Phases Eight

Phase 22 Hit the road

"Come on dammit, pick up the phone!" Will banged at the table, annoyed.

Jeanne's mouth dropped open as she saw Will, losing his composure. She couldn't understand what was up with her father early in the morning. First, he left the house before the sun could rise and when he came back, he wasn't in a good shape. He was flustered, and adding to that he brought a guest along, who acted kind of, weird .

Her father had never brought women home. Jeanne wasn't able to perceive what special trait this particular woman had, that had her father's attention. As time passed, she started to appear as an unbearable nuisance to Jeanne.

What a poor taste dad has in women! Maybe next time I should ask Jake to teach him about choosing women.

Jeanne couldn't deny the fact that the girl was beautiful. She looked perfect even without the slightest of make up. But she would've preferred the girl to be a bit... sane.

"Jeanne keep talking to her. I'll be back in a minute" Will said, as he walked through the door.

Talk to her? Jeanne looked back to the girl, who was shooing away a toy spider on the table. Raising her guard, Jeanne settled on the cushion next to her.

She cleared her throat, "Uhm.. May I know your name?"

The girl raised her head from her knees. She bit her lower lip and looked at Jeanne with moisture in her eyes. As she gave up tugging at her lips, her teeth clattered against each other.

"Charlie" she said, with a quivering voice.

Jeanne made a lopsided smile. Charlie raised a suspicious eyebrow at her.

"What's so humorous about my name?" he retorted. Jeanne tried hard to control herself from breaking out with laughter.

"Nothing Charlie. Just wondered what happened to Wonka's chocolate factory" mocked Jeanne.

"The chocolate factory? Willy Wonka sold it. Now it belongs to a new brand called Nestlé."

Jeanne's forehead creased, "And may I know exactly why Wonka sold it to the nestlé's?"

"It was such a tragedy. Willy could no more eat chocolates." Charlie paused for a moment. "He became allergic to cocoa"

Jeanne roared with laughter. Tears stood at the corner of her brilliant blue eyes from laughing hard.

"Think I'm starting to like you Charlie" said Jeanne. Her perspective about the woman whom she considered to be insane a minute before, changed in the next minute.

Charlie's eyes brightened, "I have more stories in stock. Wanna hear some?"

"Yes" she said.

__________________

"Will? What are you doing here? Haven't I told you to call before coming here?" Jake was barely able to open his eyes due to the riddance of sleep. He didn't perceive the fact that Will was actually standing before him. He kept the conversation going with the support of his subconscious mind.

"Jake wake up. Wake up. It's an emergency" ushered Will.

"What the hell do you want?" bellowed Jake. Jake resembled the devil himself whenever he was disturbed in sleep.

"Amelia, she is not here, do you know that?" said Will.

Jake jolted up straight on his bed. His eyes didn't long for sleep anymore. It were busy, showing the dread he felt inside.

Without waiting for another word, he marched to the neighboring room. He shook the thin figure concealed in blankets. When there was no movement, Jake fetched the glass of water by the bed side and poured all over it.