Split Love

CHAPTER 15

THURSDAY, January 03, 2019

The library was empty like every new year. The yellow light from the lamps cast shadows on the large wooden cabinets filled with books and on the tables and sofas scattered around the place.

It was snowing outside and most of the curtains were closed that morning. An old heater kept the place pleasant.

The holiday was over for Jasmine, but she didn't care. She liked being in the library. In fact, Jasmine was uncomfortable spending all those days at home. There were few days she could run, with all that snow.

After overhearing the conversation between her grandmother and her uncle Richard, Christmas Day was the only date that Jasmine was able to keep the promise she made to Jordan and "not think" about it all.

In a small notebook, she wrote down their entire conversation. Jamie started a list the day after Christmas. A list of everything she thought was weird.

Number one was that she didn't remember her parents. Number two, the Christmas talk. Number three, the whole interrogation when she was a kid. Number four, her uncle's investigation of Jordan, her ex-boyfriend.

Yes, Uncle Richard was right. Jordan had moved on.

Jordan showed up the day after Christmas, as he'd told Jamie, and she told him about the part of the conversation where her uncle told her gran that the boy had moved on with his life in Hartford. Jamie wasn't jealous. She wasn't even thinking about it all. She just needed to know where all that investigation of her family had gone. Jordan answered with a shrug and that yes, he had met someone at the hospital.

The feeling that had accompanied Jamie for years had resurfaced. She knew there was something wrong. Jordan again tried to convince her that nothing was wrong, and that was just an ordinary conversation, but she knew there was more to it.

With a list of every DMV in the Chicago area, Jasmine picked up the front desk phone and dialed the number of the first office on the list.

- Aurora DMV office, good morning. - A woman with a very unfriendly voice said.

- Hi, good morning. I'm looking for Richard Keller.

- There is no one with that name here.

- Oh.

- Anything else?

- No, thank you.

The same question and the same answers at the next offices on the list. Bridgeview, Chicago Central, Chicago Heights, Loops, North, South, West, Deerfield, Elgin.

- I'm looking for Richard Keller.

- Hm... one minute, please. - The boy on the other end of the line spoke making Jamie's heart race.

Please be there. Please be there.

The wait was longer than Jamie thought. Nearly five minutes passed before anyone spoke again. The music on hold was already making Jamie dizzy.

- Excuse me, what's your name?

-Hm... Ana. - The fake name came out of her mouth faster than Jamie could imagine.

- One minute.

- But... - Before Jamie could ask if he works there, the hold music started to play.

Damn it.

A few minutes passed with that irritating music.

- Ana, can you leave your phone, please? Mr. Keller is not currently available.

- But he works in this office then?

- Yes definitely.

- All right, I'll call another time. Thanks.