Chapter 5
As they walked up the stairs to their apartment, they met up with Larry.
"Jack! Janet!" he exclaimed with a grin.
"Hi Lar, what have you been up too?" Jack asked, not really sure if he wanted to know the answer.
"Hey, Larry," Janet said, unspeakably grateful for his presence. Normally, she couldn't stand Larry and his sexist attitude toward women, but she could put up with it tonight. Anything to take the sting out of the awkward silence that had loomed over her and Jack ever since they left the Bistro. She couldn't get that hurt look out of her mind, and she hated herself more for knowing that it was her fault.
"Jack.guess whom just graced me with her presence last evening?" he asked, still smiling.
"You know what? I don't think I want to hear this, so I'm just going to go.Goodnight Larry," she called, running upstairs.
"Hey.what's up with her? You guys in the middle of a fight or something? I was watching you and you didn't say a word to each other for a block."
"You were watching us for a block? That's very stalker-esque, Lawrence."
"Jack."
"Oh, it's complicated," he told his friend, dismissing it with a wave of his hand. "We'll figure it out later. But, right now, your life is much more interesting, and worthy of direct attention, I might add. Who's the girl.and why are you suddenly talking proper English?"
"Her name is Annie."
"Little orphan Annie," Jack joked. "They made that into a movie, you know."
"Oh, no bud.this girl is anything but orphan," he said, biting his lower lip as he pantomimed a woman's curvy silhouette.
"C'mon Larry," Jack said, taking steps toward the apartment.
"Hey buddy.before I forget, are you guys okay?" he asked, seriously. "Mrs. Smith from 208 told me that there were some cops over at your place Friday night."
"Uh.yes.yes everything's fine." Jack answered nervously. He happened to be mad at Janet at that particular moment, but he was still in love with her. He still respected her, and he could pretty much guarantee that she wouldn't want anyone to know what had happened that night.
"Well, Mrs. Smith said that a guy was arrested and there were two cops here and everything."
"Yes, someone tried to break in. No, nothing happened. And tell Mrs. Smith to mind her own business!"
"Okay.somebody's in a bad mood. I don't blame Janet for being mad at whatever she's mad at. Anyway, buddy, I have to go. My second shift is probably waiting," he said as he looked at his watch and winked at Jack.
Jack simply shook his head and went inside.
Some people never change.
But some people did. And that scared him the most of all. Maybe whatever was happening between him and Janet couldn't be fixed.
*~*
Back at the apartment, Janet was in the kitchen proofreading the letter she had just written Terri, telling her of the events that had consumed her last days.
Hey Terri, How are things back home? I hope you are enjoying the holidays with your family.at least then someone will. Jack and I really miss you and are counting the days till you get back where you belong. Well, I guess it's my duty as your friend to inform you of what has been going on in your absence. Some of it is bad.most of it confusing. I don't exactly know how or when this came about, but I think I have a crush on Jack. NO.I think I'm in love with him. I know this goes against our number one house rule but I can't help it. Ever since you left we've been just hanging out after work and stuff, and I've been having the best time! Being around him.I don't know.it just makes me feel so secure and happy, like nothing else in the world matters. And then this past Friday, someone broke into our house, and he tried to hurt me. Ever since then Jack has been.well, I'll be honest. It's kind of freaking me out how attentive he is now, and how caring. But in a good way! I'm afraid, though, that all Jack has ever seen me as is a sister, and now he feels like he has to do this big brother - protection thing. Terri, I am so confused. I really wish you were here. We have been living together for so many years; we are best friends. Best friends don't fall in love. That is not supposed to happen. It just doesn't work like that. Maybe I am just taking this too seriously. Hey, I'm a girl, I'm allowed to get emotional, right?! Maybe the reason he is acting like this is because you're gone, and I am his only choice for someone to hang out with, other then Larry or RF. Well Terri, I am probably boring you to death with this letter. Sorry. We miss you. Give everyone our love.
Sincerely,
Janet
Janet got up, took a deep, shuddering breath, and put the letter in a long white envelope. After she got a glass of water, she picked up the envelope and started to walk towards the living room.
"Hey Jack?" she asked when Jack came into the room.
"Yes?" he wanted to know as he saw a white object in her hand.
Her heart sank. He was being polite and cordial with her, but it was obvious that he hated her. She couldn't blame him. "Uh, I just finished writing a letter to Terri. I told her that we missed her and hopes she comes back soon," she said, putting the letter on top of the brown table next to the door. "Would you put a stamp on it and put it in the mail for me tomorrow?" she asked him, running a hand through her hair.
"Sure," Jack answered.
They fell into awkward silence once again. She hated that. One of the things she loved about Jack was that she could talk to him about anything, and now they could barely say two words to each other. "Um.so I'm going to bed. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Janet, hold on!" he suddenly said, crossing over to her and touching her arm. "I know what you think, but you're wrong. I don't hate you. I couldn't even if I tried."
"Thanks," she said softly, tears brimming her eyes once again. She was crying so much lately. Maybe she was making up for lost time or something. She never cried when she was little. "I needed that."
"So.are you going to be okay tonight?" His hand reached up to caress her cheek, sending a wave of electricity down her spine.
"Y-yes.Yes! I'll be fine! Really.just.just know that I might need you later."
"Of course. I'll do anything you need, hon."
*~*
Both Jack and Janet ended up having a pleasant night. Janet was a little scared at first. However, she knew that the only way to get through this was by facing it head - on, by confronting her fears. She did sleep through the night without having one nightmare, but she left her door open and the lamp next to her stayed on all night. Jack left his door open as well. The next morning, Janet had to be at work at 7:30 in order to receive a new shipment of flowers, so Jack had to have breakfast by himself.
After he was dressed, he heard the doorbell ring. "Hi, Mr. Furley, how are you?" Jack asked. "How did it go this weekend in San Francisco? Did you get any girls?" He wasn't really interested in his landlord's activities, but he needed to ask to discover how much he knew about what had happened to Janet that weekend.
"Well!" he exclaimed, grinning in his usual Macho Man form. "I had chicks all over me. I actually kind of felt sorry for the other bachelors!" he said, smiling.
"Why?" Jack asked, trying to hold in his laughter.
"No one warned them that RF 'Swinging Bachelor at Large' was going to be there."
Jack laughed out loud, and then asked him why exactly he was here. "I don't remember the sinks being clogged up.what are you coming to fix this time?" Jack asked curiously.
"Janet told me that you've had problems with the window."
"Yes, we have been having problems with that same window ever since I moved in! Roper was as good as fixing things as you are." The last part was supposed to be sarcastic, but Furley didn't seem to notice.
"Hey! I'm here, aren't I? It's not my fault if everything here always breaks down!" he retorted, giving Jack his usual bug - eyed impression.
"Yeah.well Mr. Furley, have fun fixing the window. I have to go to work," he said, starting to rush out the door but then remembering he also had to put Janet's letter to Terri in the mail. Jack hurriedly picked up the letter, but as he picked up the envelope from the tabletop, a white sheet of paper fluttered out. He bent down to pick it up and put it back, but stopped as he saw that it had his name written down several times.
As they walked up the stairs to their apartment, they met up with Larry.
"Jack! Janet!" he exclaimed with a grin.
"Hi Lar, what have you been up too?" Jack asked, not really sure if he wanted to know the answer.
"Hey, Larry," Janet said, unspeakably grateful for his presence. Normally, she couldn't stand Larry and his sexist attitude toward women, but she could put up with it tonight. Anything to take the sting out of the awkward silence that had loomed over her and Jack ever since they left the Bistro. She couldn't get that hurt look out of her mind, and she hated herself more for knowing that it was her fault.
"Jack.guess whom just graced me with her presence last evening?" he asked, still smiling.
"You know what? I don't think I want to hear this, so I'm just going to go.Goodnight Larry," she called, running upstairs.
"Hey.what's up with her? You guys in the middle of a fight or something? I was watching you and you didn't say a word to each other for a block."
"You were watching us for a block? That's very stalker-esque, Lawrence."
"Jack."
"Oh, it's complicated," he told his friend, dismissing it with a wave of his hand. "We'll figure it out later. But, right now, your life is much more interesting, and worthy of direct attention, I might add. Who's the girl.and why are you suddenly talking proper English?"
"Her name is Annie."
"Little orphan Annie," Jack joked. "They made that into a movie, you know."
"Oh, no bud.this girl is anything but orphan," he said, biting his lower lip as he pantomimed a woman's curvy silhouette.
"C'mon Larry," Jack said, taking steps toward the apartment.
"Hey buddy.before I forget, are you guys okay?" he asked, seriously. "Mrs. Smith from 208 told me that there were some cops over at your place Friday night."
"Uh.yes.yes everything's fine." Jack answered nervously. He happened to be mad at Janet at that particular moment, but he was still in love with her. He still respected her, and he could pretty much guarantee that she wouldn't want anyone to know what had happened that night.
"Well, Mrs. Smith said that a guy was arrested and there were two cops here and everything."
"Yes, someone tried to break in. No, nothing happened. And tell Mrs. Smith to mind her own business!"
"Okay.somebody's in a bad mood. I don't blame Janet for being mad at whatever she's mad at. Anyway, buddy, I have to go. My second shift is probably waiting," he said as he looked at his watch and winked at Jack.
Jack simply shook his head and went inside.
Some people never change.
But some people did. And that scared him the most of all. Maybe whatever was happening between him and Janet couldn't be fixed.
*~*
Back at the apartment, Janet was in the kitchen proofreading the letter she had just written Terri, telling her of the events that had consumed her last days.
Hey Terri, How are things back home? I hope you are enjoying the holidays with your family.at least then someone will. Jack and I really miss you and are counting the days till you get back where you belong. Well, I guess it's my duty as your friend to inform you of what has been going on in your absence. Some of it is bad.most of it confusing. I don't exactly know how or when this came about, but I think I have a crush on Jack. NO.I think I'm in love with him. I know this goes against our number one house rule but I can't help it. Ever since you left we've been just hanging out after work and stuff, and I've been having the best time! Being around him.I don't know.it just makes me feel so secure and happy, like nothing else in the world matters. And then this past Friday, someone broke into our house, and he tried to hurt me. Ever since then Jack has been.well, I'll be honest. It's kind of freaking me out how attentive he is now, and how caring. But in a good way! I'm afraid, though, that all Jack has ever seen me as is a sister, and now he feels like he has to do this big brother - protection thing. Terri, I am so confused. I really wish you were here. We have been living together for so many years; we are best friends. Best friends don't fall in love. That is not supposed to happen. It just doesn't work like that. Maybe I am just taking this too seriously. Hey, I'm a girl, I'm allowed to get emotional, right?! Maybe the reason he is acting like this is because you're gone, and I am his only choice for someone to hang out with, other then Larry or RF. Well Terri, I am probably boring you to death with this letter. Sorry. We miss you. Give everyone our love.
Sincerely,
Janet
Janet got up, took a deep, shuddering breath, and put the letter in a long white envelope. After she got a glass of water, she picked up the envelope and started to walk towards the living room.
"Hey Jack?" she asked when Jack came into the room.
"Yes?" he wanted to know as he saw a white object in her hand.
Her heart sank. He was being polite and cordial with her, but it was obvious that he hated her. She couldn't blame him. "Uh, I just finished writing a letter to Terri. I told her that we missed her and hopes she comes back soon," she said, putting the letter on top of the brown table next to the door. "Would you put a stamp on it and put it in the mail for me tomorrow?" she asked him, running a hand through her hair.
"Sure," Jack answered.
They fell into awkward silence once again. She hated that. One of the things she loved about Jack was that she could talk to him about anything, and now they could barely say two words to each other. "Um.so I'm going to bed. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Janet, hold on!" he suddenly said, crossing over to her and touching her arm. "I know what you think, but you're wrong. I don't hate you. I couldn't even if I tried."
"Thanks," she said softly, tears brimming her eyes once again. She was crying so much lately. Maybe she was making up for lost time or something. She never cried when she was little. "I needed that."
"So.are you going to be okay tonight?" His hand reached up to caress her cheek, sending a wave of electricity down her spine.
"Y-yes.Yes! I'll be fine! Really.just.just know that I might need you later."
"Of course. I'll do anything you need, hon."
*~*
Both Jack and Janet ended up having a pleasant night. Janet was a little scared at first. However, she knew that the only way to get through this was by facing it head - on, by confronting her fears. She did sleep through the night without having one nightmare, but she left her door open and the lamp next to her stayed on all night. Jack left his door open as well. The next morning, Janet had to be at work at 7:30 in order to receive a new shipment of flowers, so Jack had to have breakfast by himself.
After he was dressed, he heard the doorbell ring. "Hi, Mr. Furley, how are you?" Jack asked. "How did it go this weekend in San Francisco? Did you get any girls?" He wasn't really interested in his landlord's activities, but he needed to ask to discover how much he knew about what had happened to Janet that weekend.
"Well!" he exclaimed, grinning in his usual Macho Man form. "I had chicks all over me. I actually kind of felt sorry for the other bachelors!" he said, smiling.
"Why?" Jack asked, trying to hold in his laughter.
"No one warned them that RF 'Swinging Bachelor at Large' was going to be there."
Jack laughed out loud, and then asked him why exactly he was here. "I don't remember the sinks being clogged up.what are you coming to fix this time?" Jack asked curiously.
"Janet told me that you've had problems with the window."
"Yes, we have been having problems with that same window ever since I moved in! Roper was as good as fixing things as you are." The last part was supposed to be sarcastic, but Furley didn't seem to notice.
"Hey! I'm here, aren't I? It's not my fault if everything here always breaks down!" he retorted, giving Jack his usual bug - eyed impression.
"Yeah.well Mr. Furley, have fun fixing the window. I have to go to work," he said, starting to rush out the door but then remembering he also had to put Janet's letter to Terri in the mail. Jack hurriedly picked up the letter, but as he picked up the envelope from the tabletop, a white sheet of paper fluttered out. He bent down to pick it up and put it back, but stopped as he saw that it had his name written down several times.