Compound 41

Chapter 17

Evelyn was glad to have breakfast with Chris, she was incredibly starving, but she couldn't wait to check her phone. She knew there were messages from Jackson waiting to be read, and she was driving herself crazy trying to think of what he might have to say. Furthermore, she was trying to determine what she wanted to hear from him.

She hoped there was at least an apology for leaving her hanging and never responding. But, she was also fearful that it would simply be a brush-off. Probably just an apology out of common decency, and then something about maybe next time he was in town. She feared it would be a let-down to read, and so she continued to avoid looking at her phone while she was out with Chris. She felt she was better able to conceal her nervousness than she would be her disappointment. Especially since she had no reason to be so invested in this stranger. They had really only had one or two conversations, and there was no way she could explain to Chris why it seemed to hurt her feelings so badly to consider that he wasn't interested in her after all. She wrestled with it in her mind about why she was so taken in by this stranger, and just kept blaming it on his good looks. She told herself that she was simply just flattered by the attention of someone she felt was way out of her league, and it was just generic disappointment at not being what she thought it could have been.

Evelyn held up her side of the conversation and interaction through breakfast with Chris. They were good friends, and she was always glad to hang out. He had never made any advances toward her, even though she was pretty sure that he would have if she had encouraged it, but she was sure to never do anything that might inspire anything beyond that of a platonic friendship. So they enjoyed their meal and chatted pleasantly about nothing much, as friends can so easily do.

After the meal, Evelyn excused herself from the table. She couldn't take it anymore, she knew she needed to read those messages from Jackson. Almost as if he were there, willing her to read them. More than once, she felt like he was nearby and that she was just being rude to not read and respond to him. Almost like she needed to respond to him. It was a strange tugging inside of her that she couldn't put off any longer. So, she went into the restroom and locked the door, so she could finally read her messages in private.

1st text message: Evelyn, hi it's Jackson. I'm so sorry! I left my phone in my friend's car, and didn't see your message until this morning.

2nd text message: Hi, it's me again. I would have texted sooner, but I figured you might need to sleep, since you were up late working. I just wanted to say again I'm really sorry.

3rd text message: Sorry again, I also wanted to see if you were free and would be willing to give me another chance? I'm still in town for a few days and would like to take you to dinner if you'd let me.

4th text message: If not, it's ok. Sorry for all the messages.

Evelyn couldn't help but smile at the multiple messages. There was something endearing to her about the sweetness of his tone. It was almost like he was just rambling at her in text, like a schoolboy with a crush. She could feel her cheeks flush as she considered that he still wanted to see her, and was going to be in town for a little longer. She took a deep breath as she considered how to respond.

Sounds great. Just let me know when and where. Was what she finally decided on and sent the message.

Evelyn then went back out to join Chris, trying to contain her excitement about her upcoming date with Jackson.

"Ready to go?" Chris asked her when she had returned to the table.

"Yeah" she responded, quickly reaching for her purse. "Let me grab some cash" she said as she pulled out her wallet.

"Taken care of" Chris waved her off as he stood up.

"You didn't have to do that" Evelyn chided. "At least let me pay for the tip."

"It's fine" Chris said. "I added the tip into the total. It's no problem. Didn't you pay last time?"

"I don't know," Evelyn said with a shrug. "I haven't been keeping track."

Chris and Evelyn made their way to his vehicle and were quickly on their way back to Evelyn's apartment. As they drove, she could feel her phone vibrate, with what she suspected to be a text message. She couldn't wait to get home to see what it was, hoping it was a response from Jackson with plans for dinner. But she restrained herself from looking at it while she was in the car with Chris.

"What have you got for the rest of the afternoon?" Chris asked Evelyn, as they pulled into the parking spot in front of her apartment.

"I don't have to go into the office, but I have some forms and paperwork to fill out" Evelyn began. She wanted some time and space, and didn't plan and inviting Chris to hang out for the rest of the afternoon. "Then I have a few errands to run. Things I've been putting off for the last few days while I was working on the wedding" she added.

"Want some company?" Chris offered hopefully.

"No, that's ok" Evelyn declined. "It would be boring for you anyway, I'm going to have to focus on my spreadsheets so I won't really be able to chat or anything" she offered as an excuse to try to keep Chris from forcing an invitation.

"All right" he relented, as he got her wheelchair out of the back of the car and positioned next to her.

"Thanks for breakfast" Evelyn replied sweetly, as she then moved to unlock her front door to go inside, leaving Chris standing beside his vehicle.

"No problem" he said reluctantly. "Talk to you later" he followed up as he walked back around to the driver's side door. He waited until Evelyn had gone inside and closed the door behind her, and then drove off with a wistful sigh.

As soon as Evelyn was inside the privacy of her own home, with the front door safely closed and locked behind her, she pulled out her phone eagerly.

Are you free tonight? I could pick you up, 6pm ok? It was a message from Jackson. Evelyn's heart skipped a beat as she held the phone up to her chest and excitedly bit her bottom lip. After a few seconds thought, she sent a reply.

Tonight is great, 6pm sounds good. But I'd rather meet you somewhere, if that's ok? She sent the message.

Evelyn was excited and looking forward to meeting Jackson, but she also didn't want to let her guard down. She really didn't know much about Jackson, and didn't want to give him her address. Little did she know that he had followed her home the other night and was outside her apartment that morning, and even now was within line of sight of her front door. Plus, she had no idea what kind of vehicle he would be driving, and her wheelchair had proved to complicate things in the past, when trying to get a ride with others, as it didn't always fit easily into someone else's car.

A few minutes later and she received the confirmation text for their evening plans and where Jackson suggested they meet up for dinner, a very high-end restaurant for their small town. One she had only been to once or twice in all the years she had lived in Garnet.