Chapter 4

Jasina didn't leave her apartment for two weeks straight, hardly eating, writing articles to keep it running and her bills paid. She had wrote a special thank you note to Mark for what he'd done, knowing Trish would appreciate that. The article was called Kindness and it basically explained what lengths people would do to make another person's life easier and simpler. Jasina sighed as she sat at her kitchen table, reading a book, and sipped some herbal tea. She hadn't run into Mark and that was a good thing. Though maybe it was also due to the fact that she wasn't leaving her apartment except to get food and go to the newspaper place. She was a hermit and Jasina preferred it that way. Nobody got hurt this way.

Arielle was knocking door to door in the apartment building she knew Jade lived in, her friend Toni with her. Toni's mom was waiting at the end of the hallway, carrying the extra catalogues in her arms, smiling patiently.

"How many more things do we gotta sell?"

"Another hundred dollars worth." They were raising money for the school for new playground equipment. "Then if everyone else makes the same, we get our new stuff!" She knocked on another door.

Jade looked up when she heard a knock sound at her door, raising a slow eyebrow and set her coffee cup down on the table before going to unlock the door, opening it. Her teal eyes widened at the angelic sight of Arielle along with her friend. This was awkward as hell.

"Hello Arielle, what can I do for you?" She asked nervously, looking to make sure Mark wasn't with her. She couldn't very well wear glasses in her apartment and silently cursed, chewing on her thumbnail, her heart thundering.

"You have really pretty eyes, Jade." Arielle said, studying them thoughtfully. "Oh," She giggled when Toni nudged her, holding up a magazine. "We're selling stuff to raise money for our school."

"For new playground toys, our swings are-"

"Old." Arielle said promptly, not about to make it sound like begging or guilt tripping people into buying things. The swings were rusted through and snapping anytime someone went too high on them. They were now banned.

Jasina smiled back at her and bent down, flipping through the catalog, deciding this was the least she could do. "Wait here." She instructed softly before walking over and grabbing a pen, marking down one of everything on the order sheet. She didn't care what it was, she would deal with it later. Trish gave her another bonus after her Kindness article so she had some money to spare. After tallying it up, which was over three hundred dollars, she walked back over to the door and bent down, handing Arielle the order sheet. "You bring that stuff to me when it comes in and good luck with getting your new swings."

Toni and Arielle huddled together, reading over the sheet, both their eyes growing wider and wider. They began screaming, jumping up and down, clinging together. Arielle's chestnut hair flew all over the place, a startling contrast to Toni's black corn rows.

"Girls!" Toni's mom shushed, walking over to them. She took the sheet when they held it out, covering her mouth with her hand when she seen the amount, her dark face lighting up. "We'll make sure you get your order as soon as it's in."

"There's no rush. Her father," Jasina gestured to Arielle. "Really helped me out with my car and I figured this was the least I could do. I want you to get your new playground for your school. It shows tremendous dedication on your part to go door to door like that, Arielle." She sighed almost sadly, wanting to pull her daughter in her arms, but knew she couldn't. She grunted and blinked when Arielle suddenly hugged her, wrapping her arms tightly around her waist, and Jasina felt the tears sting her eyes as she closed them quickly before gently backing away. "Thank your father for me again, will you?" She asked quietly, her tears dried up, not wanting anyone getting suspicious.

"Sure, hey! Why don't you come to dinner with us tonight?" Arielle gestured to herself, Toni and Toni's mom. "We're going to Chuck-E-Cheeses!"

"I'm Lashonna by the way, everyone just calls me Onna though." The woman greeted, extending a hand. "You know Mark? He's such a great guy, bit of a sad-" She glanced down at Arielle who was chatting with Toni. "He had a hard time awhile ago, it's so hard to believe he's as kind as he is. You'd have to know him better I suppose. But it would great for you to join us, my husband will be there so you won't have to feel like a spare tire." She laughed kindly.

One look in those pleading emerald green eyes and Jasina found herself agreeing to go with them against her better judgment. The nagging guilt was eating away at her even more as Lashonna told her about Mark having a hard time, knowing that was because of her. She told them good luck again and promised to meet them at Chuck-E-Cheeses before closing the door, finally letting the tears fall. Even with giving her that three hundred dollars, Jasina felt terrible and couldn't believe she had agreed to go. She couldn't wear her shades in the place, she'd definitely look suspicious. Sighing, Jasina went to take a shower, knowing she only had a few hours to get ready.

~!~

Lashonna was waiting patiently for her outside of Chuck-E-Cheeses later that evening, smiling when Jade appeared. Arielle and Toni were already inside with her husband, Harry, having the time of their lives. "I'm so glad you came." She said when Jade reached her. "Arie seems to think you're lonely." She confided, pushing open the doors. "The girl is a humanitarian, always thinking about others."

Jasina decided to wear a simple denim skirt that went two inches above the knee along with a black halter top, leaving her hair down, but it was clipped on either side along with white Skechers on her feet. "She's a sweet girl." Jasina said softly, knowing her heart of gold came from her father. As soon as they walked in, Arielle immediately rushed over and took Jasina's hand, pulling her away from Lashonna. She had no choice, but to go wherever the little girl wanted, a small smile on her face.

"Look, you're kinda big, but you can still fit in the tunnels." Arielle said seriously, getting on all fours and crawling in, turning her head to make sure Jade was following her. "There's a ball pit up ahead, it's kinda deep, but it's a lotta fun!" She laughed, rounding a bend, disappearing from sight.

"Arielle, I'm not sure-" She sighed when the little girl shouted for her to come on, knowing she had no choice.

The little girl already had her wrapped around her damn finger and reminded her so much of Mark. It was actually kind of scary. Jasina went through the tunnels with ease, following Arielle and slid down the slide when she was sure Arielle and the girls were out of the way. Jasina plummeted into the balls and started laughing when she began getting pelted with them, trying to get out, only to slip and fall before beginning to throw them lightly in return.

Toni joined the fray, shrieking with laughter when Arielle ducked her under the balls, then both girls going after Jade.

"Mark! I thought you weren't going to be able to make it?" Lashonna asked from their table, smiling as he dropped down by Harry.

"Steve covered for me so I could." Mark replied with a grin, swiping a slice of pizza. "Where's the girls?"

"Playing. Arielle got Jade to come."

"How'd you guys run into her?"

"My wife took the girls around the neighborhood to sell the items for the new playground." Harry smiled at the thought, looking over at how the girls meshed well with Jade. "Look at this order form, man." He pulled it out of his pocket, still not believing it, handing it over to Mark. "She bought one of everything on that order from. That's close to four hundred dollars." Jasina had been off in her calculation.

"Arielle!" Jasina laughed when she was pelted with more balls, finally managing to escape by the skin of her teeth and stood up as she smoothed her skirt down.

Jasina groaned, pulling a ball out of her hair and threw it back inside before shaking her head, a smile on her face. She hadn't had this much fun in ten long years and it was so ironic that it was with Arielle, her very own daughter that she ran out on. She sighed when Arielle took her by the hand, leading her to another game.

Mark grinned, leaning back in his chair, watching Arielle and Jade, laughing when Toni ran up to hug him. "Hey sweetie, you havin' fun?"

"Yeah, but I'm really, really hungry." She replied with a grin, moving to sit down. "Arie, your dad is here!"

"One minute, Jade and I are playing- DADDY!"

Jasina froze in her tracks when Arielle left her to go run to her father, the breath leaving her body, swallowing hard. Mark was here and she didn't have her glasses! What the hell? Jasina had to make an escape fast, but how could she when Mark was sitting by Lashonna and Harry. She groaned when Arielle pointed at her, raking a hand through her hair and waved nervously before trying to figure out a plan.

"Sorry honey." She murmured when she bumped into a kid, knowing he was watching her every move. She held her finger up when Arielle waved her over and rushed to the bathroom, hoping there was a window she could crawl out of.

There wasn't.

Mark grinned when Arielle launched herself at him, smothering her in kisses until she went 'Eww gross'. "Nuh uh, you plant one right here or I'm not stoppin'." He teased, tapping his cheek. When she gave him a quick peck, he reluctantly let her go, watching as she settled down by Toni. "So where'd Jade get off too?"

"She had to spring a leak."

Lashonna snorted her Pepsi.

'Oh my god what am I going to do?' She thought frantically, tears welling up in her teal eyes, covering her mouth with her hand.

Taking a deep breath, Jasina calmed herself down and thought rationally. She decided she would sneak out, cutting through the next room to head to the exit. Now that she had her game plan set, Jasina sucked in another breath before leaving the bathroom, hearing Arielle's laughter, and went along the wall. Kids were running around everywhere and she managed to slip into the next room without being seen, quickly making her way through, and finally arrived at the other side. Why did they have to get a table so damn close to the doors? Jasina closed her eyes and seen a guy dressed as the Chuck-E-Cheese mascot mouse coming toward her, immediately standing right in front of him as he walked toward the exit.

"Thanks." She whispered and slipped out the doors.

When Jade didn't come back, Mark had sent someone in to check on her, finally hearing from one of the staff that a woman who fit her description had been seen leaving. He had to explain to Arielle that something must have come up for her to leave so abruptly, reassuring his precious angel that it wasn't anything she had done. "When her stuff comes in, I'll take you to drop it off and prove it." He stated finally.

Jasina arrived at home and threw her keys and wallet down on the table, having to take several deep breaths to calm down. She'd been THIS close to Mark finding out and now Arielle knew where she lived. "Damn it!" She hissed, raking a hand through her hair and paced in her living room, having kicked her shoes and socks off. What the hell was she going to do? The little girl obviously liked her, if she only knew who she really was. Then she would hate her. Jasina started crying as she dropped to her knees, covering her face with her hands, knowing this was one big mess. "I should've never accepted to go. I probably hurt her feelings."

~!~

"Daddy...I was thinkin'." Arielle commented, sitting between his legs as he brushed her hair later that night, fresh out of the bath. "I think Jade's really lonely."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because, she just seems that way." She winced when he caught a snarl. "Ouch."

"Lil darlin', sometimes, people just..." He sighed, deftly braiding her hair before turning her to face him, cupping her face in one large hand, staring down into those innocent eyes. "Sometimes people just need to be alone."

"Why?"

"Because they need time to heal."