The Seventh Family

Goodbye

Jane opened her eyes and found herself alone on the bed. It took her a few seconds to remember what had happened and where she was. She was a bit drunk last night.

So what happened? She could not remember them having s*x.

He had said he wanted to check on something from his system and she fell asleep. So where was he? Did he make love to her while she was asleep?

“Nothing happened.” She heard him say and she turned to see him standing by the doorway. “Seriously, nothing happened.”

Damn! He did not only startle her but he could guess what was going on through her mind and that was annoying.

She saw that his laptop was still on and she remembered that she dreamt and she saw him on the system all through the night. No, it was not a dream. She would open her eyes and see him concentrating on the screen. He did not sleep but kept on operating his laptop and he never even turn to look at her. She did not understand this. He acted like he was really in need of her, and said so many crazy things but he did not touch her or even lie close to her. Who was this unpredictable guy?

“I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“I know but your heart knows what I am talking about. You don’t have to stick your finger in there to check. I hope you had a splendid night.”

“You are disgusting and a minute with you is like a year in hell. Your mouth is rotten so each time you open it, everywhere stinks.”

He chuckled.

“You just made my day with such a compliment. Thank you and before I forget, it is imperative I act like the gentle man that I am. Good morning.” He bowed his head slightly. “Breakfast is ready. There is a toothbrush in the restroom. I got toothpaste ready for you. You can have bath today which Monday. You will have another one on Thursday and wait till Monday before you have another one. I am more economical so I have bath just on Fridays.”

“Who said I will spend a week here?” She smirked. “I don’t want to die of anger. You are so annoying, let that stick. You are very rude and I wonder if any girl can handle you.”

Jayden laughed.

“See who is talking about rudeness. I was the most gentlemen in New-York before I met you. You can testify to that from the moment I met you. I saluted you with all the respect my mom taught me. You ignored me. You were rude and that was when I felt something drift into me. I never knew rudeness was contiguous and airborne until I met you. That was the moment I started saying things I was not used to saying. I did not even know they were rude remarks until you defined them. That is because I was so prim and well mannered I did not even know what rudeness was but you, who was a full blooded rude girl had to let me know. Okay, go and freshen up, breakfast is ready and tell me when you want to leave.”

Leave?

Yes, she wanted to leave at this very moment but she did not have any money and was too scared to leave this place. Joe was enigmatic when it came to underworld. He was also very vindictive and savage.

She would leave but had to plan carefully. This guy did not look like who had any money she could steal.

It was not just about her but she needed to wire money to them again. Though what she sent may last for another one two weeks but Jim was a bit reckless and she did not want him to run out of money which may tempt him to do something stupid.

She got off the bed, went into the restroom, brushed her teeth and had a bath. They had breakfast.

She spent the next one week without leaving the caravan. He would go out and get groceries. He got three sets of clothes for her but his uncouth remarks would not even let her appreciate him.

Twice she had searched the room after he went out see if she could find any money. She desperately wanted to leave to a place where she could be free to hustle. She could keep hiding for life.

She wondered what he did for a living. He would spend the night on his laptop, sleep after breakfast and go out in the evening to get groceries.

She never saw anyone pay him a visit and he was very cryptic. She had glanced at the screen of his laptop so many times he was working but she never understood the complex looking applications he used.

On that fateful evening, he had come back with bags of provisions, stocked up food in the refrigerator and he did not say a word to her. Knowing he was an unpredictable bloke with protean personality, she had just watched him do his things. When he was done, he looked at her and smiled.

He counted some notes of money and offered it to her.

“You don’t have to try to steal my money.” He said. “You are looking for money to so you can scamper. This is five hundred bucks. I hope this goes into the Guinness Book of Record because I have never given anyone more than fifty dollars in my entire life. I have never owned more than three thousand dollars in my entire life at once. That is how shitty this globe is for me.”

She collected the money without a word; filled with mixed feeling of shame and joy. He knew she had been trying to steal from him but he never acted like he knew. She was also blissful that she had gotten the money to move on. She had to figure out where to move to next.

She could not wait to lie on the bed and start thinking. She would be off first thing in the morning. She wished she had a wig, face mask or something to help her disguise.

She did not thank him and that was not because she was not appreciative. She was flummoxed and did not know what to say.

Jayden did not waste any time after she collected the money or act like he was offended for her lack of show of gratitude. His face was expressionless. He even looked as if he had forgotten that he had given her money.

His next line of actions amazed her. He carried his laptop in a hurry and put in the laptop bag. He looked round and picked some DVD ROMs, probably containing applications, a few personal items and put in a back pack. He put the small laptop bag in the backpack and put on the table.

“What are you doing?” she asked. “I mean why are you doing this?”

“Doing what?”

“Why did you give the money and packing up?”

“I gave you the money because you want to leave and can’t go out to hustle. You can’t keep hiding here. You have three days to leave and there is food to last you three days.”

“Just me?”

“Yeah. I sold the caravan to a friend of mine. Everything in here and he will be coming to take over three days from now. I am leaving here. I mean leaving New-York and that is like right now.”

She had not expected this. He had not shown a scintilla of sign that he was about to leave here and all of a sudden, he goes out and come to pack?

“Why? I mean it is so sudden?”

He paused and gave her a glance.

“Because I am a gentleman and I want to make you happy. I know you are sick of me and this place so I met a psychologist and sought for her opinion. She said I should sell this place and leave town. Then I should rob a bank and get you money to leave. So what do you expect from a gentle man like me? I did just that and here we are…happy, happy.” He laughed.

“Can you ever stop being an asshole for a second in your life?”

He stopped laughing and gave her a stern look.

“I am sorry I can’t.” He chuckled. “I thought you will appreciate my efforts. I can d anything to make you happy and I just proved that.”

“You are cagey and creepy.”

“I know. That is what the world wants. Be creepy and cagey because the world is full of assholes like me. I don’t even know who invented the word trust when it is just a fantasy word in a cloud cuckoo land. I am an asshole like you, him, her, them and that is how we roll.”

“There are good people out there.”

“Show one to me and he will sign an autograph for me. Good is defined from individual perspective. Only god is good and those who obey his laws. The problem is Jayden has not met any.”

“You are f*****g paranoid.”

“I am f*****g realistic.”

“You are crazy.”

“That is why you need to be happy because this is the last time you will ever see this crazy guy.’

“Please tell me where you are going to?”

“I never asked you where you want to go to all these while you have been trying to steal my money and move. It is not my business and where I go to is none of your business.”

This guy was a difficult person to be with and a part of her was glad that she was parting with him. It just dawned on her that since the first night she told him a few sentences about herself, which was just vague; he never asked her anything about herself. He never even really had a any serious conversation with her except his crazy talks. He did not even try to have s*x with her but would talk as if he would rape her if she refused. They will smoke pot and after that, he would get his laptop and start whatever he did.  What kind of guy was he?

The only time she saw a serious expression on his face was when he was operating his laptop and it seemed that laptop was his most important possession.

“I don’t know where to go. I just want to leave and keep hustling.’

“I like that.” He said carelessly. “Sometimes it is good to plan not to have any plan and boom! Things happen.”

He was done packing and he lit a stick of pot.

“Let’s have our last pot together. You know where I keep them.”

“I am good. I don’t feel like smoking now.”

“Come on, this is like celebration. We are parting. We were together for fifty three minus fifty two weeks. That is a long time to be together and this will be something for memories.”

“I don’t want to have any memories of you.”

“Okay. As you wish.”

He finished the stick of reefer and lit a cigarette.

“I think I should be off. It was nice meeting you. I strongly advise that you don’t stay more than two days here. I told the new landlord that I will be here for three days and I will drop the key under the doormat. I did not tell him I was leaving tonight. I do not want him to come and meet you here alone except if you are s*x starved and need a lay…”

“Shut up!”

He shrugged.

“Just an advice from a gentle man.” He carried his bag and smiled at her. “Please do not forget to lock the door and put the key under the doormat. I will call him in three days and assume you are gone. It was nice meeting you.”

He bowed at her and turned to leave.

She watched him walk out of the bedroom. He was heading straight  for the front door.

“Jayden!” she called sharply and she found her heart beating rapidly.

He turned swiftly because he had not expected the call.

“I want to come with you.” She said and she could barely recognize her own voice. It sounded like a sound from a distance apart. What did she just say? Why did she say that? She had money to leave and she could take care of herself once she left here.

He studied her.

“What is going on? It is me Jayden that is leaving. That annoying piece of shit.”

She agreed that he was annoying and it was not fun being with him. Why did she say this? She had not planned to say that but there was something in her that prompted her to. This was the guy who had said the most horrible things to her within the last few days. He was guy that was so rude and none caring.

None caring?

Yes but after everything, there was something about him that attracted her. It was not love. She did not even know what it feels to love a man. It was something that made her feel safe with him. He was crazy and that made her despise him but how she forget that he saved her life? He had waited for her that day at the beer pub just to make her escape because he was smart enough to notice Joe. He did it not because he wanted her for s*x or kidnap her. He kept her here, fed her, got clothes for her and now, he got provisions for her and gave her money. He knew she was trying to steal from him but never showed his aggression. He even tried to protect her chastity by warning her to leave before the new caravan owner came. He did not interfere in her life or judge her.

He never tried to take advantage of her and have s*x with her. After everything he did for her, she did not thank him and he did not complain. There was something beneath his rudeness and careless attitude. She had never met anyone like him in her entire life.

When he said it was going to be the last time she would see him, she felt something drift out of her. There was fear, sense of loss and loneliness.

“I survived your craziness for a week. I can still bear for more time.”

He shook his head.

‘I am sorry you can’t come with me.” He said. “You don’t s**t about me. You don’t even know where I am going or what I am going to do.”

“I don’t care. Please.”

It was at that point the door open after a loud sound of gunfire and someone punched Jayden and he fell on his face.

Jane screamed as she saw the huge man who was her nightmare come in, followed by Devon and Seal: two of his henchmen.

Joe smiled and that was the scariest smile Jane had ever seen.

“I told you Jane.” His thick bogey voice hit her stomach. “I will find you.”

********