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Chapter 8
Jen stayed up
late describing in detail her first encounter with Jet to Sandra..
She wanted to hear every minute detail .. Even Mrs. Wang popped
in and sat on the edge of Jenny’s bed for a spell to hear about
her visit.
Sandra (sneaky grin)
So what do you think
of Jet?
Jenny (lays back
on her pillow and stares at the ceiling..)
Oh… He’s
very handsome, polite, intelligent. But there’s something about
him I just can’t put my finger on.. it’s strange.
Sandra
Weird. Maybe you will feel better
about him on Thursday. You are going over to his house after your
appointment with Dr. Schultz right?
Jenny
Yes. I am going to be home pretty late on Thursday..but
I’ll call you when I get in…ok?
Sandra
Sounds good. I’ve got to get going. Early morning..
Jenny
Ok Sis! See you tomorrow
after class at the restaurant ok?
Sandra
Sure ..sounds great. See you then..
Sandra leaves
the bedroom. Jenny takes out a match and lights her aroma candle
beside her bed and turns off the large lamp. She walks over to her
dresser and pulls out her night dress, takes down her hair and sits
down in front of her mirror, brushes her blonde locks free of tangles
and goes to the bathroom.. brushes her teeth and climbs into bed..
The candle’s light is flickering and shadows are dancing around
the room in a poetic ode..She sighs and remembers her first encounter
with Jet. Her mind wanders to the first time she looked into his
smiling eyes. She reaches over to her spare pillow and holds it
tight in her arms. She rubs her cheek against the soft cotton and
imagines that he is holding her tight in his arms ..protecting her
forever..
Mrs. Wang (pulls the curtains
apart to let the sunshine explode into the room..)
Ok.. Time to get up! You have slept
in again. Did you forget to set your alarm clock again. Get up..lazy
girl!
Jenny (startled)
Oh no.. What time
is it?
Mrs. Wang
You’re ok.. but
don’t waste time in the shower.. I will have breakfast ready
for you soon. Hurray up now…
Jenny hops in the shower.. Throws on her black
dress and black flats and quickly braids her hair wet. She runs
downstairs and grabs some tea and toast and runs out the door…
When she gets to school she is only 10 minutes late. Little Andrew
and Shannon are at her door waiting. It was a long day at school.
The children seemed restless. As soon as the bell rings she goes
to the office to check her mail box. She grabs her new catalogues
and takes them back to her office and drops them on her desk.. She
is fidgeting with her backpack on the way out of school..trying
to find her keys. She gets to her VW Beetle and puts the key in
the door..She hears a familiar voice..
Jet (smiles)
Hello..
Jenny (startled)
She drops her key
on the ground..
Well.. Ahemm.. Hello. What are you
doing here?
Jet
Steve said that this is where you teach so I asked
him if my schedule was clear for the day and I told him I was coming
over to meet you. Do you want to go for a drive?
Jenny (blushing)
Well.. Yes. I don’t see why not. I thought
you didn’t come out of your house?
Jet
Well ..I thought about what you said about needing
to get out into the English speaking communities and I decided that
I wanted to do something today and I should ask you to join me ..if
that’s ok?
Jenny (smiles)
Yes.. sure. I have
a few hours before my English class starts.. What did you have in
mind?
Jet
Oh.. I don’t
know. I thought we could just drive and see where we end up. If
that’s ok with you?
Jenny
Sound like fun..let’s go.
They both get into Jet’s
car and head towards LA.
Jet
Do you like amusement
parks? Roller Coaster rides?
Jenny
Yes..I love to go
to amusement parks. Is there one around here?
Jet
Yes.. Steve said it should be about five miles ahead
on the left. He said that there are some great rides and games.
Let’s go there ok?
Jenny
Sounds great .. But aren’t you concerned that
you will be recognized?
Jet
No.. Not really.. I have my ball cap. That helps.
Jenny
Alright then.
Jenny watches
Jet manouver the car through the crowded street until they reach
the parking lot. She admires his strength and confidence. She is
a little confused by him showing up at the school. He can’t
want to learn English that much.. Maybe he’s really lonely
stuck up in that huge mansion. He probably doesn’t get too
much company at all. Poor fella. Jet parks the car and reaches into
the back seat and grabs his dark blue ball cap and slips it on his
head..
Jet
Look Ok?
Jenny (smiles)
Looks great.. No one will recognize you.. Lets’
go!
They go through
the front gates and Jet pays for the park tickets. The walk around
for a while and talk about Beijing and his upcoming movies. She
tells him about her job at the school and her class in the evenings.
He is surprised at her dedication to teaching English to Asians.
He wants to learn everything about Jenny.
Jet
Why are you living
with the Wang’s?
Jenny
My mother died and I had no other
living relatives so the Wang’s took me in. Sandra and I are
like sisters. They have been very kind and generous to me. I’m
very grateful.
Jet
Ah.. I see. You have
had a very difficult life.
Jenny
Yes. But I have a wonderful family and great friends
now. You have to life for the here and now really. Can’t dwell
on the past because it doesn’t help..you know.
Jet (hands Jenny some Candy floss)
Yes.. I understand.
Here you go..
Ahemm (blushing)Do
you have a fiance or a boyfriend?
Jenny
No.. I haven’t had time. And
the times I have.. it didn’t work out.. Just didn’t seem
right.
Jet (grins)
I know what you mean.
I have tried to have some relationships and I felt the same way.
I have a vision of the person I should be with it and I am holding
out for that person.
Jenny
Wow. That’s
really sweet. I understand completely. I dated a guy that I thought
was the one that I could spend the rest of my life with but then
when I really looked at him and our relationship I felt as though
there was a gap and I could never figure out what it was..
Jenny (looks up)
Hey look they have
a Ghost ride! Wanna go?
Jet (laughs)
Sure..You won’t get scared will
you?
Jenny
No.. I don’t think so..hehe
They climb into the compartment
and buckle themselves in.. the train starts to move forward.. Cobwebs
adorn the dark sinister caverns.. scary characters pop out from
nowhere and ghosts appear beside them..The train speeds up more
and starts to go in an incline.. Jenny starts to feel nervous. She
had no idea that it was a roller coaster ride..She moves closer
to Jet and he wraps his arm around her. It’s so warm and comforting..strange..Jenny
know she has felt that comfort before..Where?? Where do I know this
guy from?
BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!
What the!!! One
of the large displays that are hanging from the side of the cavern
falls and crashes to the ground.. Jenny screams and Jet grabs on
to her tight. THAT’S IT!!!!
The bomb shelter!
It’s him! No.. but it can’t be..He holds her tighter against
him.. By the time they get to the exit Jenny has tears streaming
down her cheeks. The ride maintenance crew rushes to help them.
They had seen the accident on the camera but couldn’t stop
the train until they were safely outside.
Jet
Are you ok? You’re
shaking.
Jenny (shaking from head to toe)
Yes.. I am fine.
Please .. I need to go home. Please take me home.
Jet
Ok.. We will leave right now..Are you sure you are
alright? You don’t look very well.
Jenny
Please ..Just get me to the car..
They both walk briskly to the
car. Jenny gets in and pulls a tissue out from her bag and wipes
the tears from her face. She turns away from Jet .. She is afraid
to look at him. What if it’s true? No one would ever believe
her..especially him. (She thinks) Oh Jet ..by- the-way..did you
know we have been together in another time! Ahhh!
Jenny rests her eyes for a moment
..She is so exhausted and drifts off to sleep..Jet looks over at
her and is worried that taking her out so soon was a bad idea. He
suddenly remembers that he doesn’t have her address and decides
to take her back to the house and call Steve. They pull up into
Jet’s drive way and Mrs. Xuliang is standing outside as they
pull up. She looks worried. She can see by Jet’s face that
something is wrong. He carefully opens the passenger side door and
gently picks Jenny up and takes her upstairs to the guest bedroom.
He calls Steve and he tells him what happened. Steve agrees to call
the Wang’s. Mrs Wang is concerned and says that Mr. Wang is
gone out for the evening to an Asian community meeting and won’t
be back until later. She tells him that she will go to the Bank
and post that the class is cancelled for the evening. Mrs Wang asks
that Jenny call as soon as she wakes up.
Jet goes to the
guest bedroom.. Mrs. Xuliang has taken off Jenny’s shoes and
covered her with a soft warm rose coloured blanket. She looks over
at Jet and smiles.
Mrs. Xulian
She is very beautiful..
Jet
Yes. She is. Do you think she will be ok? I wonder
why she hasn’t woken up yet..
Mrs. Xulian
I think the poor thing is exhausted. I would just
let her sleep a while longer.
Jet goes over and sits on the side of the bed.
He reaches over and touches her beautiful silky blonde hair. He
takes a deep breath and remembers his dream.. First meeting her
in a dark shelter ..then at the docks.. He knows they belong together.
He senses it in deep within his heart.
He gets up and
runs downstairs..grabs something to read from the library and returns
to Jenny’s side. He tries to read a few chapters but finds
that his concentration is focused on the beautiful woman lying on
the bed. She looks like an angel sleeping on a bed of roses. She
is so breathtakingly beautiful.. a gift from God.
Jenny stirs and rolls over to find herself lying
in a strange bed. Jet is sitting beside her..It dawns on her that
he desn’t know where she lives. Then she remembers the train
ride ..she buries her head in the pillow.
Jet
Please tell me what’s wrong?
Jenny
It’s ok. I will be fine. I have
had a very strange and tiring week. You wouldn’t understand.
Jet
Try me.. I am actually
a pretty open minded guy.
Jenny (sits up and wipes her face)
Oh.. I don’t
think you are THAT open minded. I think I should get going. I can’t
believe I fell asleep.. I’m sorry for any inconvienience I’ve
caused. I really had a great time at the park today ..except for
you know.. what happened.
Jet
Yes..that was very unfortunate. Hopefully the next
time won’t be traumatic. I had a great time too.. Maybe you
can give me the chance to make it up to you?
Jenny (smiles)
What did you have
in mind?
Jet
Oh.. I don’t know..We shall see. Let me give
you a ride home. By now Mr. Wang should be home and someone can
go to the school to pick up your car. Would you like to stop for
dinner on the way?
Jenny
That’s very
sweet of you.. I really don’t have an appetite right now though.
Thank you anyway. Where is the ladies room so that I can clean myself
up a little.. please?
Jet (points across
the room)
It’s that door over there..
Jenny
Thanks.
She gets up and Jet notices her
tanned feet sinking in to the pile of the carpet and watches her
make her way over to the bathroom. Her black dress reveals the slenderness
of her body. Jenny leaves the door open a little and Jet can see
her reflection in the mirror. She unbraids her hair and combs it
slowly. She ties it quickly in a knot and washes her face..When
she brings her head up from the basin..she sees him looking at her
in the mirror and smiles..Jet blushes and smiles. Jenny dries herself
off and comes out of the bathroom looking refreshingly beautiful.
She has kept her hair up in a tight knot and Jet admires her beauty
and charisma. They walk downstairs and Mrs. Xuilang has prepared
some dinner already. The kitchen smells glorious. Jenny agrees to
eat and sits down at the table. She watches Jet as he assists Mrs.
Xuilang with draining the noodles. Jet looks over at Jenny sitting
down and gives her the most beautiful smile. She remembers what
she felt and remembered on the amusement ride and she begins to
shiver.
Jet
Are you alright? Can
I get you a sweater or something?
Jenny
Yes.. that would
be very nice about now.. I can’t stop shaking.
Jet quickly runs upstairs and
grabs one of his favorite comfy sweatshirts.
Jenny takes it and carefully slips
it over her head. It feels so comfortable, soft and warm. While
he has his head turned she takes a quick smell and is comforted
even more when she realizes it has Jet’s cologne on it.
Jet invites Mrs. Xuilang to sit with them. She
declines and tells him that she has to go to the market for a little
while..She looks at Jet and grins sneakly…grabs her handbag
and says goodnight to Jet and Jenny..
Next
Chapter
Written by Isabel Hodge
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