The Perfect Stranger

Chapter 9: Jackson

I couldn’t get out of that bathroom fast enough. I honestly don’t know what would have happened. You know what would have happened, you would have taken her in anyway she would let you, and you know she would have let you, I think and quickly dismiss the thought as quick as it had appeared. I can’t let something like this happen again. She’s in a vulnerable state right now. She was just involved in a car accident that resulted in her being in a comatose state for two weeks.Only to wake up to realize that the nightmare of her fiancee and her best friend’s affair was true, that he chose her, and on top of all that, she’s carrying the prick’s baby and he doesn’t even care.

Not to mention, you don’t know her other than the information you were able to obtain off her license. You won’t know anything further until your guys get back to you. That could take a few weeks and you can’t be involved in any type of activity like that. It’s inappropriate. She needs a friend right now, not some stranger try- ing to get into her pants.

“Jackson get yourself together,” I quickly say to myself when I hear the water turn off in the bathroom. She’s done with her shower. I quickly try to calm the flow of blood going straight to you know where before turning to heat up the take out I picked up for us. Marco’s has the best chicken parmigiana in the whole city and he’s a good friend of mine. So, he was able to hook me up with some quick orders of that famous pasta of his. Lizzie’s voice startles me as she wheels herself into the open kitchen and living room area. “It sure smells good in here. I could use some good food ‘cause let me tell you, hospital food is disgusting.” She says, her voice normal and calm like the situation in the bathroom didn’t just happen. I turn to see her sitting in her donated wheelchair now dressed in some loose basketball shorts and a T-shirt. Her face is fresh and glowing and her hair is wet, hanging ing tight bouncy ringlets around her face. She’s beautiful, cast and all.

Our eyes meet and her breath hitches a little. So she does know something happened, but she’s acting cool. Her body gives her away without her even knowing. Well, if she is going to act like nothing happened, so am I.

“It’s chicken parmigiana from Marco’s. It’s one of my favorites and he’s a friend of mine. I called your sister and asked her what kind of food you liked. She said that you liked this so I figured we could have this,” I say walking over to the fridge, pulling out two ginger ales, “and these for dinner. I figured the ginger ale would help settle your stomach after a heavy meal.”

“That sounds delicious,” she says before looking around the room. She spots her laptop bag on the couch and wheels herself over. It seems she is already figuring out how to maneuver herself around. So resilient she is, its pretty miraculous to see and refreshing. All the women I know would have fallen apart to complete s**t right now if they had to deal with just a drop of what this woman has had to deal with. Here she is picking up how to use a wheelchair in no time and not complain- ing once about anything. Her voice brings me back to the present.

“I have so many emails. My student’s, their parents and all of my coworkers are so concerned about me. That’s so nice of them.” Lizzie says. “I’ll send out a mass email in a little bit after I eat dinner, to let them know I’ll be taking some time off from work and that I’m still alive. Speaking of dinner, I’m starving. Is it ready yet? It couldn’t have been that cold.” She teases from the living room.

“No, yeah, it’s ready. We can eat in the living room if you want. I have some T.V. trays stored in the pantry off the kitchen. I’ll bring dinner to you.” I tell her before grabbing the dinner trays and setting them in the living room. I placed mine so that I could sit on the couch and hers so she could wheel up to it. Then, I go to grab the food and drinks to set them on the respective trays. When we are both situated, I announce dinner is served. It’s quiet at first and a little awkward as the silence settles around us. Should it be her or me to break the silence. What do I say?

“So how are you feeling with everything?” I finally land on an icebreaker question. It seems to have startled her because she just looks at me for a second.

“Um, I guess I’m coming to terms with everything. I still have some things to figure out. Like, as far as a living situation, I need somewhere thats going to be a long term place for my baby and me. As well as figuring out how long I’m going to be out of work. Don’t forget, I have to somehow tell my family that I’m pregnant and not engaged anymore. So, I guess in all actuality, I’m a little freaked out, but I’ll handle it,” she finally spews out.

I take in everything she said for a second while I take a sip of my soda. “Well, I can at least help you with a place to stay until you find somewhere more permanent. You can stay here as long as you like. As far as your job and family, I can’t help you there but I can say this, family is family and they will always be family.”

“Thank you, Jackson, for everything. You have been more than I can ask for and for that, I am truly grateful. Work should be easy to take care of. I can get a sub for myself. I promise, as soon as I am able to walk on my own two feet again, without assistance, I will start hunting for a place for my baby and me. I think that the one thing I’m the most nervous about is talking to my family. My sister and I are close, but we weren’t as close as Kassie and I were, so I don’t know how she’s going to react. She didn’t like Eric. My parents, adored him and thought he was the perfect young man for me. I don’t know how everyone is going to react and its giving me a little anxiety, but I know I have to do it. Hmm, sorry for unloading that on you. I guess what I’m trying to say is just thank you, Jackson. You’re a life saver, literally.” Lizzie tells me with tears glistening in her eyes. I can tell she is truly grateful and it warms my heart the way she looks at me.

“Don’t mention it. What are friends for?” I tell her taking another bite of my food. The energy shifts in the room a bit by mention of us being friends. I look up to see her looking at me a little sadly, before turning on a bright smile.

“Yeah, exactly.” She says still smiling, but I can tell her energy had shifted. “I could use a REAL friend right now.”

I just friend zoned myself and I knew it the moment it came out of my mouth. I wonder if she noticed the energy change too. She just looks so sad and depressed even though she smiles when she talks. I mean, I guess I would be in the dumps too if I was just hit by a car and lost everything I thought was solid in my life.

“So, um Lizzie, how long have you lived in Lake County?” I ask trying to change the subject to anything other than being her friend. Especially since we had a non friend moment in the bathroom a half hour ago.

She takes a long moment before answering my question, stirring around her pasta and taking a sip of her soda. “Let’s see. I’ve been here since I was eighteen and now I’m almost twenty seven. So, almost nine years.” She finally gets out.

“Ah, so you’re twenty seven.” I say out loud without even thinking. Her eyes dart to mine and I quickly try to think of a response that could cover why I would say her age back to her like that. “Um, I’m just relieved is all, that you’re not like some really mature minor. I think how rude it is to ask a woman her age. I’m thirty one,” I just blurt out all at once stammering over my words. I feel my face getting red and I put my head down and focus my attention on my plate. “So, you moved out here at eighteen, where are you from originally?” I ask trying to change the subject again.

She eyes me skeptically but allows me to change the subject. “I’m originally from Bay Falls, about an hour away from here. That’s where Kassie and me grew up and went to high school together. We moved out here when we were both eighteen. I had gotten into the University down here and Kassie was just dying to get away so we decided to get an apartment together. I went to school and worked weekends while Kassie worked and took classes online. I eventually met Eric about four years later. I was twenty two at the time and after we dated for a year, I moved in with him and now I’m here.” Toying with her food she looks me in the eye and continues. “Now I’m here, pregnant and a broken mess, literally.” She motions to her being in a wheelchair and cast.

“Well at least you’re alive and you are here moving forward and not where you were. I like to think things happen for a reason Lizzie and I think that you are here for a reason. You just have to figure that out now.” I reply not breaking our eye contact. I want her to know that she is safe here and that I am her friend regard- less of how our bodies may react around each other.

We finish dinner and I decide to stick around for a little longer before finally deciding to head home. Getting up, I grab my coat and cell phone before turning around to say goodbye to Lizzie. I let her know that I’ll help her get around to appointments while she’s unable to drive, reassure her that she’s safe here, and as long as she needs it, the apartment is hers. She accompanies me to the door to thank me and I finally see a genuine smile on her face. It makes my heart skip a beat and I know these next few weeks are going to be tough.