t repeat it. She’s still pretty mad at you.”

“I don’t blame her. I acted like a jerk. Do you know if she’s going to work tomorrow?”

“The way she sounded, no. But you know Mom. If she wakes up and feels like it, she’ll probably go in.”

“Okay, Randi. I appreciate your help. And don’t worry, I’ll get things worked out with your mother.”

Jaci slept through the night and awoke early Thursday morning, still tired but feeling better. She decided not to go to work
since she was off the next day anyway. She would just treat herself to a minivacation (to heck with Wynola). She called the
office and after she ascertained that Gloria and Bill had things under control, Jaci went back to bed and slept another couple
of hours.

She finally got up, took a shower, and ate toast before checking the messages on the answering machine. The tape was full
of messages from Jason, but there was one from Lena, who had called that morning.

She quickly called her back. She needed the kind of conversation she knew she would get from Lena.

“Hey, girl, it’s Jaci. How’s it going?”

“Hey! I’m free for lunch. Want to treat me?”

Jaci’s spirits lifted. “Sounds good to me. Where you want to go?”

“Olive Garden on South Main. Twelve-thirty.”

Jaci hurriedly got ready. This was a welcomed distraction.

She expected Lena to be waiting for her, but when she didn’t see her, she sat down by the door to wait. When J.P. walked in,
she didn’t acknowledge him, just simply turned her head. He walked over and sat down beside her.

“Guess what?” he asked without a greeting. When she didn’t answer, he said, “I’m your lunch date. I got Lena to set this up
for me.”

Jaci stood and walked out the door without a word. He figured she would do that, so he followed her all the way to her truck.
“I know I blew it yesterday and I’m so sorry for the way I acted. Will you please forgive me?”

“Sure. I forgive you,” she quickly answered to his surprise. But before the relief he felt could set in, she continued. “Now
leave me alone and go suck a rotten egg or something.”

“Doggone it! I knew that was too easy!” he groaned. “Jaci, we love each other. Remember? We can’t let this come between us
like this. Will you come to the house with me so we can talk?”

“No.”

“I need you, sweetheart. In so many ways I can’t name them all. If you don’t forgive me, I’ll never be complete again. You’re
my essence, the part of me that makes my life meaningful. Honey, I don’t even want to think about living without you. Please
come with me.”

“Just leave me alone! I’m not going to let you hurt me again, Jason. I may be stupid, but I’m not a glutton for punishment.
I know when to get off the short bus.”

“You’re not stupid. I’m the one who fills that role. Please talk to me, Jaci. At least give us a chance to work this out.”

“Ma’am? Do you know this man? Is he bothering you?” The security guard who had been watching them from across the parking
lot walked over to them.

“No, thanks officer. I’m fine.” She looked at Jason. “Now see. I asked you to leave me alone. Do you want to get arrested
out here on a parking lot?”

“If that’s what it takes,” he answered. “Jaci . . . We have to talk. . . . Please! You owe me that much.”

“I don’t owe you anything. But since I’m not interested in becoming a spectacle on this parking lot, let’s go.” She paused,
then added, “But I’m not promising anything.” She followed him to his house, parked in the driveway behind his SUV, and walked
with him inside. He led the way into the family room. “Do you want anything to eat or drink?”

“No. Let’s just get this over with so I can go.”

They spent the next hour hashing out their feelings and differing opinions. Jaci knew all along that she loved him too much
to let the thing with Linda destroy them. But she was still just angry enough to let him stew a little. She understood Jason’s
reaction yesterday. He wanted to be her protector and fight her battles for her, while she wanted him to learn that he couldn’t
take care of every situation for her. Some fights a woman has to fight for herself.