Prologue
Dear Jack,
I left my half of the rent money under the flower pot in my old room. Please don't try to chase after me—too much has happened already; too much damage has been done. You've been a great friend.
Janet
Janet looked at that last word. Friend. It was almost bittersweet now, a little sour on her tongue. She grabbed the duffel bag waiting at her feet, which carried the only reminders of her life in Santa Monica, and prepared for her long journey on foot to the bus station.
A few years earlier…
Chapter One
"Open this door! Come on…I know you're in there!"
Janet continued vacuuming the carpet, singing along to the radio, which played an old Supremes song. She did a little dance step as she pushed the vacuum under the coffee table, a goofy grin plastered on her face. It was her day off, and it was rare she had the house to herself.
"Open up!" Loud rapping noises sounded against the door and Janet let out a gasp, quickly rushing over to open it.
Mr. Roper, her landlord, stood there in a checkered robe, his mouth set in a frown.
"I thought the Rockettes were performing in here. Do you know what time it is?!"
"Mr. Roper, it's two o'clock in the afternoon. I'm trying to get some spring cleaning done."
"Spring cleaning or not, you'll wake the whole building!"
'Poor Mr. Roper…Mrs. Roper must've kept him up all night with her nagging,' she thought with a smile. "All right, Mr. Roper…I'll keep it down."
Mr. Roper pulled up his pants, straightening his torso and believing he'd won the fight. "Well…good. And don't tell Mrs. Roper you've been spring cleaning. She's been nagging me to do the house work for about a month now."
"Oh, but you'd look so good in a French maid costume and a feather duster, don't you think?" Jack Tripper, Janet's new roommate of only four months, breezed in the doorway with bags of groceries in his arms, nearly bumping in to Mr. Roper.
"You might," Mr. Roper shot back. He smirked and flit his wrist. Jack shot a look to Mr. Roper's back as he left. Janet took bags from Jack's arms and followed him in to the kitchen.
"How long do I have to put up with his gay jokes?" Jack whined as he began putting away the groceries. "Can't I just tell him I'm straight?"
"Oh, Jack…you can't tell him that! Then you'll really be out of here for sure."
"Yeah…I guess you're right. But just remember I won't be happy about this!"
Janet giggled. "So, what's on the menu for lunch?" she asked playfully. "Frankly, I've been cleaning all day without yours or Chrissy's help and I'm starved."
"Pizza."
"Ooo, you're gonna make a pizza? Yum!"
"No, Charlie's Pizza. I'll order in a few minutes."
"Wow, you're useless lately. What's the point of having a chef around if you're not gonna cook?" she said. Jack leaned forward and grabbed her, hauling her tiny body over his shoulder and carrying her out of the kitchen.
"Is that all I am to you?" he joked, throwing her down on to the couch. Janet shrieked, pounding on his back. Even though she hollered loudly, a part deep inside her liked when Jack horsed around with her. She never had a brother growing up, and she was too petite and plain for the teenaged boys who lived near her old house in Speedway. It was one of the many reasons she left her hometown, to seek adventure and excitement, something she never had in her life.
"So, where's Chrissy?" Jack asked absent mindedly as he flipped through the channels on television.
"Work, as usual…she won't be back until later tonight. Hey, I thought you were going to order a pizza?"
Jack turned to glance at her and a sheepish smile spread across his face. "Oh, I did say that, didn't I?"
"Just get a pepperoni pizza, ok? God, I'm starved!" Janet said.
"Yes, master," mocked Jack in a high-pitched tone, doing a curtsey before he placed the order.
"We've should've ordered two pizzas- one for us and one for Chrissy," Jack joked when he sat back down.
"Oh, Jack…you shouldn't make fun of Chrissy like that."
"I'm not! I'm simply stating the truth-that girl can eat! Besides, you know I'd never make fun of you girls…well, not too much."
Janet shook her head and smiled. As Jack's eyes were glued to the movie on television, she caught herself glancing at his profile. It was nice having Jack there, as much as he frustrated her sometimes. It'd been a long time since she'd been with any guy in a real serious way; the last had been Artie Williams, the banker across the street from the flower shop where she worked. Turns out he handled more than money, and it took a great part of the night just wrestling his hands away from her. Even though Jack often goofed around and tried to grab her, she never felt threatened by him. He was a good friend.
"What?" Jack asked, grinning.
"Hmm?" she said, blushing hotly.
"You have this goofy smile on your face. Like you're in love with Burt Reynolds," he said, motioning to the movie playing.
She laughed. "Jack, I was just drifting. I'm a little tired from cleaning all day."
"Well, still…wouldn't want to get your panties all twisted from the Bandit," Jack joked. He reached between them for the clicker, and his hand accidentally brushed hers. It a flash, a quick millisecond, but his hand was warm and sent a tingle through her. Jack had always touched her there, sometimes purposefully but mostly on accident, and it had never sent that chill up her spine like it did just now. He picked up the clicker, eyes still focused on the screen, unaware of the flush in her cheeks. She moved closer to the arm rest.
Suddenly the doorbell rang and they heard: "Charlie's pizza!"
"Finally!" Janet exclaimed, rushing up to open the door. "I was starved!"
