“I couldn’t get back to sleep. I thought I’d get online and do some chatting. I made a couple of guy friends on the Internet and we get to talking. We’re both from the same town so we have a little bit in common,” Alyson said.
“Guys? Why are you meeting guys on the Internet?” Nathan got out of bed and walked over to Alyson and looked at the screen. Alyson placed her hand across the screen.
“Nathan. This is private,” she giggled.
“Private? We’re dating! We’ve done stuff that you only talk about to these guys. Right?” Nathan waited for an answer but Alyson didn’t make any reply. “You did lose your virginity to me, right?” Nathan asked.
“Yes, Nathan. I only had one other boyfriend before you and all I did with him was give him oral sex,” she revealed.
“What? You sucked another guy’s dick?” Nathan shrieked as he pulled on his underwear and jeans.
“It was years ago, sweetie. How’s Jason holding up with Chrissy’s pregnancy?” Alyson asked.
“He’s fine but tell me more about your liaison,” Nathan pulled his shirt on and sat down on the bed.
“What would you do if I was pregnant?”
“This better be a hypothetical question,” Nathan warned.
“It is. What would you do? We are obviously not ready to bring a child into this world. What would we choose?” Alyson asked, not leaving the computer screen.
“Well, if we’re fighting or something then we would probably get an abortion.”
“So you’ve already made that decision for us? It’s my body Nathan so it’s my choice what happens,” Alyson said.
“Then why did you ask me if I don’t get a say in what happens with something that is half mine?” Nathan argued.
“When it’s inside me, it’s all mine. I think abortion is horrible but I understand it. But how can anyone kill a living being that’s inside your body? I understand the good reasons for abortion but sometimes I just don’t understand it. And considering the baby would be inside of me for nine months before you even get to touch him, I would think I have a little more say in what to do with it.”
“Uh-huh, well I’m glad we had this little conversation. I’m going to work so try not to suck any dick while I’m gone,” Nathan left the bedroom and slammed the door. Alyson got up and a got a T-shirt from the dresser.
Wendy knocked on the door and came in. “What’s wrong with Nathan?” she asked. Alyson sat back down at the desk. “He stormed out of the apartment and slammed the door.”
“He’s fine, we just disagreed with something. He’ll forget all about it when I let him do me doggy style tonight.”
Heather slid the pan of macaroni and cheese into the space on the Line and looked up at the clock. She sighed and tore the plastic wrap off the pan. Melissa came in and Heather grabbed her arm. “Is Jefferson with you?” Heather asked.
“Why would he be with me?” Melissa queried. “My boyfriend was over all night.”
“Crap, I forgot all about that! I knew I forgot to tell him something. Did you see his Jimmy in his parking spot outside?”
“No.”
“Crap! He didn’t come home last night and he’s three hours late for work,” Heather revealed.
“He’s never late for work. I hope he’s okay,” Melissa lamented.
“What if he’s lying dead in a ditch?”
“There goes half your rent source,” Stephanie said.
“You have a boyfriend now, Melissa?” Alyson asked.
“Yeah, we met each other years and years ago and saw each other a couple weeks ago and we’ve been together since,” Melissa said, sitting down at the table. “Jeff seemed all right when he left. He even heard Mike in my apartment.”
“Jefferson puts up a good front,” Heather sighed.
“If you want, I’ll help you find him after work,” Melissa offered.
“Thanks, I appreciate that,” Heather smiled.
“I have a question,” Kepler started, “why is everybody being so dramatic about this? He’s a grown man and can take care of himself!”
“Oh, little Kepler, someday you’ll know,” said Heather, depressed.
“So why haven’t you told us about this boyfriend?” asked Alyson.
“Because of Jeff. I told Heather, Emily and Jason and Chrissy but I made them swear to secrecy. I didn’t want to upset Jeff,” Melissa said.
“So he then walks in on you. Nice,” Stephanie chuckled.
“You think I hadn’t thought of that? I didn’t want to hurt him but…”
“Now he’s collateral damage,” Nathan said. And that quieted everyone down.
Jason and Chrissy sat apart on opposite sides of the backseat of her father’s car. As the car headed south out of Lawrence, it crossed the Wakarusa River, up Shank Hill and past Wells Overlook Road. The car passed Pleasant Grove and the dilapidated schoolhouse that now stands neglected by the highway. Surrounded by fields and houses, the lone car on the highway turned left onto County Road 460 and followed it east. The road made two sharp turns; at the second turn, just a half-mile south on a gravel road was the town site of Brooklyn which, like Lawrence, was destroyed by William Quantrill, but unlike Lawrence, was never rebuilt. Now it’s a field.
County Road 460 exited onto 1055 and the car headed south again past the Rice Nature Preserve and up Baldwin Hill. Coming over the top, Baldwin could be seen in all its small town glory. The bell tower on Parmenter Hall was clearly visible on this overcast day.
Chrissy’s father pulled into the Yates’s driveway and Jason’s dad and Jason got out of the car. Jason poked his head back in and said, “I love you, Chrissy.”
Chrissy continued looking out the window as the car backed out of the drive.
Nearly midnight and completely exhausted, Heather and Melissa entered the apartment and turned on the light. “We couldn’t find any sign of him…” Heather sighed.
“I’m sure he’s okay. I don’t know any of his new hang outs but he always went to the same places: cemeteries,” Melissa said.
“Cemeteries?” Heather asked, confused.
“Yeah. He could never explain it but he said he always felt at home in a cemetery. He said it was the only place on Earth that made sense,” Melissa remembered. “That and being with me.”
Heather and Melissa stood in silence.
“If you see him before me…when he comes home, tell him that I am so sorry,” Melissa teared up.
Heather nodded and Melissa left the apartment.
Next:
Jefferson decides to swear off girls.
